Page 296 - A Knight of the White Cross

CHAPTER XIX

ESCAPE

Gradually a greater amount of liberty was given to Gervaise. Escape from
Tripoli was deemed impossible, especially as he was supposed to be

entirely ignorant of Arabic. He was, indeed, scarcely regarded now as a
slave by the head mason, and instead of being clad in rags was dressed like

other overseers. He was no longer obliged to walk with the gang to and
from the palace, and was at last granted permission to go into the town for
an hour or two after his work was over, instead of returning direct to the

prison. The first time this permission was given to him he placed himself
on the road by which Ben Ibyn would leave the town, choosing a quiet spot

where the meeting would not be observed. Gervaise had for some time
taken to staining his face, hands, and legs with walnut juice, beginning with
a weak solution, and very gradually increasing the strength until he had

reached a shade approximating to that of the lighter coloured portion of the
population. The head mason had on one occasion noticed it, and said, "The

sun is darkening your skin, Gervaise, until you might verily pass as a
Moor."

Gervaise detected an expression of doubt in the tone the officer had spoken
to the interpreter, and replied at once, "It is not altogether the sun. Since I

have obtained permission to come to my work alone, I have taken to
slightly darkening my skin, in order to go to and fro unmolested, and free
from the insults that the boys and beggars hurl at Christians."

The master mason nodded approvingly when the answer was translated to

him.

"It is a wise step," he said; "for truly the hatred of Christians is very strong

among the lower classes, especially since it became known that the galleys
that sailed from here nearly two years ago were, with all the fleet from

which so much was expected, utterly destroyed. It is well, then, that you
should pass unnoticed, for were there a tumult in the street you might lose
your life, and I should lose the best labour overseer I have ever had."