Page 300 - A Knight of the White Cross

Gervaise gave an exclamation of pleasure. By its length and weight he was
sure that the weapon must have been the property of a Christian knight.

"Shall I carry the message this evening?" the man asked. "It is early still,

and it were best that you should not linger in the city, where there is sure to
be a strict search for you in the morning."

"But perhaps he may recognise your face?"

"It is blackened, my lord, and I am dressed as you were when with Ben
Tbyn."

"Let us settle our plans, then, before we sally out from here; we could not
find a safer place for talking. What message, think you, would be the most

likely to tempt Hassan to come ashore? You do not know what spoil he has
brought?"

"No; besides, if a merchant wanted to buy he would go on board to inspect
Hassan's wares. We must have something to sell. It must be something

tempting, and something that must be disposed of secretly. I might tell him
that my employer -- and I would mention some merchant whose name
would carry weight with him -- has received from the interior a large

consignment of slaves, among whom are three or four girls, who would
fetch high prices in Egypt, and as he believes they have been captured from

a tribe within the limits of the sultan's territory, he is anxious to get rid of
them, and will either dispose of them all cheaply in a lot, or will hand them
over to him to take to Egypt to sell, giving him a large commission for

carrying them there and disposing of them."

"I do not like tempting even an enemy by stories that are untrue," Gervaise
said doubtfully.

"I have no scruples that way," the man said, with a laugh; "and it is I who
shall tell the story, and not you."

Gervaise shook his head.