Page 318 - A Knight of the White Cross

placed by the bedside. Gervaise indeed, falling off to sleep a few minutes
after he had lain down, did not awake until the following morning. Having

no idea that he had slept more than two or three hours, he sounded the bell
in order to inquire whether Ralph had returned to the auberge. He was

surprised to find his friend had just risen, and that he himself had been
asleep some eighteen hours!

A few minutes later Ralph hurried into the room.

"Thank God that you are back again, Gervaise!" he said, as he grasped the
hand of his friend. "I did not return until late in the evening, having been at
work with a large body of slaves at the fortifications; and you may guess

what joy I felt at the news. You are changed a good deal."

"I don't suppose you will think so at the end of a day or two, Ralph. I lost a
good deal of blood yesterday, and have been on short rations; but I shall
very soon pick up again."

"They will bring you some broth and wine directly, Gervaise. Early as it is,

the grand master has already sent down to inquire as to your health."

"I will reply in person as soon as I have had a meal and dressed."

"And I suppose we must all wait to hear what you have been doing until

you return, Gervaise?"

"I suppose so, Ralph. Of course it is a long story; but I must tell you at once

that there is nothing very exciting in it, and that it differed little from that of
others who have been prisoners among the Moors, save that I was strangely

fortunate, and suffered no hardships whatever. And now I want to ask you
about clothes. Have my things been sold, or are they still in the store?"

"No; the question was raised but a short time since. It was mooted, by the
way, by that old enemy of yours, Robert Rivers, who returned here some

three months ago with a batch of knights from the English commanderies.
Sir John Boswell answered him roundly, I can tell you, and said that they