Page 324 - A Knight of the White Cross

of naught else, and, however hardly pressed, will omit to send to me for
reinforcements. Nay, even did they think of it, they probably would not

send, deeming that to do so would be derogatory, and might be taken as an
act of cowardice. Now, it is this service that I shall specially look for from

you. When a post is attacked, I shall, when my presence is required
elsewhere, send you to represent me. I do not, of course, wish you to
interfere in any way in the conduct of the defence, in which you will take

such share as you can; but you are specially to observe how matters go, and
if you see that the knights are pressed and in sore need of assistance to

enable them to hold the post, you will at once bring the news to me, and I
will hurry there with reinforcements."

No post could have been more in accordance with the desire of Gervaise,
for the portion of the wall defended by the English langue was far removed

from the point selected by the Turks for their first attack, the sea front being
defended half by the langue of Italy, and half by that of Castile. Fort St.
Nicholas was under the command of the Cavalier Caretto, and as soon as

the Turkish battery was completed, Gervaise went down there with an order
from the grand master that he was for the present to consider himself as

forming part of the garrison. This was pleasant for both Caretto and
himself, for the Italian knight had conceived a strong friendship for the
young Englishman, and had rejoiced greatly at his return from captivity, but

had been so much occupied with his duty of placing the castle in all
respects in a state of defence, that he had had no opportunity for a private

conversation with him since his return to Rhodes.

Gervaise, on his part, was no less pleased. Caretto had shown so much tact

after his release from the Moors, and had so willingly aided him in any
capacity allotted to him, without in the slightest degree interposing his

council unasked, that Gervaise had come to like him greatly, even before
their arrival at Genoa. Circumstances there had brought them closely
together, and their friendship had been cemented during their voyage to

Rhodes. Caretto had gone back to Italy, where he had a commandery, a few
days after Gervaise had sailed on his last voyage, and had only returned to

Rhodes three months before Gervaise escaped from captivity.