Page 325 - A Knight of the White Cross

"This is turning the tables," Caretto said, with a laugh, when Gervaise
presented the grand master's order. "I was under your command last time,

and now it seems that you are to be under mine. I suppose you applied to
come here, in order to have a fresh opportunity of distinguishing yourself. I

heard that you had been placed on D'Aubusson's own staff."

"Yes, and am on it still; and it is by his orders and not by my own

solicitation that I am here. I will tell you what my duties are. The grand
master knows the commanders of posts have their hands so full that they

will have no time for sending complete reports to him, and he considers,
moreover, that they might, in some cases, however pressed, hesitate to ask
for aid until too late for reinforcements to be brought up. My duty will be to

let the grand master know how matters are going, and to send to him at
once if it seems to me that help is needed. I should, of course, always send

for reinforcements, at the request of a commander; but it is only in the
event of his being too busy in the heat of the fray to think of aught but
resisting an attack, that I should exercise my own judgment in the matter."

Caretto nodded.

"It is a good thought of D'Aubusson's. When one is in the thick of a fight in
a breach, with the Moslems swarming round, it does not occur to one to

draw out of the fray to send off messages. For myself, I shall be glad indeed
to have that matter off my mind, though it is not every one I should care to

trust with such a responsibility. Some might send off for aid when it was
not needed, others might delay so long that help might come too late; but
with one so cool headed as yourself I should not fear any contingency. And

now, as I am not busy at present, let us have a comfortable talk as to what
has happened since we met last. I was at the banquet at the grand master's

on the night when you related your adventures. You had certainly much to
tell, but it seems to me for some reason or other you cut short certain
details, and I could not see why, as there seemed no prospect of escape

open to you, you did not accept the offer of Suleiman Ali to ransom you."

"I saw no chance of escape at the moment, but I did not doubt that I could
get away from the town whenever I chose, although it was not clear how I