Page 328 - A Knight of the White Cross

CHAPTER XXI

THE FORT OF ST. NICHOLAS

Well, you have proved indeed," Caretto said, when Gervaise finished his
story, "that you are worthy of the bestowal of a gage by a fair damsel. I do

not think that many knights, however true they might be to the donor,
would have suffered months of slavery in order to regain a token, lost by no

fault or carelessness of their own; and no lady could have blamed or held
them in any way dishonoured by the loss."

"I had a message by the Viscount De Monteuil from Lady Claudia the other
day, saying that she trusted I had kept her gage. I can assure you that the six

months of slavery were cheaply purchased by the pleasure I felt that I still
possessed it; and I was glad, too, to learn that I had not been forgotten by
her."

"Of that you may well assure yourself, Tresham; my commandery is not far

from Genoa, and I was frequently with her, but never without her drawing
me aside and asking me if I had heard any news of you, and talking over
with me the chances there might be of your escape. I can tell you that there

are not a few young nobles of Genoa who would give much to be allowed
as you are to carry her gage, or wear her colours. You should see her now;

you would scarce know her again, so altered and improved is she; there is
no fairer face in all Italy."

"I hope some day to meet her again, " Gervaise replied; "although I own to
knowing it were better that I should not do so. Until she gave me her gage I

had scarcely noticed her. I have, as you know, no experience of women,
and had so much on my mind at the time, what with the fuss they were
making about us, and the question of getting the prizes here, that in truth I

paid but slight attention to the fair faces of the dames of Genoa. But the
gracious and earnest way in which, though scarce more than a child, she

gave me her gage, and vowed that no other knight should possess one so
long as I lived, struck me so greatly that I own I gave the matter much more
thought than was right or becoming in one of our Order. The incident was