Page 349 - A Knight of the White Cross

Eastern warfare -- that of assassination. To this end he employed two men,
one a Dalmatian, the other an Albanian; these presented themselves before

the walls as deserters, and as there was no reason for suspecting their tale,
they were admitted within the gates, and welcomed as having escaped from

enforced service. They soon spread the tale of the speedy coming of the
sultan with vast reinforcements, and as the pasha had on the previous day
caused salutes to be fired, and other demonstrations to be made, the news

was readily credited, and caused the greatest dismay among the defenders.

Some of the knights of the Italian and Spanish langues believed the
prospect of a successful defence against so enormous a force was
absolutely hopeless, and determined to put pressure upon D'Aubusson to

treat for surrender before it became too late. They opened negotiations with
an Italian named Filelfo, one of D'Aubusson's secretaries, who undertook to

lay their opinion before the grand master. D'Aubusson at once summoned
the knights concerned in the matter before him. They found him with
several members of the council.

"Sir Knights," he said, "I have heard from my secretary your opinions in the

matter of a surrender, and since you are in such terror of the Moslem sultan,
you have my full permission to leave the town; and, more than that, I will
myself secure your safe departure, which might be imperilled if your

comrades or even the inhabitants of the town came to learn that you had
advocated surrender; but," he went on, changing his tone from that of

sarcasm to sternness, "if you remain with us, see that the word surrender
never again passes your lips, and be assured that, should you continue your
intrigues, in that direction, you shall meet with the fate you so justly

deserve."

Overwhelmed by the grand master's accusation and sternness, the Italian
and Spanish knights threw themselves on their knees and implored him to
grant them an early opportunity of retrieving their fault by battle with the

infidel. Feeling that the lesson had been sufficiently severe, and that
henceforth there would be no renewal of intrigues for a surrender,

D'Aubusson forgave them, and promised them a place in the van when next
the Moslems attacked. The incident was not without its advantage, for the