Page 59 - A Knight of the White Cross

be glad to be away from the sight of the poor wretches, pirates and enemies
of the faith though they be."

"I can understand your feelings, and I too felt somewhat the same when I

first came here. Nevertheless, there is work that must be done if the Order
is not to be crushed by the infidels. Here are captives, for the most part
malefactors, who have to be fed; and there is no injustice in their having,

like all men, to give work for food. I have learnt to see this and recognise
the necessity, though I would that the work could be obtained without the

use of harshness and severity. We ourselves are prepared at any moment to
sacrifice our lives for the good of the Order and for the great cause, and it
would be wrong, nay, sinful, not to use the means that have been placed

ready to our hand. Now, Sir Gervaise, I wish you a pleasant voyage. You
will find the life somewhat hard, after your three years' residence at the

palace, but this I know you will not mind. I have specially commended you
to Ricord as one in whom I am personally interested, and from whom I
hope great things in the future. Be brave; be resolute. From what you have

said I need not say -- be merciful. Fulfill all orders promptly and without
question; bear yourself courteously to all; above all things, remember that

you are a soldier, not only of the Order, but of the Cross."

The next day Gervaise embarked with his companions on board the galley.

It was a long, low boat, similar to those in use by the Venetians and
Genoese. It was rowed by fifty slaves, who slept at night on or beneath the

benches they sat on by day. The knights occupied the great cabins in the
poop. There were two tiers of these; the upper one contained the little cabin
of the commander, while the rest of the space on this deck, and that below

it, was used by the knights in common. In the upper cabin they took their
meals, and a third of their number slept there, the remainder in the cabin

below. A fourth of their number were, however, always on guard, lest any
attempt at a rising or escape should be made by the galley slaves.

On leaving the harbour the galley, with its two consorts, rowed north, and
Gervaise learnt that they were to cruise between the mainland and the

islands. Some of these were in the hands of the Turks, while others were
still occupied by Greeks.