Page 95 - A Knight of the White Cross

their conduct to you, you will make them to me, and I will inquire into the
matter; and if I find they have failed in their duty they will be punished. I

shall keep my eye upon you in the future. There are other faults that I have
observed in you. More than once I have heard you address Sir Gervaise

Tresham in a manner which, were not duelling forbidden by our rules,
might bring about bloodshed; and from what I have seen when I have been
watching the exercises, he is as much your superior in arms as he is in

manner and disposition."

This reproof had greatly subdued Robert Rivers; and as he felt that any
display of his jealousy of Gervaise would be resented by the other knights,
and might result in serious consequences to himself, he abstained from any

exhibition of it when they returned to the auberge, although he could not
bring himself to join in the congratulations offered to them. The next day,

however, when he was talking to Ralph Harcourt, he remarked, "From what
I hear, Harcourt, D'Aubusson praised young Tresham very highly. It seems
to me that there was nothing at all out of the way in what he did, and it was

very unfair that he should be selected for higher praise than yourself."

"It was not unfair at all," Ralph said warmly, for he was of a generous
nature, and incapable of the base feeling of envy. "Tresham did a great deal
more than I did. When we saw the pirate boat gaining so fast upon us, it

seemed to Sir John Boswell, as well as to myself, that there was scarce a
chance of escape, and that all we could do was to choose a spot on which to

make a stand, and then to sell our lives as dearly as we could. I could see
that Sir John was scanning the hill for a spot where we could best defend
ourselves. As to hiding on so small an island, with a hundred men eager for

our blood searching for us, it was well nigh impossible. It was Tresham's
suggestion alone that saved our lives and enabled us to fetch succour to Sir

Louis. Sir John, who is an old and tried soldier, said that for quickness and
merit of conception, the oldest knight in the Order could not have done
better; and he is not one to praise unduly. I am four years older than

Gervaise Tresham, but I tell you that were he named tomorrow commander
of a galley, I would willingly serve under him."