over. The office is an honourable one and one of
trust, and it is the first fruits of the advantages you will gain by
your knowledge of Turkish. No, do not thank me. I am selecting you
because you are better fitted than any knight I can spare for the
mission, and also, I may say, because the choice will be pleasing
to Suleiman Ali, whose goodwill I am desirous of gaining. Before now
Turkish provinces have thrown off their allegiance to the sultan. They
have, I must admit, been usually reconquered, but such might not be
always the case; and if such an event happened in Syria, this man's
influence and goodwill might be of great advantage to us, as it might
well suit us to ally ourselves with Syria against Constantinople. I am
glad to say that I found him at least as well disposed as any man could
be who had been some years in slavery. He admitted that, for a slave,
he had been kindly and gently treated, and added that any unpleasant
memories he might have retained had been obliterated by the nine months
of pleasant companionship spent with you."

When Gervaise returned to dinner at the auberge, and informed Ralph
Harcourt and the other young knights that he had been appointed to take
charge of the vessel in which Suleiman Ali was to be conveyed to
Acre, the statement was at first received with incredulity. It seemed
incredible that the youngest knight in the langue should be chosen for
such a mission, involving as it did a separate command. Even the older
knights, when the news was passed down the table, were surprised.

"I must say that I am astonished at the grand master's choice. Sir
Gervaise Tresham doubtless distinguished himself greatly some months
since, but from that time he has not been out with the galleys, or,
indeed, done anything that would seem to recommend him for so marked a
favour as a separate command."

"I don't know, Wingate," Sir John Boswell said. "It seems to me that
when a young knight of seventeen eschews all pleasure, refrains from
volunteering for service at sea, and spends his whole time in study, he
does distinguish himself, and that very greatly. Of the three or four
hundred young knights here I doubt if one other would have so acted.
Certainly, none to my knowledge have done so. Yet I do not suppose
that D'Aubusson selected him for this duty as a reward for so much self
denial and study, but because by that self denial and study he is more
fitted for it than any of us here, save some thre