e
enough; but members of an Order, whose sole object is to defend
Christendom from the Moslems, should strive only to do their duty, and
care nothing for such things as honour and glory."

"Human nature is human nature, and I don't see any reason why one should
despise honour and glory when they come to one in the course of duty.
I fancy you will think so too, Gervaise, in course of time. I am quite
sure that among the fifty knights, there is not one who does not feel
well content that he has not only done his duty to the Order, but has
gained a share in the credit and honour that will certainly be given to
all who have taken a part in so crushing a defeat of the corsairs. As
for myself, I do not for a moment pretend that I am not sensible of the
fact that, as second in command of the galley, my chances of obtaining
promotion in the Order are very greatly improved."

It was nearly two hours before Caretto returned.

"It was well indeed that I went in," he said to Gervaise, "for I found
the city in an uproar. The alarm bells of the churches were calling all
citizens to arms, and troops were being hurried down to the forts and
batteries. Rumour had of course exaggerated the strength of the fleet,
and half the population believed that the safety of the city itself was
menaced by the approach of a mighty squadron. As soon as my news was
bruited abroad, and they learned that the fleet consisted solely of
prizes captured from the Moors by a galley of the Order, alarm quickly
changed into delight, the sharp, angry clang of the bells was succeeded
by peals of gladness, and the joy of the citizens at being relieved from
the cloud of anxiety that had hung over the city since my last visit,
was unbounded. I went at once to the council chamber, where I found many
of the leading citizens already assembled, having been summoned in hot
haste as soon as our approach was made out. At first they were almost
incredulous when I told them that every ship of the pirate fleet had
been either destroyed or captured, and that the fleet in the offing
consisted entirely of your galley and the thirteen corsairs she had
captured. As soon as they really grasped the fact, they sent off
messengers to the churches to order the joy bells to be rung, and to the
dockyard to arrest all work upon the galleys. Then I had to give them a
short account of the surprise and destruction of the corsair fleet, and
finally they begged me to ask you to delay your ent