or the rising. He
was interrupted several times when he attempted to abbreviate the story,
or to omit some of the details, and there were exclamations of surprise
at his proposal to personate a Turkish prisoner, and to share the lot of
the slaves in their prison, and on the benches of the galley.

"I had no idea, Sir Gervaise," Caretto said, when he had concluded,
"that you too had been a galley slave, and I understand now the care
you showed to render the lot of the rowers as easy as possible. It was
a splendid scheme, and well carried out. Indeed, I no longer wonder
that you were appointed to the command of a galley, and received a rich
commandery in England at the hands of the grand master himself. What
think you, Countess; did I speak too highly in his favour?"

"Not one jot, cousin. Why, Sir Gervaise, it seems to me that you have
been born two centuries too late, and that you should have been a knight
errant, instead of being sworn to obey orders, and bound to celibacy.
Do you wear no lady's favour in your helm? I know that not a few of your
Order do so."

"As I have said, Countess, I know no ladies who would bestow favours
upon me; in the second place, I am but eighteen, and it would be
ridiculous for me to think of such matters; lastly, it seems to me that,
being vowed to the Order, I can desire no other mistress."

Claudia, who had listened with rapt attention to the story, whispered in
her mother's ear. The latter smiled.

"It seems to me, Sir Gervaise," she went on, "that after what you have
done for Italy there are many fair maidens who would feel it an honour
that their colours should be borne by one who has shown himself so
valiant a knight. You see, a gage of this kind does not necessarily mean
that there is any deep feeling between the knight who bears it and the
lady who bestows it; it shows only that she, on her part, feels it an
honour that her gage should be worn by a distinguished knight, and, on
his part, that he considers it as somewhat more than a compliment, and
wears it as a proof of regard on the part of one whose good opinion at
least he values. It is true that among secular knights it may mean even
more than this, but it ought not to mean more among knights of an Order
like yours, pledged to devote their lives to a lofty and holy aim. My
daughter Claudia whispers to me that she would deem it an honour indeed
if you would wear her token, accepting it in the spirit in which I have
spoken.