t," she said softly. "There is assuredly no
presumption in the hope."

He paused a moment.

"You would not esteem me," he said, holding both her hands now, "were
I false to my vows. I will return to Rhodes tomorrow, and ask the grand
master to forward to the Pope and endorse my petition, that I may be
released from my vows to the Order. I cannot think that he or the Holy
Father will refuse my request. Then, when I am free, I can tell you how
I love and honour you, and how, as I have in the past devoted my life to
the Order, so I will in the future devote it to your happiness."

The girl bowed her head.

"'Tis right it should be so," she said. "I have waited, feeling in my
heart that the vow I had given would bind me for life, and I should be
content to wait years longer if needs be. But I am bound by no vows, and
can acknowledge that you have long been the lord of my life, and that
so long as you wore the heart I had given you, so long would I listen to
the wooing of no other."

"I fear that the Countess, your mother--" Gervaise began, but she
interrupted him.

"You need not fear," she said. "My mother has long known, and knowing
also that I am not given to change, has ceased to importune me to listen
to other offers. Her sole objection was that you might never return from
captivity. Now that you have come back with added honours, she will
not only offer no objection, but will, I am sure, receive you gladly,
especially as she knows that my cousin Sir Fabricius, for whom she has
the greatest affection, holds you in such high esteem."

Six months later Gervaise again landed at Genoa, after having stayed
at Rome for a few days on his way back. D'Aubusson had expressed no
surprise at his return to Rhodes, or at the request he made.

"Caretto prepared me for this," he said, smiling, "when he asked me if
you might accompany him to Genoa. The Order will be a loser, for you
would assuredly have risen to the grand priorage of your langue some
day. But we have no right to complain; you have done your duty and more,
and I doubt not that should Mahomet again lay siege to Rhodes, we may
count on your hastening here to aid us?"

"That assuredly you may, sir. Should danger threaten, my sword will be
as much at the service of the Order as if I were still a member of it."

"I by no means disapprove," D'Aubusson went on, "of knights leaving us
when they have performed their active service, for in civil life they
sometimes hav