had been made.  The Turks, returning after their fruitless assault, found their bridge destroyed, but with untiring activity set to work and constructed it afresh.  Dragging cannon to the very edge of the ravelin, they, on the very next evening, revenged themselves by also making a false attack:  they swarmed into the ditch, and, placing their scaling-ladders against the walls, pretended that an escalade was to be attempted.  The garrison, deceived, appeared on the parapet in large numbers, when a murderous fire at point-blank range was opened upon them from the ravelin.  So great was the execution done on this occasion that the garrison lost more men than had hitherto been the case in the most determined attacks which they had sustained.

It now seemed as if indeed the end had come, that the garrison had done all that was in the power of mortal man and nothing was left for them but to retire while there was yet time.  Accordingly choice was made of the chevalier Median to represent the desperate extremities to which they were reduced to La Valette.  It was well known that for none among the Knights had the Grand Master more respect than he had for Medran, one of the bravest and most chivalrous of them all.  He, at least, could never be suspected of cowardice, feebleness, at a desire to desert his post.  This gallant Knight crossed the harbour on his dolorous errand and was received by his chief:  to him he represented the state of affairs as it has here been set down, assuring him that at best the fort could but hold out for a few days longer.

A chapter of the Knights Grand Cross was immediately held and the most part of them were of opinion that the time had come to abandon a hopeless position.  But this decision did not meet with the approval of the Grand Master.  No one was more sensible than he of the peril to which their brethren were exposed; at the same time, he contended, that there were occasions on which it was necessary to sacrifice a certain number for the good of the whole Order.  He had certain information that, if St. Elmo were abandoned, the Viceroy of Sicily would hazard nothing for the relief of the island; that upon the arrival of succours depended the existence of their ancient and honourable confederacy:  therefore, at no matter what cost, they were bound to hold out as long as possible.  So dominant was the personality of the Grand Master that, in a short time, he had won over the votes of the chapter and Medran was ordered to return to St. Elmo and deliver to the garrison a message that the siege must take its course.

Medran accordingly returned and reported to his comrades the result of his embassy.  Several of the older Knights received the command with due submission, but among those who were younger there were murmurings.  These men deemed the answer to their appeal hard and cruel; they could see no object in the loss of their lives, which they well knew would all be sacrificed in the next assault.  They accordingly, to the