“Sir Knights,” he said, “I have heard from my secretary your opinions in the matter of a surrender, and since you are in such terror of the Moslem sultan, you have my full permission to leave the town; and, more than that, I will myself secure your safe departure, which might be imperilled if your comrades or even the inhabitants of the town came to learn that you had advocated surrender; but,” he went on, changing his tone from that of sarcasm to sternness, “if you remain with us, see that the word surrender never again passes your lips, and be assured that, should you continue your intrigues, in that direction, you shall meet with the fate you so justly deserve.”

Overwhelmed by the grand master’s accusation and sternness, the Italian and Spanish knights threw themselves on their knees and implored him to grant them an early opportunity of retrieving their fault by battle with the infidel.  Feeling that the lesson had been sufficiently severe, and that henceforth there would be no renewal of intrigues for a surrender, D’Aubusson forgave them, and promised them a place in the van when next the Moslems attacked.  The incident was not without its advantage, for the two pretended deserters, believing that Filelfo, who had also fallen under the displeasure of the grand master, would be ready to join in the conspiracy against his life, approached him.  Filelfo, who was greatly attached to D’Aubusson, saw by their manner that they wished to engage him in some intrigue, and, feigning great resentment and anger at his disgrace, led them on until they divulged the entire plot for D’Aubusson’s assassination, and made brilliant offers to him if he would afford them facilities for carrying it out, producing, in proof of their power to do so, a letter of the pasha, authorising them to make such promises in his name.

Filelfo at once divulged the whole plot to D’Aubusson.  The two men were immediately arrested, tried by the council, and sentenced to death.  They were not, however, formally executed, for the populace, obtaining news of their treachery, broke in upon their guards, and tore them to pieces.  Foiled in his attempt on the life of the grand master, the pasha prepared for a renewal of the attack, and it was not long before the knights on the lookout at the church of St. John perceived that the fort of St. Nicholas was again to be the scene of the attack.  It was ere long discovered that a large number of men were busy some distance along the shore in building a long structure, that could only be intended for a floating bridge.  Among the sailors who had aided in the attack with the fire ships were several men belonging to an English trader in the port.  All who had done so had been handsomely rewarded for their conduct, and five of the Englishmen had afterwards gone to the English auberge and had asked to be enrolled for service against the Turks, as they were weary of remaining on board in idleness when there was work