No longer did these ride out to battle on their war horses.  It was on the sea that the foe was to be met, and the knights were now sailors rather than soldiers.  They dwelt at the houses of their respective langues; here they ate at a common table, which was supplied by the bailiff, who drew rations for each knight, and received, in addition, a yearly sum for the supply of such luxuries as were not included in the rations.  The average number of knights residing in each of these langues averaged from a hundred to a hundred and fifty.

It was not until some hours after his arrival that Sir Guy could find time to take Gervaise across to the house of the langue of Auvergne, to which D’Aubusson belonged.  It was a larger and more stately pile than that of the English langue, but the arrangements were similar in all these buildings.  In the English house Gervaise had not felt strange, as he had the companionship of his fellow voyagers; but as he followed Sir Guy through the spacious halls of the langue of Auvergne, where no familiar face met his, he felt more lonely than he had done since he entered the house at Clerkenwell.

On sending in his name Sir Guy was at once conducted to the chamber occupied by D’Aubusson.  The knight was seated at his table, examining some plans.  The room was furnished with monastic simplicity, save that the walls were hung with rich silks and curtains captured from Turkish galleys.

“Welcome back to us, Sir Guy,” D’Aubusson said, rising, and warmly shaking his visitor’s hand.  “I have been looking for your coming, for we need men with clear heads.  Of strong arms and valiant spirits we have no lack; but men of judgment and discretion, who can be trusted to look at matters calmly and not to be carried away by passion, are welcome indeed to us.  I was expecting you about this time, and when I heard that a ship had arrived from Marseilles I made inquiries, and was glad to find that you were on board.”

“I am heartily glad to be back, D’Aubusson; I am sick of the dull life of a commandery, and rejoice at the prospect of stirring times again.  This lad is young Tresham, who has come out in my charge, and for whom you have been good enough to obtain the post of page to the grand master.”

“And no slight business was it to do so,” D’Aubusson said with a smile.  “It happened there was a vacancy when the letter concerning him arrived, and had it been one of the highest offices in the Order there could not have been a keener contention for it.  Every bailiff had his candidate ready; but I seldom ask for anything for members of my langue, and when I told the other bailiffs that it was to me a matter of honour to carry out the last request of my dead friend, they all gave way.  You see, I am placed in a position of some little difficulty.  The grand master is so enfeebled and crippled that he leaves matters almost entirely in my hands, and it would be an abuse of my position, and would excite