no little jealousy, were I to use the power I possess to nominate friends of my own to appointments.  It is only by the most rigid impartiality, and by dividing as fairly as possible all offices between the eight langues, that all continue to give me their support.  As you know, we have had great difficulties and heartburnings here; but happily they have to a great extent been set at rest by forming a new langue of Castile and Portugal out of that of Aragon.  This has given one more vote to the smaller langues, and has so balanced the power that of late the jealousies between us have greatly subsided, and all are working well together in face of the common danger.  Well, young sir, and how like you the prospect of your pageship?”

“I like it greatly, sir, but shall like still more the time when I can buckle on armour and take a share of the fighting with the infidels.  I would fain, sir, offer to you my deep and humble thanks for the great kindness you have shown me in procuring me the appointment of page to the grand master.”

The knight smiled kindly.  “There are the less thanks due, lad, inasmuch as I did it not for you, but for the dear friend who wrote to me on your behalf.  However, I trust that you will do credit to my nomination by your conduct here.”

“There is a letter from our grand prior which I have brought to you,” Sir Guy said.  “He commended the lad to me warmly, and seems to be greatly pleased with his conduct.”

D’Aubusson cut the silken string that bound the missive together, and read the letter.

“He does indeed speak warmly,” he said, as he laid it down on the table.

“He tells me that the lad, young as he was, had been well trained when he came, and that he worked with great diligence during the five months he was in the House, and displayed such skill and strength for his age, as to surprise his preceptors, who prophesied that he would turn out a stout swordsman, and would be a credit to the Order.”

“He is well furnished with garments both for ordinary and state occasions,” Sir Guy said; “and in this packet are some sixty gold crowns, which are the last remains of his patrimony, and which I was to hand to you in order to pay the necessary expenses during his pageship.”

“He could have done without that,” D’Aubusson said.  “Recommended to me as he is, I would have seen that he lacked nothing, but was provided with all necessaries for his position.  I will in the future take care that in all things he is on a par with his companions.”  He touched a bell on the table, and a servitor entered.

“Tell Richard de Deauville to come here,” he said.

A minute later the hangings at the door were pushed aside, and a lad about a year older than Gervaise appeared, and, bowing deeply to the knight, stood in a respectful attitude, awaiting his orders.

“Deauville, take this youth, Gervaise Tresham to your room.  He is appointed one of the pages of the grand master.  He is English, but he speaks French as well as you do, having lived in France for some years.  Take him to your apartment and treat him kindly and well, seeing that he is a stranger and new to all here.  Tomorrow he will go to the palace.”