“There was a learned doctor in our company who understood Eastern languages and could converse in Arabic with the wise men from the East.  They told him that in their country there is a tradition that their astrologers, reading the heavens as is their wont, saw Saturn, Jupiter and Mercury foregather in the House of the Fishes that rules Judea, and knew by this that at such a time and in such a place a prophet should be born.  Therefore came they to visit the child with rich gifts, and gained from the parents a promise that when he was of an age to learn, he should be brought to their country to learn of their wisdom, even as Moses was skilled in all the wisdom of the Egyptians.  I know not whether there can be any truth in the legend, but that is their belief.  And yet they are not Christians, but heathen.”

Sir Stephen smiled at the two puzzled young faces.

“Nay, more,” he went on, “even the followers of Mahound revere Christ as a prophet.  Their name for Him is Ruh’ Allah.  I have seen a Moslem beat his Christian slave for using an oath that dishonored the name of Christ.  In truth, I have come to think that there are very few unbelievers in the world.  Much wickedness there is—­but not unbelief.”

“Mother says,” Eleanor ventured shyly, “that you are going away to live among the paynim.”

“Aye.”  The knight smiled his fleeting, tender smile.  “It is a grief to her, sweet lady, that I cannot dwell in comfort among you and think no more of voyages.  But there is a work laid upon me, which I must do.”

“A Crusade?” The word was just inside Roger’s lips, and it slipped out before he thought.  Sir Stephen smiled again.

“Nay.  My fighting days are over.  But I believe that even a broken man may serve if he be honestly so minded.  I must tell you that for many years I had been troubled, and found no peace, because even among churchmen there was sloth and selfish greed, and the desire to rule, and the pilgrims whom I met seemed often moved rather by vanity and love of change than from any true fear of God.  But as you know, I had but begun my homeward journey when our ship was taken by pirates and the few who were left alive were sold as slaves.

“It is not needful to tell all that befell me as a bondman among the Moors of Barbary.  My master was a renegade knight who had forsworn the Cross and risen to some preferment among the Almohades.  His hate was upon me day and night, and I knew that my lady and my kindred must believe me dead.  And in that black horror of loneliness and despair I found my faith.

“God speaks to us not always in books, nor in words, nor in one place more than another.  His ways are as the wind that blows where it will.  It is not what men do to us that kills—­it is what they make of us.  They cannot make a soul cruel or foul or treacherous, that hath not lost God.  What is the power of a multitude?  Christ died.  And His life is the light of men.