“'Tis a mighty7 fleet,” Sir John said; “and the worst of it is that we know there are more to follow; still, I doubt not we shall send them back defeated. Our defences are all complete; our recent peace with Egypt has enabled us to fill up our magazines with provisions of all kinds; the inhabitants of the Island have had ample warning to move into the town, carrying with them everything of value; so the Turks will obtain but little plunder8, and will be able to gather no means of subsistence on the island, as every animal has been driven within the walls, and even the unripe9 corn has been reaped and brought in. However long the siege lasts, we need be in no fear of being reduced to sore straits for food. Look over there. There is a small craft under sail, and it comes not from the direction of Phineka. See! one of the Turkish galleys10 has separated from the rest and is making off in that direction. It may be that the little craft contains one or two of our comrades who are late in coming to join us.”
“It may well be so, Sir John, for they have been straggling in by twos and threes for the last month.”
“I will get the grand master's leave to put out in one of the galleys,” Sir John said, “for, by the way they are bearing, the Turks will cut the little craft off before she can gain the port.”
He hurried to D'Aubusson, who was standing a short distance apart from the others, gazing at the Turkish fleet. A minute later he was running down the hill to the town, accompanied by three or four other knights; they made direct for the outer port, where two galleys were lying in readiness, leapt on board one of them, which already contained its quota12 of knights, and at once rowed out of the port. Just as they did so the Turkish galley11 fired a gun.
“I fear we shall be too late,” Sir John said; “the Turk is gaining fast on the other craft, whatever she may be. There goes another gun. Row your hardest!” he shouted down to the slaves.
The Turkish ship did not fire again; the wind was light, and they were going two feet through the water to every one sailed by the other craft. The galley from Rhodes was still half a mile away when the Turk was close to the boat that was trying to escape. Sir John and the knights chafed13 as they saw they would be too late.
“I can't make out why the boat did not use her oars,” the former said. “Of course, she could not have kept away from the galley, but if she had rowed it would have made some difference, and we might have been nearly up.”
“I can only see one man on board of her, Sir John,” one of the younger knights said; and two or three others murmured that they were of the same opinion.
“The others must be lying down; she cannot have less than from fifteen to twenty men. The Turk is close alongside. They still hold on. There! She has gone about and escaped the attempt to run her down. Now she is heading for us again! Brave fellows! brave fellows!” Sir John exclaimed, while a cheer broke from those around him; “but they have done for themselves. They must have seen us coming out, and if they had surrendered might have hoped to have been retaken. Their chance of getting quarter was truly not great, for expecting—as the Turks do—to carry off both us and all the inhabitants of the Island, a dozen fishermen would have seemed to them scarcely worth keeping. However, by holding on they have thrown away any chance they may have had. The Turks are alongside; they are leaping down into the little craft. Ah! Two more galleys have just left their fleet, and are heading here.”
“See, Sir John,” one of the knights exclaimed, “there is a single man standing in the bow of that craft: he is facing the Moors14 alone. See how they crowd there; you can see the weapons flashing in the sun. They have to press past the mast to get at him, and as yet he seems to hold them all at bay.”
“He has chosen his post well, D'Urville. The number of his assailants prevents the archers15 on the Turkish craft using their bows. Fire those bow guns!” he shouted to the knights forward: “Take steady aim at the galley. It will distract their attention.”
“Nobly done indeed!” one of the other knights shouted. “I have seen him strike down four of the Turks.”
“Row, men, row! 'Tis useless!” Sir John muttered, as he clenched16 the hilt of his sword. “Useless! A Roland could not long maintain so unequal a fight.”
A groan17 broke from those around him as suddenly the dark mass of the assailants made a forward move, and the single figure was lost to sight. It was but for an instant; a moment later the crowd separated, and a man was seen to spring overboard.
“They will riddle19 him with their spears when he comes up; we shall have nothing to do but to avenge20 him. To your stations, comrades! It is our turn now, and we have no time to lose, for the other two Turks will be up in twenty minutes, and I had orders not to fight if it could be avoided: but we must take this fellow.”
Five minutes later the galley ran alongside the Turk, to which those who had captured the boat had already hastily returned. The ships discharged their guns into each other, and then, as the galley ran alongside, the knights tried to leap on board of her. They were opposed by a dense21 mass of Turks, for in addition to her usual crew the Moslem22 was crowded with troops. For three or four minutes the knights tried, but in vain, to get a footing on board; then Sir John shouted to them to forbear, and gave orders to the rowers at once to push off. A cloud of arrows swept across the poop as they did so; but for the most part these fell harmless from the armour23 of the knights. For a time the cannon24 on both sides continued to fire, but as the Christians26 increased their distance it gradually ceased.
They had gone but a hundred yards from the Turk when a head appeared over the stern railing of the poop, and a figure swung itself on to the deck. The man was attired27 in Turkish garments, but his head was bare, and the exclamation28, “A Christian25!” broke from the knights.
The man strode up to Sir John Boswell.
“You used to say you would make matters even with me some day, Sir John, and you have more than kept your word.”
Sir John fell back a pace in astonishment29, and then with a shout, “By St. George, it is Tresham!” threw his arms round Gervaise's neck, while the knights thronged30 round with exclamations31 of satisfaction.
“And it was you whom we saw keep the Turks at bay for three good minutes single handed,” Sir John said, holding Gervaise at arm's length to gaze into his face. “Truly it seemed well nigh impossible that any one who was like to be on that craft could have performed so doughty32 a deed. And how did you escape?”
“It was simple enough,” Gervaise replied. “As soon as I dived I turned and swam along under the boat and came up by the stern, and then held on by the rudder, sheltered from their sight. I saw that the galley would be up in five minutes, and had no fear of their wasting time to look for me. Directly you came alongside her I dived again, and rose under your stern. I did not think that you would be able to take her, for all their craft are crowded with troops; so I contented33 myself with holding on until you were out of reach of their arrows, and then I climbed up.”
“I am delighted to see you again, Gervaise. I was feeling very sore at the moment, and I know the others felt the same, at being obliged to sheer off without making a capture; but the grand master's orders were strict. We noted34 your craft pursued by the Turks, and I asked leave to take out a galley to cut her off. He said, 'Take one, Sir John, but do not adventure an attack against the Turk unless she is likely to fall an easy prize to you. Her capture would be of little benefit to us, and would be dearly purchased at the cost of a knight2's life. Therefore, as soon as we engaged her, and I found that she was full of troops and could not be captured without heavy loss, and that two of her consorts36 might arrive before we accomplished37 it, it was plainly my duty to abandon the attempt, although, you may guess, it went sorely against the grain to give the order, especially as I knew that a host would be looking on from St. Stephen's Hill. However, your rescue more than makes up for our failure; and thankful indeed am I that I made the suggestion that we should put out to save that little craft, though I thought it contained but a few fishermen or some coasting sailors, who had, in ignorance that the Turks were at hand, tried to enter Rhodes. One of those looking on with me did, indeed, suggest that she might have on board a knight or two coming to join us, but I did not give the matter a second thought.”
“And how go things, Sir John? And how are old friends?”
“Ralph Harcourt and, I think, all your comrades in the Santa Barbara, except the three who fell by your side when you were captured, are well, and at present on the Island, as, for the last two years, none have been allowed to depart. As to other matters, they go not so well as one could wish. The commanderies have not responded to our call for aid as they should have done. For this, however, they are not altogether to blame, for we have been so often threatened with attack, and have so frequently applied39 for aid in money or men, that they must have begun to doubt whether the danger was really imminent40. In other respects we are well prepared. We have obtained large stores of provisions from Egypt, and shall have no ground for uneasiness on that score. The defences have been greatly strengthened, and no one fears that we shall not be able to beat off an attack. We have destroyed the principal buildings outside the walls, though it would have been better could we have gone much further in this direction. And now let us have your adventures and escape.”
“'Tis a long story, Sir John, and I must pray you to let me defer41 it for a time. In the first place, I have two or three wounds that I shall be glad to have bandaged.”
“Why did you not say so at once?” Sir John exclaimed. “In those dark clothes, soaked with water as they are, I did not see the bloodstains; but I ought to have looked for them, for surely no one could have gone through that fight—altogether unprotected with armour too—without being wounded. Come below, and we will attend to them.”
“Also order me some wine and food, Sir John; I have touched nothing save water for twenty-four hours, and before that fasted somewhat strictly42.”
By the time Gervaise's wounds, which were not severe, had been bandaged, and he had eaten a hasty meal, the galley was alongside the mole43, between the two harbours.
He was provided with some clothes, and went with Sir John straight to the English auberge, where the knight insisted that he should at once lie down.
“I will report your return to D'Aubusson, and will tell him it is by my orders that you are resting. Your wounds are not very deep, but you must have lost a good deal of blood, and were you to exert yourself now, and be pestered44 with questions, it would probably bring on an attack of fever. There is nothing to do at present, for it must be some days before they can land and bring up their guns.”
Gervaise obeyed the orders not unwillingly46, for he felt that he was really weak, and was greatly worn out by want of sleep. Sir John Kendall, at Boswell's request, issued orders that he was on no account whatever to be disturbed, and that no one was to enter his room unless he sounded the bell placed by the bedside. Gervaise indeed, falling off to sleep a few minutes after he had lain down, did not awake until the following morning. Having no idea that he had slept more than two or three hours, he sounded the bell in order to inquire whether Ralph had returned to the auberge. He was surprised to find his friend had just risen, and that he himself had been asleep some eighteen hours!
A few minutes later Ralph hurried into the room.
“Thank God that you are back again, Gervaise!” he said, as he grasped the hand of his friend. “I did not return until late in the evening, having been at work with a large body of slaves at the fortifications; and you may guess what joy I felt at the news. You are changed a good deal.”
“I don't suppose you will think so at the end of a day or two, Ralph. I lost a good deal of blood yesterday, and have been on short rations47; but I shall very soon pick up again.”
“They will bring you some broth48 and wine directly, Gervaise. Early as it is, the grand master has already sent down to inquire as to your health.”
“I will reply in person as soon as I have had a meal and dressed.”
“And I suppose we must all wait to hear what you have been doing until you return, Gervaise?”
“I suppose so, Ralph. Of course it is a long story; but I must tell you at once that there is nothing very exciting in it, and that it differed little from that of others who have been prisoners among the Moors, save that I was strangely fortunate, and suffered no hardships whatever. And now I want to ask you about clothes. Have my things been sold, or are they still in the store?”
“No; the question was raised but a short time since. It was mooted49, by the way, by that old enemy of yours, Robert Rivers, who returned here some three months ago with a batch50 of knights from the English commanderies. Sir John Boswell answered him roundly, I can tell you, and said that they should be kept, were it for another fifty years, for that he would wager51 his life that you would sooner or later make your escape.”
“I am sorry that fellow has returned, Ralph. Has he got a commandery yet?”
“No; I believe that Sir John Kendall sent home so bad a report of him, that even the great influence of his family has not sufficed to obtain his appointment, and that he has been merely the assistant at one of the smaller manors52. Sir John Boswell told me in confidence that he understood that Rivers did not at first volunteer to come out in response to the appeal of the grand master, but that the grand prior informed him that unless he took this opportunity of retrieving53 his character, he might give up all hope of ever obtaining advancement54. Ah, here is your breakfast.”
An hour later Gervaise presented himself at the palace, clothed in the suit of armour that had been given to him by Genoa. Although he was engaged with several members of the council at the time, the grand master ordered him to be at once admitted as soon as he heard that he was in attendance.
“Welcome back, Sir Gervaise Tresham,” he said warmly, as he entered. “We all rejoice greatly at your return, and I consider it a happy omen18 for the success of our defence that so brave and distinguished55 a knight should at the last moment have arrived to take a share in it.”
The others present all shook Gervaise cordially by the hand, and congratulated him on his return.
“You must dine with me this evening,” D'Aubusson went on, “and tell us the story of your captivity56 and escape. At present, as you may suppose, we have too many matters on hand to spare time for aught that is not pressing and important. You will need a few days' rest before you are fit for active service, and by that time we will settle as to what post will best suit you.”
Twice that day had Gervaise to recount his adventures, the first time to Sir John Kendall and the knights of his auberge, the second to the grand master. Most of the leading members of the Order were assembled at the palace, and, among others, he was introduced to the Viscount de Monteuil, the elder brother of D'Aubusson, one of the most famous leaders of the day. He had brought with him a considerable body of retainers, and, although not a member of the Order, had offered his services in defence of the town. The council had gratefully accepted the offer, and had unanimously named him Commander of the Forces. Many other knights and soldiers had come from different parts of Europe, animated57 alike by the desire to aid in the defence of Christendom against the advance of the Moslems, and to gain credit and honour by taking part in a siege that was sure to be a desperate one.
“My brother has already spoken of you to me, Sir Gervaise,” the viscount said, when the young knight was presented to him; “although indeed there was no occasion for him to do so, since the name of the knight who two years ago saved the commerce of Italy from ruin, and with a single galley destroyed or captured a great fleet of over twenty Barbary pirates, and thus for a time put a stop to the depredations58 of the infidels, is known throughout Europe. By the way, I am the bearer of a message to you. I took ship at Genoa on my way hither, and stayed two or three days there while she was being got ready for sea. Knowing that I was bound hither, a certain very beautiful young lady of noble family, to whom I had the honour of being introduced, prayed me that if you should by any chance have escaped from captivity—and she said that she was convinced that you would, when you heard that Rhodes was threatened, assuredly endeavour to escape and to come hither to take a share in the defence—I was to tell you that she trusted you still bore her gage35, and that she, on her part, had held fast to the promise she made you.”
“I still have her gage, Viscount; for though I was for a long time deprived of it, I succeeded in regaining60 it when I made my escape,” Gervaise said quietly; and De Monteuil at once turned the conversation to another topic.
Gervaise found that no attempt was to be made to take the offensive against the Turks, and that they were to be permitted to advance against the city without interference. Many of the more fiery62 spirits among the knights chafed at this prohibition63. The records of the past showed that armies as large as that of Mahomet had suffered defeat at the hands of bodies of knights no stronger than that gathered for the defence of Rhodes. D'Aubusson, however, knew that between the undisciplined hordes64 that gathered in countless65 numbers to oppose the crusaders, and the troops of Mahomet, well trained in warfare66, who had borne his standard victoriously67 in numerous battles, there was but little comparison. They were commanded, too, by Paleologus, a general of great capacity. Under such circumstances, although victory might be possible, the chances of defeat would be far greater, and while victory could be only won at a great sacrifice of life, defeat would mean annihilation to the garrison68, and the loss of the city upon whose fortifications such an enormous amount of money and labour had been expended69.
On the other hand, he felt perfectly70 confident that the city could be successfully defended, and that at a cost of life far less than would be attained71 by a victory in the open field, while the blow that would be inflicted72 upon the prestige and power of the enemy, by being ignominiously73 compelled to retire to their ships, after the failure of all their attacks, would be as great as if their army had been defeated in the field. Therefore the grand master, with the full assent74 of his leaders, turned a deaf ear to the entreaties75 of the younger knights, that they might be allowed to make a sortie. He calmly waited behind the formidable defences he had for the past ten years been occupied in perfecting, in anticipation76 of the assault of the Moslem host.
Accordingly, after disembarking at their leisure, the Turkish army moved forward, and took their post upon St. Stephen's Hill. From this eminence77 they commanded a full view of the town, the hills sloping gently down to the foot of the walls. In later times the first care of a general commanding the defence would have been to construct formidable works upon this commanding position. But the cannon of that period were so cumbrous and slowly worked, and so inaccurate78 in their aim, that the advantage of occupying a position that would prevent an enemy from firing down into a town was considered to be more than counterbalanced by the weakening of the garrison by the abstraction of the force required to man the detached work, and by the risk of their being surrounded and cut off without the garrison of the town being able to aid them.
That the defence of St. Stephen's Hill was considered unnecessary for the safety of Rhodes is shown by the fact that no attempt had been made to fortify79 it when, forty years later, the Moslems again besieged80 the city.
There was no shadow of apprehension81 felt by the garrison of Rhodes as the great array of their foes82 was seen moving on to the hill, and preparing to pitch its camp. On the summit was the great tent of the pasha; round this were the marquees of the other commanders, while the encampments of the troops stretched far away along the upper slopes of the hill.
Previous to the despatch83 of the expedition, the sultan had made preparations for aiding his arms by treachery. The agent he had sent to propose a temporary truce84 had, during his stay on the Island, made himself thoroughly85 acquainted with the outline of the works. A very accurate plan of them had also been obtained from an inhabitant of Rhodes, who had abandoned Christianity and taken service with the Turks.
In addition to this he had arranged with a renegade German, known as Maitre Georges, a man of very great ability as an artilleryman and engineer, to desert to the city, and there do all in his power to assist the besiegers, both by affording them information and by giving bad advice to the besieged. On the day after Paleologus, who was himself a renegade Greek, had established his camp, he sent in a herald86 to summon the city to surrender, at the same time making lavish87 promises that the lives and property of the native population should be respected, and that they should be allowed to continue to reside there, to enjoy the full exercise of their religion and of all other rights they possessed88. The pasha had no real hope that the knights would obey the summons, but he thought that he might excite a spirit of disaffection among the townspeople that would, when the crisis came, greatly hamper89 the efforts of the defenders90.
The Rhodians, however, were well satisfied with the rule of the Order. The knights, although belonging to the Catholic Church, had allowed the natives of the Island, who were of the Greek faith, perfect freedom in the exercise of their religion, and their rule, generally, had been fair and just. The wealth and prosperity of the Island had increased enormously since their establishment there, and the population had no inclination91 whatever to change their rule for that of the Turks. The summons to surrender being refused, the enemy made a reconnaissance towards the walls.
D'Aubusson had no longer any reason for checking the ardour of the knights, and a strong body of horsemen, under the command of De Monteuil, sallied out and drove the Turks back to their camp.
Maitre Georges, who was acting92 as the military adviser93 of the pasha, saw at once that the weakest point of the defence was Fort St. Nicholas, at the extremity94 of the mole along the neck of land dividing the outer from the inner port. At a short distance away, on the opposite side of the port, stood the church of St. Anthony, and in the gardens of the church a battery was at once erected95. The garden was but three hundred yards from St. Nicholas, and the danger that would arise from the construction of the battery was at once perceived, and an incessant96 fire opened upon it from the guns on the wall round the grand master's palace. Numbers of the workmen were killed, but the erection of the battery was pushed on night and day, and ere long three of the immense cannon that had been brought from Constantinople,—where sixteen of them had been cast under the direction of Maitre Georges—were placed in position. These cannon were eighteen feet in length, and carried stone balls of some twenty-six inches in diameter.
Before these were ready to open fire, Gervaise had entirely97 regained98 his health and strength. The grand master, being unwilling45 to appoint him to a separate command over the heads of knights many years his senior, had attached him to his person in the capacity of what would now be called an aide-de-camp.
“I know, Gervaise, that I can rely upon your coolness and discretion99. I cannot be everywhere myself, and I want you to act as my eyes in places where I cannot be. I know that the knights, so far as bravery and devotion are concerned, will each and every one do his best, and will die at their posts before yielding a foot; but while fighting like paladins they will think of naught100 else, and, however hardly pressed, will omit to send to me for reinforcements. Nay101, even did they think of it, they probably would not send, deeming that to do so would be derogatory, and might be taken as an act of cowardice102. Now, it is this service that I shall specially38 look for from you. When a post is attacked, I shall, when my presence is required elsewhere, send you to represent me. I do not, of course, wish you to interfere61 in any way in the conduct of the defence, in which you will take such share as you can; but you are specially to observe how matters go, and if you see that the knights are pressed and in sore need of assistance to enable them to hold the post, you will at once bring the news to me, and I will hurry there with reinforcements.”
No post could have been more in accordance with the desire of Gervaise, for the portion of the wall defended by the English langue was far removed from the point selected by the Turks for their first attack, the sea front being defended half by the langue of Italy, and half by that of Castile. Fort St. Nicholas was under the command of the Cavalier Caretto, and as soon as the Turkish battery was completed, Gervaise went down there with an order from the grand master that he was for the present to consider himself as forming part of the garrison. This was pleasant for both Caretto and himself, for the Italian knight had conceived a strong friendship for the young Englishman, and had rejoiced greatly at his return from captivity, but had been so much occupied with his duty of placing the castle in all respects in a state of defence, that he had had no opportunity for a private conversation with him since his return to Rhodes.
Gervaise, on his part, was no less pleased. Caretto had shown so much tact103 after his release from the Moors, and had so willingly aided him in any capacity allotted104 to him, without in the slightest degree interposing his council unasked, that Gervaise had come to like him greatly, even before their arrival at Genoa. Circumstances there had brought them closely together, and their friendship had been cemented during their voyage to Rhodes. Caretto had gone back to Italy, where he had a commandery, a few days after Gervaise had sailed on his last voyage, and had only returned to Rhodes three months before Gervaise escaped from captivity.
“This is turning the tables,” Caretto said, with a laugh, when Gervaise presented the grand master's order. “I was under your command last time, and now it seems that you are to be under mine. I suppose you applied to come here, in order to have a fresh opportunity of distinguishing yourself. I heard that you had been placed on D'Aubusson's own staff.”
“Yes, and am on it still; and it is by his orders and not by my own solicitation105 that I am here. I will tell you what my duties are. The grand master knows the commanders of posts have their hands so full that they will have no time for sending complete reports to him, and he considers, moreover, that they might, in some cases, however pressed, hesitate to ask for aid until too late for reinforcements to be brought up. My duty will be to let the grand master know how matters are going, and to send to him at once if it seems to me that help is needed. I should, of course, always send for reinforcements, at the request of a commander; but it is only in the event of his being too busy in the heat of the fray106 to think of aught but resisting an attack, that I should exercise my own judgment107 in the matter.”
Caretto nodded.
“It is a good thought of D'Aubusson's. When one is in the thick of a fight in a breach108, with the Moslems swarming109 round, it does not occur to one to draw out of the fray to send off messages. For myself, I shall be glad indeed to have that matter off my mind, though it is not every one I should care to trust with such a responsibility. Some might send off for aid when it was not needed, others might delay so long that help might come too late; but with one so cool headed as yourself I should not fear any contingency110. And now, as I am not busy at present, let us have a comfortable talk as to what has happened since we met last. I was at the banquet at the grand master's on the night when you related your adventures. You had certainly much to tell, but it seems to me for some reason or other you cut short certain details, and I could not see why, as there seemed no prospect111 of escape open to you, you did not accept the offer of Suleiman Ali to ransom112 you.”
“I saw no chance of escape at the moment, but I did not doubt that I could get away from the town whenever I chose, although it was not clear how I should proceed afterwards. It was for this opportunity I was waiting, and I felt sure that, with my knowledge of the language, it would come sooner or later. In the next place, my captors had fixed113 an exorbitant114 sum for my ransom, and I did not wish to impose upon the generosity115 of Suleiman. There was another reason—a private one.”
“You don't mean to say that you had fallen in love with a Moorish116 damsel, Sir Gervaise?” Caretto laughed.
“For shame, Cavalier! As if a Christian knight would care for a Moslem maiden117, even were she as fair as the houris of their creed118!”
“Christian knights have done so before now,” Caretto laughed, greatly amused at the young knight's indignation, “and doubtless will do so again. Well, I suppose I must not ask what the private matter was, though it must have been something grave indeed to lead you, a slave, to reject the offer of freedom. I know that when I was rowing in their galleys, no matter of private business that I can conceive would have stood in my way for a single moment, had a chance of freedom presented itself.”
“It was a matter of honour,” Gervaise said gravely, “and one of which I should speak to no one else; but as you were present at the time, there can, I think, be no harm in doing so. At the time that I was captured, I was stripped of everything that I had upon me, and, of course, with the rest, of the gage which the Lady Claudia had given me, and which hung round my neck where she had placed it. It was taken possession of by the captain of the pirates, who, seeing that it bore no Christian emblem119, looked upon it as a sort of amulet120. I understood what he was saying, but, as I was desirous that my knowledge of Turkish should not be suspected, I said nothing. I was very glad that he so regarded it, for had he taken it to be an ordinary trinket, he might have parted with it, and I should never have been able to obtain a clue as to the person to whom he sold it. As it was, he put it round his neck, with the remark that it might bring him better luck than had befallen me. He told me jeeringly121 months afterwards that it had done so, and that he would never part with it. Given me as it was, I felt that my honour was concerned in its recovery, and that, should I ever meet Lady Claudia again, I should feel disgraced indeed, if, when she asked whether I still bore her gage, I had to confess that it was lost.”
“But lost from no fault of your own,” Caretto put in.
“The losing was not indeed from any fault of my own, and had the pirate thrown it into the sea I should have held myself free from disgrace; but as it was still in existence, and I knew its possessor, I was bound in honour to recover it. At the time Suleiman Ali's messenger arrived the corsair was away, and there was no saying when his ship would return; therefore, I decided122 at once not to accept the offer of freedom. Had it not been for that, I own that I should have done so, for I knew that I could repay Suleiman from the revenues of my commandery, which would have accumulated in my absence; but if I had had to wait ten years longer to regain59 the gage, I felt that I was in honour bound to do so. It was, in fact, some six months before the corsair put into that port again. The moment he did so I carried out the plans I had long before determined123 upon. I obtained a disguise from Ben Ibyn, and by a ruse124 succeeded in inducing the pirate to meet me outside the town, believing that I was an Arab chief who wished to dispose of some valuable slave girls he had brought in. I had with me one of my old galley slaves, who had been taken into Ben Ibyn's employment; and when the pirate came up with two of his crew, and furiously attacked me as soon as I threw off my disguise, it would have gone hard with me had he not stood by me, and killed one of them who was about to attack me in the rear. I slew125 the other and Hassan, and the gage is in its place again.”
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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knights
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| 骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马 | |
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lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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7
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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unripe
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| adj.未成熟的；n.未成熟 | |
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galleys
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| n.平底大船，战舰( galley的名词复数 )；（船上或航空器上的）厨房 | |
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galley
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| n.（飞机或船上的）厨房单层甲板大帆船；军舰舰长用的大划艇； | |
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12
quota
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| n.（生产、进出口等的）配额，（移民的）限额 | |
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13
chafed
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| v.擦热（尤指皮肤）( chafe的过去式 )；擦痛；发怒；惹怒 | |
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moors
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| v.停泊，系泊（船只）( moor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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archers
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| n.弓箭手，射箭运动员( archer的名词复数 ) | |
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clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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17
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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18
omen
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| n.征兆，预兆；vt.预示 | |
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19
riddle
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| n.谜，谜语，粗筛；vt.解谜，给…出谜，筛，检查，鉴定，非难，充满于；vi.出谜 | |
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20
avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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21
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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22
Moslem
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| n.回教徒，穆罕默德信徒；adj.回教徒的，回教的 | |
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23
armour
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| （=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队 | |
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24
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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25
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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26
Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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27
attired
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| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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29
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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30
thronged
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
exclamations
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| n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 )；感叹；感叹语；感叹词 | |
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32
doughty
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| adj.勇猛的，坚强的 | |
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33
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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34
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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35
gage
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| n.标准尺寸，规格；量规，量表 [=gauge] | |
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36
consorts
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| n.配偶( consort的名词复数 )；（演奏古典音乐的）一组乐师；一组古典乐器；一起v.结伴( consort的第三人称单数 )；交往；相称；调和 | |
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37
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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38
specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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39
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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40
imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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41
defer
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| vt.推迟，拖延；vi.(to)遵从，听从，服从 | |
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42
strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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43
mole
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| n.胎块；痣；克分子 | |
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44
pestered
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| 使烦恼，纠缠( pester的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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46
unwillingly
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| adv.不情愿地 | |
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47
rations
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| 定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量 | |
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48
broth
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| n.原(汁)汤(鱼汤、肉汤、菜汤等) | |
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49
mooted
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| adj.未决定的，有争议的，有疑问的v.提出…供讨论( moot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50
batch
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| n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量 | |
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51
wager
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| n.赌注；vt.押注，打赌 | |
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52
manors
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| n.庄园（manor的复数形式） | |
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53
retrieving
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| n.检索（过程），取还v.取回( retrieve的现在分词 )；恢复；寻回；检索（储存的信息） | |
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54
advancement
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| n.前进，促进，提升 | |
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55
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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56
captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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57
animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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58
depredations
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| n.劫掠，毁坏( depredation的名词复数 ) | |
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59
regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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60
regaining
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| 复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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61
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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62
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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63
prohibition
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| n.禁止；禁令，禁律 | |
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64
hordes
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| n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 )；部落 | |
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65
countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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66
warfare
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| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
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67
victoriously
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| adv.获胜地，胜利地 | |
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68
garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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69
expended
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| v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
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70
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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71
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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72
inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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73
ignominiously
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| adv.耻辱地，屈辱地，丢脸地 | |
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74
assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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75
entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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76
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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77
eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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78
inaccurate
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| adj.错误的，不正确的，不准确的 | |
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79
fortify
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| v.强化防御，为…设防；加强，强化 | |
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80
besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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81
apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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82
foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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83
despatch
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| n./v.(dispatch)派遣；发送；n.急件；新闻报道 | |
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84
truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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85
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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86
herald
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| vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎 | |
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87
lavish
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| adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍 | |
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88
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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89
hamper
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| vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子 | |
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90
defenders
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| n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者 | |
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91
inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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92
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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93
adviser
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| n.劝告者，顾问 | |
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94
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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95
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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96
incessant
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| adj.不停的，连续的 | |
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97
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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98
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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99
discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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100
naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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101
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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102
cowardice
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| n.胆小，怯懦 | |
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103
tact
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| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
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104
allotted
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| 分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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105
solicitation
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| n.诱惑；揽货；恳切地要求；游说 | |
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106
fray
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| v.争吵；打斗；磨损，磨破；n.吵架；打斗 | |
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107
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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108
breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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109
swarming
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| 密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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110
contingency
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| n.意外事件，可能性 | |
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111
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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112
ransom
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| n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救 | |
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113
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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114
exorbitant
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| adj.过分的；过度的 | |
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115
generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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116
moorish
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| adj.沼地的，荒野的，生[住]在沼地的 | |
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117
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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118
creed
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| n.信条；信念，纲领 | |
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119
emblem
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| n.象征，标志；徽章 | |
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120
amulet
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| n.护身符 | |
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121
jeeringly
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| adv.嘲弄地 | |
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122
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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123
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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124
ruse
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| n.诡计，计策；诡计 | |
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125
slew
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| v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多 | |
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