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