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 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?"