Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/174

148 heart was touched with the deepest emotion at the wail of grief extorted from the miserable inhabitants by the ever-recurring ravages of the dragon, felt that he could not refrain from one further attempt in behalf of these suffering peasants. Without confiding his design to any one, he retired, by permission, to France. There in his paternal castle he caused a facsimile of the monster to be constructed in wood, covered with scales, and exhibiting as nearly as possible the terrifying aspect of its living counterpart. Having procured two English bull dogs, whose breed was even then famous throughout Europe, he trained them, as also his horse, to the attack of the fictitious monster, teaching them to fix their grip upon the belly, where the animal was unprotected with scales. Having thoroughly accustomed his four- footed assistants to the aspect of the foe, he returned to Rhodes, and at once proceeded to carry his project into execution. It is needless to enter into the details of the contest, though these are fondly dwelt on with the most elaborate minuteness by the recorders of the legend. Gozon, by the aid of his canine allies, achieved the destruction of his enemy, though not before he had well-nigh paid with his life the penalty of his temerity at the first onset of the brute. He was borne back in triumph to Rhodes, where the whole town received its deliverer with the loudest acclamations. This triumph was, however, at first, very short lived. The Grand-Master promptly summoned him before the council to answer for his wilful disobedience to the magisterial mandate. On his appearance before the board he was stripped of his habit as an unworthy and rebeffious knight. Having by this display of severity duly marked his determination to enforce obedience, Villanova, at the unanimous request of the members of his council, was induced to relent. In consideration of the noble gallantry displayed in the action, he not only restored his habit to Deodato, but nominated him to one of the richest commanderies in his gift.

How far this legend can be borne out by facts is a very disputed point, some writers throwing discredit over the entire story, whilst others are prepared to admit the probability of its