Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/283

Rh Islamism, he averred with the most captivating ingenuousness, that although he had been for many years in the service of the sultan, his conscience would not permit him to assist further in the designs of that monarch against the fraternity. Finding himself unable in any other manner to escape from the distasteful and painful service, he had resolved to take the hazardous step of deserting into the fortress. D’Aubusson had had too many dealings with rascals as wily and. plausible as Maître Georges to give a ready credence to this tale of remorse. He knew too well that the day was past when men made such sacrifices for their religion. He also knew what a fearful risk Maître Georges would be running if he were really a deserter in the event of the capture of the town, and of his falling once more into the hands of his former employers. This was a risk which he gravely doubted Maître Georges’ newly-awakened zeal for the Christian faith would prompt him to run. The probabilities seemed to him, therefore, that the pretended deserter was acting in collusion with the foe without. Treachery, however, if treachery there were, was, under the circumstances, to be best encountered by dissimulation. The Grand- Master determined that he would glean what information he could from the German, without trusting him in any way that might be made available for the use of the pasha. Maître Georges was welcomed as cordially as though no suspicions had been aroused; but he soon discovered that there were those in his train whose sole duty appeared to be to watch his every movement and to mark his every word. One or two abortive attempts to search out the weak points in the defence soon taught him that any further effort in that, direction would inevitably lead to destruction. In fact, D’Aubusson completely foiled his designs, and if he did not prove of much use to the defenders, he was at all events prevented in any way assisting the besiegers.

On cross-examination as to the force under the command of the pasha, he dilated with the most alarming unction on its magnitude and. perfect equipment. Their artillery, he said, was of gigantic calibre, such as had never before been brought into the field, and on this point he certainly was able to speak with some authority, having founded the cannon himself. The army