Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/397

Rh of D’Amaral being confirmed by the fact that the church of St. John was destroyed by an explosion of powder stored in the vaults beneath, unknown to the authorities. This incident seems to add but little, if anything, to the evidence. It is a matter of great doubt whether powder would explode after a storage of upwards of three centuries. It is much more probable that it was placed there by the Turks themselves at some considerably later period. Even if it could be traced as far back as the siege of 1522, there seems nothing to connect it with D’Amaral. He was one of three persons appointed to report on the quantity of powder and other stores within the fortress, but it is nowhere alleged that he had charge of it. At all events, had a large quantity been stored in these vaults at a time when its scarcity was so well known, there must hare been many persons acquainted with the fact who would all have been privy to the treason, if treason there were. It seems, therefore, that the chancellor D’Amaral fell an unfortunate and, as far as history can judge, an innocent victim to popular clamour.

Meanwhile, the sultan was weighing in his own mind the advisability of abandoning the siege, and this design he would in all probability have carried into effect, had he not been informed by an Albanian deserter of the state of destitution to which the town was reduced. This intelligence tempted him to persevere, and Achmet pasha was appointed to the command of the forces. Under his directions several fresh assaults were made, and in every ease successfully resisted. Day by day the breaches became wider, and the ramparts more untenable; the defenders fewer, and their strength more exhausted; hope had given way to despair, and the prospect of relief from Europe had grown less and less; still the opposition remained as stubborn as ever, and Solyman began to dread that he would only enter the ruined city when the last of its garrison had fallen.

It was not the men only who were thus covering themselves with glory; the women also, in this fearful emergency, proved worthy helpmates in the heroic defence. Many incidents are narrated of their courage and devotion, and throughout they seem to hare aided materially, both by precept and