Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/398

368 example, in maintaining the constancy of the besieged. One woman, a Greek by birth, and either the wife or mistress of an officer, earned an imperishable renown by her sad, though brilliant, fate in one of these latter assaults. She had been engaged in bringing food to the defenders, when, in one of the sudden Turkish onslaughts, she saw her husband struck dead. Overwhelmed with despair, she rushed into the thickest of the struggle and there fell, covered with wounds, not, however, before she had amply avenged the fate of him who had been so dear to her.

With women capable of acts such as these the glorious defence which Rhodes made ceases to be a matter of surprise. The resistance still offered was as indomitable as ever. Although the Turks had established themselves permanently on two distinct points in the ramparts, they were not yet masters of the place, for as each successive bulwark was lost a fresh one sprang up in its rear. Well might Solyman despair of ever calling the city his own; for six months he had hurled all the gigantic resources in his possession against its bulwarks; 60,000 men, it is computed, had fallen by sword and pestilence, and yet he still found himself advancing step by step only in the face of ever-renewed obstacles.

Then, too, he could not expect that succour for the besieged would be much longer delayed. Owing to the disturbed state of Europe he had been permitted to carry on his operations for six months unmolested. Now, however, that the gallant resistance of the knights was arousing the admiration of Christendom; when men were gazing breathlessly upon this noble spectacle of heroism and devotion, he could not hope to be left much longer undisturbed. Under these circumstances he acquiesced eagerly in the proposal of Achmet pasha, that the town should be invited to capitulate. Unwilling that such a suggestion should appear to emanate from himself, he directed a Genoese named Monilio, who was in his camp, to undertake the mission. Matters were prepared for him by the transmission of sundry letters which were shot into the town, and in which the people were urged to surrender; life and liberty for all being promised in case of speedy compliance, and dire vengeance being threatened in the event of protracted resistance.