A GOSSIP. 261

moment, and who, as Walter kn<w, was a confirined
SOSSIp. :

‘ Good citizen,’ said he, * these are warrior monks,
and yet they neither wear the habit of the Templars
nor the Hospitallers. Canst tell me what knights
they be who come along so proudly ?’

‘ In faith can I, sir squire,’ answered the citizen;
‘and blithely will Ido so. These be the knights of
St. Katherine, of Mount Sinai; and they are brave
men in hours of danger; albeit, like other Orders,
overmuch given to amassing wealth, and more intent
on keeping it than keeping the vows of their Order.’

‘Thanks, good citizen,’ said Walter, laughing
heartily, as Crusaders generally did when reminded
of the faults of the military monks. ‘ And, to re-
quite your courtesy, I admonish you to speak ina
whisper when you say aught in dispraise of Tem-
plars or Hospitallers; for you must be a bolder man
than I pretend to be, if you fear not to provoke their
enmity.’

‘Gramercy for your warning, young squire,’ re-
plied the citizen, as, apparently much amused, and
chuckling to himself, he proceeded on his way; while
Walter, standing up, watched the warrior monks as
they passed the window,

Now, Walter Espec had of course heard of the
monks of St. Katherine, and especially what a stern
front they had presented on the day when the
Saracens threatened Acre, and carried off Adeline de
Brienne. Moreover, he was naturally somewhat in-
terested in an Order instituted in honour of the
tutelar saint of his Tlouse: but he had never before