nt as it stood. General Piccolomini, who
had only attended the meeting in order that he might inform the emperor,
to whom he was devoted, of what took place there, had drunk so much wine
that he forgot the part he was playing, and rose to his feet and with
drunken gravity proposed the health of the emperor.

Louder and louder grew the din of tongues until Count Terzky, who was
alone with Illo and Colonel Kinsky in Wallenstein's confidence, arose,
and in a thundering voice declared that all were perjured villains
who should recede from their engagement, and would, according to their
agreements be treated as enemies by the rest. His menaces and the
evident danger which any who might now draw back would run, overcame the
scruples of the recalcitrants, and all signed the paper. This done
the meeting broke up, and Malcolm, stealing away from his post of
observation, made his way back to his lodgings.

He slept little that night. What he had seen convinced him that
Wallenstein was really in earnest in the propositions which he had made
to Oxenstiern and the Elector of Saxony, and that he meditated an
open rebellion against the emperor. It was of extreme importance that
Oxenstiern should be made acquainted with these facts; but it would
be next to impossible to escape from Pilsen, burdened as he was with
Thekla, and to cross the country which intervened between the two armies
and which was constantly traversed by cavalry parties and scouts of both
sides.

After much deliberation, therefore, he determined upon the bold course
of frankly informing Wallenstein who he was and what he had heard, and
to beg of him to furnish him with an escort to pass through the lines in
order that he might make his way with all speed to Oxenstiern in order
to assure him of the good faith of the duke and of the importance of
his frankly and speedily accepting his proposals. It was possible, of
course, that he might fall a victim to Wallenstein's first anger when he
found out that he had been duped, and the plot in which he was engaged
discovered; but he resolved to run the risk, believing that the duke
would see the advantage to be gained by complying with his proposal.

It was necessary, however, to prepare Thekla for the worst.

"Thekla," he said in the morning, "an end has come to our stay here.
Circumstances have occurred which will either enable us to continue our
journey at once and in safety or which may place me in a prison."

Thekla