ess at the news, she owned to me that
she loved you, her only fear being that you cared for her only as a
sister, since no word of love had ever passed your lips. I reassured her
on that score by telling her of your conversation with her father, and
that a feeling of duty alone had kept you silent while she remained
under your protection.

"However, Malcolm, she will not come to you penniless, for, seeing that
it was possible that the war would terminate adversely, and determined
to quit the country should he be forbidden to worship according to
his own religion here, the count has from time to time despatched
considerable sums to the care of a banker at Hamburg, and there are now
10,000 gold crowns in his hands.

"There are, moreover, my estates at Silesia, but these I have for
sometime foreseen would follow those of my husband and fall into the
hands of the emperor. Before the death of the count I talked over the
whole matter with him, and he urged me in any case, even should you fall
before becoming the husband of Thekla, to leave this unhappy country and
to take refuge abroad.

"Before his death I had an interview with my nearest kinsman, who
has taken sides with the Imperialists, and to him I offered to resign
Thekla's rights as heiress to the estate for the sum of 10,000 crowns.
As this was but three years revenue of the estates, and it secured their
possession to him whether the Imperialists or Swedes were victorious in
the struggle, he consented, after having obtained the emperor's consent
to the step, and I have this morning received a letter from him saying
that the money has been lodged in the hands of the banker at Hamburg,
and Thekla and I have this morning signed a deed renouncing in his
favour all claim to the estate. Thus Thekla has a dowry of 20,000 gold
crowns--a sum not unworthy of a dowry even for the daughter of a Count
of Mansfeld; but with it you must take me also, for I would fain leave
the country and end my days with her."

"Do you keep the dowry so long as you live, countess," Malcolm said
earnestly. "It is more than the richest noble in Scotland could give
with his daughter. My own estate, though small, is sufficient to keep
Thekla and myself in ease, and my pleasure in having you with us will
be equal to hers. You would wish, of course, that I should quit the army
and return home, and, indeed, I am ready to do so. I have had more
than enough of wars and fighting. I have been preserved we