"
Having hidden away under his doublet the suit of boy's clothes, and
with the tools of his trade in a small basket in his hand, Malcolm
presented himself at three o'clock in the afternoon to the sentry
at the door leading to the count's apartments. The soldier glanced
at the pass and permitted him to enter without remark.
The waiting maid met him inside and conducted him upstairs, and
ushered him into a spacious apartment, in which the count was lying
on a couch, while the countess and Thekla sat at work beside him.
She then retired and closed the door after her. The count and
Thekla looked with surprise at the young artisan, but the countess
ran to meet him, and threw her arms round his neck as if she had
been his mother, while Thekla gave a cry of delight as she recognized
him.
"Welcome a thousand times! Welcome, my brave friend!" the countess
exclaimed. "What dangers must you not have encountered on your way
hither to us! The count and Thekla knew not that I had written to
you, for I feared a failure; and when I learned yesterday that you
had arrived I still kept silence, partly to give a joyful surprise
to my lord today, partly because, if the governor called, I was
sure that this child's telltale face would excite his suspicion
that something unusual had happened."
"How imprudent!" the count said, holding out his hand to Malcolm.
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