As Malcolm agreed at once to the terms
she asked for the rooms, the woman accepted his statement without
doubt. They were soon lodged in two attics at the top of the house,
furnished only with a table, two chairs, and a truckle bed in each;
but Malcolm was well contented with the shelter he had found.
Seeing that it would be extremely difficult at present to journey
further, he determined to remain some little time in the town,
thinking that he might be able to carry out the instructions which
he had received from Colonel Munro, and to obtain information as
to the plans of Wallenstein and the feelings of the army.
"You will have to remain a prisoner here, Thekla, I am afraid,
almost as strictly as at Prague, for it would not do to risk the
discovery that you are a girl by your appearing in the streets
in daylight, and after dark the streets of the town, occupied by
Wallenstein's soldiers, are no place for any peaceful persons.
"I may as well be here as at Nuremberg," Thekla said, "and as I
shall have you with me instead of being with strangers, the longer
we stay here the better."
The next morning Malcolm sallied out into the town to see if he
could find employment. There was, however, but one clockmaker in
Pilsen, and the war had so injured his trade that he had discharged
all his journeymen, for clocks were still comparatively rare luxuries,
and were only to be seen in the houses of nobles and rich citizens.
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