He had believed
that his favours and liberality had so thoroughly attached his
generals to his person that they would have followed him willingly
and without hesitation, even in a war against the emperor, and the
discovery that, although willing to support him against deprivation
from his command, they shrunk alarmed at the idea of disloyalty to
the emperor, showed that his position was dangerous in the extreme.
He found that the signatures to the document had for the most
part been scrawled so illegibly that the writers would be able to
repudiate them if necessary, and that deceit was evidently intended.
In the morning he called together the whole of the generals, and
personally received them. After pouring out the bitterest reproaches
and abuse against the court, he reminded them of their opposition
to the proposition set before them on the previous evening, and
declared that this circumstance had induced him to retract his own
promise, and that he should at once resign his command.
The generals, in confusion and dismay, withdrew to the antechamber,
and after a short consultation returned to offer their apologies
for their conduct on the previous evening and to offer to sign anew
the engagement which bound them to him. This was done, and it now
remained only for Wallenstein to obtain the adhesion of Gallas,
Altringer, and Coloredo, which, as they held important separate
commands, was necessary for the success of his plan.
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