''
The duke, though anxious, still appeared confident; but the
outlook seemed to Malcolm extremely gloomy. The whole army save
the regiments around Pilsen had fallen away from Wallenstein. His
princely generosity to the generals and officers and his popularity
among the troops had failed to attach them to him now that he had
declared against the emperor, and it appeared to Malcolm that he
would be able to bring over to the Swedish cause only the corps
which he immediately commanded.
Still his defection could not but cause a vast gap in the Imperial
defences, and the loss of the services of the greatest of their
leaders would in itself be a heavy blow to the Imperialist cause,
which had been almost solely supported by his commanding talents and
his vast private income. Terzky arrived on the following morning,
and the same afternoon Wallenstein with the whole of the troops at
Pilsen marched towards Egra.
Among the officers attached to Wallenstein's person was a Scotchman
named Leslie, to whom and a few other confidants Wallenstein had
confided his designs. Wallenstein had at once introduced Malcolm to
him, and the two rode in company during the march to Egra. Malcolm
did not find him a cheerful companion. They chatted at times of
the engagements in which both had taken part although on opposite
sides; but Malcolm saw that his companion was absent and preoccupied,
and that he avoided any conversation as to the turn which events
had taken.
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