Then he concealed the steel within
his long boot and cast the hilt through the loophole.
Presently a soldier brought him his breakfast -- a manchet of bread
and a stoup of wine. He was visited again at dinner and supper.
Before the soldier came in the first time Malcolm concealed his
sword in the straw, thinking that the soldier would be sure to
remove it if he noticed it. The man who brought his breakfast and
dinner was taciturn, and made no reply to his questions, but another
man brought his supper, and he turned out of a more communicative
disposition.
"What has happened?" he repeated in reply to Malcolm's question.
"Well, I don't know much about it myself, but I do know that
Wallenstein is dead, for the trooper who rides next to me helped to
kill him. Everyone is content that the traitor has been punished,
and as the troops have all pronounced for the emperor every thing
is quiet. We had a good laugh this afternoon. The colonel sent
out one of our men dressed up in Wallenstein's livery to meet the
Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg and invite him to come on at once and join
him here. The duke suspected no danger, and rode on ahead of his
troops, with a few attendants, and you should have seen his face,
when, after passing through the gates, he suddenly found himself
surrounded by our men and a prisoner. Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar will
be here tomorrow, as they say, and we shall catch him in the same
way.
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