“What say you, young sir?  You have shown the greatest circumspection and ability in this affair.  Will you undertake to carry my despatch?  You must not travel as a Scottish officer, for if there are any traitors among the officers of Wallenstein they will assuredly endeavour to intercept any despatches which may be passing between us in order to send them to the emperor as proofs of the duke’s guilt.”

“I will undertake the task willingly, sir,” Malcolm replied, “and doubt not that I shall be able to penetrate to him in the same disguise which I before wore.  When I once reach him is your wish that I should remain near him, or that I should at once return?”

“It were best that you should remain for a time,” the chancellor said.  “You may be able to send me news from time to time of what is passing around the duke.  Before you start, you shall be supplied with an ample amount of money to pay messengers to bring your reports to me.  Wallenstein hardly appears to see the danger of his situation; but you will be more clear sighted.  It is a strange drama which is being played, and may well terminate in a tragedy.  At any rate the next month will decide what is to come of these strange combinations.”

The horse on which Malcolm had ridden was knocked up from the speed at which he had travelled, and, ordering it to be carefully tended till his return, he obtained a fresh horse and again set out.  He made the journey at the same speed at which he had before passed over the ground, and paused for a few hours only at Amberg, where he found Thekla well and comfortable, and quite recovered from the effects of her journeys and anxiety.  She received him with delight; but her joy was dashed when she found that, instead of returning to remain with his regiment, as she had hoped, he was only passing through on another mission.

At Amberg he again laid aside his uniform and donned his costume as a craftsman.  Colonel Munro gave him an escort of twenty troopers; with these he crossed the river at nightfall, and, making a detour to avoid the Imperialist outposts, rode some fifteen miles on his way.  He then dismounted and handed over his horse to his escort, who at once started on their way back to Amberg, while he pursued his journey on foot towards Pilsen.  It was late the next evening before he reached the town; and on arriving he learned that Wallenstein was still there.

The Imperialist general, immediately upon obtaining the signature of his officers, had sent to urge Altringer and Gallas, who had been absent from the meeting, to come to him with all speed.  Altringer, on pretence of sickness, did not comply with the invitation.  Gallas made his appearance, but merely with the intention of finding out all Wallenstein’s plans and of keeping the emperor informed of them.  Piccolomini had, immediately the meeting broke up, sent full details of its proceedings to the court, and Gallas was furnished with a secret commission containing the emperor’s orders to the colonels and officers, granting an amnesty for their adhesion to Wallenstein at Pilsen, and ordering them to make known to the army that it was released from its obedience to Wallenstein, and was placed under the command of Gallas himself, who received orders, if possible, to arrest Wallenstein.