“That will not do,” the count said.  “They either guarantee our lives or they do not.  I give not up my castle on terms like these, but I will exercise no pressure on the townspeople.  If they choose to defend themselves till the last I will fight here with them; if they choose to surrender they can do so; and those who differ from their fellows and put no faith in Tilly’s wolves can enter the castle with me.”

The principal inhabitants of the town debated the question hotly.  Malcolm lost patience with them, and said:  “Are you mad as well as stupid?  Do you not see the smoking villages round you?  Do you not remember the fate of Magdeburg, New Brandenburg, and the other towns which have made a resistance?  You have chosen to resist.  It was open to you to have fled when you heard the Imperialists were coming.  You could have opened the gates then with some hope at least of your lives; but you decided to resist.  You have killed some fifty or sixty of their soldiers.  You have repulsed them from a place which they thought to take with scarce an effort.  You have compelled them to send for reinforcements and guns.  And now you are talking of opening the gates without even obtaining a promise that your lives shall be spared.  This is the extremity of folly, and all I can say is, if you take such a step you will well deserve your fate.”

Malcolm’s indignant address had its effect, and after a short discussion the townspeople again placed themselves at the count’s disposal, and said that they would obey his orders.

“I will give no orders,” the count said.  “My Scottish friend here agrees with me that it is useless to try to defend the town.  We might repulse several attacks, but in the end they would surely break in, for the walls are old and weak, and will crumble before their cannon.  Were there any hope of relief one would defend them to the last, but as it is it would be but a waste of blood, for many would be slain both in the defence and before they could retreat to the castle; therefore we propose at once to withdraw.  We doubt not that we can hold the castle.  Any who like to remain in their houses and trust to the tender mercy of Tilly’s wolves can do so.”

There was no more hesitation, and a cannonball, the first which the Imperialists had fired, at that moment crashed into a house hard by, and sharpened their decision wonderfully.

“I have no great store of provisions in the castle,” the count said, “and although I deem it not likely that we shall have to stand a long siege we must be prepared for it.  There are already more than 700 of your wives and children there, therefore while half of the force continue to show themselves upon the walls, and so deter the enemy from attempting an assault until they have opened some breaches, let the rest carry up provisions to the castle.  Any houses from which the women have fled are at once to be broken open.  All that we leave behind the enemy will take, and the less we leave for them the better; therefore all stores and magazines of food and wine must be considered as public property.  Let the men at once be divided into two bodies —­ the one to guard the walls, the other to search for and carry up provisions.  They can be changed every three or four hours.”