CHAPTER XXII THE CONSPIRACY.
The next day Wallenstein again entered Malcolm's workroom and said abruptly to him: "What deeds of bravery have you performed ?" Malcolm looked astonished.
"In an idle moment," the duke said, "having an interest in nativities and seeing that you were born between two years, I asked my astrologer to work out the calculations.

He tells me that it was fated that you should perform deeds of notable bravery while still young.

It seemed the horoscope of a soldier rather than of a craftsman, and so I told the sage; but he will have it that he has made no mistake." Malcolm hesitated for a moment; the blind faith which the otherwise intelligent and capable general placed in the science of astrology was well known to the world.

Should he deny that he had accomplished any feats, the duke, believing implicitly the statement which his astrologer had made him, would suspect that he was not what he seemed; he therefore replied modestly, "I have done no deeds worthy relating to your excellency, but I once swam across a swollen river to direct some travellers who would otherwise have perished, and my neighbours were good enough to say that none in those parts save myself would have attempted such a feat." "Ah!" the duke exclaimed in a tone of satisfaction, "as usual the stars have spoken correctly.

Doubtless as great courage is required to swim a river in flood as to charge into the ranks of the enemy." So saying Wallenstein left the room, filled with a desire to attach to himself the young man whom his adviser had assured him was in some way connected with his destiny.