"I blush that such rascals as the regiment of Merodé march beneath our consecrated colours; yet the end will sanctify the means. If there was one rogue among the twelve apostles, there may easily be one regiment of rogues among the thousands of the Imperial host. War is the pastime of kings, but it manufactures many a thief and beggar." "Hah!" said Kœningheim, as a horseman rode into the court; "that will be our scout returned from Saxe-Lauenburg." "Send him up then, Kœningheim, and thereafter you may retire to bed, for we must all be in our saddles at cock-crow; but I have two hours' work before me yet, having all my office to say over, for I have never forgotten in the camp the duties I took upon me in the cloister." The handsome aide-de-camp gladly hurried away. Tilly drew from his breast a small and well-used volume, containing probably the "office," or prayers he referred to--placed a mark between the leaves, and devoutly crossed himself. Then he paused; a heavy step approached, the door was opened, and a personage wearing a broad felt hat and large Spanish cloak towered between me and the light, as he advanced towards Tilly, who, shading his sharp eyes, gazed with a keen rat-like expression at this stranger, who, immediately upon entering, had carefully closed the door, as if he had that to communicate, which none must overhear. CHAPTER XXVI. THE SCOUT; AND THE EFFECT OF A SNEEZE. "Welcome, thou prince of spies, and my scoutmaster-general!" said Tilly in Spanish; "be seated, señor." The scout removed his broad hat, let the folds of his cloak fall, and seated himself opposite the count with an air of fatigue. "Have you collected much intelligence of the enemy's movements?" asked Tilly, drawing a large and well-filled purse from his girdle--a motion which made the eyes of the scout flash. "I have, señor generalissimo," replied the stranger, in a voice which I recognised, and which made me start, for it was either that of the Hausmeister or the devil (a personage of equal merit). Then I heard the purse clink, as it was thrown by the count like a bone to a dog--and caught by the adroit hand of the spy. "Then you can tell me of those Scots auxiliaries who were at Boitzenburg--quick, señor Bandolo!" "Bandolo!" A new light broke upon me, and, applying my eye to the tapestry, I recognised the broad ruffian face, the cold fierce eyes and square mouth of my old acquaintance, Otto Roskilde--the Hausmeister of Glückstadt--whom I now discovered to be one and the same with that terrible Bandolo, of whom the Baron Karl had given us an account--the brother of Prudentia! His dress was somewhat different; but his false paunch and rotundity (assumed for disguise) were gone, and he stood revealed--a strong, wiry, and athletic ruffian--a bravo, with his long sable locks, and long daggers in his belt. "The troops who were at Boitzenburg have retired down the Elbe. I tracked them to Lauenburg, in the castle of which their commander----"