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Rudolph neither expected nor intended that this letter should be delivered. His purpose was to discover the real object of the visit of Solomon and Pietro to Bohemia. He already suspected that they were different from what they pretended to be. He therefore resolved to separate them, to keep them employed if possible, and in the meantime to watch their efforts to communicate with their probable allies. As usual where simple merit and ingenuousness combine, and real superiority is vestured in humble garb, and is found in strange surroundings, a suspicious mind associates them with deep and dangerous design. Integrity was not expected and therefore not believed.

In pursuance of his design, after his charge to Pietro, Rudolph summoned from among the captives a knight of unusually large stature. This person was a Thuringian named Valens, who had furiously charged Rudolph at the Marchfield, and had slain his horse and almost succeeded in creating a vacancy in the empire. “Valens,” said the emperous you are a tried soldier and a brave knight. I honor valor wherever I find it, and if I mistake not you