"How long are you going to stay here?"
"Who knows? And it is so dreadful to have nothing to do."
"Why don't you play cards?" said Zaklika.
"With whom? And then we don't have much money."
He gaped, and drank the beer.
When they started to return to the castle, Zaklika accompanied them to the gate, then, still talking, he entered the courtyard and the corridor.
The other soldiers were not surprised at the newcomer; on the contrary, they were glad he came. They began to chat together. They found cards, and won from him two thalers. This pleased them very much. As he was going, he expressed a wish to see the castle, and nobody objected to it. The officer was in the town, playing the guitar to a butcher's daughter.
He was not able, however, to do anything more that day.
Zaklika stayed on, pretending that he was not well, purchased skins, and looked about for a way of stealing into the castle. They did not suspect him, but the difficulties were great from the position of the castle. The part of the castle in which the Countess was imprisoned adjoined the empty portion of it. There the old steward and his family were living. Through the soldiers, Zaklika became acquainted with him. He was avaricious, and had a large family. Treating him with beer, Zaklika learned from him which way the windows of the Countess's rooms looked out, and also that the iron door of the tower, of which the steward had the key, led to a large empty hall. Zaklika told him he was very fond of old buildings; but to this the steward made no answer. Another day they were talking about the Countess, and Zaklika tried to arouse pity for her in the steward. They looked at one another--the steward was silent again.
"The Countess," said Zaklika, "has still many friends at Court, and some of them think that she will return to the King's favour. I would not be surprised if some of them appeared here one day and offered you a handsome sum of money for a moment's conversation with her."