"I had been promised my lieutenancy at the first vacancy before I was at Mansfeld, and on my return found that the vacancy had already occurred, and I was appointed.
I got my company the other day for a very simple matter, namely, for swimming across the Rhine with a barrel fixed on each side of me to prevent my sinking.

Nothing very heroic about that, you see, young lady." "For swimming across the Rhine!" the count said.

"Then you must have been the Scottish officer who with a sergeant swam and fetched the boat across which enabled the Swedes to pass a body of troops over, and so open the way into the Palatinate.

I heard it spoken of as a most gallant action." "I can assure you," Malcolm said earnestly, "that there was no gallantry about it.

It was exceedingly cold, I grant, but that was all." "Then why should the king have made you a captain for it?
You can't get over that." "That was a reward for my luck," Malcolm laughed.