The young traveller had never, on her journey, been in such high spirits as to-night.  Well she might; it had been so prosperously performed, and to-morrow she was to meet her husband.  She prattled and laughed during supper with a light heart; expressed her gratitude to the Italians for their escort; and said that, if Monsieur Louison could be of any use to them, she knew how happy he would be to acknowledge their kindness to her.  ‘Really,’ she said, ’travelling at such a period, with so many valuables, and such a large sum of money as I have with me, was a bold undertaking!’

Mazzuolo, during the first part of her speech, was beginning to weigh the advantages of the commissary’s favour against the dangers and difficulties of the assassination—­difficulties which had far exceeded his expectations, and dangers which were of course augmented by the proximity to Augsburg—­but the latter part of it decided the question; the money and valuables preponderated in the scale, and the good opinion of the commissary kicked the beam.

Partly from the exaltation of her spirits, and partly because the day’s journey had been a short one—­for the stoppage at Meitingen was quite unnecessary, they were within four hours of Augsburg, and might very well have reached it—­Adelaide was less fatigued and less willing to go to bed than usual.  She sat late; and it was past twelve when, having asked for her candle, Karl received the signal to go and prepare the stove.  Mazzuolo followed him out, to see that the work was well done, and the charcoal ignited before she went to her room.  When all was ready, her candle was put into her hand, and Mazzuolo having conducted her to the door, took the precaution of turning the key, which he afterwards put in his pocket.  She rallied him on the strictness of his guardianship; but he alleged gravely that the house was a busy one, and she might perchance be disturbed if her door were not secured.

They listened till she was in bed, and then Mazzuolo said that they could not do better than go to bed too; ‘for,’ said he, ’the earlier we are off in the morning the better.  There will be the fewer people up, and the less chance of her being missed.’

When Karl reached his room, he sat down on the side of his bed and reflected.  He had observed that the last thing Mazzuolo had done before leaving Adelaide’s chamber, was to see that the window was well closed.  ‘If I could open it,’ thought he, ’to-morrow we shall be at Augsburg, and then I should not be told any more to kill her.  I wish I could.  They’ll go away in the morning before she is awake, and so I should never be found out.’  With this idea in his head, he went down stairs, and letting himself out, he crept round to the end of the house where her window was.