The first day’s journey passed agreeably enough.  When they arrived at their night’s station, Mazzuolo having handed out the ladies, bade them go up stairs and order supper, whilst he and Karl looked to the putting-up of the carriage.  Agostina, or Tina, as her husband commonly called her, insisted very much on having a room for Adelaide adjoining her own, alleging as her reason that they were answerable for her safety.  The bride thanked her for her caution, but added, laughingly, that she did not think she had much to fear.  It was some time before the two men joined them; and then they sat down to supper, the lad Karl acting as waiter.  As he stood beside his aunt’s chair, and exactly opposite Adelaide, he appeared much affected by her beauty; but of this, of course, the lady took no notice.  When supper was over, being fatigued, she retired to her room; and then the party that remained closed the door, and bidding Karl sit down and eat his supper, they held a council on her fate.

Mazzuolo opened the conference by mentioning that he had already given the lad a hint of what was expected of him, and Tina asked him if he thought he was equal to the undertaking.  Karl said he did not know; whereupon they encouraged him with promises of a handsome share of the booty, telling him also that they would stand by him, and help him if necessary.  But the question was, how was the thing to be done, and where?  Whether on the road by day, or in the night where they stopped?  In either case, there were difficulties; many parts of the road they had to pass were extremely lonely, and fit for the purpose; but then, how were they to get rid of the postilion?  And as they had a fresh one at every stage, there was no time to win him to their purpose.  Then, at the inns, the obstacles were also considerable, especially as the houses were generally small Tina suggested that whenever the bride dropped out of the party, she had only to resume her female attire, and the people would never miss her.  ’Karl can take my place in the carriage,’ she said, ’and I Madame Louison’s.  Thus we shall appear to be as many as we were; and there will be no discrepancy with the passport.’  The hint was approved; but after an hour’s discussion, they found it impossible to conclude upon any plan; the execution of their projects must be left to chance and opportunity—­all they had to do was, to be prepared to seize upon the first that offered.

During the progress of this conversation, Karl made no observation whatever.  He listened in silence; not without attention, but without objection, even although, in the different plans that were proposed, he heard himself always designated as the active agent in the murder.  When the council broke up, the parties retired to bed—­their present station being too near Dresden for their purpose.  Next day they resumed their journey; and as their way lay through a gloomy forest, nothing but the presence of the postilion saved the young bride’s life.