Every circumstance seemed to favour the enterprise; and all arrangements made, the two men returned to the house.  Karl thought it was all over with him now.  He was too timid to oppose Mazzuolo, and he had nobody to consult.  Tina had found a weapon apt for the purpose, which she had already secured; and when they sat down to supper, considering the completeness of the preparations, nobody would have thought Adelaide’s life worth six hours’ purchase.  However, she was not destined to die that night.  Just as they had finished their supper, the sound of wheels was heard; then there was a great noise and bustle below; and Karl being sent down to inquire what was the matter, was informed that a large party of travellers had arrived; and as there was a scarcity of apartments, it was hoped the lady and gentlemen would accommodate the strangers by allowing them to share theirs.  Consent was inevitable; so, like the sultan’s wife in the Arabian tale, the victim was allowed to live another day.

‘Now,’ said Mazzuolo, ’we have only two nights more before we reach Augsburg, so there must be no more shilly-shallying about the matter.  If there is a stove in the room to-night, we may try that; though, if the house be in a pretty safe situation, I should prefer more decisive measures.  The charcoal has failed once already.’

‘That was from bad management,’ said Tina; ’we could be secure against such an accident on another occasion.  At the same time, if the situation be favourable, I should prefer a coup de main.’

When they had arrived at their night’s station, the absence of a stove decided the question.  It was merely a post-house, a place where horses were furnished; the accommodation was poor, and the people disposed to pay little attention to them.  Close by ran a river, which obviated all difficulty as to the disposal of the body.

‘The thing must be done to-night,’ said Mazzuolo; and Karl said nothing to the contrary.  He also feared that it must; for he did not see how he could avoid it.  His aunt said everything necessary to inspire him with courage and determination, and made many promises of future benefits; whilst Mazzuolo neither doubted his obedience nor his resolution, and spoke of the thing as so entirely within the range of ordinary proceedings, that the boy, stupid and ignorant, and accustomed, from the state of the country, to hear of bloodshed and murders little less atrocious committed by the soldiery, and neither punished nor severely condemned, felt ashamed of his own pusillanimity—­for such his instinctive pity appeared to himself.

But as he stood opposite Madame Louison at supper, with his eyes, as usual, fixed upon her face, his heart involuntarily quailed when he thought that within a few hours he was to raise his hand against that beautiful head; yet he still felt within himself no courage to refuse, nor any fertility of expedient to elude the dilemma.