d
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. The night was passed at a post-house, where there were so few
rooms, that Adelaide had to sleep in the same apartment with the
daughter of the owner: so here was nothing to be done either. The
Italians began to grow impatient at these difficulties, and Mazzuolo
proposed a change in their tactics. On the previous evening, the
weather being very cold, Madame Louison had ordered a fire in her
chamber. She would doubtless do the same on the ensuing night; and
all they had to do was to fill the stove with charcoal, and her death
would follow in the most natural way in the world. They were to pass
the night at Nuremburg; and, as soon as they arrived, Karl was sent
out to procure the charcoal; but, after remaining away a long time,
he came back saying the shops were all shut, and he could not get
any; and as the inn at Nuremburg was not a fit place for any other
kind of attack, Adelaide was respited for another four-and-twenty
hours.

On the following day, in order to avoid such another _contretemps_,
the charcoal was secured in the morning whilst they were changing
horses, and placed in a sack under the seat of the carriage.

It happened on this day that the road was very hilly, and as the
horses slowly dragged the carriage up the ascents, Madame Louison
proposed walking to warm themselves. They all descended; but Tina,
being stout, and heavy on her feet, was soon tired, and got in again;
whilst Mazzuolo, with a view to his design against Adelaide, fell
into conversation with the driver about the different stations they
would have to stop at. He wanted to extract all the information he
could--so he walked beside the carriage, whilst Madame Louison and
Karl, who were very cold, walked on as fast as they could.

'You look quite chilled, Karl,' said she; 'let us see who will be at
the top of t