time we must be sure of our game.'

Karl hoped there might be no stoves in the bed-chamber; but it was a
well-furnished house, and there were. Adelaide said how glad she
should be to have a fire again, she had suffered so much by the want
of one, and desired Karl to light hers early. It appeared, however,
that the servant of the house had already done it. Mazzuolo said: 'So
much the better. The stove will get well heated, and when you put in
the charcoal, there will be no danger of its not burning.' And Tina
suggested that that should not be done till just before Adelaide went
to bed, lest she should perceive the effects of the vapour whilst she
was undressing.

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