for many days so silent and gloomy, gave,
on the contrary, many proofs of his gayety--almost of his indiscretion,
speaking, at all the inns, in terms of praise of his master and
mistress. The waiter at the inn at Dauphin, says he was a tall young
fellow, mild and good-natured; 'we talked for some time about horses,
and such things; he seemed to be perfectly natural, and not pre-occupied
at all.' At Pont d'Ain, he talked of his being a foundling; of the place
where he had been brought up, and where he had served; and finally, at
Rossillon, an hour before his death, he conversed familiarly with the
master of the port, and spoke on indifferent subjects.

"All Peytel's insinuations against his servant had no other end than
to show, in every point of Rey's conduct, the behavior of a man who was
premeditating attack. Of what, in fact, does he accuse him? Of wishing
to rob him of 7,500 francs, and of having had recourse to assassination,
in order to effect the robbery. But, for a premeditated crime, consider
what singular improvidence the person showed who had determined on
committing it; what folly and what weakness there is in the execution of
it.

"How many insurmountable obstacles are there in the way of committing
and profiting by crime! On leaving Belley, Louis Rey, according to
Peytel's statement, knowing that his master would return with money,
provided himself with a holster pistol, which Madame Peytel had once
before perceived among his effects. In Peytel's cabinet there were some
balls; four of these were found in Rey's trunk, on the 6th of November.
And, in order to commit the crime, this domestic had brought away with
him a pistol, and no ammunition; for Peytel has informed us that Rey,
an hour before his departure from Macon, purchased six balls at a
gunsmith's. To gain his point, the assassin must immolate his victims;
for this, he has only one pistol, knowing, perfectly well, that Peytel,
in all his travels, had two on his person; knowing that, at a late hour
of the night, his shot might fail of effect; and that, in this case, he
would be left to the mercy of his opponent.

"The execution of the crime is, according to Peytel's account, still
more singular. Louis does not get off the carriage, until Peytel tells
him to descend. He does not think of taking his master's life until he
is sure that the latter has his eyes open. It is dark, and the pair are
covered in one cloak; and Rey only fires at them at six p