zza del Popolo?"

"Ah," said the count negligently, looking attentively at Morcerf, "is
there not something like an execution upon the Piazza del Popolo?"

"Yes," returned Franz, finding that the count was coming to the point he
wished.

"Stay, I think I told my steward yesterday to attend to this; perhaps I
can render you this slight service also." He extended his hand, and rang
the bell thrice. "Did you ever occupy yourself," said he to Franz, "with
the employment of time and the means of simplifying the summoning your
servants? I have. When I ring once, it is for my valet; twice, for my
majordomo; thrice, for my steward,--thus I do not waste a minute or a
word. Here he is." A man of about forty-five or fifty entered, exactly
resembling the smuggler who had introduced Franz into the cavern; but
he did not appear to recognize him. It was evident he had his orders.
"Monsieur Bertuccio," said the count, "you have procured me windows
looking on the Piazza del Popolo, as I ordered you yesterday."

"Yes, excellency," returned the steward; "but it was very late."

"Did I not tell you I wished for one?" replied the count, frowning.

"And your excellency has one, which was let to Prince Lobanieff; but I
was obliged to pay a hundred"--

"That will do--that will do, Monsieur Bertuccio; spare these gentlemen
all such domestic arrangements. You have the window, that is sufficient.
Give orders to the coachman; and be in readiness on the stairs to
conduct us to it." The steward bowed, and was about to quit the room.
"Ah," continued the count, "be good enough to ask Pastrini if he
has received the tavoletta, and if he can send us an account of the
execution."

"There is no need to do that," said Franz, taking out his tablets; "for
I saw the account, and copied it down."

"Very well, you can retire, M. Bertuccio; but let us know when breakfast
is ready. These gentlemen," added he, turning to the two friends, "will,
I trust, do me the honor to breakfast with me?"

"But, my dear count," said Albert, "we shall abuse your kindness."

"Not at all; on the contrary, you will give me great pleasure. You
will, one or other of you, perhaps both, return it to me at Paris. M.
Bertuccio, lay covers for three." He then took Franz's tablets out of
his hand. "'We announce,' he read, in the same tone with which he
would have read a newspaper, 'that to-day, the 23d of February, will be
executed Andrea Rondolo, guilty of murder on the person