and should be with them immediately. They stared at each other; but
presently she opened the door, and appeared as fresh as ever;
observing, however, that she had been very cold, for that the fire
had gone out before she went to bed. This accounted for the whole
thing, and Karl escaped all blame.

During the ensuing day nothing remarkable occurred: fresh charcoal
was provided; but at night it was found there were no stoves in the
bed-chambers; and as the houses on the road they were travelling were
poor and ill-furnished, all the good inns having been dismantled by
the troops, the same thing happened at several successive stations.

This delay began to render the affair critical, for they were daily
drawing near Augsburg, where M. Louison was to meet his wife; and
Mazzuolo resolved to conclude the business by a _coup de main_. He
had learned from the postilion that the little post-house which was
to form their next night's lodging was admirably fitted for a deed of
mischief. It lay at the foot of a precipice, in a gorge of the
mountains: the district was lonely, and the people rude, not likely
to be very much disturbed, even if they did suspect the lady had come
unfairly to her end. It was not, however, probable that the charcoal
would be of any use on this occasion; the place was too poor to be
well furnished with stoves; so Karl was instructed in what he would
have to do.

'When she is asleep,' said Mazzuolo, 'you must give her a blow on the
head that will be sufficient to stun her. Then we will complete the
job; and as we shall start early in the morning with Tina in female
attire, they will never miss her.' Karl, as usual, made no objection;
and when they arrived at night at the inn, which fully answered the