wonder what he was going to do with so suspicious-looking an
instrument. 'Karl can fetch it when they are gone to bed.'

As it was yet only midnight, Tina proposed that they should all lie
down and take a little rest; and the suggestion being agreed to, she
and her husband stretched themselves on their bed, whilst Karl made
the floor his couch, and, favoured by his unexcitable temperament,
was soon asleep, in spite of what was before him.

It was past two o'clock when he felt himself shaken by the shoulder.
'Come, be stirring,' said Mazzuolo;' we must about it without
delay--the house has been quiet for some time.'

Karl was a heavy sleeper, and as he sat up rubbing his eyes, he could
not at first remember what he was awakened for, nor how he came to be
upon the floor. 'Come,' said Mazzuolo, 'come, she's fast asleep; I
have just been to her room to look at her. You must step down now to
the carriage and bring up the axe I left under the seat.'

Karl began to recollect himself, and awkwardly rising from his hard
couch, shaking and stretching himself like a dog, he prepared to
obey, indifferent to everything at the moment but the annoyance of
being disturbed in his slumbers. 'If you should meet anybody,' said
Mazzuolo, 'say that your mistress is ill, and that you are going to
fetch the medicine-chest.'

By the time he got below, the motion and the cool air had aroused the
lad, and with his recollection, revived his repugnance to the work
before him; but he saw no means of avoiding it, and with an unwilling
step he proceeded to the yard where the carriage stood, and having