Karl. He was now
alone with her, and it was almost the first time he had been so,
except when they ran up the hill together, since the day they met.
When he had set down the pail by her bedside, he stood looking at her
with a strange expression of countenance. He knew that the water he
had fetched up was designed for the purpose of washing away the blood
that he was about to spill, and he longed to tell her so, and set her
on her guard; but he was afraid. He looked at her, looked at the
water, and looked at the bed.

'Well, Karl,' she said laughing, 'good-night. When we part the day
after to-morrow, I shan't forget your services, I assure you.' The
lad's eyes still wandered from her to the water and the bed, but he
said nothing, nor stirred, till she repeated her 'good-night,' and
then he quitted the room in silence.

'Poor stupid creature!' thought Adelaide; 'he has scarcely as much
intelligence as the horses that draw us.'

'Now we must have no bungling to-night, Karl,' said Mazzuolo; 'we
will keep quiet till two o'clock, and then when everybody is asleep,
we'll to business.'

'But what is it to be done with?' inquired Tina.

'There's something in the carriage under the seat; I brought it away
the night we slept at Baireuth,' replied Mazzuolo; 'I'll step and
fetch it;' and he left the room; but presently returned, saying that
there were people about the carriage, and he was afraid they might
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,