e carriages
were rolling. A double line of grenadiers was drawn up in front of the
theatre. An officer walked up and down, gazing anxiously along the
street, in order to command the drummers to beat according to the rank
of the sovereigns arriving. For the emperors they were to roll thrice,
for the kings twice, and but once for the sovereign dukes and princes.
The drummers had just rolled three times, for the Emperor Alexander had
arrived. Another magnificent carriage approached; the coachman on the
box was covered with gold lace, and two runners, entirely clad in gold
brocade, accompanied. Two rolls had already been beaten, a third was
about to commence, when the commanding officer waved his hand angrily,
and shouted, "Silence! It is only a king!" The stout form of the King of
Wuertemberg appeared, and hastened into the theatre. Another carriage
approached. The drummers beat louder than before. Once, twice! And then
a third roll. The grenadiers presented arms, and the people rushed
forward. It was the Emperor Napoleon.

At this moment a young man elbowed himself through the crowd. He was
already close to the emperor. Only a single gendarme was in front of
him.

"One!" he shouted in a ringing voice, pushing aside the gendarme. "One!"
he repeated. No voice replied.

"Stand back!" cried the guard.

The emperor walked past. He had heard the shout. At the door he turned
his stern face, while his eyes flashed for a moment searchingly over the
crowd. He then slowly walked on. No accident disturbed the
representation, and the daggers that had been lurking outside for the
modern Caesar had failed to strike him.

On the same evening the two conspirators met at the place agreed on.
With disappointed faces they seemed to read each other's secret
thoughts.

"Why did you not reply to me, brother?" asked Conrad. "Why were you
silent when I gave the signal?"

"I was unable to get through the crowd," said Alfred. "The gendarmes
refused to let me pass, and it appeared to me they were eying me
suspiciously. It was impossible to penetrate to the spot indicated. I
heard you call, but could not reply; I was too far from you."

"The work, then, must be done to-morrow," said Conrad, gravely and
sadly.

"Remember, brother, that the order of the president was to strike the
blow within a week. To-morrow is the last day!"

"Yes, to-morrow we must desecrate the sacred cause of the fatherland by
an assassination," said Alfred, sighing