"Well, not exactly, but—but what has put it into your head that he will refuse? He will be rewarded for his services."
"But if he could not be tempted by a reward, if by chance he should refuse at the last moment to act the part of executioner towards his own father, and no one should be found to accept the post—why, in that case, if my services should be accepted, I should be most glad to officiate."
"What, you, Heinrich! you turn Scharfrichter! Ha! ha!—this is something quite new. I was not aware that that was anything in your line."
"Well, sir, knowing your dislike to a disturbance among the populace (a thing very likely to occur if the headsman should not be found at his post)—rather than such an old vagabond as Franz Wenzel should get off in the confusion, why, I'll undertake the job myself."
"You would? Ha! ha!—but stay, if there should be a disturbance (which Heaven forfend, as any excitement sadly upsets my digestion), I am not so sure that I should like my servant to take upon himself the office of Scharfrichter, for the odium of the populace that he would naturally incur would reflect likewise upon his master, and——"
"Well, sir, if you fear that, I should then advise another line of conduct."
"Indeed! What may that be?"
"To keep young Leo in ignorance that it is his father that he is called upon to execute. Listen to me! The Scharfrichter's house is a mile distant; our villagers have a superstitious dread of the spot, and are not likely yet to have communicated with the young man, and I know that he hasn't been in the township since he was last called to swear to the identity of the murdered man, then commonly believed to be his father. You will recollect that he identified the corpse as that of his father. In his lonely dwelling, he can have heard nothing of the trial, and is consequently still under the impression that it is his father that has been murdered.
"Now, if you will leave the matter to me I will contrive that he shall not be undeceived until too late."
"Yes; but how?"