'The victim
of the conspiracy is sleeping on his miserable bed; and the Baron
and the Countess are considering the position in which they stand.
The Countess (as well as I can make it out) has raised the money
that is wanted by borrowing on the security of her jewels at Frankfort;
and the Courier upstairs is still declared by the Doctor to have
a chance of recovery. What are the conspirators to do, if the man
does recover? The cautious Baron suggests setting the prisoner free.
If he ventures to appeal to the law, it is easy to declare that he is
subject to insane delusion, and to call his own wife as witness.
On the other hand, if the Courier dies, how is the sequestrated
and unknown nobleman to be put out of the way? Passively, by letting
him starve in his prison? No: the Baron is a man of refined tastes;
he dislikes needless cruelty. The active policy remains--
say, assassination by the knife of a hired bravo? The Baron
objects to trusting an accomplice; also to spending money on anyone
but himself. Shall they drop their prisoner into the canal?
The Baron declines to trust water; water will show him on the surface.
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