Below the level of the ground in the Castle, approached by a flight of stone steps which abutted on the end of the drawbridge, were situated two small rooms, cut out of the rock itself.
The outer of the two had no windows, but was always lighted with candles; the inner had one square window, which gave upon the moat.In the outer room there lay always, day and night, three of the Six; and the instructions of Duke Michael were, that on any attack being made on the outer room, the three were to defend the door of it so long as they could without risk to themselves.
But, so soon as the door should be in danger of being forced, then Rupert Hentzau or Detchard (for one of these two was always there)should leave the others to hold it as long as they could, and himself pass into the inner room, and, without more ado, kill the King who lay there, well-treated indeed, but without weapons, and with his arms confined in fine steel chains, which did not allow him to move his elbow more than three inches from his side.Thus, before the outer door were stormed, the King would be dead.And his body? For his body would be evidence as damning as himself.
"Nay, sir," said Johann, "his Highness has thought of that.
While the two hold the outer room, the one who has killed the King unlocks the bars in the square window (they turn on a hinge).
The window now gives no light, for its mouth is choked by a great pipe of earthenware; and this pipe, which is large enough to let pass through it the body of a man, passes into the moat, coming to an end immediately above the surface of the water, so that there is no perceptible interval between water and pipe.
The King being dead, his murderer swiftly ties a weight to the body, and, dragging it to the window, raises it by a pulley (for, lest the weight should prove too great, Detchard has provided one)till it is level with the mouth of the pipe.He inserts the feet in the pipe, and pushes the body down.Silently, without splash or sound, it falls into the water and thence to the bottom of the moat, which is twenty feet deep thereabouts.This done, the murderer cries loudly, "All's well!" and himself slides down the pipe;and the others, if they can and the attack is not too hot, run to the inner room and, seeking a moment's delay, bar the door, and in their turn slide down.And though the King rises not from the bottom, they rise and swim round to the other side, where the orders are for men to wait them with ropes, to haul them out, and horses.And here, if things go ill, the duke will join them and seek safety by riding;but if all goes well, they will return to the Castle, and have their enemies in a trap.That, sir, is the plan of his Highness for the disposal of the King in case of need.But it is not to be used till the last; for, as we all know, he is not minded to kill the King unless he can, before or soon after, kill you also, sir.Now, sir, I have spoken the truth, as God is my witness, and I pray you to shield me from the vengeance of Duke Michael;for if, after he knows what I have done, I fall into his hands, I shall pray for one thing out of all the world--a speedy death, and that I shall not obtain from him!"The fellow's story was rudely told, but our questions supplemented his narrative.What he had told us applied to an armed attack;but if suspicions were aroused, and there came overwhelming force--such, for instance, as I, the King, could bring--the idea of resistance would be abandoned; the King would be quietly murdered and slid down the pipe.
