But
he had persuaded all of his loyalty; and though not in their secret
counsels, was yet, by his knowledge of their dispositions within the
Castle, able to lay bare before us the very heart of their devices. And
here, in brief, is his story:
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.
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