Chapter 6 Chapter 6 The Main Tower of Bissino

Piscino Castle was built in the Middle Ages and is one of the most peculiar fortresses among the stone buildings that grow around.It is the shape of the feudal era, solemn and majestic.However, there are no knights in the large vaulted room, no master in embroidered robes and pointed hats in front of the arched windows, no battlement walls, powerful slingshot holes, and the spike gates of the drawbridge. The archers of the guards.The stone castle remains the same, only the governor and soldiers have changed into modern Austrian military uniforms, and the guards and jailers no longer wear yellow and red clothing, which is extremely inconsistent with the magnificent relics of the feudal era.

It was from this castle that Count Sandorf was expected to escape in the last hours before his execution.Since the prisoners knew nothing about the main tower where they were imprisoned, and did not know what kind of place they would pass through after escaping, this was undoubtedly fanatical delusion! And perhaps this utter ignorance is their luck!If they know it well, they will definitely give in and retreat before difficulties, which does not mean that there is no possibility of escape. It is not that the province of Istria does not have the advantage of jailbreak, because no matter which direction the jailbreaker runs, he will quickly reach the coast. A few steps and you will be captured.But escapes from Piscino Castle, especially from the main tower where the prisoners were held, were later considered unthinkable.Even such an idea will not arise.

Indeed, please take a look at the position and external situation of the main tower in Piscino Castle. It is at the end of a plateau where the city ends in vain.If people lean on the parapet of the platform and look down, there is a bottomless abyss below.The steep cliffs are criss-crossed by long vines.There is no step up and down, let alone a platform for landing.There are weathered rocks with smooth and indistinct stripes everywhere.In short, this abyss is like a magic cave, if you fall, you will never return. It was above this abyss that the side walls of the main tower rose, with a few openings in the walls, which illuminated the various levels of cells.

If a prisoner leans out of the window, he will withdraw his head in fear, and no matter how bold he is, he will be dizzy!What if it falls?Either fall to pieces on the rocks at the bottom or get swept away by the rapids.During a flood, the waves are strong and overwhelming! This abyss, known locally as the Pico Abyss, acts as a reservoir for the Fuiba River during flood times.Due to the rapid flow of water, after years of erosion and erosion, a cave was carved between the rocks.A raging torrent poured into the hole and flowed away from beneath the city.Where does the river flow?From where did it return to the ground?Still a mystery.No one knows how long, how high, or in what direction this cave, or rather this canal cut through rock and clay, is.Who can tell whether the river has collided with hundreds of corners and mainstays in the cave?Are these pillars and boulders supporting the castle and the whole city?Some intrepid explorers tried to descend the Foiba River through this dark cave when the water level was moderate enough for small boats to enter the cave.But the roof of the cave got lower and lower, and soon became an insurmountable obstacle.Therefore, no one knows the situation of this underground river.Probably, it merged with a "hidden current" below the surface of the Adriatic Sea.

This is the Pico Abyss, and Count Sandov didn't even know it existed.And the only way for him to escape from prison - the window of his cell - opened above the abyss.For him, escaping from here is the same as facing the firing squad, which means death anyway. Zatmar and Bathory are ready to act.Staying if necessary, sacrificing himself to help the count; intending to go with him if the joint escape does not hinder the count. "The three of us will go together," said the count, "and as soon as we're out, we'll part!" At this time, the clock on the city clock tower was striking eight o'clock.The prisoners had only twelve hours to live.

The night is falling,—it will be a dark night again.Thick clouds hung almost motionless over the city.The air is stuffy, almost suffocating, and carries a massive electric charge.A storm is approaching.Like a fully charged storage battery, although there is no flash of lightning in the clouds, there are muffled thunders in the mountains surrounding Pisino. In a dark night, nothing is seen; in a noisy night, nothing is heard.In such a situation, if there is no such mysterious abyss under the prisoner's feet, there may still be some hope of escape. Count Sandorf saw at once that the only way out was to escape through the cell window.Break out?The door was thick oak, iron-wrapped, so it shouldn't even have to be thought of.What's more, the sentries were patrolling the corridor, stepping on the stone slabs and making noises.Even if you rush out of the prison door, how can you escape from the maze of the castle?How to rush through the heavily guarded spike holes and drawbridges?There are no sentries on the Biko Abyss side, but it guards the castle strictly, no less than a team of sentries.

Sandov then busied himself to see if he could escape through the window. The window was about three and a half feet high and two feet wide.Small on the inside and large on the outside, it was trumpet-shaped, and the walls were a full four feet thick, much like the loopholes in the walls of the fortress.The window was sealed with strong diagonal iron bars, the four ends of which were fastened to the opening wall near the inner wall of the cell.There was no need for the wooden panels that closed the windows in ordinary cells, which allowed light to come in only from above the windows, because the iron bars on the windows prevented the view of the Pico Abyss.If the diagonal cross bar can be removed or moved, it seems to be easy to slip through the window opening.

But even if the window is unobstructed, how to go down the straight wall?use a ladder?The prisoners had neither ladders nor was it possible to make them.Rubbing the rope with a sheet?There were only some rough woolen blankets on the mattress, under which was an iron bedstead, fastened to the wall.Escape from the window would have been impossible if Count Sandorf had not discovered an iron rod hanging from the wall, or rather a wire rod that might be useful to escapees. This is the wire rod of the lightning rod.The lightning rod is fixed on the top of the outer side of the main tower.The wall on this side of the main tower towers straight above the Pico Abyss.

"Look at this wire," Sandov said to his two friends, "you must have the courage to use it in order to escape from prison." "I have plenty of courage," Zatmar replied, "but strength?" "That's all right!" Bathory said. "If it's boring, it's just a few hours' death, that's all!" "Can't die, Étienne," said Sandorph, "listen well, and you too, Latisla, listen carefully and don't miss a word. If there was a rope, we would hang it out of the window without hesitation. , straight down to the ground, right? And this guide rod is much better than a rope because it's stiff and it slides down easier. Like all guide rods, there must be iron clips to hold it to the wall. How many There are as many fixed fulcrums under our feet. The guide pole will not shake because it is fixed on the wall by the iron clip; we will not be dizzy, because at night, things in the sky cannot see anything. Through this window, coupled with calmness and courage, we will definitely be free! It is possible to take risks. However, even if it is a narrow chance of death, we have to risk it. Anyway, the guards will find us in this prison tomorrow morning, and it is not 100% dead. ?"

"That makes sense," Zatmar said. "Where does the iron wire lead to?" Bathory asked. "Probably leads to some well," answered the count, "but it must be above the main tower, and that's enough. I don't know, I only want to see one thing, at the end of the wire rod, is freedom... possible!" Earl Sandov was right. The lightning rods were fixed to the wall section by section by iron clips, just like steps, to ensure that they would not slide down too fast, and it was more convenient to go down the wire.However, how did they know that from the cornerstone of the main tower down, the wire rod was not fixed, wobbly, and suspended in the air.The lower end of the wire rod was immersed in the Fuiba water flow, and the river had just swelled after heavy rain.They had hoped to fall to the bottom of the valley, the torrent that poured on and off into the Pico's abyss.If they had known in advance, would they have given up the idea of ​​fleeing?No!

"Anyway, once you die," Count Sandov would say, "you will do everything you can to escape death, and you will die without regrets!" First of all, the channel of the window must be opened, and the oblique cross iron bar blocking the window must be pulled out.No vise, no wire cutters, no tools of any kind, can it be done?Not to mention anything else, the prisoner didn't even have a knife. "It's going to be very difficult," said Sandov, "but if it's impossible, do it!" After all, Sandov climbed to the window and grabbed the iron bar with one hand, as if he felt that it would not take much effort to pull it out.The place where the iron bars are fixed must be loose, and the stone at the corner of the window has cracked and is not so strong.It is very likely that the guide rod of the lightning rod had been in disrepair for a long time, and its conductivity was extremely poor. The current was attracted by the oblique cross iron bars, sparks burst out, and penetrated the wall.As we all know, the sparks burst during the discharge to generate huge energy, so the places where the iron bars were fixed cracked, and the stones disintegrated, as if they had been bombarded by thousands of electric sparks, and turned into sponge-like things. This is a brief explanation of this phenomenon after Bathory's observation window. But the important thing is not to explain, but to act without delay.First, pry open the four corners of the window where the iron bars are fixed, then pull out the iron bars from the wall, and then push them out.It might be easier that way, because the window is small inside and big outside.At this time, the low-altitude thunder was rumbling continuously, and the sound of the iron bars falling could not be heard. "But we can't pry stones away with our hands after all!" Zatmar said. "Of course not by hand, we must have a piece of iron with a blade..." Sandorf replied. It is indeed necessary.No matter how weak the place where the iron bar is fixed, if you try to break it with your fingers, you will cut off your nails and grind your finger skins.Even if there is a nail, otherwise it will be difficult to do. The dim light in the corridor shone into the cell from the bay window at the door.With this weak light, Sandov looked around and groped the wall with his hands to see if there was a nail embedded in the wall, but he found nothing. At this moment, he suddenly thought that if one of the legs of the iron bed fixed to the wall was removed, it would not be impossible.So the three of them started working together.After a while, Bathory stopped the two partners in a low voice.It turned out that one of the long iron woven bed boards was riveted loosely. As long as you grasp the loose end and fold and pull it repeatedly, it can be twisted off from the bed frame. Sure enough, it broke after a while.So Sandov got a piece of iron five inches by one inch, tied one end tightly with his own tie, went back to the window, and began to cut out the outer edges of the four holes.It was impossible to do this work without making a sound, but fortunately the rumbling thunder drowned it out.Once the storm stopped for a while, Count Sandov also stopped, and then immediately resumed work, making rapid progress. Bathory and Zatmar stood by the door listening, and as soon as the guard approached, he signaled Sandov to stop working. Suddenly a hiss came from Zatmar's mouth, and work stopped abruptly. "What's wrong?" Bathory asked. "listen." Sandov put his ear to the focal point of the elliptic curve, and the acoustic effect again provided the prisoner with the traitor's secret. Here are the few fragments heard at short intervals: "Tomorrow...will be...released..." "Yes...after release..." "After the execution... I will go to Sicily to find Zirona, he will wait for me there..." "You can't stay in...the main tower for long..." It could be heard that Sarkani was chatting with a guard.Saccani just named a guy named Zirona who was probably involved in the whistleblowing plot all along.Sandov took care to remember the name.It's a pity that the words in front of the main tower were not heard, which may be the prisoner's greatest concern.At that time, thunder and lightning flashed, and the current flowed down the lightning rod, and the iron piece in the earl's hand burst out dazzling sparks.Had it not been wrapped in silk, he would have probably been electrocuted. The name of the main tower disappeared in the thunderstorm, and the prisoners could not hear it.How important it is for them to successfully escape from prison in such a difficult environment to know what castle they are locked in and where they must escape! Sandov went to work again.Three of the four holes have been dug loose, and the three ends of the oblique cross iron bars can move in the holes.Lightning flashes in the sky.With lightning, he dug the fourth hole with all his might. At half past ten at night, the work is all over.As long as it is pushed, the oblique cross iron bar will break away from the wall and slide out of the wall along the window sill.They pushed the diagonal bars out of the window as Zatmar listened to the sentries walking down the corridor.It rolled a few times and disappeared into the air.At this time, when the storm broke, Sandov listened to hear the sound of this heavy object falling to the ground, but he heard nothing. "The main tower is probably built on a tall rock at the top of the valley." Bathory guessed. "What does that matter!" Sandov said. "The wire rod of the lightning rod must be grounded. To be effective, it must touch the ground. So we can follow it down to the ground without the danger of falling!" Usually, this judgment is correct.But now it is different, because one end of the wire rod is soaked in the water of the Fuiba River. The window finally opened, and the moment of escape came. "My friends, let's do this," Sandov said. "I am the youngest and strongest, so I am the first to climb down the iron pole. If I encounter an unexpected obstacle and cannot touch the ground, I may still have the strength to return to the window. Two A minute later, Étienne slid down from the window and caught up with me. Two minutes later, Ladislas followed. We met at the foot of the main tower and waited for the opportunity." "Do as you say, Mathias," agreed Bathory. "We will do what you tell us to do! We will go where you tell us to go. But we don't want you to do it alone. biggest risk." "Among us, your life is the most important!" Zatmar added. "Our lives count for justice. If one of us survives, we should fight for it! Hug me, friends!" The three were passionate and embraced each other, as if they had drawn great strength from the tight embrace. So Zatmar stood sentry at the cell door, and Sandov climbed out of the window.After a while, he was suspended in the air, his hands up and down, and his knees slid down close to the wire rod.When your feet touch a fixed iron clip, stop for a while. At that time, the storm was extremely violent, and the rain stopped, but the wind was terrible.In the sky above the main tower, lightning strikes one after another, zigzagging, plying each other, piercing the night.The main tower towers high and looks lonely, which is very easy to attract lightning.The current accumulated at the tip of the lightning rod, bursting out with white water light, and the needle shaft kept shaking in the strong wind.It can be imagined that climbing along the wires through which the current is constantly passing through is in danger of being buried in the Pico Abyss.If the performance of the lightning rod system is good, there will be no disaster of electric shock, because the metal is an excellent conductor, and the conductivity of the human body is negligible compared with it, so the lives of the warriors may be preserved.If the lightning rod is a little blunt, as long as there is a continuous aqueous solution on the wire, or the lower part is broken, in short, as long as the lightning rod is defective, the voltage rises due to the mutual attraction of the two charges of yin and yang, even if no lightning is formed, it is possible to suffer an electric shock . It's not that Sandov doesn't know how much risk to take. A stronger emotion than self-preservation drives him to face danger.He slid down slowly and cautiously in the discharge environment, looking for each fixed card along the wall with his feet, and rested there for a while.He tried to see how deep it was, but could not, when a powerful lightning flashed the abyss beneath him. When he descended about six feet from the window, Sandov felt he had a more secure footing.This is the extension of the foundation of the high wall, a table-like object with a width of several inches.The rod of the lightning rod does not end here, it hangs down much lower, and in fact--which the prison escaper cannot know--from here down the rod is not fixed, sometimes it touches the stone wall, sometimes it hits the wall. After reaching the rock protruding above the abyss, it hangs in the air, shaking from side to side. Sandov put his feet on the edge of the stage, both of them grabbed the wires, and stopped for a while to catch his breath.He understood that what he had reached was the first cornerstone of the foundation of the main tower.But how deep is the valley from here to the bottom, he has no way of knowing. "Probably unfathomable," he thought. Sure enough, in the dazzling lightning, the big birds flapped their wings rapidly around him, whirled in terror, and instead of flying high, they swooped down and soared.It can be seen from this that the depth of this abyss may be bottomless. At this time, a sound came from the upper part of the wire rod.Taking advantage of the momentary flash of lightning, Sandov saw a shadowy shadow on the pole.It was Bathory who climbed out of the window.He just grabbed the metal pole and slid down slowly to catch Sandov.Sandov stood firmly on the edge of the platform with his feet, waiting for him.When Sandov continues to slide, Batory can also stop here. After a while, the two came to one place.Once the bursts of thunder stopped, it was easy to speak, and the voices of each other could be heard. "Where is Ladislas?" Sandov asked. "I'll be there in a minute." "There's nothing disturbing up there?" "No." "Well, then, I'll leave Ladislas with you. You, Étienne, wait here for him." "OK." At this time, another huge lightning bolt surrounded them, as if the current down the wire rod passed through their nerves, they thought they had received an electric shock. "Matthias!...Matthias!..." Bathory shouted, out of control and terrified. "Be calm! . . . I'm going down! . . . You must follow!" said Sandov.While speaking, he had already grasped the wire, and wanted to slide to the next fixed card, and then stopped to wait for his companion. Suddenly they heard a cry from the upper part of the main tower, which seemed to come from the window of the cell.After that, the shouting echoed into the air. "Flee!" was Zatmar's voice. Before the words were finished, a strong light shot out of the wall, followed by a short and echoless explosion.This time, it was neither the intermittent lightning that pierced the night sky, nor the rolling thunder in the sky.In all likelihood, someone fired a blind shot at one of the windows in the main tower.Whether it is the guards who sent out a signal or the guns fired at the escapees, it means that the escape has been detected. Sure enough, the jailer heard a certain sound, called five or six guards, and rushed into the cell.It was immediately discovered that two prisoners were missing.The situation at the window proved that it was the only way for the prisoner to escape.It was too late, then, and before he could be stopped, Zatmar leaned out of the window to warn them. "Unfortunate man!" Bathory called out. "Leave him alone, Mathias!" There was another shot.This time the gunfire mingled with the rolling thunder. "May God have mercy on him!" said the count. "But escape is necessary! Come, Étienne!" Time was running out, and the windows on all floors downstairs were open.There was another burst of gunfire, and the light of the bullets shone on them, and there were some noisy sounds.Perhaps the guards were searching along the base of the wall to cut off their retreat?Perhaps their door would have been hit by bullets fired from elsewhere in the main tower? "Come on!" Sandov yelled one last time, and slid down the wire, and Bathory immediately grabbed the wire. Only then did the two of them realize that below the foundation stone, the guide rod was shaking in mid-air, and none of the fixed clips that could be used for breathing were gone.The two people swayed in mid-air with the wire rod, their hands were torn apart, and the bullets whistled in their ears.They slid down with their knees tightly gripping the wire rod, and they fell more than eight feet in a minute.They were wondering whether they were going to fall into a bottomless abyss!At this time, the roar of the raging waves below them could be clearly heard, and they suddenly realized that the wire rod was connected to the torrent.But what happened?Trying to climb back to the cornerstone of the main tower was beyond my strength.Besides, it would be better to be buried in this abyss than to die anyway. At this time, the lightning was blinding and the thunder was deafening.Although the lightning rod at the tip of the tower was not directly shocked, its current was so strong that the wire rod glowed white, like the platinum wire of a battery or battery when it is discharged. Bathory was in so much pain that he let out a scream and fell down.Sandov saw his arms stiffen as he brushed past him. The iron wire burned Sandov's hands, and he let go of the wire, and fell into the Fuhiba rapids from a height of more than four feet—the mysterious Pico Abyss.