Descending the stairs and out by the small door in the wall, he passed again through the Corps de Garde, all the members of which once more instantly took off their hats and held them before their faces. Then he was led across a great court and in at a square door painted green, and so up three small steps on to a great staircase, at the bottom of which were two huge iron doors that clanged with an ominous sound behind him. At the head of this staircase were three more gates, one after the other--wooden gates covered with iron plates--and when these were locked behind Elphinston also, another iron-bound door was opened, and he stood within a great vaulted room, some sixty feet long and about fifteen in breadth, and the same in height. "_Voilà!_" exclaimed the secretary, "behold the second room of the chapel. _Mon Dieu!_ a fine apartment for an untitled guest! But the old animal will have his way. Yet, why this room of princes? 'Twas here the man with the iron mask died, they say; here that the Duke of Luxembourg and the Marshals de Biron and Bassompiere once reposed." "At least," said Bertie, casting his eyes round the vault--for such it was--"I trust there was more accommodation for those illustrious personages than there appears for me. Am I to sleep on the floor, and lie on it also in the day? There is neither bed nor chair here." "All in good time, brave captain," replied Bluet, the turnkey, who even at this early period of the morning appeared to be half drunk--"all in good time, noble captain. I shall make your room a fitting boudoir for a duchess ere night. Have no fear." "Now," said the secretary, "give up all you have about you." "What!" "All, everything," replied the other. "Oh, be under no apprehension; we do not rob the King's guests; oh, no! Every visitor to this delectable castle has to do the same, even though he be a prince of the blood. I shall give you a note for what you hand me, and on your sortie you will see all is as you handed to me. Yet the old _cochon_, De Launey, loveth trinkets for his wife--young enough to be his daughter; if you have a ring or a jewel, you can part with it; it will be to your advantage." "Friend," said Elphinston, "I am a soldier who has fought in hard wars, sometimes without even receiving a sol of any pay--as in the last campaign in Scotland--what should I have? See, I have no rings on my fingers, no watch to my pocket, no solitaire to my cravat. Yet, here is my purse with a few Louis d'ors and one gold quadruple pistole; count those, if you will," and he pitched it into the secretary's ragged hat as he spoke.