Through this cavity there ran perpendicularly a sort of case of iron thickly greased; and inside the case appeared the screw, which communicated with the bed-top below.
Extra lengths of screw, freshly oiled; levers covered with felt; all the complete upper works of a heavy press--constructed with infernal ingenuity so as to join the fixtures below, and when taken to pieces again, to go into the smallest possible compass--were next discovered and pulled out on the floor.

After some little difficulty the Sub-prefect succeeded in putting the machinery together, and, leaving his men to work it, descended with me to the bedroom.

The smothering canopy was then lowered, but not so noiselessly as I had seen it lowered.

When I mentioned this to the Sub-prefect, his answer, simple as it was, had a terrible significance.

"My men," said he, "are working down the bed-top for the first time--the men whose money you won were in better practice." We left the house in the sole possession of two police agents--every one of the inmates being removed to prison on the spot.