f was to be considered. Was it an assassination?

"You have five of these Viennese?"

"Yes. Two to stand beneath the window to receive the booty as we lower
it to the ground, one to stand guard at the west gate and two to attend
the carriage and horses in the ravine beyond the castle."

"When did these men arrive?"

"This morning. I kept them in my sister's home until an hour ago.
They are now in the ravine, awaiting Ostrom and myself. Are you sure,
Michael, that the guards and the cook have been made to understand every
detail? The faintest slip will mean ruin."

"They are to be trusted fully. Their pay is to be high enough to make
it an object to be infallible. The guard, Dushan, will leave the gate
unwatched, and you will chloroform him--with his consent, of course. You
will enter, as I have explained before, crawl along in the dark shadow
of the wall until you reach the arbor that leads to the kitchen and
scullery. Here another guard, Rabbo--known to Ostrom as a comrade in Her
Royal Highness's service not more than a year ago--will be encountered.
He will be bound and gagged without the least noise or struggle. Just
as the clock strikes two the cook will walk past the scullery window, in
the basement, thrice, carrying a lighted candle. You will see this light
through the window, and will know that all is well inside the castle.
Ostrom, you will then lead the two Viennese to a place directly beneath
the third window in the Princess's sleeping apartment. There are several
clumps of shrubbery there, and under these they will hide, protected
from the gaze of any watchman who is not with us. You and Geddos will be
admitted to the scullery by the cook, who will conduct you to the hall
leading to Her Highness's bed-room. The man who guards her door is
called Dannox. He will not be at his post, but will accompany you when
you leave the castle. You will understand how carefully you must enter
her room and how deeply she must be chloroformed. In the adjoining room
her lady-in-waiting, the Countess Dagmar, sleeps. If her door is ajar,
you are to creep in and chloroform her, leaving her undisturbed. Then
the Princess is to be wrapped in the cloth you take with you and lowered
from the window to the men below. They are to remain in hiding until
you have left the castle and have reached their side. It will not be
difficult, if caution is observed, for you to get outside of the wall
and to the carriage in the ravine. I have gi