nine o'clock in the morning
The scaffold , which had two lower stories , and was covered with black serge , was at the height of twenty feet , on a level with the window in the king 's room ; and the hole communicated with a narrow loft , between the floor of the king 's room , and the ceiling of the one below it . The plan was to pass through the hole into the loft , and cut out from below a piece of the flooring of the king 's room , so as to form a kind of trap-door . The king was to escape through this on the following night , and , hidden by the black covering of the scaffold , was then to change his dress for that of a workman , and so pass the sentinels on duty , and reach the skiff that was waiting for him at Greenwich . At nine o'clock in the morning Aramis , this time in attendance on Bishop Juxon , was once more in the king 's room . `` Sire , '' he said , `` you are saved ! The London executioner has vanished , and there is no executioner nearer at hand than Bristol . The Count de la Fère is two feet below you ; take the poker from the fireplace , and strike three times on the floor .