In 1925, Paul Lestignac, an energetic tourist from Gascony, and his servant Gaspard arrived at the Escorial train station in Spain, planning to explore a mysterious and allegedly lethal chasm in the Sierra de Guadarrama. On the platform, Lestignac attempted to strike up a conversation with three Anglo-Saxons carrying climbing gear: Abraham Trust (a wealthy diamond syndicate representative known as "The King of Diamonds"), Ned Ferret (a British detective), and Joë Sharpen (a reporter for the New-York Journal). The three foreigners rebuffed his friendliness and aggressively commandeered the carriage Lestignac had reserved. Undeterred, Lestignac and Gaspard took a second carriage. During the ride, Gaspard shared his deep suspicions, noting that the Americans seemed less like tourists and more like conspirators who were unnerved by Lestignac's unexpected presence. Upon arriving at the Posada de Tra los Montes, Lestignac reunited with his Castilian friend, Alfonso Candujar y Lereda, and Alfonso's servant, Pablo. The innkeeper, Vinaroz, begged the young men to abandon their dangerous expedition, explaining that a sudden mountain explosion two years prior had created the fiery, torrent-fed chasm. Vinaroz claimed that hundreds of silent, somber men—referred to locally as "the damned"—had since marched into the pit under the guidance of a masked, black-clad figure, never to return. While the locals attributed this to the devil, Lestignac rationalized that the chasm simply possessed a hidden exit used by a secret society or smugglers. When Trust and his companions arrived at night, they bypassed the inn and headed straight for a dilapidated wooden hut. Sensing foul play, Gaspard followed them, accompanied by Lestignac, Alfonso, and Pablo. Peering through the hut's walls, the four men witnessed Trust interrogating an operative named Trivet (also known as Trépied or Dreyfusz). Trivet confessed that he had been secretly distributing massive, priceless diamonds across Europe on behalf of an enigmatic figure known as "The King of the Unknown." Out of bitter resentment for being kept in a subordinate position while others shared in the secrets, Trivet agreed to betray his master. In exchange for a 200,000-dollar check, he revealed how to access the chasm by pulling a hidden iron handle beneath a southern rock protrusion to raise a 120-rung steel ladder. However, just as Trivet was about to explain a vital, life-saving precaution regarding the ladder, he abruptly collapsed in agonizing pain, screaming that he was burning and begging his unseen master for mercy. Trivet died instantly on the floor from an inexplicable force. Unfazed by the bizarre death and satisfied that he had obtained the necessary entry instructions while saving his money, Trust led his companions out of the hut to proceed toward the chasm.