Lupin III (synopsis - Page 3)
Goemon is wary of the presence of a woman in Lupin's plans, but Jigen is confident that his new anti-tank gun and Goemon's sword will see them through to the resolution of the mystery. Lupin reveals that he informed Zenigata of his presence, a ploy that Goemon sagely observes pits his foes against each other. He plans a night-time assault on the castle, travelling with Jigen from the lake along the still-functioning Roman aqueduct while Goemon keeps watch. However, things don't go exactly to plan as Lupin gets swept up in the windmill machinery that pumps the water into the castle, and becomes separated from Jigen. Zenigata notices a hiccup in the windmill, and races to the fountain where the water enters the castle, but Lupin stays out of sight until Zenigata is interrupted with the news that he has been ordered to withdraw.
We see him changing into a uniform like Zenigata's, while the inspector himself storms off to confront the Count, although the Royal Guard sends him on his way. Suddenly, Lupin - dressed as Zenigata - tells the guards that Lupin has been attempting to gain access while disguised as Zenigata. The guards all rush off to arrest Lupin - really Zenigata - although Lupin gets caught up in the rush and Zenigata spots him. While the police forces battle with the Royal Guard, Lupin is pursued into the count's quarters by Zenigata, who sets off a trapdoor and disappears through the floor. Lupin escapes, and watches as Jodo disables the trapdoor and inspect the photo taken by the hidden camera. Thinking that Lupin is the one who was caught, he goes to find Gustav and the guards. Lupin resets the trapdoor and continues on. Jodo finds Gustav and they return to the booby-trapped room, whereupon they fall into the trap. Laughing as he later reviews the security photo with Jodo, the Count assumes Lupin has failed to escape the trap.
Moving on, we see Clarisse's lady-in-waiting in a dark basement, secretly taking photos of some files. Lupin sneaks up on her and finds he has run into an old acquaintance, Fujiko. She offers to tell Lupin where Clarisse is, if he stays out of her way. He heads off to the tower, using all his skills as a thief to scale the castle walls and clamber along the roof until he faces the tower. Testing the wind, he climbs to the top of a parapet and begins to set up a rocket so he can rig up a tightrope to the tower. However, the breeze topples the rocket and he overbalances while reaching for it. Falling headlong down the roof of the parapet, Lupin gathers speed as he rushes towards the edge of the rooftop. His momentum carries him clear over to the next rooftop, and then over to the prison tower! He pulls his mini-skyhook out and sets about making his way into the tower.
Inside the tower, Clarisse is seated by her barred window, wistfully looking out at the moon. A breeze suddenly blows over her, and we see that Lupin has climbed down through a trapdoor in the ceiling. He announces his presence as a thief, but as he approaches Clarisse, she recognises him as the man who saved her. He returns her ring, but she warns him of the danger he is in. He tells her he will not leave without his treasure, although she seems too scared to be very enthusiastic about the affair. Lupin manages to win her over with a romantic, humorous story and some amusing little tricks.
Suddenly the lights come on and the shutters descend - they have been discovered! Flanks of clawed assassins surround them and Clarisse is snatched away, while Lupin is restrained by the Count's troops. The Count is glad to have the ring back, and now disposes of Lupin by means of a trapdoor in the floor of the room, informing Clarisse that no-one has ever escaped from that doom. While the Count taunts the Lady over her involvement in Lupin's demise, and glories in his family's new-found ascendancy over hers, he nevertheless tries to convince her of their destiny in re-uniting their long-estranged threads of the Cagliostro family. But he seems to revel more in the treasure that will be revealed when they are united, than any consideration for Clarisse. Having given this information away, the Count is surprised to hear Lupin's voice - he has been listening all the while via a transmitter implanted in the fake ring on Clarisse's finger - which promptly crumbles in a puff of confetti.
Lupin has been hanging from his skyhook halfway down the tunnel, but is flushed down by a torrent of water by Jodo, who is sent to recover the ring. Lupin lowers himself to the bottom of the dungeon, past the bodies of many who came before him, and into the heap of bones of those, royalty or beggars alike, who survived the fall, only to perish of starvation. Zenigata, exploring by the glow of his cigarette lighter, spots Lupin and is disappointed when Lupin tells him he doesn't know the way out, and is further disgruntled when Lupin reveals to him the Caglisotros' terrible history of assassinating its enemies to protect itself and its fabled treasure.
