The Prestige (Spoiler, dont look if you havent seen it)?

Watched the movie again last night, for the second time in 2 nights. Big Christioan Bale & Christopher Nolan fan. But my question is this. In the prison before he is hanged, Alfred asks the guard, "Are you watchin closely", as he said to the guard previously that he will say this to him before he will do somethin. Do you think he actually escapes or do you think he actually dies?