later, one evening, when the guard was certain there were no witnesses around, he stooped down and whispered urgently to Edith:

"I can help you out of here. Last August, someone falsely accused me of stealing the Republic''s property. It was Citizen Quenet who hid me in a hidden place and later helped me clear my name. I''m just a humble gaoler, with no much culture, but I''m not foolish. I can discern who is truly loyal to the Republic. Those testimonies they collected against Citizen Quenet, I don''t believe a single word of them.

"I am an Irishman, formerly a hunter. If you are willing, you can come with me back to my homeland, or I can find a way to settle you both in another town. It''s all up to your preference."

"Take my sister with you, good soul," Margot feebly coughed, "Don''t mind me. I don''t have much time left to live."

"Margot! Do you think for a moment that I would ever consider leaving you behind?" Edith immediately interrupted her sister''s pessimistic thoughts.

"Don''t worry, Citizeness Percy. If I can take one of you out, I can take both. It''s all the same. I have a way to ensure your safety," the man''s deep voice carried a reassuring strength.

"How should I address you, virtuous citizen?" Edith asked earnestly.

The man replied, "My name is Lucas Garvan."