"Perhaps it is true that a possible chance for you to escape does exist, but my duties are too important for me to concern myself about guarding a single prisoner." His figure vanished.

He was gone without noise, and Robert stared at the place where he had been.

Then the hope of escape came back, more vivid and more powerful than ever.

"Too late," was a phrase that should not be known to youth.

St.Luc was right.