Afterwards you can act as may seem wisest." Maqueda looked at Oliver questioningly.
"I think that is good advice," he said.

"At any rate, we can't be worse off among the Mountaineers than we are in this undefended place.

Tell your women to bring cloaks that we can throw over our heads, and let us go." Five minutes later, a forlorn group filled with fears, we had stolen over the dead and dying in the passage, and made our way to the side gate of the palace that we found open, and over the bridge that spanned the moat beyond, which was down.

Doubtless Joshua's ruffians had used it in their approach and retreat.

Disguised in the long cloaks with monk-like hoods that the Abati wore at night or when the weather was cold and wet, we hurried across the great square.