That was certainly the case in Joly's mind. Much as he knew that a woman could handle things like the arena, hell, if he had had no examples from home, there would have been Venus to consider here, she should never be forced to do so. The idea that women, and that children, like the boy Courfeyrac had located, were forced to this made it all the more repulsive, and it made Joly all the more determined to work against the possibility that either of those must be forced back into this again and again and again.

He hated the idea of the arena already, the miasmas floating around, the knowledge that they were likely to become ill from exposure to each other and linger slowly, over exposed wounds, but even so, it was different for a gentleman. No matter how he hated it, no matter what it did to him inside, it was his duty to ensure others were protected. Keeping Cosette alive for long enough to have the chance was the only possible thing to do now.

"Marius!" Joly was on his feet at once as the other man started swaying, moving right along to catch him as best he could, frowning all the while. The dwindling food and water were likely the cause of his sudden weakness, he thought, frown furrowing up his brow now. "Please. Lie back. Dwindling though it is, when was the last time that you ate, or drank? The worst thing you might do is make yourself ill from severe lack of either. " Going without a few meals was not a problem, but going without all of them? It could not be allowed if such was happening.