"The safety and security of his compatriots and their defense of the republic, for the most part. He was a great friend and admirer of Robespierre, and a part of the Committee of Public Safety -- they were charged with ensuring the defense of the Republic from both foreign and domestic enemies. The Committee itself likely had far too much power, it served as a provisional government for much longer than it should have."

He pauses a moment, and sighs. "I think they may have gotten so used to seeing threats and defending from them that they could not discern innocent from guilty at a certain point. Desmoulins and Robespierre and Danton were all friends, for the most part, at the beginning." While he has been speaking, they have presumably made their way back into the kitchen.