The Justice of a Body Snatcher
– a love story by renan goksin –
Episode Twenty: The Man from Willsburg
“I don’t wish to drink,” replied Herman. “I cannot be, and I am not, the same person after last night. I saved Alponsina and her child. An unknown force extracted justice through my limbs, and in turn, Alphonsina brought justice to my life. I will not be digging graves from now on either.”
Dr. Augustus was a man of selective empathy. He understood that to empathise with everything was useless and only resulted in inaction. But he wisely judged this was one of those situations where his empathy was required.
“I know it is almost a miracle that Alphonsina and the baby survived,” he said. Then he added with a smile: “But remember, once a miracle occurs, it no longer is miraculous.”
Augustus began pacing around the room as usual, recollecting his thoughts.
“Recently in Willsburg, there was a man condemned to death for some heinous crime. He protested his innocence to the end, then the day before the execution, he slashed his throat in the prison cell. The doctor stitched it immediately and advised the prison authorities that a man in his condition could not be sent to the gallows. Of course, the prison officers paid no heed, and the next morning proceeded with the execution. When the rope was flung, instead of the neck breaking, the stitches burst open, and the convict continued to breathe through his exposed windpipe. To everyone present, this appeared to be a miraculous intervention that proved man’s innocence. There was a great public appeal, especially from the prison guards who had witnessed the gruesome act. It was felt that even if it were not a miracle, what had occurred was so extraordinary that it deserved special consideration. Yet to the physician engaged throughout the proceedings, there was nothing remarkable about the incident. It was a mundane chain of cause and effect; in fact, he would have probably considered it miraculous had the man not survived. Then, he might have interpreted it as a sign of the man’s guilt.”
Augustus smiled, trying to extract a response from Herman: “You see Herman, justice is a matter of interpretation.”
“So, was he innocent?” asked Herman softly. His throat was so dry he could hardly speak.
to be continued…
next episode: 21- Lake Valda
