Well Dead

XX. Aporia

During the next few days, Sir Christian was busy and more or less left his scribe to his own devices, which Harun could not explain to himself, but for which he was grateful. There was a lot of thinking to be done and he was not going to complain about an opportunity of getting this gruesome affair finally behind him.

All the same, he did wonder at Sir Christian’s sudden change of habit. Never before had the knight left the castle for hours on end. Never before had he been seen riding a horse. But now he rode out regularly on his white stallion into the direction of the forest and the new fields, not to return until late in the evening. This was not such a new habit as Harun believed, either. From what he could catch of the gossip of the kitchen staff, he gathered that Sir Christian had already been carrying on like this while Harun had been on his way back From Danzig.

What could be the reason for this? Had Sir Christian after all decided to occupy himself with the problem of Lukas’ death in spite of all his earlier indifference towards the affair? But when Sir Christian returned from his short trips, he always seemed perfectly happy and even spiritually renewed, feelings rather unlikely to originate from the investigation of a bloody murder.

It was indeed strange, but really none of Harun’s business. He had to concentrate himself on bringing his self-appointed task to a successful conclusion. It took him some time to decide on his next action. And when he had done so, he went to see Wenzel.

“You did what?”

“Not so loud, you fool! Do you want everybody in the castle to hear? I broke into Henrik's house and found a sword there…”

“A…sword…?”

The voice of the guard, only a moment ago raised high, sank to a terrified whisper.

“It is just the right size for the wound, too.”

“And… what now?”

“Now is the time to act on what we know.”

“You mean…”

“Yes. Henrik’s crime cannot go unpunished..”

Wenzel clutched at straws in the face of this damning evidence. “But you still haven’t found any reason why he should have killed Lukas.”

“No, I have not. But I have found the weapon used in his house, I have found him to be the only one of my four suspects who could possibly have been at the well at the fatal moment, I have found him to be the only one who could possibly have done this deed. He must be called to account for his actions. And the only one who can do this is Karl. Remember what you told me about only a family member being able to demand justices? We must tell him, and see that justice is done.”

Wenzel had sharp ears, despite the rattled state he was in.

“We? You said that we must act on what we know, that we must talk to Karl.”

“Well, there is no sense in my trying it alone, that is clear enough. The man would chase me away as soon as he caught sight of me. You, on the other hand…”

“No. Harun, don’t! Just don’t! I know what you’re going to say. I won’t do it. I can’t just go to my best friend and say…”

*~*~*~*~*

“There’s something we’ve got to talk about, Karl.”

The peasant looked up from his mug, surprised. Wenzel did not look this evening as though he had any particular interest in talking. In fact he looked as though he’d prefer never to utter another word again.