Chapter Twenty-Six
The condemned was being marched through the dungeon for once, rather than dragged like a sack of trash or carried victoriously aloft. With just his arms shackled behind him, he was allowed to walk to his unmanning and hanging – this in order to demonstrate his infinite contrition and eager willingness to embrace this most necessary sanction. Though the year of torture decreed for him wasn’t even half up, Krista and the mob (not to mention Karl himself) were finished with waiting. He had offended unendurably at last. Nurse Drake had turned her back and now sentence was going to be carried out. Karl couldn’t wait.
That lady high potentate had visited the dungeon recently to check in on his progress toward execution or redemption. She had chosen to sully herself by touchi
