SUSANNA

37| A FULL CONFESSION

'I have called this sitting to hear the case against the one-ear convict slave who stands accused of murdering her infant daughter.' Commander Borghorst turned to the fiscal, Cornelius de Cretzer opposite him. 'Yesterday I ordered you to leave no stone unturned, and to bring me the truth. What do you have to report?'

'My Lord, honourable members of this revered Council of Justice, I greet you in the name of the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie.'

The five men around the long, wooden table returned his greeting by placing their hands on their hearts and bowing their heads.

'I stand before you with grave concern in my heart.' He paused, placed both his gloved hands on the table, eyes sweeping across each of the faces from left to right, back to the centre. 'An atrocious act occurred right here amidst us decent, law-abiding Christian folk, and I must reveal with shock and dismay-' He pulled out a crisp, white handkerchief folded in a triangle and brought it to his face, hardly touching his nose. His sunburnt face was a portrait of solemnity beneath his wide brimmed feather hat. 'A vile, recalcitrant convict slave known to many as One Ear in the colony, resistant to the advances of Dutch norms and values, strangled her very own infant.'

He remained stone-faced until the heavy sighs, headshaking, and choir-like burst of cursing subsided. 'Valuable property of the Company, a prized baptised half caste, died in pain and agony-'

'Have you proof of this dastardly deed?' Interrupted the Commander.

'I submit to you this sworn declaration of the chief surgeon and statements from reliable witnesses obtained by the chief gardener. It all states the same thing. The infant died in consequence of the slave's intentions. I await your further instruction.'

The Commander jumped to his feet. 'I want a full Confession. You will place her in confinement and bleed the truth from her!'

The fiscal touched the brim of his black hat and bowed his head. His body collapsed into an obliging curtsy. 'Your command I will execute with haste, Commander.'

'And report back to this Council, tonight still.'

'As it pleases this Cou-'

'A full and free confession,' sputtered the Commander with a wheezing chest bobbing up and down. 'Nothing less.' The sudden attack forced him to sit down.' When he regained his composure, he stood up and stormed out of the room without greeting or any concluding pleasantries.

Preoccupied with their own thoughts, they fell into their seats when his footsteps were no longer audible. A silence marked by beard pulling, lip curling, sighs and foot tapping settled among the men. It was Lieutenant Coon who jumped up and, pointing at the fiscal, demanded. 'Cornelis, we must make an example. There are too many of them and they are getting out of control. If we want these evil-spirited natives and slaves to conform, we must show them who are in charge.'

The fiscal lifted his eyebrows, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. 'I cannot agree more, Lieutenant.'

'He ordered a full and free confession. That gives you the right to extract-'

'As harsh as possible.' Coon was interjected by Smient whose face was emotionless.

The fiscal nodded, two fingers on his upturned lips. 'Any suggestions? How harsh...is harsh?'

'Burn her at the stake. That should take care of these witches once and for all,' seethed Valckenrijk, hitting his fist on the table.

The rest of the men, confused and taken aback, stared at him, and burst out laughing.

The fiscal addressed Valckenrijk. 'Calm down, Jan. First things first. I must keep her alive to squeeze a confession from her... And I think I know exactly how I'll get it. Then we can decide on a sentence.'