The traveler had to suppress a smile; the task that he thought would be so difficult was now so easy. He evasively said: “You overestimate my influence; the commandant has read my letters of recommendation and knows that I am no expert in legal matters. If I were to express an opinion, it would be the opinion of a private individual, with no more weight than anyone else’s and in any case far less influential than the opinion of the commandant, who, as I understand it, has very extensive powers in this penal colony. If he is as decidedly against you as you believe, then I fear that the end of your procedure is indeed near—without any modest assistance on my part.”
Did the officer finally understand? No, he still didn’t understand. He shook his head firmly, glanced at the condemned man and the soldier, who both flinched and abruptly abandoned their rice, came right up to the traveler, and instead of looking him in the eye, addressed some spot of his coat and said in a lower voice: “You don’t know the commandant, you believe your position in regard to him and the rest of us is somewhat—please pardon the expression—ineffectual, but trust me, your influence cannot be rated too highly. I was overjoyed when I heard that you would attend the execution alone. This decision of the commandant’s was intended as a blow to me, but I shall now turn it to my advantage. Without the distraction of whispered lies and scornful glances—which would have been unavoidable with a large crowd of spectators—you have heard my explanations, seen the machine, and are now on the verge of watching the execution. I’m sure you’ve already formed an opinion; if you still have any niggling doubts left, the sight of the execution will eliminate them. And now I put this request to you: Help me defeat the commandant!”
The traveler allowed him to speak no further. “How could I do that,” he exclaimed. “It’s absolutely impossible. I can’t help you any more than I can hinder you.”
“Yes, you can,” replied the officer. With some alarm, the traveler noticed that the officer was clenching his fists. “Yes, you can,” the officer repeated more urgently. “I have a plan that is bound to succeed. You don’t believe you have sufficient influence, but I know that you do. However, even granting that you’re right, isn’t it necessary for the sake of the old system’s preservation that we try everything, even things that are potentially ineffective? So listen to my plan. In order for it to succeed, it is extremely important that you say as little as possible in the colony today concerning the conclusions you’ve drawn about the procedure. Unless asked directly you should on no account comment. What you do say, however, must be brief and noncommittal, it should appear that you find the matter difficult to speak about, that you’re embittered over it, that if you were to speak freely you would almost be tempted to curse. I’m not asking you to lie, by any means; you should just answer curtly: ‘Yes, I have seen the execution,’ or, ‘Yes, it was all explained to me.’ Just that, nothing more. Your bitterness, which should be made obvious, is sufficiently justified, although not in the way the commandant imagines. He will completely misunderstand its meaning of course and interpret it to suit his own needs. My plan’s success hinges on this. Tomorrow there’s to be a large conference of all the high administrative officials at the commandant’s headquarters, presided over by the commandant himself. Naturally the commandant has turned these meetings into public exhibitions. He has built a gallery that is always packed with spectators. I am compelled to participate in these meetings, though they sicken and disgust me. No matter what the case, you are sure to be invited to this meeting; if you behave today as I have outlined, the invitation will become an urgent request. But if you are not invited for some obscure reason, you’ll have to ask for an invitation—that will ensure your getting one without a doubt. So now tomorrow you’re sitting in the commandant’s box with the ladies. He keeps looking up to make sure you are there. After discussing various ludicrous and unimportant issues, introduced solely for the benefit of the audience—usually it’s some harbor works, it’s always harbor works!—our judicial procedure is brought to the agenda. If the commandant fails to introduce it, or fails to do so soon enough, I’ll make it my business to get it mentioned. I’ll stand up and report on today’s execution. A very brief statement: only that it has taken place. A statement of this sort is not quite standard at these meetings, but I will make it anyhow. The commandant thanks me, as always, with a friendly smile and then can’t restrain himself; he seizes the fortunate opportunity. ‘It has just been reported,’ he will say, or words to that effect, ‘that there has been an execution. I should merely like to add that this execution was witnessed by the great scholar who as you all know has done our colony an immense honor by his visit. His presence here today lends further importance to this occasion. Shouldn’t we now ask the great scholar his opinion of our traditional mode of execution and the whole process surrounding it?’ Of course there’s applause and general approval all around, of which mine is the loudest. The commandant bows to you and says: ‘Then I put the question to you in the name of all assembled here.’ And now you step up to the balustrade—keep your hands where everyone can see them, otherwise the ladies will press them and play with your fingers—and now you can speak out at last. I don’t know how I’ll be able to endure the tension while waiting for that moment. You mustn’t put any restrictions on yourself in your speech, let the truth be heard out loud, lean over the railing and roar, yes, roar your judgment, your immutable judgment, down on the commandant. But perhaps that is not what you wish to do, it’s not in keeping with your character; perhaps in your country one behaves differently in such situations. That’s fine, that’ll work just as well. Don’t stand up at all, just say a few words, in a whisper so that only those officials below you can hear. That will be enough. You don’t even have to mention the lack of public support, the screeching gear, the torn strap, the repulsive felt; no, I’ll take care of all that and, believe me, if my speech does not hound him from the hall, it will force him to his knees in confession: ‘Old Commandant, I bow down before you…’ That is my plan, will you help me carry it out? But of course you will, what’s more you must.” And the officer seized the traveler by the arms and, breathing heavily, stared into his face. He had shouted his last sentences so loudly that even the soldier and the condemned man were paying attention; though they couldn’t understand a word, they stopped eating for a moment and looked over, still chewing, at the traveler.