SPOILER WARNING: ALL BOOKS ARE OPEN FOR DISCUSSION
CHAPTER 64: I AM THE RESURRECTION, PART 2 (From A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon, copyright 2005, trade paperback pp 567-572)
Claire has recovered sufficiently that she is no longer at death’s door or delirious with fever, but she is too weak to get out of bed. She looks in the mirror and sees
“a skeleton with a particularly unflattering crew cut.” After resisting all past efforts to be persuaded to wear a cap when her hair was wild and unruly, she hates the thought of giving in now. She decides to reject it, to reassure Jamie that the old Claire is back.
Jamie is relieved enough that he compliments her appearance with a straight face, then bursts out laughing. It is comic relief for both of them. Claire feels better when Jamie reassures her of his love.
Claire insists upon being told how the illness has affected their family and the neighbors. Mrs. Bug brings Claire food and places Henri-Christian into her arms. Claire notices bruises, cuts and scrapes on the baby and asks what happened.
“The spawn of the de’il tried to kill the poor wean,” Mrs. Bug informed me, mouth pulled tight. “And would have done, too, save for Roger Mac, bless him.”
Jamie explains that the culprits were children of the fisher folk.
“The wicked creatures tried to drown him,” Mrs Bug amplified. “Stole the puir wee laddie in his basket and set him adrift in the creek!”
Jamie tells Claire that Joanie came to get him, shouting that her brother had been taken. Roger had been nearby, heard shrieking and arrived to find the baby in his basket nearly tipped over a small waterfall, bumping around amongst boulders and a swift current. Roger dove into to the water and caught him.
“I was just in time to see it,” Jamie informed me, grinning at the memory. “And then to see Roger Mac rise out o’ the water like a triton, wi’ duckweed streaming from his hair, blood runnin’ from his nose, and the wee lad clutched tight in his arms. A terrible sight, he was.”
Roger had roared “sheas!” at the guilty children to stop them from fleeing. He had baptized Henri-Christian right there in the creek and pointed out that Christian was part of the child‘s name. He had pointed an angry finger at the miscreants, assuring them that the baby belonged to the Lord and that if he was harmed again Satan would drag the guilty parties to hell.
Jamie had confronted one of the children, who told him that their parents said that as a dwarf, Henri-Christian was demon born and thus would float if placed in water because the water would reject his wickedness. The children had placed him in the trout pool just to see, but did not intend for him to be carried away and drowned. They were afraid to touch him, thinking his skin would cause burns.
Jamie had summoned the guilty parties to his study.
“They took their medicine and then we went to the kitchen and had bread and honey.”
Jamie had had the baby brought in so the children could touch him and see that he would not harm them. They asked if it were true that Henri Christian belonged to the Lord. Jamie had replied that he wouldn’t argue with Roger’s pronouncement, but that the baby belonged to Jamie himself as well, and they’d do well not to forget it.
Jamie feeds Claire maple pudding while remarking on her ribs showing. She notices he is thinner as well and shares half with him.
My Observations:
1) Jamie referred to his punishment of the fisher children as “they took their medicine”. By not only giving them a thrashing but following it up with comfort food and a practical lesson to show them not to fear a special needs child, it could be medicinal to their lives. Medicine is often unpleasant but works to correct and heal.
2) Medicine seems to be a theme in this scene. Claire is normally the maker and dispenser of medicine and now she is the patient. Yet she sees that Jamie has suffered mentally and physically to see her so ill so she seeks ways to heal him by acting like her old self and sharing her food. Jamie spoon feeds Claire and reassures her of his love when he knows she is feeling awkward about her appearance.
3) The community is not only dealing with amoebic dysentery but the viral illness of superstitious prejudice. The belief in changelings and the demon born as a way of explaining special needs children continues to cause harm and danger. Jamie and Roger made efforts to nip this in the bud for the next generation, while protecting an innocent child.
4) Roger’s finding his true calling is medicine for his soul in many ways. He is no longer floundering about how he can make a contribution and has literally found his voice again. He showed himself to be a teacher of right and wrong and a protector of family in a manner that even Jamie was in awe of.
5) Ironic: Mrs. Bug describes Henri-Christian’s tormentors as “spawn of the devil”.
6) Ironic: Claire describes Henri-Christian as “indiscriminatingly friendly”. If only the community returned the sentiment.
What do you all think?
