A New Novel, Part 270 I Have No Current Claim Against the Countess

1 July 2011, A New Novel, Part 270 I Have No Current Claim Against the Countess 

For those who haven’t been following this blog, let me introduce it a little. I am currently blogging my 21st novel that has the working title Daemon. The novel is about Aksinya, a sorceress, who, to save her family from the Bolsheviks, called and contracted the demon, Asmodeus. Her family was murdered anyway, and she fled with the demon from Russia to Austria.

Aksinya is on trial in Wien, Austria.  The presiding judge decided to try Aksinya's fraud case first.  He Noe calls the next witness...

Judge Richter pursed his lips and looked down the witness list, “Bring in the next witness.  That is Herr Frump.  He holds the next greatest claim against the defendant.”

Herr Frump entered the courtroom and took the witness chair.  He was a jovial man with a little too much weight.  He wore a stained apron under his suit coat and held his butcher’s hat in his hands.

The Judge began at a little faster clip that before, “Herr Frump, please give us your full name and occupation.”

Herr Frump grinned, “I am Vladimir Frump, a butcher for the Sacré Coeur district in Wien.  But I am not certain why I am here, Your Honor.”

“Why is that Herr Frump?”

“I have no current claim against the Countess.”

“How is that?”

“After the courts disbursement from the sale of goods in the house, a priest came by my shop and settled the bill.”

Judge Richter pawed through the papers before him.  He turned to the junior Lay Judge, “Lay Judge Amsel, are any of the monetary claims against the defendant still outstanding?”

“No, Judge Richter, they have all been settled.”

Judge Richter laid down his papers, “In that case, there can be no criminal liability against Princess Aksinya.  Therefore, is there any reason to continue to question these witnesses?  Prosecutor?  Defense?”

Father Dobrushin put up his hand, “Presiding Judge, before you release the witnesses, I’d like to ask each a single question.”

The next witness is the butcher, Herr Frump.  I give you a short description of him that almost immediately shows you that he is a butcher.  I don't need to tell you he wears a butcher's hat, but for clarity, I do tell you that.

We find that Herr Frump has the next greatest claim.  There was a lot of meat in Aksinya's house and meat is very expensive in war torn Austria.  Herr Frump begins with the fact that he has no claim against Aksinya.  A priest came to Herr Frump and paid off the remainder of Aksinya's debt.  Who might that priest be?  This information makes the judge look through the rest of his papers.  Do you see how this situation was created.  I give you a revelation through conversation and through the events within the courtroom.  I don't tell you about any of it--I show it all to you.

Because there is no longer any claim against Aksinya's accounts, there is no criminal liability--her debts were paid by a priest.  Now, you can guess who paid off Aksinya's debts, to metaphor is perfect to this point.  Without Aksinya asking, all her physical debts were paid.  We guess that we know who did it too.  The end is that Aksinya is not guilty of fraud if the bills are all paid.  The judge prepares to end this part of the trial, but Father Dobrushin has another point he wishes to make.