He took a deep breath, shut his eyes, and commended his soul to God. I have had carnal knowledge of your wife, he blurted. He had expected to die more or less instantaneously upon this utterance, but everything continued just as usual. Birds continued chirping in the trees, and the rip and slobber of the horses champing grass was the only sound above that of the rushing water. He opened one eye to find Jamie Fraser standing there regarding him, head to one side. Oh? said Jamie curiously. Why?
In this passage, a character prepares for a moment of truth by taking a deep breath and offering himself to God before confessing an affair with another man's wife. He anticipates severe consequences for his admission, expecting an immediate and violent reaction. However, instead of experiencing the expected turmoil, life around him continues unaffected, with nature proceeding as though nothing has changed.
After revealing his secret, he cautiously opens one eye to see Jamie Fraser, a key figure in the narrative, observing him with curiosity rather than hostility. This unexpected response highlights the tension between personal conflict and the external world’s indifference, revealing the complexity of human emotions and relationships in Gabaldon's storytelling.
