Serpent & Dove
The Interrogation: Reid
by Mahurin, ShelbyReid awakens sore and exhausted after a night spent on the floor, having offered his injured wife the bed despite her stubbornness. His discomfort is compounded when he enters the training yard, where his fellow soldiers—once comrades—now regard him with hostility and suspicion. They taunt him about his marriage to a woman they view as a criminal and a witch sympathizer, provoking Reid into violent confrontations. Jean Luc, in particular, revels in Reid’s turmoil, mocking him while hinting at the impending interrogation of Reid’s wife for information about witches.
The tension escalates as Reid defends his wife against the soldiers’ insults, physically retaliating against their slurs. Jean Luc continues to needle him, questioning Reid’s loyalty and innocence, while the other soldiers whisper and stare. Reid’s internal struggle is evident as he grapples with his new reality: his marriage has alienated him from his brethren, and his wife’s reputation casts a shadow over his standing. Despite his exhaustion, Reid refuses to back down, determined to maintain his authority and protect his wife, even as Jean Luc’s provocations grow more personal.
Reid’s emotional turmoil deepens when Jean Luc brings up Célie, the woman Reid once loved, forcing him to confront the finality of his marriage. The mention of Célie stirs guilt and pain, as Reid has already sent her a farewell letter. Jean Luc’s insinuations that Reid may not be as innocent as he claims further fuel Reid’s anger, though he struggles to contain it. The chapter highlights Reid’s isolation, caught between his duty, his past love, and his contentious marriage, all while facing the scorn of his peers.
The chapter concludes with the Archbishop’s arrival, who confirms Reid’s role in interrogating his wife about the witches. The Archbishop’s tone is both commanding and paternalistic, warning Reid to remain vigilant against his wife’s potential influence. This interaction underscores the precariousness of Reid’s position—balancing loyalty to the Church with the complexities of his marriage, all under the watchful eyes of his distrustful brethren. The chapter leaves Reid at a crossroads, torn between duty and personal turmoil.
FAQs
1. How does Reid’s physical state at the beginning of the chapter reflect his emotional turmoil?
Answer:
Reid wakes up “stiff, sore, and aching” after sleeping on the floor, which mirrors his internal conflict. Despite his wife choosing to sleep in the bathtub, he refuses to take the bed out of a sense of chivalry, even though it causes him discomfort. This physical suffering parallels his emotional distress over his forced marriage, the loss of his relationship with Célie, and the judgment from his fellow soldiers. The chapter emphasizes how his bodily pain (“blood from a cut on my forehead,” “freshly split lip”) symbolizes the psychological wounds inflicted by his new circumstances and the scorn of his peers.2. Analyze how Reid’s interactions with Jean Luc reveal the shifting dynamics among the Chasseurs.
Answer:
Jean Luc’s behavior highlights the erosion of Reid’s standing within the Chasseurs. While they were once friends and equals, Jean Luc now openly mocks Reid’s marriage (“conjugal bliss”) and questions his innocence regarding the forced union. Their sparring session turns aggressive, with Jean Luc aiming to physically dominate Reid just as he seeks to undermine him socially. The chapter shows how Jean Luc’s taunts (“filthy street rat,” “why did the Archbishop force you to marry a criminal?”) reflect broader distrust among the Chasseurs, who now view Reid as an outsider. Their camaraderie has been replaced by rivalry and suspicion.3. What does the Archbishop’s involvement suggest about the political stakes of Reid’s marriage?
Answer:
The Archbishop’s direct intervention (“communicate any developments to me directly”) reveals that Reid’s marriage is more than a personal punishment—it’s a strategic move. The Archbishop hopes Reid’s wife can lead them to witches (“She consorts with witches”), indicating she’s seen as a tool for intelligence gathering. His warning (“lest she destroy herself—and you”) implies Reid’s loyalty is under scrutiny. This politicized context forces Reid to balance his duty to the Chasseurs with his reluctant responsibility to his wife, creating tension between personal and institutional obligations.4. How does the chapter use physical violence to illustrate thematic conflicts?
Answer:
Violence serves as both literal and metaphorical combat. Reid’s brutal training session (“each attacking with uncharacteristic belligerence”) reflects his brethren’s judgment of his marriage. When he strikes a soldier for calling his wife a “whore,” it shows his simmering defensiveness, even as he denies emotional attachment to her. The fight with Jean Luc becomes a proxy for their power struggle, with Reid’s victory (“he too crumpled”) asserting his resilience despite social ostracization. These physical clashes mirror the chapter’s larger themes of honor, masculinity, and the cost of forced alliances.5. Evaluate Reid’s letter to Célie—what does it reveal about his character and emotional state?
Answer:
The unsent letter to Célie (“Please, please, forget me”) exposes Reid’s grief and guilt over their severed relationship. His insistence that she move on (“You must”) contrasts with his own inability to let go (“Her name cut through me like a serrated knife”). This private moment humanizes him, showing vulnerability beneath his stoic exterior. However, his choice to prioritize duty over love—sending the letter at “first light” rather than seeking her—reinforces his rigid adherence to obligation, even at personal cost. The letter underscores his internal divide between emotion and discipline.
Quotes
1. “Though I’d argued with myself—reasoned vehemently that she’d chosen to suffer in the tub—I hadn’t been able to climb into bed. Not when she was injured. Not when she might wake in the night and change her mind.”
This quote reveals Reid’s internal conflict between his sense of duty/chivalry and his resentment toward his new wife. Despite his anger, he still feels compelled to protect her, showing the complexity of their forced marriage dynamic.
2. “Blood ran from a cut on my forehead. ‘Does anyone else have a problem with my new circumstance?’”
A powerful moment where Reid physically defends his marriage against his fellow soldiers’ insults. The quote demonstrates both the social consequences of his marriage and his determination to stand by it, despite the personal cost.
3. “Men who had once respected me. Men who had once laughed, joked, and called me friend. In only a few hours, I’d become the object of my wife’s rejection and my brethren’s scorn. Both stung more than I cared to admit.”
This introspective passage captures Reid’s isolation and the rapid shift in his social standing. It highlights the dual rejection he faces - from both his military brothers and his unwilling wife.
4. “Célie. Her name cut through me like a serrated knife. Last night, I’d written her a final letter… ‘Please, please, forget me.’”
This emotional quote reveals Reid’s lingering attachment to his former love and the painful sacrifices he’s making for his new marriage. The raw grief shows how much he’s lost personally in this arrangement.
5. “‘We must keep a keen eye on her, Captain Diggory, lest she destroy herself—and you in the process.’”
The Archbishop’s warning encapsulates the central tension of Reid’s situation - he must both control and protect his wife while navigating the political dangers their marriage presents to his position and safety.