Gabriel was quiet for some time, partly to make sure that the man was done talking, and partly because he was looking for the right words to say. None came to him. He wanted to protect the woman this man was going to confess to. If all of his change of heart was down to being in love with her, what would happen if she refused him after hearing what he'd done? He wanted to make the man understand the severity of his sins, but his words seemed hardly to get through.

"Perhaps that is best..." he said slowly. "And perhaps it is best to no longer carry a gun. You may feel vulnerable without it, but that is good. You must wean yourself off violence if you are to live a Christian life. And pray, every night, for the repose of the people you killed and comfort for their families. Can you read?"