The Case of the Curious Corpse by Howard of Warwick
Author:Howard of Warwick [Warwick, Howard of]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00
Caput XII
Abdul stood in silent contemplation of Umairâs body as it lay in its tent. He bowed his head and muttered some words in his own incomprehensible language. The others kept a respectable distance, although Wat was swaying about a bit, Williamâs flagon of wine still in his hand.
The guard to this place had been sleeping across the entrance and had to be woken to grant them access. He had opened his bleary eyes, seen a fine Saracen figure standing before him and run howling off into the camp, screaming that Umair had risen from the dead to punish them all.
Abdul had called that interesting, but said no more.
âLet us examine the body then,â he said, having paid his respects. âOf course the Normans should have had the decency to bury him within the day, but they are heathens so perhaps we must make allowance.â
Hermitage nodded his agreement that the Normans were heathens. Then he thought that no, they werenât. They were as Christian as the next man. Well, perhaps not the next man, but the next appallingly bad Christian who never went to church and sinned pretty much constantly. Perhaps to Abdul even Hermitage, Wat and Cwen were heathens. Well, that was one thing he was wrong about. Hermitage would have to explain about heathens when he had a moment. Meanwhile he moved to Umairâs head and peered closely at the wound.
âA telling mark, my friend,â Abdul raised a cautionary hand. âbut there is much we can tell before we examine what we are told was the fatal wound.â
Hermitage didnât know what more information they needed to confirm that Umair was dead, other than his dead body.
Abdul knelt at his compatriotâs side and lifted Umairâs hand before letting it drop again. âHm,â he said.
âHand,â said Cwen, apparently thinking he might not know the word.
âIt is,â Abdul confirmed. âAnd you note how it drops once lifted.â
âThey usually do.â
âDepending on the time,â Abdul said, in a friendly, informative manner. âYou doubtless know that after death the body stiffens.â
âSurprise,â said Cwen, knowledgeably.
âI beg your pardon?â Abdul asked.
âSurprise,â Cwen repeated, explaining how this worked. âThatâs why bodies go stiff. Itâs surprise at being dead.â
âFascinating,â said Abdul as he looked like was controlling a shaking that was going on somewhere in his body. âBut not the standard theory.â He even wiped a tear from his eye, doubtless at the sadness of the occasion. âThe Romans would call the process rigor mortis, and poor Umair here has passed through that stage. Meaning that he has probably been dead for at least four days. Given the low temperature in your country.â
Hermitage moved his attention to the arm. This Abdul seemed very knowledgeable. He wondered how many deaths the man had investigated.
âFirst comes pallor mortis, the loss of colour. Then algor mortis, the change of heat.â Abdul seemed to give this some careful thought. âYou know, I will risk a speculation that in your chilly surroundings the body may actually lose heat to become the same as its surroundings.
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