Magistrate

The magistrate is a civil servant and the narrator of the events that occurred during the time when he was in charge of administration of a frontier, colonial town. He represents law while also trying to provide an account of what happened during his administration. He finds himself unable to relate everything that he experienced in a place he considers to be a paradise on earth. His experiences are part of coming to terms with his aging and sexuality. When the two cultures clash he feels more comfortable to stand on the opposite side of white civilization that can lead to depravity and mindless torture. He feels shame for those who persecute indigenous people because they consider them enemies although they create such enemies through the politics of the Empire. As he states, we are all subject to law that is greater than us. Ironically, he falls victim...