Chapter 55 Summary and Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

David remains alone at the execution site long after the crowd has dispersed. He forces himself to watch Alison’s body burn, understanding that the flames are meant to reduce her to ash so that the Devil cannot inhabit her remains. Even after the stake collapses and the body is gone, guards continue to poke at the bones, as if expecting them to move. David notes that despite all the torture and killing, they still fear her. Beneath his cloak he carries the record book, its ink still fresh.

He takes a boat back to Kirkwall to gather his belongings. Traveling alone is dangerous because he is John Stewart’s servant, and the king will not look kindly on him. He packs his satchel and fetches his knife, then makes his way to the castle to report to Father Colville before leaving. He finds Colville in the courtroom, not his study. David bows deeply to avoid eye contact and announces he will hasten to Edinburgh.

Colville immediately questions why David recorded Alison’s retraction. David claims he believed it was what Colville wished, explaining that he thought the woman might confirm her wickedness or speak treason. Colville seems satisfied with this answer and asks to see the book. David hands it over without hesitation. Colville flicks through the pages, finds the entry dated 16th December, rips out the page, and burns it in the fireplace, watching until it is ash. He then instructs David to send the rest of the record to the king. David agrees, saying he will deliver it himself.

As David leaves the room, he closes his eyes, his heart beating hard. He is glad he listened to his instinct. He had suspected Colville would try to destroy Alison’s words, so on the boat back to Kirkwall he created a copy on a page folded within his shirt. That night he plans to sail for Edinburgh, deliver the book to the king, and slip the copied page back into the record.

Key Events

David watches Alison’s body burn to ash and observes guards poking at the bones, noting their lingering fear of her.
He travels alone to Kirkwall, packs his belongings, and prepares to report to Father Colville.
David tells Colville he will hasten to Edinburgh, and Colville questions why he recorded Alison’s retraction.
David explains he thought Colville wished it, and that he believed Alison might confirm her wickedness or speak treason.
Colville takes the record book, finds the 16th December entry, rips out the page, and burns it.
Colville orders David to send the rest of the record to the king.
After leaving, David reveals he had made a copy of the page on the boat, planning to restore it to the book before delivering it to the king.

Character Development

David emerges as a more complex figure in this chapter. Earlier in the narrative he has been a servant who follows orders, but here he demonstrates quiet defiance. He does not openly challenge Colville; instead, he plays the role of the obedient clerk, offering a plausible excuse for recording the retraction. His internal relief and his decision to copy the page show a growing commitment to preserving Alison’s words, even at personal risk. The chapter reveals his capacity for secret resistance, suggesting that his loyalty to truth may outweigh his loyalty to his superiors.

Father Colville is shown as a manipulative authority figure who understands the power of written records. He does not merely want Alison’s retraction erased; he wants to control what the king sees. His careful destruction of the page and his instruction to send the rest of the record indicate that he is willing to alter evidence to serve his own ends. His arched eyebrow and searching look show his suspicion, but David’s quick thinking deflects it.

Alison, though dead, remains a presence. The guards’ fear of her bones and David’s determination to preserve her words suggest that her voice cannot be fully silenced. Her retraction, even if it was coerced or genuine, becomes a symbol of truth that Colville tries to erase.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Suppression vs. Preservation of Truth: The central conflict of the chapter is the battle over Alison’s recorded retraction. Colville destroys the page to suppress her words, while David secretly preserves a copy, symbolizing the persistence of truth against institutional power.
Destruction of Evidence: The burning of the page mirrors the burning of Alison’s body. Both acts are attempts to eliminate a person’s voice and legacy, but the copy David makes suggests that such destruction is never complete.
Fear of the Accused After Death: The guards poking at Alison’s bones and David’s observation that they still fear her highlight the superstition that a witch’s power might survive death. This fear drives the need to reduce her to ash.
Record-Keeping as Power: The record book is a tool of control. Colville understands that what is written can be used against him, so he edits it. David’s act of copying the page is an act of reclaiming power from the authorities.
Secret Defiance: David’s quiet rebellion—making a copy without telling anyone—shows that resistance can take subtle, hidden forms. He does not confront Colville openly but works within the system to subvert it.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point for David and for the narrative’s treatment of truth. It establishes David as an active agent rather than a passive observer, setting up his journey to Edinburgh as a mission to deliver Alison’s words to the king. The chapter also deepens the theme of religious persecution by showing how the church, through Colville, manipulates records to control the story. The burning of the page is a powerful symbol of the erasure of a woman’s testimony, but David’s copy ensures that her voice will not be lost. This moment creates tension for the rest of the novel: will David succeed in restoring the page, and what will the king do with the information? It also raises questions about the reliability of official records and the lengths to which authorities will go to protect themselves.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does David tell Colville that he recorded Alison’s retraction?

David claims he believed it was what Colville wished, and that he thought Alison might confirm her wickedness or speak treason. This explanation is designed to appease Colville and deflect suspicion. In reality, David’s later actions—making a copy—suggest he had his own reasons for preserving the retraction, likely to ensure the truth reached the king.

2. What does Colville’s destruction of the page reveal about his character?

Colville’s act of ripping out and burning the page shows that he is willing to alter official records to protect his interests. He does not want the king to see Alison’s retraction, perhaps because it would undermine the case against her or expose the methods used to obtain her confession. His careful watching of the page as it burns indicates his awareness of the power of written evidence.

3. How does David’s decision to copy the page change the meaning of the chapter?

David’s decision transforms the chapter from one of defeat—Alison’s death and the erasure of her words—into one of quiet hope. By making a copy, he ensures that Alison’s retraction will survive, even if Colville destroys the original. This act of secret defiance suggests that truth cannot be completely suppressed and sets up a potential confrontation when David delivers the book to the king.