The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner

The middle section of the novel is presented in whole by the editor as Robert’s memoir, purportedly written by Robert himself. Robert laments the circumstances of his birth, claiming that he was raised as an “outcast” (75) because his mother needed to flee from her sinful husband and her unhappy marriage. By contrast, Robert thanks Wringhim for pitying him and his mother. Wringhim offers protection and guidance to Rabina and Robert, so much so that Robert eventually comes to view Wringhim as his true father. Robert’s religious devotion makes him stand out as a child. While his teachers are concerned, his mother and Wringhim congratulate Robert for the fervor of his belief and his in-depth knowledge of Christianity. This knowledge, however, only makes Robert acutely aware of how often he sins. This knowledge makes him depressed, as he fears that he will be sent to hell. Since Robert and Wringhim are so close, people gossip that Wringhim is his real father. When Robert mentions this to Wringhim, the priest confronts the servant who spread the “notorious lies” (77). Rather than rescind the rumor, the servant quits. Robert is pleased that someone he disliked was removed through his actions, as the servant was not a “righteous man” (78).

Robert delights in manipulating people. He recalls a clever boy at school who drew obscene pictures in class. Robert was jealous of the boy’s reputation as an intellect and so denounced the boy as a sinner who had “dealings with the devil” (83). To reclaim his position at the head of the class, he orchestrated the boy’s expulsion. Robert drew “a number of gross caricatures” (84) of their teenager, then showed it to the teacher with the claim that it was drawn by the other boy, who was then sent away from school for many months. Robert was pleased that—once again—he was seen as the most intelligent pupil. Later, Robert is attacked by the boy, only for the fight to be broken up by the same servant who quit due to Robert’s manipulation.

Fearing the prospect of a woman leading him into sin, Robert steers clear of women. He learns to “despise, if not abhor” (87) women as a threat to his immortal soul. As a result, he continues to revere Wringhim but develops a dislike for his mother. When Robert turns 18, he becomes a member of Wringhim’s church. Membership in this church, he is told, means automatic entry into heaven. He is now a “justified person” (88), who is predestined to enter paradise. Robert is delighted. While celebrating in the country, he meets a mysterious young man. Robert feels strangely drawn to the man, soon realizing that the man looks exactly like him. They may as well be the “same being” (89). They spend time together, discussing religion. Though the stranger seems to agree with everything Robert believes, Robert grows concerned that the stranger is edging closer to “blasphemies” (90). Robert also notices that the stranger’s face seems to shift identities. Robert’s behavior changes and this is noticed by his mother and Wringhim, who fear that he has fallen under the influence of the devil. Robert dismisses this accusation and Wringhim believes him. When the family prays together, Robert feels his belief swell.

By coincidence, Robert meets the stranger again. He is intrigued by the stranger’s Bible, which seems to be written in a mysterious language. The stranger confesses that his appearance can change, allowing him to modify how he looks to resemble others or to reflect others’ ideas. He explains that when he adopts another person’s appearance, he enters into their “conceptions and feelings” (91), as though he can read their thoughts and emotions. This is a gift from God, he claims. He says that when he adopted Robert’s appearance and beliefs, for example, he felt very interested. This pleases Robert and the pair discuss religion again. These discussions exhaust Robert, but he feels drawn to the stranger. As they meet more frequently, he feels seduced by the stranger’s religious arguments. When Robert offers to pray with the stranger, however, the stranger refuses. He believes that prayer is a “selfish concern” (97). Wringhim and Rabina are increasingly concerned about Robert. Though Robert has spent much of the previous months with this stranger, he neither knows his name or history. Pressed on this matter, the stranger identifies himself as Gil-Martin; this is not a “Christian name” (98), but it is all that he offers. Robert wonders about his friend’s past, thinking his might be “the Czar Peter of Russia” (99) in disguise. His other friends do not like Gil-Martin; they warn against his extreme religious beliefs.

When Gil-Martin learns that Robert has been cautioned against him, he becomes angry. The two argue about the issue for days. Eventually, Gil-Martin is able to convince Robert to murder the friend who criticized Gil-Martin, claiming that Robert should kill this sinner as an act of devotion to God. Gil-Martin presents the doubtful Robert with “two pistols of pure beaten gold” (105). Each takes a pistol and they hunt the man down. They fire shots; Gil-Martin wounds the man and Robert kills him. Gil-Martin changes his appearance, now resembling a local preacher. As he passes a crowd of people, he makes sure that they see him. Robert runs away. The city descends into chaos as the preacher is arrested and accused of murder. The chaos intensifies the religious disputes in the city. Gil-Martin and Robert observe the chaos and agree that they have a responsibility to capture and kill the leaders of the “unsaintly and heterodox cabal” (108). Wringhim learns about Robert’s plan, however, and stops Robert from following through on the scheme. Robert lays low for a while. Since he does not meet with Gil-Martin, his friend wonders whether Robert is drifting away from him. He suggests a new plan, in which they might kill Laird Colwan and George Colwan, since Robert hates them so much and they represent the opposing side of the religious/political debate in the city. Despite his initial shock, Robert eventually agrees to kill his “greatest enemies” (110).