"He took a deep breath, shut his eyes, and commended his soul to God. "I have had carnal knowledge of your wife," he blurted. He had expected to die more or less instantaneously upon this utterance, but everything continued just as usual. Birds continued chirping in the trees, and the rip and slobber of the horses champing grass was the only sound above that of the rushing water. He opened one eye to find Jamie Fraser standing there regarding him, head to one side. "Oh?" said Jamie curiously. "Why?"