Trent

Trent wrote on May 22, 2007 at 6:07 PM:

I used to recall the details of this one much better than I do now (details fade, alas, even when you've read something several times), but I do recall being fairly confident that yes, Stephen did kill them. He can be quite the man of blood in certain circumstances. Cf., e.g., his getting rid of the French agent in Diana's hotel room, as well as his "duel" near the end of _Nutmeg_ (which I see you've read, so it's not spoiling you to allude to it).

Kate

Kate wrote on May 22, 2007 at 6:29 PM:

Trent, I have read _Nutmeg_, but not everyone who reads these individual posts will have--that's why I posted them separately, not together.

What you wrote isn't specific enough to be a spoiler, but please keep that in mind in the future.

Anyway, the conversation between Van Buren and Maturin upon arrival of the bodies:

"Have you arranged this with the Vizier, Maturin?"

"I have, too. He said that the court was in no way concerned; that the protection had been publicly and specifically withrawn and notified to Duplessis; and that we might do whatever we pleased. But he was sure that we would be discreet -- that there would be no recognizable remains."

Which I think is conclusive; it was more the emotional effect that I was remarking on, not jsut of the killings but the subsequent dissections. (Ick.)

Outside of a Dog: O'Brian, Patrick: (13) The Thirteen Gun Salute (spoilers)

Trent

Kate