76 Confession

“Yes, I know” bishop nodded his head. “You could if you...”

“I don't want to” Adam Lechoń answered calmly.

“It's okay, I understand. The church's hands are tied. Maybe someday this will change, but for now let such situations be decided by God alone. However, you can confide other sins to me. If I can't give you absolution, I can at least pray with you.”

He too had something to confess to the young lawyer and something to beg for forgiveness. However, it was Adam who raised his problem first, so Przytulski, as a priest, should listen to him.

“Piotr doesn't know about certain things in my life. I never told him about them.”

“He won't put you off, no matter how ugly these matters are.”

“I know, but... I wouldn't be able to look him in the eye later.”

“I understand.”

“These things... I thought I had locked them in my past and they would never come back to me, but they came back and I committed the most terrible sin. I killed a man.”