Book Review “Waiting For The Barbarians”
“The Magistrate lives peacefully in a garrison of the Empire located in the frontier of a country (South Africa is never mentioned, though suggested), which from time to time has been attacked by barbarians. The arrival of a general from the big city, however, brings horror to the town, dragging in barbarians to be tortured and reveal plots against the Empire.
Soon after, the Magistrate feels attracted to one of the barbarian women. She’s been left one-eyed and injured in one foot. The Magistrate takes care of her and the gossip spreads among the settlers.
The military authorities in the big city hear about it, and the Magistrate is punished by the same Empire he defended: he’s exposed to public shame, isolated, tortured to reveal the ‘attack plans’ he made with the barbarians and the woman, and finally freed, but condemned to live like a beggar.”