A murmur rippled through the crowd:

— That’s him…
— He’s the reason it happened…

When the prisoner came closer, everyone moved aside to let him pass. He stopped at the coffin, on which lay the badge and cap of the deceased.

Slowly, the prisoner knelt before the coffin and whispered through tears:

— Forgive me, brother. Please forgive me… I never meant for this to happen. I think about you every day. If I could turn back time… I would take your place.