(urth) The Two Katharines

[Lee Berman]

>Jeff Wilson- the blade of execution is wood and tinsel.
 
Yes a thin wooden batten with lightweight tinsel.
 
Yet when Severian first takes up the sword, "It was very heavy".
 
When he lifted the sword, "I feared it would overbalance me".
 
Using all his available strength, he sends the "false" blade down. 
For an instant it seemed to meet resistance then thudded into the
block, which fell into two. The maid's head, all bloodied,  
tumbled forward..
 
I used to think it was just Severian being drunk. Now...
 
Well, there are certainly some theatrics going on. I just can't
be sure which audience is being fooled. Would the guild really 
use fake blood from a wax head as their most sacred chrism?