Sitting uncomfortably on the hard chair, under oath, Armand Gamache admitted to himself that while he believed in the law, had spent his career working within the justice system, what he really had to answer to was his conscience. / And that was proving to be a pretty harsh judge.
-- Narrator (Chapter 1)

Importance: Penny begins the theme in which she compares and contrasts the judgment meted out by the court of the law with that meted out by one’s conscience. In this particular reference, it appears that Gamache is more convicted by his conscience than the law.

I knew there was something wrong when the figure in the black robe appeared on the village green.
-- Gamache (Chapter 1)

Importance: In his testimony about the events leading up to Katie’s murder, Gamache admits in hindsight that the trouble began when the black-robed figure attended the village Halloween party and then took up residence on the village green...