EVIL visited us yesterday, and we don't know why. We don't understand it, and I guess we never will."
With those words head teacher Mr Ron Taylor described the "nightmare" he discovered in Dunblane Primary School's gymnasium on Wednesday morning, as a teacher and 16 of her pupils lay dead or dying.
Yesterday, news organisations published the texts of letters which the gunman, Thomas Hamilton, had sent recently, protesting that he had unjustly been labelled a "pervert". One letter, to an education official in Stirling Council, mentioned Dunblane Primary School by name, saying the teachers there had "contaminated" the older boys with allegations against him.
Scottish Television yesterday received copies of letters which Hamilton had written to the Scottish Secretary, Mr Michael Forsyth - and, only five days ago, to Queen Elizabeth - complaining at what he saw as a mounting tide of accusation against him.
The letters complained of "gross injustice" and "nod and wink" advice by police, to parents that he was "a pervert".
One clinical psychologist said the letters contained elements of "grandiosity" but carried no hint of the horror to come.
It was confirmed yesterday that Dr Kathryn Morton, who treated the injured at Stirling Royal Infirmary, lost her own daughter, Emily, in the crazed attack perpetrated by 43 year old Hamilton.
It emerged that Hamilton had used two .357 Magnum revolvers and two semi automatic Browning 9 mm pistols in the attack.
Fight children and two teachers remain in three hospitals in the region. Four of the children were still in intensive care last night.
At a packed memorial service held in the local Catholic church, a message from the Pope, deploring the attack and blessing the survivors, was read out.
The Prime Minister. Mr John Major, and the Labour leader, Mr Tony Blair. arrived late last night. A vigil will be held in the town" Church of Scotland Cathedral tonight.
At Westminster yesterday party politics were forgotten as the country's political leadership gave expression to a nation's grief, and the government ordered a public inquiry.
Police continued their painstaking search of Dunblane Primary in preparation for the Fatal Accident Inquiry. That inquiry, required under Scottish law, meant few fresh details emerged yesterday.
Head teacher Mr Taylor steeled himself yesterday to tell the press how he and colleagues cradled dying children in their arms. "It was an appalling mess", he said: "We just did what we could. We tried to stem the blood. It was just so little that we could do."
One local woman, Ms Kristine McDonald, reflected the disbelief and despair: "To have Dunblane violated like this shakes our very foundations." But Mr Taylor was determined: "We will recover. I know we will recover.