按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
identity of the prisoner and your poacher； he will be convicted and
imprisoned。 As to his being a foreign devil； if he is the
Sunchild； of course he is one； but otherwise I cannot Blue…Pool him
even when his sentence is expired； without testimony deposed to me
on oath in private； though no open trial is required。 A case for
suspicion was made out in my hearing last night； but I must have
depositions on oath to all the leading facts before I can decide
what my duty is。 What will you swear to？〃
〃All this；〃 said Hanky； in a voice husky with passion； 〃shall be
reported to the King。〃
〃I intend to report every word of it； but that is not the point：
the question is what you gentlemen will swear to？〃
〃Very well。 I will settle it thus。 We will swear that the
prisoner is the poacher we met on Thursday night； and that he is
also a foreign devil： his wearing the forbidden dress； his foreign
accent； the foot…tracks we found in the snow； as of one coming over
from the other side； his obvious ignorance of the Afforesting Act；
as shown by his having lit a fire and making no effort to conceal
his quails till our permit shewed him his blunder； the cock…and…
bull story he told us about your orders； and that other story about
his having killed a foreign devilif these facts do not satisfy
you； they will satisfy the King that the prisoner is a foreign
devil as well as a poacher。〃
〃Some of these facts；〃 answered George； 〃are new to me。 How do you
know that the foot…tracks were made by the prisoner？〃
Panky brought out his note…book and read the details he had noted。
〃Did you examine the man's boots？〃
〃One of them； the right foot； this； with the measurements； was
quite enough。〃
〃Hardly。 Please to look at both soles of my own boots； you will
find that those tracks were mine。 I will have the prisoner's boots
examined； in the meantime let me tell you that I was up at the
statues on Thursday morning； walked three or four hundred yards
beyond them； over ground where there was less snow； returned over
the snow； and went two or three times round them； as it is the
Ranger's duty to do once a year in order to see that none of them
are beginning to lean。〃
He showed the soles of his boots； and the Professors were obliged
to admit that the tracks were his。 He cautioned them as to the
rest of the points on which they relied。 Might they not be as
mistaken； as they had just proved to be about the tracks？ He could
not； however； stir them from sticking to it that there was enough
evidence to prove my father to be a foreign devil； and declaring
their readiness to depose to the facts on oath。 In the end Hanky
again fiercely accused him of trying to shield the prisoner。
〃You are quite right；〃 said George； 〃and you will see my reasons
shortly。〃
〃I have no doubt；〃 said Hanky significantly； 〃that they are such as
would weigh with any man of ordinary feeling。〃
〃I understand； then；〃 said George； appearing to take no notice of
Hanky's innuendo； 〃that you will swear to the facts as you have
above stated them？〃
〃Certainly。〃
〃Then kindly wait while I write them on the form that I have
brought with me； the Mayor can administer the oath and sign your
depositions。 I shall then be able to leave you； and proceed with
getting up the case against the prisoner。〃
So saying； he went to a writing…table in another part of the room；
and made out the depositions。
Meanwhile the Mayor； Mrs。 Humdrum； and Dr。 Downie （who had each of
them more than once vainly tried to take part in the above
discussion） conversed eagerly in an undertone among themselves。
Hanky was blind with rage； for he had a sense that he was going to
be outwitted； the Mayor； Yram； and Mrs。 Humdrum had already seen
that George thought he had all the trumps in his own hand； but they
did not know more。 Dr。 Downie was frightened； and Panky so muddled
as to be hors de combat。
George now rejoined the Professors； and read the depositions： the
Mayor administered the oath according to Erewhonian custom； the
Professors signed without a word； and George then handed the
document to his father to countersign。
The Mayor examined it； and almost immediately said； 〃My dear
George； you have made a mistake； these depositions are on a form
reserved for deponents who are on the point of death。〃
〃Alas！〃 answered George； 〃there is no help for it。 I did my utmost
to prevent their signing。 I knew that those depositions were their
own death warrant； and that is why； though I was satisfied that
the prisoner is a foreign devil； I had hoped to be able to shut my
eyes。 I can now no longer do so； and as the inevitable
consequence； I must Blue…Pool both the Professors before midnight。
What man of ordinary feeling would not under these circumstances
have tried to dissuade them from deposing as they have done？〃
By this time the Professors had started to their feet； and there
was a look of horrified astonishment on the faces of all present；
save that of George； who seemed quite happy。
〃What monstrous absurdity is this？〃 shouted Hanky； 〃do you mean to
murder us？〃
〃Certainly not。 But you have insisted that I should do my duty；
and I mean to do it。 You gentlemen have now been proved to my
satisfaction to have had traffic with a foreign devil； and under
section 37 of the Afforesting Act； I must at once Blue…Pool any
such persons without public trial。〃
〃Nonsense； nonsense； there was nothing of the kind on our permit；
and as for trafficking with this foreign devil； we spoke to him；
but we neither bought nor sold。 Where is the Act？〃
〃Here。 On your permit you were referred to certain other clauses
not set out therein； which might be seen at the Mayor's office。
Clause 37 is as follows：…
〃It is furthermore enacted that should any of his Majesty's
subjects be found； after examination by the Head Ranger； to have
had traffic of any kind by way of sale or barter with any foreign
devil； the said Ranger； on being satisfied that such traffic has
taken place； shall forthwith； with or without the assistance of his
under…rangers； convey such subjects of his Majesty to the Blue
Pool； bind them； weight them； and fling them into it； without the
formality of a trial； and shall report the circumstances of the
case to his Majesty。〃
〃But we never bought anything from the prisoner。 What evidence can
you have of this but the word of a foreign devil in such straits
that he would swear to anything？〃
〃The prisoner has nothing to do with it。 I am convinced by this
receipt in Professor Panky's handwriting which states that he and
you jointly purchased his kit from the prisoner； and also this bag
of gold nuggets worth about 100 pounds in silver； for the absurdly
small sum of 4 pounds； 10s。 in silver。 I am further convinced by
this handkerchief marked with Professor Hanky's name； in which was
found a broken packet of dried leaves that are now at my office
with the rest of the prisoner's kit。〃
〃Then we were watched and dogged；〃 said Hanky； 〃on Thursday
evening。〃
〃That； sir；〃 replied George； 〃is my business； not yours。〃
Here Panky laid his arms on the table； buried his head in them； and
burst into tears。 Every one seemed aghast； but the Mayor； Yram；
and Mrs。 Humdrum saw that George was enjoying it all far too keenly
to be serious。 Dr。 Downie was still frightened （for George's
surface manner was Rhadamanthine） and did his utmost to console
Panky。 George pounded away ruthlessly at his case。
〃I say nothing about your having bought quails from the prisoner
and eaten them。 As you justly remarked just now； there is no
object in preferring a smaller charge when one must inflict the
death penalty on a more serious one。 Still； Professor Hanky； these
are bones of the quails you ate as you sate opposite the prisoner
on the side of the fire nearest Sunch'ston； these are Professor
Panky's bones； with which I need not disturb him。 This is your
permit； which was found upon the prisoner； and which there can be
no doubt you sold him； having been bribed by the offer of the
nuggets for〃
〃Monstrous； monstrous！ Infamous falsehood！ Who will believe such
a childish trumped up story！〃
〃Who； sir； will believe anything else？ You will hardly contend
that you did not know the nuggets were gold； and no one will
believe you mean enough to have tried to get this poor man's
property out of him for a songyou knowing its value； and he not
knowing the same。 No one will believe that you did not know the
man to be a foreign devil； or that he could hoodwink two such
learned Professors so cleverly as to get their permit out of them。
Obviously he seduced you into selling him your permit； andI
presume because he wanted a little of our moneyhe made you pay
him for his kit。 I am satisfied that you have not only had traffic
with a foreign devil； but traffic of a singularly atrocious kind；
and this being so； I shall Blue…Pool both of you as soon as I can
get you up to the Pool itself。 The sooner we start the better。 I
shall gag you； and drive you up in a close carriage as far as the
road goes； from that point you can walk up； or be dragged up as you
may prefer； but you will probably find walking mo