English
Insidethecourt-roomeverythingwasverysolemnandwonderful.Itwasahigh,bigroom.
Raisedabovethefloor,againstthewallwasthejudge'sdesk;andherethejudgewasalreadysitting—anold,handsomemaninamarvelousbigwigofgrayhairandagownofblack.
Belowhimwasanotherwide,longdeskatwhichlawyersinwhitewigssat.
Thewholethingremindedmeofamixturebetweenachurchandaschool.
"Thosetwelvemenattheside,"whisperedtheDoctor—"thoseinpewslikeachoir,theyarewhatiscalledthejury.ItistheywhodecidewhetherLukeisguilty—whetherhediditornot."
"Andlook!"Isaid,"there'sLukehimselfinasortofpulpit-thingwithpolicemeneachsideofhim.Andthere'sanotherpulpit,thesamekind,theothersideoftheroom,see—onlythatone'sempty."
"Thatoneiscalledthewitness-box,"saidtheDoctor.
"NowI'mgoingdowntospeaktooneofthosemeninwhitewigs;andIwantyoutowaithereandkeepthesetwoseatsforus.Bobwillstaywithyou.
Keepaneyeonhim—betterholdontohiscollar.Ishan'tbemorethanaminuteorso."
WiththattheDoctordisappearedintothecrowdwhichfilledthemainpartoftheroom.
ThenIsawthejudgetakeupafunnylittlewoodenhammerandknockonhisdeskwithit.
This,itseemed,wastomakepeoplekeepquiet,forimmediatelyeveryonestoppedbuzzingandtalkingandbegantolistenveryrespectfully.
Thenanothermaninablackgownstoodupandbeganreadingfromapaperinhishand.
Hemumbledawayexactlyasthoughheweresayinghisprayersanddidn'twantanyonetounderstandwhatlanguagetheywerein.ButImanagedtocatchafewwords:
"Biz—biz—biz—biz—biz—otherwiseknownasLuketheHermit,of—biz—biz—biz—biz—forkillinghispartnerwith—biz—biz—biz—otherwiseknownasBluebeardBillonthenightofthe—biz—biz—biz—inthebiz—biz—biz—ofMexico.ThereforeHerMajesty's—biz—biz—biz—"
AtthismomentIfeltsomeonetakeholdofmyarmfromtheback,andturningroundIfoundtheDoctorhadreturnedwithoneofthemeninwhitewigs.
"Stubbins,thisisMr.PercyJenkyns,"saidtheDoctor."HeisLuke'slawyer.ItishisbusinesstogetLukeoff—ifhecan."
Mr.Jenkynsseemedtobeanextremelyyoungmanwitharoundsmoothfacelikeaboy.HeshookhandswithmeandthenimmediatelyturnedandwentontalkingwiththeDoctor.
"Oh,Ithinkitisaperfectlypreciousidea,"hewassaying.
"OfCOURSEthedogmustbeadmittedasawitness;hewastheonlyonewhosawthethingtakeplace.I'mawfullygladyoucame.
Iwouldn'thavemissedthisforanything.Myhat!Won'titmaketheoldcourtsitup?
They'realwaysfrightfullydull,theseAssizes.Butthiswillstirthings.Abulldogwitnessforthedefense!
Idohopethereareplentyofreporterspresent—Yes,there'sonemakingasketchoftheprisoner.
Ishallbecomeknownafterthis—Andwon'tConkeybepleased?Myhat!"
Heputhishandoverhismouthtosmotheralaughandhiseyesfairlysparkledwithmischief."WhoisConkey?"IaskedtheDoctor.
"Sh!Heisspeakingofthejudgeupthere,theHonorableEustaceBeauchampConckley."
"Now,"saidMr.Jenkyns,bringingoutanotebook,"tellmealittlemoreaboutyourself,Doctor.
YoutookyourdegreeasDoctorofMedicineatDurham,Ithinkyousaid.Andthenameofyourlastbookwas?"
Icouldnothearanymorefortheytalkedinwhispers;andIfelltolookingroundthecourtagain.
OfcourseIcouldnotunderstandeverythingthatwasgoingon,thoughitwasallveryinteresting.
PeoplekeptgettingupintheplacetheDoctorcalledthewitness-box,andthelawyersatthelongtableaskedthemquestionsabout"thenightofthe29th."
Thenthepeoplewouldgetdownagainandsomebodyelsewouldgetupandbequestioned.
Oneofthelawyers(who,theDoctortoldmeafterwards,wascalledtheProsecutor)seemedtobedoinghisbesttogettheHermitintotroublebyaskingquestionswhichmadeitlookasthoughhehadalwaysbeenaverybadman.
Hewasanastylawyer,thisProsecutor,withalongnose.
MostofthetimeIcouldhardlykeepmyeyesoffpoorLuke,whosattherebetweenhistwopolicemen,staringatthefloorasthoughheweren'tinterested.
TheonlytimeIsawhimtakeanynoticeatallwaswhenasmalldarkmanwithwicked,little,wateryeyesgotupintothewitness-box.
IheardBobsnarlundermychairasthispersoncameintothecourt-roomandLuke'seyesjustblazedwithangerandcontempt.
ThismansaidhisnamewasMendozaandthathewastheonewhohadguidedtheMexicanpolicetothemineafterBluebeardBillhadbeenkilled.
AndateverywordhesaidIcouldhearBobdownbelowmemutteringbetweenhisteeth,
"It'salie!It'salie!I'llchewhisface.It'salie!"
AndboththeDoctorandIhadhardworkkeepingthedogundertheseat.
ThenInoticedthatourMr.JenkynshaddisappearedfromtheDoctor'sside.ButpresentlyIsawhimstandupatthelongtabletospeaktothejudge.
"YourHonor,"saidhe,"Iwishtointroduceanewwitnessforthedefense,DoctorJohnDolittle,thenaturalist.Willyoupleasestepintothewitness-stand,Doctor?"
TherewasabuzzofexcitementastheDoctormadehiswayacrossthecrowdedroom;andInoticedthenastylawyerwiththelongnoseleandownandwhispersomethingtoafriend,smilinginanuglywaywhichmademewanttopinchhim.
ThenMr.JenkynsaskedtheDoctorawholelotofquestionsabouthimselfandmadehimanswerinaloudvoicesothewholecourtcouldhear.Hefinishedupbysaying,
"Andyouarepreparedtoswear,DoctorDolittle,thatyouunderstandthelanguageofdogsandcanmakethemunderstandyou.Isthatso?"
"Yes,"saidtheDoctor,"thatisso."
"Andwhat,mightIask,"putinthejudgeinaveryquiet,dignifiedvoice,"hasallthistodowiththekillingofer—er—BluebeardBill?"
"This,YourHonor,"saidMr.Jenkyns,talkinginaverygrandmannerasthoughhewereonastageinatheatre:"thereisinthiscourt-roomatthepresentmomentabulldog,whowastheonlylivingthingthatsawthemankilled.
WiththeCourt'spermissionIproposetoputthatdoginthewitness-standandhavehimquestionedbeforeyoubytheeminentscientist,DoctorJohnDolittle."
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