[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Lowndes always seemed to depart in an even happier mood than formerly, Mr. Griffiths usually left with
a wild, unhappy look upon his dark face and his manner was always flustered.
The Trial of Jherek Carnelian for his part in the murder of Edward Frank Morris, porter employed
by the Imperial Hotel, Piccadilly, in the Borough of Westminister, London, on the morning of April 5th
Eighteen Hundred and Ninety Six at approximately Six o'Clock, took place at the Old Bailey Number
One Court at 10 A.M. on the 30th May. Nobody, including the Defendant, expected the trial to be a
long one. The only speculation concerned the sentence and the sentence, even, did not seem to concern
Jherek Carnelian, who had insisted on retaining the made up name in spite of all warnings that refusal to
give his own name would go against him. Before the trial began Jherek was escorted to a wooden box in
which he had to stand for the duration of the proceedings. He was rather amused by the box, which
commanded a view of the rest of a comparatively large room. Mr. Griffiths approached the box and
spoke to Jherek urgently for a moment.
"This Mrs. Underwood. Have you known her for long?"
"A fairly long time," said Jherek. "Strictly speaking of course I will know her for a long time." He
laughed. "I love these paradoxes, don't you?"
"I do not," said Mr. Griffiths, feelingly. "Would she be a respectable woman? I mean, would you
say that she was well sane, for instance?"
"Eminently."
"Hmph. Well, I intend to call her, if possible. Have her vouch for your peculiarities your
delusions and so on."
"Call her? Bring her here, you mean?"
"Exactly."
"That would be splendid, Mr. Griffiths!" Jherek clapped his hands with pleasure. "You are very
kind, sir."
"Hmph," said Griffiths, turning away and going back to the table at which he sat with a number of
other men all dressed like himself in black gowns and odd-looking false hair which was white and tightly
curled with a little tuft hanging down behind. Further back were rows of seats in which sat a number of
men in a variety of clothes, with no false hair on their heads. And above and behind Jherek was a gallery
containing more people in their ordinary clothes. To his left was another series of tiered benches on
which, as he watched, twelve people arranged themselves. All showed a marked interest in him. He was
flattered to be the centre of attention. He waved and smiled but, oddly enough, nobody smiled back at
him.
And then someone shouted something Jherek didn't catch and everyone suddenly began getting to
their feet as another group of men in long robes and false hair filed into the room and sat down behind a
series of desks immediately opposite Jherek on the far side of the chamber. It was then that Jherek
gasped in astonishment as he recognised the man who seemed to take pride of place, after himself, in the
court.
"Lord Jagged of Canaria!" he cried. "Have you followed me through time? What a friend you are,
indeed!"
One of the men in blue who stood behind Jherek leaned forward and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Be quiet, lad. You speak when you're spoken to."
But Jherek was too delighted to listen to him.
"Lord Jagged! Don't you recognise me?"
Everyone had begun to sit down again and Lord Jagged did not seem to have heard Jherek. He
was leafing through some papers which someone had placed before him.
"Quiet!" said the man behind Jherek again.
Jherek turned with a smile. "It's my friend," he explained pointing.
"You'd better hope so," said the man grimly. "That's the Lord Chief Justice, that is. He's your Judge,
lad Lord Jagger. Don't get on the wrong side of him or you haven't a chance."
"Lord Jagged," said Jherek.
"Silence!" someone cried. "Silence in court!"
Lord Jagged of Canaria looked up then. He had a peculiar, stern expression on his face and, as he
looked at Jherek, he gave no sign that he recognised him.
Jherek was puzzled but guessed that this was some new game of Lord Jagged's. He decided to play
it in the same way, so he made no further reference to the indisputable fact that the man opposite him,
who seemed to command the respect of all, was his old friend.
The trial began and Jherek's interest remained lively throughout as a succession of people, most of
whom he had seen at the hotel, came to tell what had happened on the night when Jherek and Snoozer
Vine had arrived at the Imperial and what subsequently took place on the following morning. These
people were questioned by a man called Sir George Freeman and then Mr. Griffiths would question them
again. By and large the people recounted the events pretty much as Jherek remembered them, but Mr.
Griffiths did not seem to believe them much of the time. Mr. Griffiths was also interested in their view of
Jherek. Had he behaved oddly? Did they notice anything strange about his face? What had he said?
Some of the people remembered that Jherek had said some strange things or at least things which
they had not understood. They believed now that this was a thieves' code arranged between Jherek and
Snoozer Vine. Men in blue uniforms were questioned, including the one whom Jherek had seen in the
street when he left the hotel and several of the ones who had come to Jones's Kitchen later. Again these
were closely questioned by Mr. Griffiths. The Reverend Lowndes appeared to talk about Jherek and
told everybody that he thought Jherek had "repented".
Then there was a break for lunch and Jherek was escorted back to a small, clean cell and given
some unappetising food to eat. As he ate, Mr. Griffiths came to see him again.
"There's every chance, I think, that the Jury will find you guilty but insane," Mr. Griffiths told him.
Jherek nodded absently. He was still thinking of the surprise at seeing Lord Jagged in the court.
How had his friend managed to find him? How, for that matter, had he been able to get back through
time? In another time machine? Jherek hoped so, for it would make everything much easier. As soon as
all this was over he would take Mrs. Amelia Underwood back with Lord Jagged in the new time
machine. He would be quite glad to get back to his own age, for this one was, after a while, a bit tedious.
"Particularly," Mr. Griffiths went on, "since you did not actually shoot the man. On the other hand,
the prosecution seems out for blood and the Jury doesn't look too sympathetic. It'll probably be up to the
Judge. Lord Jagger's got a reputation for leniency, I hear& "
"Lord Jagged," Jherek told Mr. Griffiths. "That's his real name, at any rate. He's a friend of mine."
"So that's what that was all about." Mr. Griffiths shook his head. "Well, anyway, you're helping
prove my case."
"He's from my own period," Jherek said. "My closest friend in my own age."
"He's rather well-known in our age," said Mr. Griffiths with a crooked smile. "The most brilliant
Q.C. in the Empire, the youngest Lord Chief Justice ever to sit on the bench."
"So this is where he used to go on those long trips!" Jherek laughed. "I wonder why he never
mentioned it to me?"
"I wonder!" Mr. Griffiths snorted and got up. "Your lady friend is here, by the way. She had read
about the case in the papers this morning and contacted me herself."
"Mrs. Underwood! This is wonderful. Two old friends. Oh, thank you, Mr. Griffiths!" Jherek sprang
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]