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immediately every one stopped buzzing and talking and began to listen
very respectfully。 Then another man in a black gown stood up and began
reading from a paper in his hand。
He mumbled away exactly as though he were saying his prayers and
didn't want any one to understand what language they were in。 But I
managed to catch a few words：
〃Bizbizbizbizbizotherwise known as Luke the Hermit； ofbiz…
…bizbizbizfor killing his partner withbizbizbizotherwise known
as Bluebeard Bill on the night of thebizbizbizin the bizbizbiz
of Mexico。 Therefore Her Majesty'sbizbizbiz〃
At this moment I felt some one take hold of my arm from the back；
and turning round I found the Doctor had returned with one of the men in
white wigs。
〃Stubbins； this is Mr。 Percy Jenkyns；〃 said the Doctor。 〃He is Luke's
lawyer。 It is his business to get Luke offif he can。〃
Mr。 Jenkyns seemed to be an extremely young man with a round
smooth face like a boy。 He shook hands with me and then immediately
turned and went on talking with the Doctor。
〃Oh； I think it is a perfectly precious idea；〃 he was saying。 〃Of
COURSE the dog must be admitted as a witness； he was the only one who
saw the thing take place。 I'm awfully glad you came。 I wouldn't have
missed this for anything。 My hat！ Won't it make the old court sit up？
They're always frightfully dull； these Assizes。 But this will stir things。 A
bulldog witness for the defense！ I do hope there are plenty of reporters
presentYes； there's one making a sketch of the prisoner。 I shall become
known after thisAnd won't Conkey be pleased？ My hat！〃
He put his hand over his mouth to smother a laugh and his eyes fairly
sparkled with mischief。 〃Who is Conkey？〃 I asked the Doctor。
〃Sh！ He is speaking of the judge up there； the Honorable Eustace
Beauchamp Conckley。〃
〃Now；〃 said Mr。 Jenkyns； bringing out a notebook； 〃tell me a little
more about yourself； Doctor。 You took your degree as Doctor of Medicine
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at Durham； I think you said。 And the name of your last book was？〃
I could not hear any more for they talked in whispers； and I fell to
looking round the court again。
Of course I could not understand everything that was going on； though
it was all very interesting。 People kept getting up in the place the Doctor
called the witness…box； and the lawyers at the long table asked them
questions about 〃the night of the 29th。〃 Then the people would get down
again and somebody else would get up and be questioned。
One of the lawyers （who； the Doctor told me afterwards； was called
the Prosecutor） seemed to be doing his best to get the Hermit into trouble
by asking questions which made it look as though he had always been a
very bad man。 He was a nasty lawyer； this Prosecutor； with a long nose。
Most of the time I could hardly keep my eyes off poor Luke； who sat
there between his two policemen； staring at the floor as though he weren't
interested。 The only time I saw him take any notice at all was when a
small dark man with wicked； little； watery eyes got up into the witness…
box。 I heard Bob snarl under my chair as this person came into the court…
room and Luke's eyes just blazed with anger and contempt。
This man said his name was Mendoza and that he was the one who
had guided the Mexican police to the mine after Bluebeard Bill had been
killed。 And at every word he said I could hear Bob down below me
muttering between his teeth；
〃It's a lie！ It's a lie！ I'll chew his face。 It's a lie！〃
And both the Doctor and I had hard work keeping the dog under the
seat。
Then I noticed that our Mr。 Jenkyns had disappeared from the Doctor's
side。 But presently I saw him stand up at the long table to speak to the
judge。
〃Your Honor；〃 said he； 〃I wish to introduce a new witness for the
defense； Doctor John Dolittle； the naturalist。 Will you please step into the
witness…stand； Doctor？〃
There was a buzz of excitement as the Doctor made his way across the
crowded room； and I noticed the nasty lawyer with the long nose lean
down and whisper something to a friend； smiling in an ugly way which
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THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
made me want to pinch him。
Then Mr。 Jenkyns asked the Doctor a whole lot of questions about
himself and made him answer in a loud voice so the whole court could
hear。 He finished up by saying；
〃And you are prepared to swear； Doctor Dolittle； that you understand
the language of dogs and can make them understand you。 Is that so？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the Doctor； 〃that is so。〃
〃And what； might I ask；〃 put in the judge in a very quiet； dignified
voice； 〃has all this to do with the killing of ererBluebeard Bill？〃
〃This； Your Honor；〃 said Mr。 Jenkyns； talking in a very grand manner
as though he were on a stage in a theatre： 〃there is in this court…room at the
present moment a bulldog； who was the only living thing that saw the man
killed。 With the Court's permission I propose to put that dog in the
witness…stand and have him questioned before you by the eminent scientist；
Doctor John Dolittle。〃
THE SIXTH CHAPTER
THE JUDGE'S DOG
AT first there was a dead silence in the Court。 Then everybody began
whispering or giggling at the same time； till the whole room sounded like
a great hive of bees。 Many people seemed to be shocked； most of them
were amused； and a few were angry。 Presently up sprang the nasty lawyer
with the long nose。
〃I protest； Your Honor；〃 he cried； waving his arms wildly to the judge。
〃I object。 The dignity of this court is in peril。 I protest。〃
〃I am the one to take care of the dignity of this court；〃 said the judge。
Then Mr。 Jenkyns got up again。 （If it hadn't been such a serious matter；
it was almost like a Punch…and…Judy show： somebody was always popping
down and somebody else popping up）。
〃If there is any doubt on the score of our being able to do as we say；
Your Honor will have no objection； I trust； to the Doctor's giving the Court
a demonstration of his powers