“‘Between one or two hundred dinars,’ said the Pleader, in a musing sort of voice, and I noticed that the Judge was taking a note of my reply. ‘Now be good enough, you base fellow, to answer me this—and remember you are upon your oath—have you been in the habit of cheating at cards, loading dice, stacking packs, palming coins, and in other ways overreaching those who joined you in what they thought to be an innocent amusement?’
“I was about to reply when he again thundered at me: ‘Remember you are upon your oath,’ and His Holiness was moved to add:
“‘Take care, witness, take very great care!’
“‘No,’ said I.
“At this moment I was astonished to see everybody, including the Pleader, sit down suddenly, cross-legged, upon the floor, while I stood there upon my little block of wood, most terribly conspicuous. It was due to a gesture from the Judge.
“‘So far,’ said he, in a solemn and majestic manner, ‘I have allowed things to take their course, because, as I have said, every latitude must be allowed to one who is foolish enough to plead his own case. But the dignity of His Majesty’s Court forbids me to be silent upon hearing this last reply to a question of the most profound and searching kind, requiring an adequate reply. The witness has insolently answered “No”.’ He then turned to me and said, with a severity that thrilled me to the marrow: ‘This is a Civil Court; but remember, sir,’ and here he raised his voice in a very terrible manner, ‘I can impound documents and present all that you have said to the Lord Prosecutor.’
“‘Yes, Your Holiness,’ said I, now thoroughly at sea.
“‘Proceed,’ said the Judge, simply, to the Pleader.
“‘I have only one more question to ask,’ said the Pleader.