CAPTAIN KIDD CONSENTS TO BE CROSS-EXAMINED BY PORTIA
“Shall we put him under oath?” asked Cleopatra.
“As you please, ladies,” said the pirate. “A pirate’s word is as good as his bond; but I’ll take an oath if you choose—a half-dozen of ‘em, if need be.”
“I fancy we can get along without that,” said Portia. “Now, Captain Kidd, who first proposed this plan?”
“Socrates,” said Kidd, unblushingly, with a sly glance at Xanthippe.
“What?” cried Xanthippe. “My husband propose anything that would contribute to my pleasure or intellectual advancement? Bah! Your story is transparently false at the outset.”
“Nevertheless,” said Kidd, “the scheme was proposed by Socrates. He said a trip of that kind for Xanthippe would be very restful and health-giving.”
“For me?” cried Xanthippe, sceptically.
“No, madame, for him,” retorted Kidd.
“Ah—ho-ho! That’s the way of it, eh?” said Xanthippe, flushing to the roots of her hair. “Very likely. You—ah—you will excuse my doubting your word, Captain Kidd, a moment since. I withdraw my remark, and in order to make fullest reparation, I beg to assure these ladies that I am now perfectly convinced that you are telling the truth. That last observation is just like my husband, and when I get back home again, if I ever do, well—ha, ha!—we’ll have a merry time, that’s all.”