Suddenly an ancient hag arose from the group of witnesses and bounded into Court. At the feet of Wavell she poured forth a torrent of impassioned speech.
“Cheer up, Auntie!” quoth Augustus, and as the woman ceased, added: “Ask her if she’d come to Paris for the week-end.”
“What does she say?” enquired the President of the Court.
“In effect—that she will be security for witness’s good behaviour, as he is her only child and never steals tobacco. He only took the tobacco because he wanted a smoke. He is ninety years of age, and a good obedient son to her. It is her fault for not looking after him better. She hopes he will not be hung, as she is already an orphan, and would then be a childless orphan. . . . She undertakes to beat him with a runga.” [183b]
“Does she identify prisoner as the man who led the German raiding-party?” asked Bertram, after Augustus had called for three loud cheers for the witness, had been himself called to order by the President, and had threatened that he would not play if further annoyed by that official.
Again, in careful Swahili, Wavell endeavoured to find traces of evidence for or against the accused.
“Do you know this man?”
“Yes, Bwana.”
“Who is he?”
“The prisoner, Bwana Macouba (Great Master).”