luncheon was over； the Professors were in no more genial；
manageable； state of mind than they had been when it began。
When the servants had left the room； Yram said to Hanky； 〃You saw
the prisoner； and he was the man you met on Thursday night？〃
〃Certainly； he was wearing the forbidden dress and he had many
quails in his possession。 There is no doubt also that he was a
foreign devil。〃
At this point； it being now nearly half…past two； George came in；
and took a seat next to Mrs。 Humdrumbetween her and his mother
who of course sat at the head of the table with the Mayor opposite
to her。 On one side of the table sat the Professors； and on the
other Dr。 Downie； Mrs。 Humdrum； and George； who had heard the last
few words that Hanky had spoken。
CHAPTER XIX： A COUNCIL IS HELD AT THE MAYOR'S； IN THE COURSE OF
WHICH GEORGE TURNS THE TABLES ON THE PROFESSORS
〃Now who；〃 said Yram； 〃is this unfortunate creature to be； when he
is brought up to…morrow morning； on the charge of poaching？〃
〃It is not necessary；〃 said Hanky severely； 〃that he should be
brought up for poaching。 He is a foreign devil； and as such your
son is bound to fling him without trial into the Blue Pool。 Why
bring a smaller charge when you must inflict the death penalty on a
more serious one？ I have already told you that I shall feel it my
duty to report the matter at headquarters； unless I am satisfied
that the death penalty has been inflicted。〃
〃Of course；〃 said George； 〃we must all of us do our duty； and I
shall not shrink from minebut I have arrested this man on a
charge of poaching； and must give my reasons； the case cannot be
dropped； and it must be heard in public。 Am I； or am I not； to
have the sworn depositions of both you gentlemen to the fact that
the prisoner is the man you saw with quails in his possession？ If
you can depose to this he will be convicted； for there can be no
doubt he killed the birds himself。 The least penalty my father can
inflict is twelve months' imprisonment with hard labour； and he
must undergo this sentence before I can Blue…Pool him。
〃Then comes the question whether or no he is a foreign devil。 I
may decide this in private； but I must have depositions on oath
before I do so； and at present I have nothing but hearsay。 Perhaps
you gentlemen can give me the evidence I shall require； but the
case is one of such importance that were the prisoner proved never
so clearly to be a foreign devil； I should not Blue…Pool him till I
had taken the King's pleasure concerning him。 I shall rejoice；
therefore； if you gentlemen can help me to sustain the charge of
poaching； and thus give me legal standing…ground for deferring
action which the King might regret； and which once taken cannot be
recalled。〃
Here Yram interposed。 〃These points；〃 she said； 〃are details。
Should we not first settle； not what； but who； we shall allow the
prisoner to be； when he is brought up to…morrow morning？ Settle
this； and the rest will settle itself。 He has declared himself to
be the Sunchild； and will probably do so again。 I am prepared to
identify him； so is Dr。 Downie； so is Mrs。 Humdrum； the
interpreter； and doubtless my father。 Others of known
respectability will also do so； and his marks and measurements are
sure to correspond quite sufficiently。 The question is； whether
all this is to be allowed to appear on evidence； or whether it is
to be established； as it easily may； if we give our minds to it；
that he is not the Sunchild。〃
〃Whatever else he is；〃 said Hanky； 〃he must not be the Sunchild。
He must； if the charge of poaching cannot be dropped； be a poacher
and a foreign devil。 I was doubtless too hasty when I said that I
believed I recognized the man as one who had more than once
declared himself to be the Sunchild〃
〃But； Hanky；〃 interrupted Panky； 〃are you sure that you can swear
to this man's being the man we met on Thursday night？ We only saw
him by firelight； and I doubt whether I should feel justified in
swearing to him。〃
〃Well； well： on second thoughts I am not sure； Panky； but what you
may be right after all； it is possible that he may be what I said
he was in my sermon。〃
〃I rejoice to hear you say so；〃 said George； 〃for in this case the
charge of poaching will fall through。 There will be no evidence
against the prisoner。 And I rejoice also to think that I shall
have nothing to warrant me in believing him to be a foreign devil。
For if he is not to be the Sunchild； and not to be your poacher； he
becomes a mere monomaniac。 If he apologises for having made a
disturbance in the temple； and promises not to offend again； a
fine； and a few days' imprisonment； will meet the case； and he may
be discharged。〃
〃I see； I see；〃 said Hanky very angrily。 〃You are determined to
get this man off if you can。〃
〃I shall act；〃 said George； 〃in accordance with sworn evidence； and
not otherwise。 Choose whether you will have the prisoner to be
your poacher or no： give me your sworn depositions one way or the
other； and I shall know how to act。 If you depose on oath to the
identity of the prisoner and your poacher； he will be convicted and
imprisoned。 As to his being a foreign devil； if he is the
Sunchild； of course he is one； but otherwise I cannot Blue…Pool him
even when his sentence is expired； without testimony deposed to me
on oath in private； though no open trial is required。 A case for
suspicion was made out in my hearing last night； but I must have
depositions on oath to all the leading facts before I can decide
what my duty is。 What will you swear to？〃
〃All this；〃 said Hanky； in a voice husky with passion； 〃shall be
reported to the King。〃
〃I intend to report every word of it； but that is not the point：
the question is what you gentlemen will swear to？〃
〃Very well。 I will settle it thus。 We will swear that the
prisoner is the poacher we met on Thursday night； and that he is
also a foreign devil： his wearing the forbidden dress； his foreign
accent； the foot…tracks we found in the snow； as of one coming over
from the other side； his obvious ignorance of the Afforesting Act；
as shown by his having lit a fire and making no effort to conceal
his quails till our permit shewed him his blunder； the cock…and…
bull story he told us about your orders； and that other story about
his having killed a foreign devilif these facts do not satisfy
you； they will satisfy the King that the prisoner is a foreign
devil as well as a poacher。〃
〃Some of these facts；〃 answered George； 〃are new to me。 How do you
know that the foot…tracks were made by the prisoner？〃
Panky brought out his note…book and read the details he had noted。
〃Did you examine the man's boots？〃
〃One of them； the right foot； this； with the measurements； was
quite enough。〃
〃Hardly。 Please to look at both soles of my own boots； you will
find that those tracks were mine。 I will have the prisoner's boots
examined； in the meantime let me tell you that I was up at the
statues on Thursday morning； walked three or four hundred yards
beyond them； over ground where there was less snow； returned over
the snow； and went two or three times round them； as it is the
Ranger's duty to do once a year in order to see that none of them
are beginning to lean。〃
He showed the soles of his boots； and the Professors were obliged
to admit that the tracks were his。 He cautioned them as to the
rest of the points on which they relied。 Might they not be as
mistaken； as they had just proved to be about the tracks？ He could
not； however； stir them from sticking to it that there was enough
evidence to prove my father to be a foreign devil； and declaring
their readiness to depose to the facts on oath。 In the end Hanky
again fiercely accused him of trying to shield the prisoner。
〃You are quite right；〃 said George； 〃and you will see my reasons
shortly。〃
〃I have no doubt；〃 said Hanky significantly； 〃that they are such as
would weigh with any man of ordinary feeling。〃
〃I understand； then；〃 said George； appearing to take no notice of
Hanky's innuendo； 〃that you will swear to the facts as you have
above stated them？〃
〃Certainly。〃
〃Then kindly wait while I write them on the form that I have
brought with me； the Mayor can administer the oath and sign your
depositions。 I shall then be able to leave you； and proceed with
getting up the case against the prisoner。〃
So saying； he went to a writing…table in another part of the room；
and made out the depositions。
Meanwhile the Mayor； Mrs。 Humdrum； and Dr。 Downie （who had each of
them more than once vainly tried to take part in the above
discussion） conversed eagerly in an undertone among themselves。
Hanky was blind with rage； for he had a sense that he was going to
be outwitted； the Mayor； Yram； and Mrs。 Humdrum had already seen
that George thought he had all the trumps in his own hand； but they
did not know more。 Dr。 Downie was frightened； and Panky so muddled
as to be hors de combat。
George now rejoined the Professors； and read the depositions： the
Mayor administered the oath according to Erewhonian custom； the
Professors signed without a word； and George then handed the
document to his father to countersign。
The Mayor examined it； and almost immediately said； 〃My dear
George； you have made a mistake； these depositions are on a form
reserved for deponents who are on the point of death。〃
〃Alas！〃 answered George； 〃there is no help for it。 I did my utmost
to prevent their signing。 I knew that those depositions were their
own death warrant； and that is why； though I was satisfied that
the prisoner is a foreign devil； I had hoped to be able to shut my
eyes。 I can now no longer do so； and as the inevitable
consequence； I must Blue…Pool both the Professors before midnight。
What man of ordinary feeling would not under these circumstances
have tried to dissuade them from deposing as they have done？〃
By this time the Professors had started to their feet； and there
was a look of horrified astonishment on the faces of all present；
save that of George； who seemed quite happy。
〃What monstrous absurdity is this？〃 shouted Hanky； 〃do you mean to
murder us？〃
〃Certainly not。