Five men were hastily summoned, one from each of the five upper
classes; they were judge, jury, and court of last resort. They sat in a
large room that resembled a huge library; they were served by a dozen
clerks.
One of the judges asked us our names, and when we had given them two
clerks went quickly to the shelves and brought forth books in which
they began to search.
Then the judges asked those who had arrested us to explain why they
brought us in. During the recital of our violation of the peace of
Havatoo one of the clerks, evidently having found what he sought, laid
his book open before the judges; the other was still searching.
From the open book one of the judges read aloud my official record
since I had come to Havatoo, including the result of the examination
that I had undergone and its embarrassing finding.
A judge asked me to state my case. In a few brief words I told of the
unprovoked attack upon us and the abduction of Nalte, and in conclusion
I said, "Instead of wasting time trying me for being the victim of this
unwarranted attack and defending myself against my assailant you should
be helping me search for the girl who has been stolen."
"The peace of Havatoo is of more importance than the life of any
individual," replied a judge. "When we have fixed the responsibility
for this breach of the peace the other matter will be investigated."
The second clerk now approached the judges. "The name of the prisoner
who calls himself Mal Un does not appear in the records of Havatoo."
All eyes turned toward my assailant, Mal Un, and for the first time I
had a good look at him under a bright light. I saw his eyes! Instantly
I recalled what I had evidently noticed only subconsciously before--the
chill of the flesh of his hands and his throat when I had fought with
him. And now those eyes. They were the eyes of a dead man!
I wheeled toward the judges. "I understand it all now," I cried. "When
I first came to Havatoo I was told that there were few bad men in the
city; but that occasionally, none knew how, bad men came from the city
of Kormor across the river and stole men and women from Havatoo. This
man is from Kormor. He is not a living man; he is a corpse. He and his
companion sought to steal Nalte and me for Skor!"
With calm efficiency the judges made a few brief and simple, but none
the less effective, tests upon Mal Un; then they whispered together for
a few seconds without leaving the bench. Following this, the one who
acted as spokesman for the tribunal cleared his throat.
"Mal Un," he announced, "you will be decapitated and cremated
forthwith. Carson Napier, you are exonerated with honor. You are free.
You may conduct a search for your companion and call upon any citizen
of Havatoo to assist you in any way that you desire assistance."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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