“ ‘Silence,’ thundered the judge. ‘Brother Selim, I am afraid we shall get no further on this tack. The witness evidently does not or will not understand your drift. Allow me to ask him a question.’ He then turned with a sort of false kindness upon his face and said to me in measured tones: ‘What we want to know is, where is the charter upon which you claim?’
“ ‘I put it into court …’ I began.
“At this the judge gave a little gesture of despair and sighed. Then he spoke.
“ ‘It is a principle of the law of this country,’ said His Holiness, leaning back in apparent weariness as though he were instructing a child, ‘I should have thought a principle known even to the meanest of His Majesty’s subjects, that a document must be proved. Have you proved the charter of which you speak?’
“ ‘I don’t know what you mean, Your Holiness,’ said I, in very genuine fear.
“The judge leaned forward towards me and said in measured tones: ‘Remember that I am treating you leniently. I am doing what I can for you, I understand the difficulty of your position. Take care! Take very great care! Brother Selim, have you any other questions to ask?’
“ ‘I have one or two of some consequence, if I may be allowed, Your Holiness?’
“ ‘Certainly, brother Selim. Pray continue. We are all ears.’
“The pleader cleared his throat, again consulted his notes, looked up to me and said: ‘What were your earnings in games of hazard during the year concluding with the opening of the last Feast of Ramadan?’
“I answered that I had no exact calculation, but that I had small stomach for such pastimes, and might have won or lost anything between one hundred and two hundred dinars.
“ ‘Take care, take very great care!’ said His Holiness, addressing me again.
“ ‘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.
“ ‘Proceed, proceed, brother Selim,’ said the judge with geniality.
“ ‘Do you or do you not suffer from the itch?’
“ ‘My lord,’ said I, ‘am I really to reply to—’
“His Holiness interrupted me with a violence which I little expected from one in so exalted a position. ‘Answer the question!’ he shouted, ‘answer the question at once!’
“ ‘Well,’ said I, ‘to tell the truth, I have some little affection of the sole of my left foot, but I conceive that with careful attention and proper medical advice—’
“ ‘That will do,’ said the pleader, putting up his hand. ‘We have heard all we need to hear,’ and he sat down again upon his mat.
“ ‘Any rebulgence?’ said His Holiness, looking round with a pleasant smile upon all assembled.
“I had no idea what was meant, but my friend the scrivener passed me up a little note, saying, ‘Do you carefully reexamine yourself so as to undo the effect of this terrible cross-examination.’
“It was all Greek to me, but grasping at a straw I addressed His Holiness, and said:
“ ‘Oh, Voice of God and Justice upon earth! I would like to ask myself certain questions.’
“ ‘By all means,’ said he graciously. ‘Let me inform you what is the custom of the court. You have first to stand and ask yourself the question; you shall then stand up again and reply to it.’
“Kneeling, I struck the pavement of the court three times with my forehead as is the custom, and rising again turned towards the empty space upon the little block of wood and said:
“ ‘Now, witness, remember you are upon your oath; did you or did you not receive the charter from the king and his council in the terms you have mentioned?’
“I then leapt upon the little block of wood and turning to the place I had just occupied, I said:
“ ‘I did.’
“I then jumped down again (luckily I was still a young man and the exercise did not affect me or cause me loss of breath) and I asked:
“ ‘What did you do with that document?’
“I leapt upon the little block of wood again and turned to the place I had just occupied and answered:
“ ‘I brought it into court.’
“Once more did I take up my place on the floor, standing beneath the little block of wood.
“ ‘Having brought it into court, what
