robing…room to take off his vestments。 Yram； the Mayor； and Panky；
waited for him at the door opposite to that through which my father
had been taken； while waiting； Yram scribbled off two notes in
pencil； one to Dr。 Downie； and another to Mrs。 Humdrum； begging
them to come to lunch at oncefor it would be one o'clock before
they could reach the Mayor's。 She gave these notes to the Mayor；
and bade him bring both the invited guests along with him。
The Mayor left just as Hanky was coming towards her。 〃This；
Mayoress；〃 he said with some asperity； 〃is a very serious business。
It has ruined my collection。 Half the people left the temple
without giving anything at all。 You seem；〃 he added in a tone the
significance of which could not be mistaken； 〃to be very fond；
Mayoress； of this Mr。 Higgs。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Yram； 〃I am； I always liked him； and I am sorry for
him； but he is not the person I am most sorry for at this moment
he； poor man； is not going to be horsewhipped within the next
twenty minutes。〃 And she spoke the 〃he〃 in italics。
〃I do not understand you； Mayoress。〃
〃My husband will explain； as soon as I have seen him。〃
〃Hanky；〃 said Panky； 〃you must withdraw； and apologise at once。〃
Hanky was not slow to do this； and when he had disavowed
everything； withdrawn everything； apologised for everything； and
eaten humble pie to Yram's satisfaction； she smiled graciously； and
held out her hand； which Hanky was obliged to take。
〃And now； Professor；〃 she said； 〃let me return to your remark that
this is a very serious business； and let me also claim a woman's
privilege of being listened to whenever she chooses to speak。 I
propose； then； that we say nothing further about this matter till
after luncheon。 I have asked Dr。 Downie and Mrs。 Humdrum to join
us〃
〃Why Mrs。 Humdrum？〃 interrupted Hanky none too pleasantly； for he
was still furious about the duel that had just taken place between
himself and his hostess。
〃My dear Professor；〃 said Yram good…humouredly； 〃pray say all you
have to say and I will continue。〃
Hanky was silent。
〃I have asked；〃 resumed Yram； 〃Dr。 Downie and Mrs。 Humdrum to join；
us； and after luncheon we can discuss the situation or no as you
may think proper。 Till then let us say no more。 Luncheon will be
over by two o'clock or soon after； and the banquet will not begin
till seven； so we shall have plenty of time。〃
Hanky looked black and said nothing。 As for Panky he was morally
in a state of collapse； and did not count。
Hardly had they reached the Mayor's house when the Mayor also
arrived with Dr。 Downie and Mrs。 Humdrum； both of whom had seen and
recognised my father in spite of his having dyed his hair。 Dr。
Downie had met him at supper in Mr。 Thims's rooms when he had
visited Bridgeford； and naturally enough had observed him closely。
Mrs。 Humdrum； as I have already said； had seen him more than once
when he was in prison。 She and Dr。 Downie were talking earnestly
over the strange reappearance of one whom they had believed long
since dead； but Yram imposed on them the same silence that she had
already imposed on the Professors。
〃Professor Hanky；〃 said she to Mrs。 Humdrum； in Hanky's hearing；
〃is a little alarmed at my having asked you to join our secret
conclave。 He is not married； and does not know how well a woman
can hold her tongue when she chooses。 I should have told you all
that passed； for I mean to follow your advice； so I thought you had
better hear everything yourself。〃
Hanky still looked black； but he said nothing。 Luncheon was
promptly served； and done justice to in spite of much
preoccupation； for if there is one thing that gives a better
appetite than another； it is a Sunday morning's service with a
charity sermon to follow。 As the guests might not talk on the
subject they wanted to talk about； and were in no humour to speak
of anything else； they gave their whole attention to the good
things that were before them； without so much as a thought about
reserving themselves for the evening's banquet。 Nevertheless； when
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；