Читать книгу The Queen Versus Billy, and Other Stories онлайн

10 страница из 53

“Kiss the book and say whether you murdered the trader or not,” said the captain.

“White fellow no good; I kill him,” quavered the prisoner.

“Pleads guilty,” said Casement to the clerk.

“What did you do it for?” demanded the court.

Billy reiterated his stock phrase.

“Take him away,” said the captain.

Jibberik was the next witness. He kissed the book as though it were his long-lost brother, and looked almost unabashed enough to beg it of Pickthorn. I shall not weary the reader with his laboured English, that lingua Franca of the isles which in the Western Pacific is known as Beach da Mar. He told a pretty plain story: Billy and the trader had always been on bad terms. One night, crazy with palm-toddy, Billy had sneaked down to Captain Tom’s house and shot him through the body as he was reading a book at supper. As to the subsequent burning and looting of the station the old savage was none so clear, sheltering himself in the unintelligibility of which he was a master. His two companions followed suit, and drew the noose a little tighter round Billy’s throat.