Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 6, 2025
When the Town Watch heard this they were vexed, for they knew that if this were true they would now be forced to prosecute the arduous undertaking, and they said: "Bring in this old man!" Cethru was brought before them trembling. "What is this we hear, old man, about your lanthorn and the rat? And in the first place, what were you doing in the Vita Publica at that time of night?"
Cethru held up his lanthorn, and they could see his long, thin face, like a sandwich of dried leather, jerk and quiver, and his thin grey hairs flutter in the draught of the bats' wings circling round the light. "'Twill be main hard!" he groaned; "an' my lanthorn's nowt but a poor thing." With a high look, the Prince of Felicitas bent and touched the old man's forehead.
Then Cethru spoke: "So please your Highnesses," he said, "can I help what my lanthorn sees?" And having spoken these words, to all further questions he remained more silent than a headless man.
"That you have already told us," said the Captain of the Watch; "it is no answer." Cethru's leathern cheeks became wine-coloured, so desirous was he to speak, and so unable. And the Watch sneered and laughed, saying: "This is a fine witness." But of a sudden Cethru spoke: "What would I be duin' killin' rats; tidden my business to kill rats."
The saffron swan of dawn, slow swimming up the sky-river between the high roof-banks, bent her neck down through the dark air-water to look at him staggering below her, with his still smoking wick. No sooner did Cethru see that sunlit bird, than with a great sigh of joy he sat him down, and at once fell asleep.
On the morrow, while he still slept stretched on his straw pallet, there came to him a member of the Watch. "Old man, you are wanted at the Court House; rouse up, and bring your lanthorn." Stiffly Cethru rose. "What be they wantin' me fur now, mester?" "Ah!" replied the Watchman, "they are about to see if they can't put an end to your goings-on." Cethru shivered, and was silent.
A little advocate in snuff-coloured clothes rose on little legs, and commenced to read: "Forasmuch as on the seventeenth night of August fifteen hundred years since the Messiah's death, one Celestine, a maiden of this city, fell into a cesspool in the Vita Publica, and while being quietly drowned, was espied of the burgess Pardonix by the light of a lanthorn held by the old man Cethru; and, forasmuch as, plunging in, the said Pardonix rescued her, not without grave risk of life and the ruin, of his clothes, and to-day lies ill of fever; and forasmuch as the old man Cethru was the cause of these misfortunes to the burgess Pardonix, by reason of his wandering lanthorn's showing the drowning maiden, the Watch do hereby indict, accuse, and otherwise place charge upon this Cethru of 'Vagabondage without serious occupation.
So saying, the young advocate ceased. Again the three Judges took counsel of each other, and after much talk had passed between them, the oldest spoke: "What this young advocate has said seems to us to be the truth. We cannot punish a lanthorn. Let the old man go!" And Cethru went out into the sunshine . . . .
"And, forasmuch as on this same night the Watchman Filepo, made aware, by the light of this said Cethru's lanthorn, of three sturdy footpads, went to arrest them, and was set on by the rogues and well-nigh slain, the Watch do hereby indict, accuse, and otherwise charge upon Cethru complicity in this assault, by reasons, namely, first, that he discovered the footpads to the Watchman and the Watchman to the footpads by the light of his lanthorn; and, second, that, having thus discovered them, he stood idly by and gave no assistance to the law.
The saffron swan of dawn, slow swimming up the sky-river between the high roof-banks, bent her neck down through the dark air-water to look at him staggering below her, with his still smoking wick. No sooner did Cethru see that sunlit bird, than with a great sigh of joy he sat him down, and at once fell asleep.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking