第89章 Part 8(11)

'He was once the Lord Mayor of Mansoul,' said they: 'but pray call him not a cowardly general; for whether any from the east to the west has done more service for our prince Diabolus, than has my Lord Incredulity, will be a hard question for you to answer. But had they catched him, they would for certain have hanged him; and we promise you, hanging is but a bad business.' Then said the old gentleman, 'I would that all the ten thousand doubters were now well armed in Mansoul, and myself at the head of them; I would see what I could do.' 'Ay,' said they, 'that would be well if we could see that; but wishes, alas! what are they?' and these words were spoken aloud. 'Well,' said old Evil-Questioning, 'take heed that you talk not too loud; you must be quat and close, and must take care of yourselves while you are here, or, I will assure you, you will be snapped.' 'Why?' quoth the doubters. 'Why!' quoth the old gentleman; 'why! because both the Prince and Lord Secretary, and their captains and soldiers, are all at present in town; yea, the town is as full of them as ever it can hold. And besides, there is one whose name is Willbewill, a most cruel enemy of ours, and him the Prince has made keeper of the gates, and has commanded him that, with all the diligence he can, he should look for, search out, and destroy all, and all manner of Diabolonians.

And if he lighteth upon you, down you go, though your heads were made of gold.'

And now, to see how it happened, one of the Lord Willbewill's faithful soldiers, whose name was Mr. Diligence, stood all this while listening under old Evil-Questioning's eaves, and heard all the talk that had been betwixt him and the doubters that he entertained under his roof.

The soldier was a man that my lord had much confidence in, and that he loved dearly; and that both because he was a man of courage, and also a man that was unwearied in seeking after Diabolonians to apprehend them.

Now this man, as I told you, heard all the talk that was between old Evil-Questioning and these Diabolonians;wherefore what does he but goes to his lord, and tells him what he had heard. 'And sayest thou so, my trusty?' quoth my lord. 'Ay,' quoth Diligence, 'that I do; and if your lordship will be pleased to go with me, you shall find it as I have said.' 'And are they there?' quoth my lord. 'I know Evil-Questioning well, for he and I were great in the time of our apostasy: but I know not now where he dwells.' 'But Ido,' said his man, 'and if your lordship will go, I will lead you the way to his den.' 'Go!' quoth my lord, 'that I will.

Come, my Diligence, let us go find them out.'

So my lord and his man went together the direct way to his house. Now his man went before to show him his way, and they went till they came even under old Mr. Evil-Questioning's wall. Then said Diligence, 'Hark! my lord, do you know the old gentleman's tongue when you hear it?' 'Yes,' said my lord, 'I know it well, but I have not seen him many a day.

This I know, he is cunning; I wish he doth not give us the slip.' 'Let me alone for that,' said his servant Diligence.

'But how shall we find the door?' quoth my lord. 'Let me alone for that, too,' said his man. So he had my Lord Willbewill about, and showed him the way to the door. Then my lord, without more ado, broke open the door, rushed into the house, and caught them all five together, even as Diligence his man had told him. So my lord apprehended them, and led them away, and committed them to the hand of Mr.

Trueman, the gaoler, and commanded, and he did put them in ward. This done, my Lord Mayor was acquainted in the morning with what my Lord Willbewill had done over night, and his lordship rejoiced much at the news, not only because there were doubters apprehended, but because that old Evil-Questioning was taken; for he had been a very great trouble to Mansoul, and much affliction to my Lord Mayor himself. He had also been sought for often, but no hand could ever be laid upon him till now.

Well, the next thing was to make preparation to try these five that by my lord had been apprehended, and that were in the hands of Mr. Trueman, the gaoler. So the day was set, and the court called and come together, and the prisoners brought to the bar. My Lord Willbewill had power to have slain them when at first he took them, and that without any more ado; but he thought it at this time more for the honour of the Prince, the comfort of Mansoul, and the discouragement of the enemy, to bring them forth to public judgment.

But, I say, Mr. Trueman brought them in chains to the bar; to the town-hall, for that was the place of judgment. So, to be short, the jury was panelled, the witnesses sworn, and the prisoners tried for their lives: the jury was the same that tried Mr. No-Truth, Pitiless, Haughty, and the rest of their companions.

And, first, old Questioning himself was set to the bar for he was the receiver, the entertainer, and comforter of these doubters, that by nation were outlandish men: then he was bid to hearken to his charge, and was told that he had liberty to object, if he had ought to say for himself. So his indictment was read: the manner and form here follows.

'Mr. Questioning, Thou art here indicted by the name of Evil-Questioning, an intruder upon the town of Mansoul, for that thou art a Diabolonian by nature, and also a hater of the Prince Emmanuel, and one that hast studied the ruin of the town of Mansoul. Thou art also here indicted for countenancing the King's enemies, after wholesome laws made to the contrary: for, 1. Thou hast questioned the truth of her doctrine and state: 2. In wishing that ten thousand doubters were in her: 3. In receiving, in entertaining, and encouraging of her enemies, that came from their army unto thee. What sayest thou to this indictment? art thou guilty or not guilty?'