perished some time previously. Murthered
on the altar of commerce, according to the best information available.” “Proceed.”
“I then apprehended, at the corner of Eleventh and Meat, the blue Volkswagen containing
Fondue and Maeght.” “You descried them through the windscreen.” “That is correct.”
“The windscreen was in motion?” “The entire vehicle.” “Making what speed.” “It was
effecting a stop.” “You were crossing in front of it.” “That is correct.” “What then.”
“I recognized at the controls, Fondue and Maeght.” “This after the slipping away of
sixteen years.” “The impression was indelible.” “What then.” “I lifted my eyes.” “To
heaven?” “To the cathouse clock. It registered hard upon four.” “What then.” “The
hurlment.” “You hurled said bag through said windscreen.” “Yes.” “And?” “The windscreen
shattered. Ha ha.” “Did the court hear you aright. Did you say ha ha.” “Ha ha.” “Outburst
will be dealt with. You have been warned. Let us continue. The windscreen glass was
then imploded upon the passengers.” “Ha ha.” “Cutaneousinjurement resulted in facial areas a b c and d.” “That is correct. Ha ha.” “Fondue
sustained a woundment in the vicinity of the inner canthus.” “That is correct.” “Could
you locate that for the court.” “The junction of the upper and lower lids, on the
inside.” “ ‘Inside’ meaning, we assume, the most noseward part.” “Exactly.” “A hair
from which, the ball itself would have been compromised.” “Fatally.” “You then danced
a jig on—” “ Objection! ” “And what might the objection be?” “Our client, your honesties, did not dance a jig . A certain shufflement of the feet might have been observed, product of a perfectly
plausible nervous tension, such as all are subject to on special occasions, weddings,
births, deaths, etc. But nothing that, in all charity, might be described as a gigue , with its connotations of gaiety, carefreeness—” “He was observed dancing a jig by
Shield 333, midst the broken glass and blood.” “Could we have Shield 333.” “ Shield 333 to the stand! ” “Come along, fellow, come along. Do you swear to tell the truth, or some of it,
or most of it, so long as we both may live?” “I do.” “Now then, Shield 333, you are
Shield 333?” “I are.” “It was you who was officiating at the corner of Eleventh and
Meat, on the night of January sixteenth?” “It were.” “And your mission?” “Prevention
of enmanglement of school-children by gallopingpantechnicons.” “And the weather?” “There was you might say a mizzle. I was wearing
me plastic cap cover.” “Did you observe that man over there, known as ‘Bill,’ dancing
a jig midst the blood and glass, after the hurlment?” “Well now, I’m nae sae gud on
th’ dances, yer amplitude. I’m not sure it were a jig. Coulda been a jag. Coulda been
what do they call it, th’ lap. Hae coulda been lappin’. I’m nae dancer meself. Hem
from the Tenth Precinct. Th’ Tenth don’t dance.” “Thank you, Shield 333, for this
inconclusive evidence of the worst sort. You may step down. Now, ‘Bill,’ to return
to your entanglement of former times with Fondue and Maeght, in what relation to you
did they stand, in those times.” “They stood to me in the relation, scoutmasters.”
“They were your scoutmasters. Entrusted with your schoolment in certain dimensions
of lore.” “Yes. The duty of the scoutmasters was to reveal the scoutmysteries.” “And
what was the nature of the latter?” “The scoutmysteries included such things as the
mystique of rope, the mistake of one animal for another, and the miseries of the open
air.” “Yes. Now, was this matter of the great black horse included under the rubric,
scoutmysteries.” “No. It was in the nature of a threat, a
on the altar of commerce, according to the best information available.” “Proceed.”
“I then apprehended, at the corner of Eleventh and Meat, the blue Volkswagen containing
Fondue and Maeght.” “You descried them through the windscreen.” “That is correct.”
“The windscreen was in motion?” “The entire vehicle.” “Making what speed.” “It was
effecting a stop.” “You were crossing in front of it.” “That is correct.” “What then.”
“I recognized at the controls, Fondue and Maeght.” “This after the slipping away of
sixteen years.” “The impression was indelible.” “What then.” “I lifted my eyes.” “To
heaven?” “To the cathouse clock. It registered hard upon four.” “What then.” “The
hurlment.” “You hurled said bag through said windscreen.” “Yes.” “And?” “The windscreen
shattered. Ha ha.” “Did the court hear you aright. Did you say ha ha.” “Ha ha.” “Outburst
will be dealt with. You have been warned. Let us continue. The windscreen glass was
then imploded upon the passengers.” “Ha ha.” “Cutaneousinjurement resulted in facial areas a b c and d.” “That is correct. Ha ha.” “Fondue
sustained a woundment in the vicinity of the inner canthus.” “That is correct.” “Could
you locate that for the court.” “The junction of the upper and lower lids, on the
inside.” “ ‘Inside’ meaning, we assume, the most noseward part.” “Exactly.” “A hair
from which, the ball itself would have been compromised.” “Fatally.” “You then danced
a jig on—” “ Objection! ” “And what might the objection be?” “Our client, your honesties, did not dance a jig . A certain shufflement of the feet might have been observed, product of a perfectly
plausible nervous tension, such as all are subject to on special occasions, weddings,
births, deaths, etc. But nothing that, in all charity, might be described as a gigue , with its connotations of gaiety, carefreeness—” “He was observed dancing a jig by
Shield 333, midst the broken glass and blood.” “Could we have Shield 333.” “ Shield 333 to the stand! ” “Come along, fellow, come along. Do you swear to tell the truth, or some of it,
or most of it, so long as we both may live?” “I do.” “Now then, Shield 333, you are
Shield 333?” “I are.” “It was you who was officiating at the corner of Eleventh and
Meat, on the night of January sixteenth?” “It were.” “And your mission?” “Prevention
of enmanglement of school-children by gallopingpantechnicons.” “And the weather?” “There was you might say a mizzle. I was wearing
me plastic cap cover.” “Did you observe that man over there, known as ‘Bill,’ dancing
a jig midst the blood and glass, after the hurlment?” “Well now, I’m nae sae gud on
th’ dances, yer amplitude. I’m not sure it were a jig. Coulda been a jag. Coulda been
what do they call it, th’ lap. Hae coulda been lappin’. I’m nae dancer meself. Hem
from the Tenth Precinct. Th’ Tenth don’t dance.” “Thank you, Shield 333, for this
inconclusive evidence of the worst sort. You may step down. Now, ‘Bill,’ to return
to your entanglement of former times with Fondue and Maeght, in what relation to you
did they stand, in those times.” “They stood to me in the relation, scoutmasters.”
“They were your scoutmasters. Entrusted with your schoolment in certain dimensions
of lore.” “Yes. The duty of the scoutmasters was to reveal the scoutmysteries.” “And
what was the nature of the latter?” “The scoutmysteries included such things as the
mystique of rope, the mistake of one animal for another, and the miseries of the open
air.” “Yes. Now, was this matter of the great black horse included under the rubric,
scoutmysteries.” “No. It was in the nature of a threat, a
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