"
Having finished his story Narayan Singh stood at attention like one of
those wooden images they used to keep on the sidewalk outside tobacco
stores.
Grim smiled at the prisoners and asked whether they had any remarks to
make--a totally lawless proceeding, for he did not caution them, and had
no jurisdiction as a magistrate. They were three men caught red-handed
attempting murder and burglary, and entitled accordingly to protection
that the law doesn't always accord to honest men. But, as I have said,
a true tale in the ears of criminals acts like a chemical reagent. It
sets them to work lying, and the lie burns off, disclosing naked truth
again. But, mother of me, they were daring liars! The fellow who had
come out of the scrap more or less unscathed piped up for the three, the
other two nodding and prompting him in whispers.
"What that Indian says in the main is true. He did jump down from the
gallery and surprise a meeting summoned by Yussuf Dakmar. And it is
true that Yussuf Dakmar's purpose is to bring about a massacre of Jews,
which is to be simultaneous with an attack by Feisul's forces on the
French in Syria. But we three men are not in favour of it.
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