"I object!" said the prosecutor. "The question calls for inference by the witness about matters whereof he hath no personal knowledge."
"Objection sustained," said the Chief Justicer.
The prosecutor took his turn. "Doctor Maghou, what is your present stand on the question of evolution versus the Truth of Bákh?"
"I hold them equally true," said Marot blandly.
"How can that be? The Book of Bákh clearly states that Balch created the universe in three days; so how could life on this world have formed gradually over millions of years, as I understand your evolutionary theory contemplates?"
"It is a question of which words of your holy book are to be taken literally and which figuratively."
"Explain yourself, pray."
"Gladly. I have some slight acquaintance with the Book of Bákh. I find that it displays many parallels with the sacred book of the Terran religion that I was reared in, called Christianity. For example, all Terrans but the most primitive and ignorant realize that Terra is of spherical shape; yet many passages in this sacred book, called the Bible, imply that it is flat. It speaks of 'the four corners of the Earth.' It tells of men building a tower by which they hoped to invade heaven, as if the universe were a box, with the Earth as the floor and the heavens the lid. They tell of a prophet's seeing all the kingdoms of the Earth from a high mountain.
"The explanation of our theologians is that, while the book was written under divine guidance, it was expressed in terms intelligible to those to whom it was addressed. At the time this book took shape, most Terrans believed the Earth to be flat.
"Permit me to add that Terran theologians have learned to be wary of disputing scientific facts. Half a millennium ago, a scientist named Galileo asserted that Terra traveled around our sun, and not the sun around the planet, as was then the official belief. The most powerful of the Christian churches forced him to deny this belief and kept him confined to his house for the rest of his life. It transpired that Galileo was right and the official belief wrong; but it took this Church two centuries to admit its error. Christianity has never quite recovered from its loss of prestige in the matter of Galileo."
"Doctor Maghou," said the defender, "can ye shed light upon the contradiction betwixt the other two Ertsuma in the matter of Doctor Dyckman?"
"Of a certainty!" said Marot. "I saw the bruises on the poor woman when she arrived at our camp. I assure you, they were not the result of tripping over a tent rope. Although I did not witness the beating, there is every indication that it took place.
"The fact is that Doctor Dyckman was Master Reith's former wife, and they still retain a mutual affection. I shall not be surprised if they eventually re-marry. So, naturally, she took refuge with him when Foltz mistreated her."
"Why had he beaten her?"
"Because, in return for his employment of her services, he compelled her to accept him as a lover. When she and Reith met at Foltz's camp, he observed their tender regards and concluded that they were still in love. So in a jealous rage he beat her."
"How is she Reef's 'former wife'?"
"She obtained a divorce under the laws of Novorecife, after a number of quarrels."
The High Priestess boomed: "Doctor Maghou!"
"Yes, Madam?"
"Was Master Reef, during his marriage to this Earthwoman, a chronic drunkard?"
"I am sure not. I have known him well on my expedition and found him a careful, abstemious drinker."
"Was he an inveterate gambler?" Lazdai persisted. "No."
"A wastrel?"
"No."
"A fornicator?"
"I have heard nothing to indicate it."
"Had he beaten her?"
"I am sure not."
"Was he an addict of the ramandu or other narcotic?"
"I am sure not."
"Was he involved in crime or corruption?"
"I believe not."
"Is he forever ill-natured and quarrelsome?"
"But no! I can assert from my own knowledge that he is not."
"Was he sexually perverted or deficient?"
"I have no reason to think so."
"In other words, would you term him a man of good moral character, well qualified to act the role of spouse?"
"Of a certainty, yes!"
"But, although he was innocent of the vices and faults that, amongst folk of civilized moral standards, would be deemed sufficient reason to dissolve a marriage, his wife divorces him because of some petty quarrels. This confirms my opinion, that you Ertsuma are as immoral, casually changing mates every few years on flimsy pretexts, as the promiscuous Balhibuma. They, at least, are not hypocritical about it. They have abolished marriage and refer to their nonce mates by the term jagain, meaning simply 'he or she with whom I am currently futtering;. Now, perhaps, you can understand why we in Chilihagh regard Terran influence as malignant. Excuse the digression. Sir Prosecutor, and proceed."
The questioning ground on, going over the same ground in an endeavor to clear up the contradictions between the stories of Foltz on one hand and of Reith and Marot on the other. Foltz insisted that he had tried to warn his colleagues of the dangers of subverting the Truth of Bákh and even attempted to convert the other Terrans to that faith; they denied that he had said anything of the sort. Marot repeated the arguments he had already given the priest Behorj for a figurative understanding of the Book of Bákh: that, being omnipotent, Bákh could make the 'days' of his creation any length he chose.
The defender and the prosecutor held a whispered conference; then the defender produced a sheaf of papers. "I have here," he said, "the deposition of Ghirch bad-Gargan, a shaihan-herd. To save time, the prosecutor and I have agreed to stipulate that this Ghirch was in the employ of Sainian bad-Jeb, owner of the Zora ranch; that this Ghirch was commanded to stay at Doctor Foltus's camp to observe the proceedings and to assist Foltus in the event of difficulties. He accompanied Foltus on the latter's first visit to Maghou's camp. I shall now read the rest of the deposition:
" 'Question: After the visiting Terrans had finished their dinner and departed, what next befell?'
" 'Answer: I heard a disturbance from Foltus's tent, as if he and the Terran female were quarreling.'
" 'Question: What action did ye take in regard to this disturbance?'
" 'Answer: None, sir. They often quarreled, so I thought no more of the matter and went to bed.'
" 'Question: Did this Terran female, clept Alicia, regularly sleep in Foltus's tent?'
" 'Answer: I believe that was her usual habit.'
" 'Question: Did she and Foltus engage in carnal intercourse?'
" 'Answer: How in Hishkak should I know, sir? They never did it where I could see them, and I know not what strange customs the Ertsuma follow.' "
The defender asked Marot: "Doctor, amongst Terrans, when a male and a female occupy the same chamber overnight, do they normally engage in carnal intercourse?"
Marot shrugged. "Sometimes. It depends on many factors: whether they are permitted by law, custom, or religion; the degree of affection between them; their physical and mental condition; and so on."
The defender resumed reading: " 'Question: Did this Alicia flee Foltus's camp during the night?'
" 'Answer: I suppose she did. I did not see her about the following morning.'
" 'Question: When did you see her next?'
" 'Answer: Never, sir.'
" 'Question: What befell the next morning?'
" 'Answer: I was at breakfast when Foltus came storming out of his tent with his face scratched. He demanded that I leave my victuals to saddle up two ayas forthwith and ride with him to the other bone-diggers' camp. Well, I was not much pleased; it upsets my stomach when I am snatched away in the midst of a repast. I mind me of the time of the great stampede, when in the middle of dinner—'