Part 37 (2/2)

The Doctor turned to find himself facing a man in black robes, holding a Bible in his hands.

'And you are...?'

'Forgive me,' said the man. 'I am Silas Baber, of Master Blackwell's chambers.'

'You're a solicitor?'

'A barrister,' said Baber brightly. 'Thy barrister.'

'Then this is a courtroom?' asked the Doctor. Another shove propelled him towards what appeared to be a dock.

'Or, at least, someone's subconscious representation of a seventeenth-century a.s.sizes. I take it this is Jeffreys's courtroom?'

Baber nodded. 'Take my advice. Plead guilty. Throw thyself upon the mercy of the court.'

'I'll certainly consider it,' said the Doctor as a gathering hush settled upon the room. 'Fee fie foe fat, I smell the blood of an autocrat,' he said under his breath as an usher entered grandly.

'Please be upstanding for the honourable judge,' said the usher, grasping both lapels and puffing out his chest.

Jeffreys appeared behind him, with his retinue guard, who stationed themselves menacingly around the room. A well-dressed man strode towards the dock.

'This court is now in session,' announced Jeffreys. He sat, and watched keenly as the court settled. 'Be this the prisoner, Master Jowett?'

'Aye, Your Honour,' said the man, his lip curling with disdain. 'A travelling man, not o' these parts.'

'Master prisoner,' said Jeffreys. 'Dost thou know the charges thou facest?'

The Doctor shrugged. 'Insurrection? Treason? Libel and slander? That kind of thing?'

'And more,' said Jeffreys. 'How dost thou plead? Guilty?' He paused, licking his fat lips. 'Or not guilty?'

'I'm sorry,' said the Doctor. 'I don't understand the question. Don't I get a third option?'

'Silence!' screamed Jeffreys, as a murmur spread through the courtroom.

'Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the candlestick,' said the Doctor, glancing towards Baber, who was shaking his head. 'May I address the court?'

'Contempt!' said Jeffreys, hammering his gavel against the ornate desk.

'I have contempt for no one in this court,' said the Doctor, catching the blazing alien eyes of the judge. 'Except for Jack.'

'Who be this Jack?' said Jeffreys slowly. 'What right dost thou have to make charges against him?'

'J'accuse,' said the Doctor simply, and plucked the Bible from Baber's hand. 'I swear by Almighty G.o.d that the evidence I give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Can you handle the truth, Jack?' said the Doctor simply, and plucked the Bible from Baber's hand. 'I swear by Almighty G.o.d that the evidence I give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Can you handle the truth, Jack?'

'Master prisoner, thou speakest words that have no meaning,' noted Jeffreys, amused. 'Art thou a simpleton?'

'I have been accused of that often enough,' said the Doctor.

'However, I do not recognise the authority of this court to pa.s.s judgement on one man. I put it to you that it is not me that is on trial here, but all of us.'

A gasp came from the a.s.sembled crowd.

Baber crossed the floor towards the judge. 'My Lord, I humbly apologise for the conduct of my client.'

Jeffreys nodded. 'He wastes the court's time with his dribbling nonsense.'

'Time is relative and abstract,' noted the Doctor, stepping down from the dock. Neither Jowett, nor any of the other men, moved to stop him. 'This charade is an insult to my intelligence, Jack,' continued the Doctor. 'I want to see you, and I want to see you now!' now!'

'Thou art as mad as the moon, prisoner,' said Jeffreys.

'And thou art a coward,' added the Doctor. 'Show yourself, Jack.'

Jeffreys said nothing.

The Doctor turned to the jury, twelve men dressed in peasants' rags. 'Gentlemen,' he said, 'you have all, in your time, committed crimes. Terrible crimes. Who among you will cast the first stone?'

'I shall,' said the foreman, the huge figure of Long John.

'You?' asked the Doctor. 'A child molester and rapist... I've read the old chronicles of your deeds, John Ballam. Your, heart is black and evil. But it's Jack that makes you as bad as you are. All of you.' He stopped and addressed the crowd.

'All of your lives, throughout the centuries, you have lived like rats in a hole, blinking, terrified at the outside world.

Hexen Bridge is your prison, and Jack i' the Green your jailer. He won't even show himself to you because he knows the moment that he does, he will lose you. Somewhere within each of you there is a remnant of humanity struggling to get out. Help it fly free. Help me.' me.'

'Be there blackness in my heart, also?' The Doctor was surprised to hear the question coming from the judge.

'Yes,' he replied sadly. 'You more than anyone should know that.'

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