“Most kind,” said the judge.
“Now you say,” Sir Magnus went on, “that the elephant Rosy was brought into your yard. During the time she was there, two days I believe it to be, what was her demeanour?”
“Bread, mostly,” said Mr. Pucklehammer “Then we found she liked vegetables as well.”
“No, no,” said Sir Magnus “What was her behaviour like?”
“Wonderful,” said Mr. Pucklehammer enthusiastically. “She’s a lovely animal.”
“So she didn’t cause you any distress while she stayed in your yard?”
“None whatsoever,” said Mr. Pucklehammer. “Good as gold she was. Helpful too. She helped Adrian wash the trap down.”
“Wash the trap down what?” enquired the judge.
“Well, we were cleaning the trap, see, sir, and so Rosy squirted water on it with her trunk.”
“Extraordinary,” said the judge. “Have you ever in your experience, Sir Magnus, come across an elephant washing down a trap?”
“No, my lord, I can’t say that I have,” said Sir Magnus, “but I believe them to be immensely sagacious beasts.”
“Extraordinary,” said the judge again. “Pray continue.”
“So, during the whole two days she was in your yard, she did no damage to you or to your property?” said Sir Magnus.
“None at all,” said Mr. Pucklehammer determinedly. “I told you, she’s as timid as a mouse. Rosy’d never hurt anybody deliberately.”
“Thank you,” said Sir Magnus. He glanced at Sir Augustus interrogatively, but Sir Augustus, who hid not known about the Pucklehammer episode, was at a slight loss as to how to cross-examine, go he merely shook his head mournfully.
“Ca1l,” said Sir Magnus, “Emily Nelly Delilah Trickletrot.”
“Who the hell’s that?” whispered Adrian.
“Black Nell,” said Sir Magnus.
Black Nell, like a chirpy moth-eaten little bird, climbed into the witness-box and peered over the edge of it with some difficulty.
“I understand,” said Sir Magnus, “that you encountered the defendant Rookwhistle and his elephant when you were on your way to Tuttlepenny Fair.”
“That’s right,” said Black Nell.
“Now, you are by trade a fortune-teller?” enquired Sir Magnus.
“Witch,” said Black Nell.
A rustle immediately ran through the court. The jury gave her their absolutely undivided attention.
“Witch?” said the judge.
“Yes, your honour,” said Black Nell. “I am a white witch. Black Nell’s me name.”
“I find this very confusing,” said the judge, looking at Sir Magnus. “Would you like to elucidate?”
“Certainly, my lord. There are apparently two forms of witches. The black kind who do evil deeds or are reputed to do evil deeds, and the white ones who do good deeds. This lady is a white witch and during the course of her witchcraft the also tells fortunes.”
“Do you use a crystal ball?” enquired the judge.
“Sometimes,” said Black Nell. “Not always though.”
“I had one once,” said the judge musingly, “but I could never see anything in it.”
“It’s a question of concentration,” said Black Nell. “You should try it in a diamond ring some time.”
“Diamond ring? Really?” said the judge. “I must try that.”
“May I continue, my lord?” enquired Sir Magnus with a long-suffering air.
“By all means, by all means,” said the judge.
“Now, when you met the defendant and his elephant, what happened?”
“I was asleep, see,” said Black Nell, “and suddenly my whole caravan started to shake.”
“We now appear to be suffering from a surfeit of wheeled vehicles,” said the judge. “This caravan has not appeared before, has it?”
“No,” said Sir Magnus. “It is the caravan belonging to the witness.”
“Why was it shaking?” enquired the judge.
“Because the elephant was scratching herself against it,” said Black Nell.
“Do elephants scratch themselves against caravans?” the judge asked Sir Magnus.
“I believe, my lord, that all pachyderms, if they find a suitably abrasive surface, will ease any minor skin irritation by rubbing themselves against it,” said Sir Magnus.
“We are certainly learning a lot about elephants,” said the judge with satisfaction. “Well, go on.”
“When you finally came out of your caravan,” said Sir Magnus, “did the elephant attack you?”
“Lord bless us, no,” said Black Nell. “Tame as a rabbit she was. We all sat down and had breakfast together.”
“So she did no damage to your caravan, nor did she attempt in any way to harm you?”
“No,” said Black Nell. “That creature wouldn’t harm a fly.”
“Thank you,” said Sir Magnus, and again glanced at Sir Augustus.