'Yakko,' said the interpreter angrily, 'do you want to ask complainant any questions?'
'What questions are there to ask? It is lies what he said.'
There was a pause while the judge waited for Babun to think of a question. The silence confused him, and all the eyes looking at him. He fixed his own eyes on the jungle.
'Did you not ask me to give the woman to the Mudalali?'
'Did not the Mudalali call her to go to his house?'
'Weren't you angry when I married the woman?'
'Hamadoru,' he said, 'it is all lies he is saying.' The judge was looking straight at him, but Babun could read nothing in the impassive face; the light eyes, 'the cat's eyes,' of the white Hamadoru frightened him.
'Who is this Mudalali?' said the judge sharply to Babehami.
'Fernando Mudalali, Hamadoru. He comes from Kamburupitiya; he is a trader, he lends money in the village.'
'Why do you give him a house to live in?'
'Hamadoru, the little hut was empty. He came to me and said: "Arachchi," he said, "I must stay here a few days. I want a house. There is that hut of yours--can I live in it?" So I said, "Why not?"'
'It was built, Hamadoru, for this brother-in-law of mine.'
'But your brother-in-law lives with his father-in-law?'
'There was talk of his leaving the other people.'
'Has the Mudalali ever stayed in the village before?'
Babehami stood down and the Korala entered the witness-box. He was examined by Mr. Perera. He told his story very simply and quietly. He had met Babehami, who had told him that his house had been broken into and that a box had been stolen; he described the box and its contents; he suspected his brother-in-law, who had been seen going away from his house in the night, by the Mudalali. The Korala then described how he went into and searched the house, and how he found the cloths and jewellery which answered to Babehami's previous description. He then produced them. The proctor examined him.
'Are you on good terms with the complainant?'
'I am not on good terms or bad terms with him. I only know him as a headman.'
'I complained that he was a bad headman. He has troubled me with silly questions. He is an ignorant man.'
Mr. Perera sat down. 'Any questions?' asked the judge.
'Any questions?' asked the interpreter of Babun.