FIRST SCENE
The Criminal Court of Indrabad
Enter Mr. Wood, Mr. Rogue, the Magistrate, and an officer, sittting. Goluk Chunder, Nobin Madhab, Bindu Madhab, the Attorneys of the Plaintiff and the Defendant, the Agent, Nazir, a Bailiff, Servants, Ryots etc. standing
Defendant's Attorney, May the prayer in this application be granted. (Gives the application to the Sheristadar).
Magistrate. Very well; read it. (Speaks with Mr. Wood and laughs).
Sheristadar. (To the Defendant's Attorney). You have written here what equals the length of the Ramayana. Can the petition be read without its being in abstract? (Turns to another page of the application).
Magistrate. (Having spoken with Mr. Wood, and concealing his laughter.) Read clearly.
Sheristadar. In the absence of the defendant and his attorneys, the evidence is already taken from the witnesses of the plaintiff. We pray that the witnesses of the plaintiff be again called.
Plaintiff's Attorney. My Lord, it is true that attorneys are given to lying, deceiving and forgery; they easily forge and tell lies, and are incessantly engaged in immoral action. Leaving their wives, they spend their time in the 'blissful abode' of prostitutes. The Zemindars hate the attorneys; but for effecting their special purposes, they call them, and give them a seat on their couch. My Lord, the very profession of the Attorneys is a cheating one. But the Attorneys of the Indigo Planters can never deceive. The Indigo Planters are Christians; falsehood is accounted a great sin in the Christian Religion. Stealing, licentiousness, murder, and other actions
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