"Charles L. Harness-George Washington Slept Here" - читать интересную книгу автора (Harness Charles L)

"Yes, Your Honor," she said quietly.
"Then," continued the judge, "believing that the interests of Plaintiff's alleged embassy and of the Bridge
Authority will be adequately protected by prompt proceedings, and bearing in mind that this court serves
the public interest in searching for an immediate resolution of all issues, I deny Plaintiff's request for a
continuance. We will go forward. For your information, Mr. Potts, Plaintiff completed her main case
yesterday. Today we hear from the Defendant, the Bridge Authority. Mr. Badging?"
As Potts sat down he flashed a reassuring smile at his client. She did not smile back.
At the other counsel table, Barton Badging got to his feet. "Your Honor, we renew our motion for
dismissal. Surely, this farce has gone far enough."
"I appreciate your viewpoint," said Roule. "On the other hand, this is a court of record. You must state
your reasons."
"Yes, Your Honor. First, the alleged treaty, Plaintiff's Exhibit One. Plaintiff concedes it is written in a
foreign language, unreadable by anyone except herself. Indeed, she concedes that the granting party, an
alleged tribe of alleged Indians, vanished from this area some three thousand years ago. This alleged
treaty is sheer madness, Your Honor." He paused and turned to peer over half-moon spectacles at
Oliver Potts. He smiled. "But it doesn't stop there, Your Honor. No indeed. There's the matter of the
identity of the foundation rock, the so-called Sena Rock, which Plaintiff urges is the site of her mysterious
embassy. This rock, she would have us understand, is not part of the foundation bedrock of the area. It is
not, she claims, native basalt, poured up from the bowels of our mother Earth two hundred million years
ago, part of several thousand square miles of companion flow. Oh, no indeed. Nothing so geologically
banal. Her rock is special. It was formed out of nothing; out of blank space, if you will, by esoteric
processes known only to Plaintiff's countrymen. And why special? She does not say. She says only that it
will not support the weight of the west tower." Mr. Badging chuckled mournfully. "Really, Your Honor, if
you will but look out the window"-- he pointed, and they all looked-- "you can see that the tower is
substantially complete, and that the alien rock-- if we may call it that-- is holding up nicely." He took the
lapels of his jacket in pink hands. "If ever a case should never have come to court, it is this one." He
bowed eloquently to the judge, perfunctorily to opposing counsel, and sat down.
Potts, who had been simultaneously reading, listening, and taking notes, now arose. "We oppose the
motion to dismiss. The Bridge Authority is attempting to moot this case by completing the west tower
during this trial. I remind the Authority that if the treaty is finally upheld, the bridge would be subject to
dismantling and removal. At Defendant's expense, I might add. But that problem is minor compared to
the risk of life involved with continuing construction. The records show that there are never less than ten
workmen on the tower, and that forty or more are not unusual, including riveters, welders, crane
operators, painters, and others. If Sena Rock collapses, the cantilever tower comes down, and most of
these men will be killed." He took his seat.
The judge seemed to study the oak surface of his bench. Then he looked up and searched out the face
of the woman seated by Potts. He said carefully: "The record is not sufficiently complete for me to rule
just now on Defendant's renewed motion for dismissal. In any event, I have a couple of questions for
Plaintiff. Madame... Sena, is it?"
She rose gracefully. "Simply Sena, your honor. It is an abbreviation of Asenaapeeneniwa, which, in the
tongue of the Algonquian Indians, means 'Spirit-of-the-Rock.'"
"Hm. You are an Indian?"
"No."
Indeed? Of what race are you? Who are your ancestors?"
"I have no race and no ancestors."
"No games, young woman. Remember, I can hold you in contempt. Everyone has ancestors."
"Not I, Your Honor."
The judge's eyes flashed. "Not even a mother?"
 "No."
"Then, how came you into existence?"