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- 2277
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- 2026-01-30T03:48:16.150Z
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- 2208
- text
- XVII
Now when the foretopman found himself closeted, as it were, in the cabin
with the captain and Claggart, he was surprised enough. But it was a
surprise unaccompanied by apprehension or distrust. To an immature
nature, essentially honest and humane, forewarning intimations of
subtler danger from one’s kind came tardily, if at all. The only thing
that took shape in the young sailor’s mind was this: ‘Yes, the captain,
I have always thought, looks kindly upon me. Wonder if he’s going to
make me his coxswain. I should like that. And maybe now he is going to
ask the master-at-arms about me.’
‘Shut the door there, sentry,’ said the commander. ‘Stand without and
let nobody come in. Now, master-at-arms, tell this man to his face what
you told of him to me’; and stood prepared to scrutinise the mutually
confronting visages.
With the measured step and calm collected air of an asylum physician
approaching in the public hall some patient beginning to show
indications of a coming paroxysm, Claggart deliberately advanced within
short range of Billy, and mesmerically looking him in the eye, briefly
recapitulated the accusation.
Not at first did Billy take it in. When he did the rose-tan of his cheek
looked struck as by white leprosy. He stood like one impaled and gagged.
Meanwhile the accuser’s eyes, removing not as yet from the blue, dilated
ones, underwent a phenomenal change, their wonted rich violet colour
blurring into a muddy purple. Those lights of human intelligence losing
human expression, gelidly protruding like the alien eyes of certain
uncatalogued creatures of the deep.
The first mesmeric glance was one of surprised fascination; the last was
as the hungry lurch of the torpedo-fish.
‘Speak, man!’ said Captain Vere to the transfixed one, struck by his
aspect even more than by Claggart’s. ‘Speak! defend yourself.’ Which
appeal caused but a strange, dumb gesturing and gurgling in Billy;
amazement at such an accusation so suddenly sprung on inexperienced
nonage; this, and it may be horror at the accuser, serving to bring out
his lurking defect, and in this instance for the time intensifying it
into a convulsed tongue-tie; while the intent head and entire form,
straining forward in an agony of ineffectual eagerness to obey the
injunction to speak and defend himself, gave an expression to the face
like that of a condemned vestal priestess in the moment of being buried
alive, and in the first struggle against suffocation.
Though at the time Captain Vere was quite ignorant of Billy’s liability
to vocal impediment, he now immediately divined it, since vividly
Billy’s aspect recalled to him that of a bright young schoolmate of his
whom he had seen struck by much the same startling impotence in the act
of eagerly rising in the class to be foremost in response to a testing
question put to it by the master. Going close up to the young sailor,
and laying a soothing hand on his shoulder, he said, ‘There is no hurry,
my boy. Take your time, take your time.’ Contrary to the effect
intended, these words, so fatherly in tone, doubtless touching Billy’s
heart to the quick, prompted yet more violent efforts at
utterance--efforts soon ending for the time in confirming the paralysis,
and bringing to the face an expression which was as a crucifixion to
behold. The next instant, quick as the flame from a discharged cannon at
night, his right arm shot out, and Claggart dropped to the deck. Whether
intentionally, or but owing to the young athlete’s superior height, the
blow had taken effect full upon the forehead, so shapely and
intellectual-looking a feature in the master-at-arms; so that the body
fell over lengthwise, like a heavy plank tilted from erectness. A gasp
or two, and he lay motionless.
‘Fated boy,’ breathed Captain Vere, in tone so low as to be almost a
whisper, ‘what have you done! But here, help me.’
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