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- 2523
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- uninstructed honour which had stood in the way of his reporting the
matter at the time, though as a loyal man-of-war’s man it was incumbent
on him, and failure so to do it charged against him and proven, would
have subjected him to the heaviest of penalties. This, with the blind
feeling now his, that nothing really was being hatched, prevailed with
him. When the answer came it was a negative.
‘One question more,’ said the officer of marines now first speaking, and
with a troubled earnestness. ‘You tell us that what the master-at-arms
said against you was a lie. Now why should he have so lied, so
maliciously lied, since you declare there was no malice between you?’
At that question, unintentionally touching on a spiritual sphere, wholly
obscure to Billy’s thoughts, he was nonplussed, evincing a confusion
indeed that some observers, such as can be imagined, would have
construed into involuntary evidence of hidden guilt. Nevertheless he
strove some way to answer, but all at once relinquished the vain
endeavour, at the same time turning an appealing glance towards Captain
Vere, as deeming him his best helper and friend. Captain Vere, who had
been seated for a time, rose to his feet, addressing the interrogator.
‘The question you put to him comes naturally enough. But how can he
rightly answer it, or anybody else? unless indeed it be he who lies
within there,’ designating the compartment where lay the corpse. ‘But
the prone one there will not rise to our summons. In effect though, as
it seems to me, the point you make is hardly material. Quite aside from
any conceivable motive actuating the master-at-arms, and irrespective of
the provocation of the blow, a martial court must needs in the present
case confine its attention to the blow’s consequence, which consequence
is to be deemed not otherwise than as the striker’s deed!’
This utterance, the full significance of which it was not at all likely
that Billy took in, nevertheless caused him to turn a wistful,
interrogative look toward the speaker, a look in its dumb expressiveness
not unlike that which a dog of generous breed might turn upon his
master, seeking in his face some elucidation of a previous gesture
ambiguous to the canine intelligence. Nor was the same utterance without
marked effect upon the three officers, more especially the soldier.
Couched in it seemed to them a meaning unanticipated, involving a
prejudgment on the speaker’s part. It served to augment a mental
disturbance previously evident enough.
The soldier once more spoke, in a tone of suggestive dubiety addressing
at once his associates and Captain Vere: ‘Nobody is present--none of the
ship’s company, I mean, who might shed lateral light, if any is to be
had, upon what remains mysterious in this matter.’
‘That is thoughtfully put,’ said Captain Vere; ‘I see your drift. Ay,
there is a mystery; but to use a Scriptural phrase, it is “a mystery of
iniquity,” a matter for psychological theologians to discuss. But what
has a military court to do with it? Not to add that for us, any possible
investigation of it is cut off by the lasting tongue-tie of--him--in
yonder,’ again designating the mortuary state-room. ‘The prisoner’s
deed. With that alone we have to do.’
To this, and particularly the closing reiteration, the marine soldier,
knowing not how aptly to reply, sadly abstained from saying aught. The
first lieutenant, who at the outset had not unnaturally assumed primacy
in the court, now over-rulingly instructed by a glance from Captain
Vere, a glance more effective than words, resumed that primacy. Turning
to the prisoner: ‘Budd,’ he said, and scarce in equable tones, ‘Budd, if
you have aught further to say for yourself, say it now.’
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