- end_line
- 1890
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:26.981Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 1824
- text
-
XV
But after the little matter at the mess Billy Budd no more found himself
in strange trouble at times about his hammock or his clothes-bag, or
what not. While, as to that smile that occasionally sunned him, and the
pleasant passing word, these were if not more frequent, yet if anything
more pronounced than before.
But for all that, there were certain other demonstrations now. When
Claggart’s unobserved glance happened to light on belted Billy rolling
along the upper gun-deck in the leisure of the second dog-watch,
exchanging passing broadsides of fun with other young promenaders in the
crowd, that glance would follow the cheerful sea-Hyperion with a settled
meditative and melancholy expression, his eyes strangely suffused with
incipient feverish tears. Then would Claggart look like the man of
sorrows. Yes, and sometimes the melancholy expression would have in it a
touch of soft yearning, as if Claggart could even have loved Billy but
for fate and ban. But this was an evanescence, and quickly repented of,
as it were, by an immitigable look, pinching and shrivelling the visage
into the momentary semblance of a wrinkled walnut. But sometimes
catching sight in advance of the foretopman coming in his direction, he
would, upon their nearing, step aside a little to let him pass, dwelling
upon Billy for the moment with the glittering dental satire of a guise.
But upon any abrupt unforeseen encounter a red light would flash forth
from his eye, like a spark from an anvil in a dusk smithy. That quick
fierce light was a strange one, darted from orbs which in repose were of
a colour nearest approaching a deeper violet, the softest of shades.
Though some of these caprices of the pit could not but be observed by
their object, yet were they beyond the construing of such a nature. And
the thews of Billy were hardly comparable with that sort of sensitive
spiritual organisation which in some cases instinctively conveys to
ignorant innocence an admonition of the proximity of the malign. He
thought the master-at-arms acted in a manner rather queer at times. That
was all. But the occasional frank air and pleasant word went for what
they purported to be, the young sailor never having heard as yet of the
‘too fair-spoken man.’
Had the foretopman been conscious of having done or said anything to
provoke the ill-will of the official, it would have been different with
him, and his sight might have been pursed if not sharpened.
So was it with him in yet another matter. Two minor officers, the
armourer and captain of the hold, with whom he had never exchanged a
word, his position on the ship not bringing him into contact with them;
these men now for the first time began to cast upon Billy, when they
chanced to encounter him, that peculiar glance which evidences that the
man from whom it comes has been some way tampered with, and to the
prejudice of him upon whom the glance lights. Never did it occur to
Billy as a thing to be noted, or a thing suspicious, though he well knew
the fact, that the armourer and captain of the hold, with the ship’s
yeoman, apothecary, and others of that grade, were by naval usage,
messmates of the master-at-arms, men with ears convenient to his
confidential tongue.
Our Handsome Sailor’s manly forwardness upon occasion, and irresistible
good-nature, indicating no mental superiority tending to excite an
invidious feeling, bred general popularity, and this good-will on the
part of most of his shipmates made him the less to concern himself about
such mute aspects toward him as those whereto allusion has just been
made.
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