The next day a an little
incident served to confirm Billy Budd
in his incredulity as to the main-mast-man's Dansker's
strange summing up of the case
submitted . to him.
true.
That was
so
And not very long afterwards
a little apparent incident confirmed Billy's word. it. The
ship at noon going large before the
wind was rolling on her course ,
and the foretopman Foretopman being he below at
dinner and engaged in some sportful
talk with the members of his mess,
chanced in a sudden lurch to spill
the entire contents of his soup-pan
upon the new scrubbed deck. Claggart, The Master-at-
arms, official rattan in hand,
happened to be passing along the
battery there in a bay of which the mess
was lodged, and the greasy liquid
streamed just across his path. He
Stepping over it, he was proceeding
a little apparent incident confirmed Billy's word. it. The
ship at noon going large before the
wind was rolling on her course ,
and the foretopman Foretopman being he below at
dinner and engaged in some sportful
talk with the members of his mess,
chanced in a sudden lurch to spill
the entire contents of his soup-pan
upon the new scrubbed deck. Claggart, The Master-at-
arms, official rattan in hand,
happened to be passing along the
battery there in a bay of which the mess
was lodged, and the greasy liquid
streamed just across his path. He
Stepping over it, he was proceeding
on his way without comment, since
the matter was nothing to take
notice of under the circumstances,
when he happened to observe
who it was that had done the
spilling. His countenance changed.
the matter was nothing to take
notice of under the circumstances,
when he happened to observe
who it was that had done the
spilling. His countenance changed.
Pausing, he was about to ejaculate
something hasty at the sailor, but
checked himself, and pointing down to
to the streaming soup, playfully tapped
him from behind with his rattan,
equivocally saying in a low musical voice peculiar to him at times "Handsomely done, my lad!
And handsome is as handsome did it too does
too !" And with that passed on. Not
noted by Billy as not coming
within his view was the involuntary
smile, or rather grimace, that
accompanied Claggart's the equivocal words. Aridly it
drew down and distored the thin corners of his
shapely -curved mouth. But everybody
taking his remark as intended
something hasty at the sailor, but
checked himself, and pointing down to
to the streaming soup, playfully tapped
him from behind with his rattan,
equivocally saying in a low musical voice peculiar to him at times "Handsomely done, my lad!
And handsome is as handsome did it too does
too !" And with that passed on. Not
noted by Billy as not coming
within his view was the involuntary
smile, or rather grimace, that
accompanied Claggart's the equivocal words. Aridly it
drew down and distored the thin corners of his
shapely -curved mouth. But everybody
taking his remark as intended
meant for humorous, and at which
therefore as coming from a superior
they were bound to laugh, "with counterfieted glee" a cted acted
accordingly; and Billy with no reason
tickled, it may be, by the allusion
to his being the handsome sailor, merrily
joined in; then addressing his messmates
exclaimed "There now, who says that
Jimmy Legs is down on me!" "And
who said he was, Beauty?" demanded
one , Donald with some surprise. Whereat the
foretopman looked a little foolish
recalling that it was only one person,
Board-her-in-the-smoke who had
suggested what to him was the
smoky idea that this pleasant
therefore as coming from a superior
they were bound to laugh, "with counterfieted glee" a cted acted
accordingly; and Billy with no reason
tickled, it may be, by the allusion
to his being the handsome sailor, merrily
joined in; then addressing his messmates
exclaimed "There now, who says that
Jimmy Legs is down on me!" "And
who said he was, Beauty?" demanded
one , Donald with some surprise. Whereat the
foretopman looked a little foolish
recalling that it was only one person,
Board-her-in-the-smoke who had
suggested what to him was the
smoky idea that this pleasant
Master-at-arms was in any
peculiar
special
way
hostile to him. Meantime that
off functionary resuming his path
must have momentarily worn some
expression less guarded than that of
the bitter dry smile, and usurping invading the face from the heart, some
distorting expression perhaps, for a drummer-boy heedlessly
frolicking along from the opposite direction
and chancing to come into light collision
with his person was strangely disconcerted
by his aspect. Nor was the impression
lessened when the official impulsively impetuouslyHS giving him a
sharp cut with the rattan, vehemently
exclaimed "Look where you go!"
hostile to him. Meantime that
off functionary resuming his path
must have momentarily worn some
expression less guarded than that of
the bitter dry smile, and usurping invading the face from the heart, some
distorting expression perhaps, for a drummer-boy heedlessly
frolicking along from the opposite direction
and chancing to come into light collision
with his person was strangely disconcerted
by his aspect. Nor was the impression
lessened when the official impulsively impetuouslyHS giving him a
sharp cut with the rattan, vehemently
exclaimed "Look where you go!"