What was the matter with
the master-at-arms? And, be the
matter what it might, how could
it have direct relation to Billy Budd
with whom prior to the affair of the
spilled soup he the master-at-arms
had never come into any special
contact official or otherwise? Yes,
what What indeed could the trouble have to do
with inoffensive one so little inclined to give offence as the merchant-ship's peacemaker ,
even him too who in Claggart's own phrase
was "the sweet and pleasant young
the master-at-arms? And, be the
matter what it might, how could
it have direct relation to Billy Budd
with whom prior to the affair of the
spilled soup he the master-at-arms
had never come into any special
contact official or otherwise? Yes,
what What indeed could the trouble have to do
with inoffensive one so little inclined to give offence as the merchant-ship's peacemaker ,
even him too who in Claggart's own phrase
was "the sweet and pleasant young
fellow? Yes, why should
Jemmy Legs
,
to borrow the Dansker's expression, be
down on the good-natured Handsome
Sailor?
But, at heart and not for nothing, as
the late chance encounter may indicate to the discern discerning ,
down on him, secretly down on him , he
assuredly was.
Now to invent something
in as to touching the more private career of Claggart,
something involving Billy Budd, involving the
youthful sailor, Billy Budd foretopman some romantic
incident of which something he the latter himself
should be wholly ignorant, some
romantic incident implying
to borrow the Dansker's expression, be
down on the good-natured Handsome
Sailor?
But, at heart and not for nothing, as
the late chance encounter may indicate to the discern discerning ,
down on him, secretly down on him , he
assuredly was.
Now to invent something
in as to touching the more private career of Claggart,
something involving Billy Budd, involving the
youthful sailor, Billy Budd foretopman some romantic
incident of which something he the latter himself
should be wholly ignorant, some
romantic incident implying
least
that Claggart's knowledge of the
young sailo blue-jacket began at some
period prior anterior to catching sight of him
on board the seventy-four— all this ,
would not so difficult to do, might
avail in a way more or less an interesting way to
account for whatever of enigma
may appear to lurk in the case.
But in fact there was nothing of the
sort. And yet the cause, one very
probable however unprovable, necessarily
to be assumed as the sole one
assignable, is ever in its very realism as
much charged with that romantic
young sailo blue-jacket began at some
period prior anterior to catching sight of him
on board the seventy-four— all this ,
would not so difficult to do, might
avail in a way more or less an interesting way to
account for whatever of enigma
may appear to lurk in the case.
But in fact there was nothing of the
sort. And yet the cause, one very
probable however unprovable, necessarily
to be assumed as the sole one
assignable, is ever in its very realism as
much charged with that romantic
prime element of Radclifian romance,
the mysterious , as any that the ingenuity of the
author of the Mysteries of udolpho Udolpho
could devise . ; since For what can more
partake of the mysterious than an
antipathy spontanious and profound
such as is evoked in certain exceptional
mortals by the mere aspect of their
contrary in some other mortal, however
harmless he may be? if not called forth by
this very harmlessness itself.
Now there can be exist no
irritating juxtaposition of dissimilar
personalities comparable to that
which is possible abord a p great war-ship fully
manned and at sea.
the mysterious , as any that the ingenuity of the
author of the Mysteries of udolpho Udolpho
could devise . ; since For what can more
partake of the mysterious than an
antipathy spontanious and profound
such as is evoked in certain exceptional
mortals by the mere aspect of their
contrary in some other mortal, however
harmless he may be? if not called forth by
this very harmlessness itself.
Now there can be exist no
irritating juxtaposition of dissimilar
personalities comparable to that
which is possible abord a p great war-ship fully
manned and at sea.
There, every day
among all ranks
almost every man
comes into more or less of contact with
almost every other man. Wholly there
to avoid even the sight of an aggravating
object one must needs give it Jonah's
toss or jump overboard himself.
Imagine how all this abnormal abnormally recurring proximity
and attrition or rubbing against his contrary might eventually operate
on some peculiar human creature the
direct reverse of a saint?
But for the adequate comprehending
of Claggart by a normal nature these hints are insufficient.
To pass from a normal nature Budd to him one must
cross "the deadly space between." And
this is best done by indirection.
comes into more or less of contact with
almost every other man. Wholly there
to avoid even the sight of an aggravating
object one must needs give it Jonah's
toss or jump overboard himself.
Imagine how all this abnormal abnormally recurring proximity
and attrition or rubbing against his contrary might eventually operate
on some peculiar human creature the
direct reverse of a saint?
But for the adequate comprehending
of Claggart by a normal nature these hints are insufficient.
To pass from a normal nature Budd to him one must
cross "the deadly space between." And
this is best done by indirection.
Long ago an honest scholar
my senior, said to me in reference
to a man one one now who like himself is
now m no more, a man so unimpeachably
respectable that against him nothing was ever
openly said tho' among the few something much was
whispered, "Yes X__ is a nut not to be cracked
by the tap of a lady's fan. " You are aware that I am
the adherent of no organized religion
much less of any philosophy built
into a systim. Well, for all that I
think that to try and get into X__, enter yet there is no getting into X__'s
his labyrinth and get out again, without a clue derived from
some source other than what is is
known as knowledge of the world — I
should get that is were hardly possible, at
least for me. "
my senior, said to me in reference
to a man one one now who like himself is
now m no more, a man so unimpeachably
respectable that against him nothing was ever
openly said tho' among the few something much was
whispered, "Yes X__ is a nut not to be cracked
by the tap of a lady's fan. " You are aware that I am
the adherent of no organized religion
much less of any philosophy built
into a systim. Well, for all that I
think that to try and get into X__, enter yet there is no getting into X__'s
his labyrinth and get out again, without a clue derived from
some source other than what is is
known as knowledge of the world — I
should get that is were hardly possible, at
least for me. "
"Why" said I, "X__
however singular a study to some, is yet
human, and knowledge of the world
assuredly implies the knowledge of
human nature, and in most of its
varieties."
"Yes, but a superficial
knowledge of it, serving ordinary purposes.
But for anything deeper, I am not
certain whether to know the world
and to know human nature be not
two distinct branches of knowledge,
which while they may coexist in the
same heart, yet either may be exist with
little or nothing of the other. Nay, in
an average man of the world, his
constant rubbing with it blunts
however singular a study to some, is yet
human, and knowledge of the world
assuredly implies the knowledge of
human nature, and in most of its
varieties."
"Yes, but a superficial
knowledge of it, serving ordinary purposes.
But for anything deeper, I am not
certain whether to know the world
and to know human nature be not
two distinct branches of knowledge,
which while they may coexist in the
same heart, yet either may be exist with
little or nothing of the other. Nay, in
an average man of the world, his
constant rubbing with it blunts
that finer spiritual insight indispensable
to the essential understanding
of the essential in certain exceptional characters,
whether evel ones or good. In a matter of some importance I have
seen a girl wind an old lawyer
about her little finger. Nor was it the
dotage of senile love. Nothing of the
sort. But he knew law better than
he knew the girl's heart. Coke and
Blackstone hardly shed so much light
into certain obscure spiritual mystic human heart places as the Hebrew
prophets. And who were they? Mostly
recluses."
At the time my inexperience was such that I did not quite
see the force drift of all this. It may be that I see it now.
And, indeed, if that lexicon which
to the essential understanding
of the essential in certain exceptional characters,
whether evel ones or good. In a matter of some importance I have
seen a girl wind an old lawyer
about her little finger. Nor was it the
dotage of senile love. Nothing of the
sort. But he knew law better than
he knew the girl's heart. Coke and
Blackstone hardly shed so much light
into certain obscure spiritual mystic human heart places as the Hebrew
prophets. And who were they? Mostly
recluses."
At the time my inexperience was such that I did not quite
see the force drift of all this. It may be that I see it now.
And, indeed, if that lexicon which
is based on Holy Writ were any longer
popular, one might with less
difficulty define and denominate
certain phenomenal men. a nature like Claggart's. As it is,
one must turn to some authority
not liable to the charge of being
tinctured with the Biblical element.
In a list of definitions
included in the authentic translation
of Plato, a list attributed to him,
occurs this: "Natural Depravity: a
depravity according to nature." A
definition which so tho' savoring of
Calvinism, by no means involves
popular, one might with less
difficulty define and denominate
certain phenomenal men. a nature like Claggart's. As it is,
one must turn to some authority
not liable to the charge of being
tinctured with the Biblical element.
In a list of definitions
included in the authentic translation
of Plato, a list attributed to him,
occurs this: "Natural Depravity: a
depravity according to nature." A
definition which so tho' savoring of
Calvinism, by no means involves
Calvin's dogma as to total mankind.
Evidently its intent makes it applicable
but to individuals. Not many are the
examples of this depravity which the
gallows and jail supply. At any
rate for notable instances, since these
have no vulgar alloy of the brute in
them, but invariably are dominated
by intellectuality, one must go elsewhere.
Civilization, especially if of the austerer
sort, highly favors it is auspicious to it.
It folds itself in the mantle of
respectability. It has its petty certain negative virtues
serving as silent auxiliaries. It never
allows wine to get within in its guard.
Evidently its intent makes it applicable
but to individuals. Not many are the
examples of this depravity which the
gallows and jail supply. At any
rate for notable instances, since these
have no vulgar alloy of the brute in
them, but invariably are dominated
by intellectuality, one must go elsewhere.
Civilization, especially if of the austerer
sort, highly favors it is auspicious to it.
It folds itself in the mantle of
respectability. It has its petty certain negative virtues
serving as silent auxiliaries. It never
allows wine to get within in its guard.
It is not going too far to say that it is
without vices or small sins. There is a
phenominal phenomenal pride in it that scornfully
excludes them from anything . Never mercenary or avaricious
and so forth. In short the depravity here
meant partakes nothing of the sordid or
sensual. It is serious, but free from acerbity.
Though no flatterer of mankind it never speaks
ill of it. mankind.
But the thing which in eminent
instances signalizes so this exceptional a nature
is this: Though the man's even temper
and discreet bearing would seem
to intimate a mind peculiarly
subject to the law
without vices or small sins. There is a
phenominal phenomenal pride in it that scornfully
excludes them from anything . Never mercenary or avaricious
and so forth. In short the depravity here
meant partakes nothing of the sordid or
sensual. It is serious, but free from acerbity.
Though no flatterer of mankind it never speaks
ill of it. mankind.
But the thing which in eminent
instances signalizes so this exceptional a nature
is this: Though the man's even temper
and discreet bearing would seem
to intimate a mind peculiarly
subject to the law
of reason, not the less in
his
heart
soul's
recesses he would seem to riot in
complete exemption from that law
having apparently little to do with reason it
further than to employ it as an ambidexter
implement for effecting the irrational.
That is to say: Toward the accomplishment
of an aim which in wantonness of
malignity atrocity may would seem to partake of the insane, he
will sometimes direct a cool judgement
sagacious and sound.
recesses he would seem to riot in
complete exemption from that law
having apparently little to do with reason it
further than to employ it as an ambidexter
implement for effecting the irrational.
That is to say: Toward the accomplishment
of an aim which in wantonness of
malignity atrocity may would seem to partake of the insane, he
will sometimes direct a cool judgement
sagacious and sound.
Charity pronounces these men
These men are true madmen, and but of the most
dangerous sort, for their lunacy pervades not
is not continuous, but occasional evoked by some
special object; it is protectively watchfully secretive, and as as it is it is hence which is as much to say it is self-controled self-containedHS ,
so that nor when moreover, most active is it it is to the normal average
mind not distinguishable from sanity, and for the
reason above stated suggested that whatever its aims
may be, and the xx mad aim is be always never divulged declared— this the method and the outward action proceding are is always perfectly
rational.
Now Something such an one was Claggart
These men are true madmen, and but of the most
dangerous sort, for their lunacy pervades not
is not continuous, but occasional evoked by some
special object; it is protectively watchfully secretive, and as as it is it is hence which is as much to say it is self-controled self-containedHS ,
so that nor when moreover, most active is it it is to the normal average
mind not distinguishable from sanity, and for the
reason above stated suggested that whatever its aims
may be, and the xx mad aim is be always never divulged declared— this the method and the outward action proceding are is always perfectly
rational.
Now Something such an one was Claggart
And of these was
in whom was the mania of an evil nature,
not engendered by vicious training or
corrupting books or licentious living,
but self-subsisting born with him and innate, in short
"a depravity according to nature."
Dark sayings are these, some will say.
But why? Is it because they somewhat
savor of of Holy Writ in its phrase
"mystery of iniquity"?
If they do, such savor it was unintended, but rather
sought to be avoided sought to be was not far enough from being intended
but was unavoidable. for little will it commend
them the these pages to many a reader of to-day.
This TheHS The point of this the present story
turning on the hidden of the nature of the Master at
Arms has necessitated this chapter , . And andHS now
with an and the character of it as well.
With an added hint or two in connection with
the little what incident at the mess, the
resumed narrative must now be left
to justify to establish , vindicate, as it may, its
own credibility.