The reply lingered. This was
naturally imputed by the court to the same
vocal embarrassment which had
retarded or obstructed previous answers.
But in main it was perhaps otherwise here;
the question immediatly recalling to
Billy's mind the interview with the
Afterguardsman in the fore-chains.
But an innate repugnance to playing the
a part at all approaching that of an
informer against one's own shipmates—
the same erring sense of uninstructed
honor which had stood in the
way of his reporting the matter
at the time though as a loyal
man-of-war-man it this was incumbent on him
and failure so to do if charged against him and proven,
would have subjected him to the heaviest of penalties;
naturally imputed by the court to the same
vocal embarrassment which had
retarded or obstructed previous answers.
But in main it was perhaps otherwise here;
the question immediatly recalling to
Billy's mind the interview with the
Afterguardsman in the fore-chains.
But an innate repugnance to playing the
a part at all approaching that of an
informer against one's own shipmates—
the same erring sense of uninstructed
honor which had stood in the
way of his reporting the matter
at the time though as a loyal
man-of-war-man it this was incumbent on him
and failure so to do if charged against him and proven,
would have subjected him to the heaviest of penalties;
The reply lingered. This was
naturally imputed by the court to the same
vocal embarrassment which had
retarded or obstructed previous answers.
But in main it was perhaps otherwise here;
the question immediatly recalling to
Billy's mind the interview with the
Afterguardsman in the fore-chains.
But an innate repugnance to playing the
a part at all approaching that of an
informer against one's own shipmates—
the same erring sense of uninstructed
honor which had stood in the
way of his reporting the matter
at the time though as a loyal
man-of-war-man it this was incumbent on him
and failure so to do if charged against him and proven,
would have subjected him to the heaviest of penalties;
naturally imputed by the court to the same
vocal embarrassment which had
retarded or obstructed previous answers.
But in main it was perhaps otherwise here;
the question immediatly recalling to
Billy's mind the interview with the
Afterguardsman in the fore-chains.
But an innate repugnance to playing the
a part at all approaching that of an
informer against one's own shipmates—
the same erring sense of uninstructed
honor which had stood in the
way of his reporting the matter
at the time though as a loyal
man-of-war-man it this was incumbent on him
and failure so to do if charged against him and proven,
would have subjected him to the heaviest of penalties;
Transcribed by: John Bryant