It was as if his precocity of crookedness (and every vulgar villain is
precocious) had for once deceived him, and the man he had sought to entrap as a
simpleton had, through his very simplicity, baffled him.
    But shrewd ones may opine that it was hardly possible for Billy to refrain
from going up to the afterguardsman and bluntly demanding to know his purpose in
the initial interview, so abruptly closed in the fore-chains. Shrewd ones may
also think it but natural in Billy to set about sounding some of the other
impressed men of the ship in order to discover what basis, if any, there was for
the emissary's obscure suggestions as to plotting disaffection aboard. Yes, the
shrewd may so think. But something more, or rather, something else than mere
shrewdness is perhaps needful for the due understanding of such a character as
Billy Budd's.
    As to Claggart, the monomania in the man - if that indeed it were - as
involuntarily disclosed by starts in the manifestations detailed, yet in general
covered over by his self-contained and rational demeanour; this, like a
subterranean fire, was eating its way deeper and deeper in him. Something
decisive must come of it.
 

                                      XVI

After the mysterious interview in the fore-chains, the one so abruptly ended
there by Billy, nothing especially germane to the story occurred until the
events now about to be narrated.
    Elsewhere it has been said that owing to the lack of frigates (of course
better sailers than line-of-battle ships) in the English squadron up the Straits
at that period, the Indomitable seventy-four was occasionally employed not only
as an available substitute for a scout, but at times on detached service of more
important kind. This was not alone because of her sailing qualities, not common
in a ship of her rate, but quite as much probably, that the character of her
commander, it was thought, specially adapted him for any duty where under
unforeseen difficulties a prompt initiative might have to be taken in some
matter demanding knowledge and ability in addition to those qualities employed
in good seamanship. It was on an expedition of the latter sort, a somewhat
distant one, and when the Indomitable was almost at her furthest remove from the
fleet, that in the latter part of an afternoon-watch she unexpectedly came in
sight of a ship of the enemy. It proved to be a frigate. The latter, perceiving
through the glass that the weight of men and metal would be heavily against her,
invoking her light heels, crowded sail to get away. After a chase urged almost
against