tan of his cheek
looked struck as by white leprosy. He stood like one impaled and gagged.
Meanwhile the accuser's eyes, removing not as yet from the blue, dilated ones,
underwent a phenomenal change, their wonted rich violet colour blurring into a
muddy purple. Those lights of human intelligence losing human expression,
gelidly protruding like the alien eyes of certain uncatalogued creatures of the
deep.
    The first mesmeric glance was one of surprised fascination; the last was as
the hungry lurch of the torpedo-fish.
    »Speak, man!« said Captain Vere to the transfixed one, struck by his aspect
even more than by Claggart's. »Speak! defend yourself.« Which appeal caused but
a strange, dumb gesturing and gurgling in Billy; amazement at such an accusation
so suddenly sprung on inexperienced nonage; this, and it may be horror at the
accuser, serving to bring out his lurking defect, and in this instance for the
time intensifying it into a convulsed tongue-tie; while the intent head and
entire form, straining forward in an agony of ineffectual eagerness to obey the
injunction to speak and defend himself, gave an expression to the face like that
of a condemned vestal priestess in the moment of being buried alive, and in the
first struggle against suffocation.
    Though at the time Captain Vere was quite ignorant of Billy's liability to
vocal impediment, he now immediately divined it, since vividly Billy's aspect
recalled to him that of a bright young schoolmate of his whom he had seen struck
by much the same startling impotence in the act of eagerly rising in the class
to be foremost in response to a testing question put to it by the master. Going
close up to the young sailor, and laying a soothing hand on his shoulder, he
said, »There is no hurry, my boy. Take your time, take your time.« Contrary to
the effect intended, these words, so fatherly in tone, doubtless touching
Billy's heart to the quick, prompted yet more violent efforts at utterance -
efforts soon ending for the time in confirming the paralysis, and bringing to
the face an expression which was as a crucifixion to behold. The next instant,
quick as the flame from a discharged cannon at night, his right arm shot out,
and Claggart dropped to the deck. Whether intentionally, or but owing to the
young athlete's superior height, the blow had taken effect full upon the
forehead, so shapely and intellectual-looking a feature in the master-at-arms;
so that the body fell over lengthwise, like a