, all but feminine in purity of natural
complexion, but where, thanks to his sea-going, the lily was quite suppressed,
and the rose had some ado visibly to flush through the tan.
    To one essentially such a novice in the complexities of factitious life, the
abrupt transition from his former and simpler sphere to the ampler and more
knowing world of a great warship - this might well have abashed him had there
been any conceit or vanity in his composition. Among her miscellaneous
multitude, the Indomitable mustered several individuals who, however inferior in
grade, were of no common natural stamp, sailors more signally susceptive of that
air which continuous martial discipline and repeated presence in battle can in
some degree impart even to the average man. As the Handsome Sailor Billy Budd's
position aboard the seventy-four was something analogous to that of a rustic
beauty transplanted from the provinces and brought into competition with the
high-born dames of the court. But this change of circumstances he scarce noted.
As little did he observe that something about him provoked an ambiguous smile in
one or two harder faces among the blue-jackets. Nor less unaware was he of the
peculiar favourable effect his person and demeanour had upon the more
intelligent gentlemen of the quarter-deck. Nor could this well have been
otherwise. Cast in a mould peculiar to the finest physical examples of those
Englishmen in whom the Saxon strain would seem not at all to partake of any
Norman or other admixture, he showed in face that humane look of reposeful
good-nature which the Greek sculptor in some instances gave to his heroic strong
man, Hercules. But this again was subtly modified by another and pervasive
quality. The ear, small and shapely, the arch of the foot, the curve in mouth
and nostril, even the indurated hand dyed to the orange-tawny of the toucan's
bill, a hand telling of the halyards and tar-buckets; but, above all, something
in the mobile expression, and every chance attitude and movement, something
suggestive of a mother eminently favoured by Love and the Graces; all this
strangely indicated a lineage in direct contradiction to his lot. The
mysteriousness here, became less mysterious through a matter of fact elicited
when Billy at the capstan was being formally mustered into the service. Asked by
the officer, a small, brisk little gentleman as it chanced, among other
questions, his place of birth, he replied, »Please, sir, I don't know.«
    »Don't know where you were born? Who was your father?«
    »God knows, sir