CHAPTER11
WhatwasthematterwiththeMaster-at-arms？And，bethematterwhatitmight，howcouldithavedirectrelationtoBillyBuddwithwhom，priortotheaffairofthespilledsoup，hehadnevercomeintoanyspecialcontact，officialorotherwise？Whatindeedcouldthetroublehavetodowithonesolittleinclinedtogiveoffenceasthemerchant-ship\'speacemaker，evenhimwhoinClaggart\'sownphrasewas\"thesweetandpleasantyoungfellow\"？Yes，whyshouldJimmyLegs，toborrowtheDansker\'sexpression，bedownontheHandsomeSailor？But，atheartandnotfornothing，asthelatechanceencountermayindicatetothediscerning，downonhim，secretlydownonhim，heassuredlywas。
NowtoinventsomethingtouchingthemoreprivatecareerofClaggart，somethinginvolvingBillyBudd，ofwhichsomethingthelattershouldbewhollyignorant，someromanticincidentimplyingthatClaggart\'sknowledgeoftheyoungblue-jacketbeganatsomeperiodanteriortocatchingsightofhimonboardtheseventy-four-allthis，notsodifficulttodo，mightavailinawaymoreorlessinterestingtoaccountforwhateverofenigmamayappeartolurkinthecase。Butinfacttherewasnothingofthesort。Andyetthecause，necessarilytobeassumedasthesoleoneassignable，isinitsveryrealismasmuchchargedwiththatprimeelementofRadcliffianromance，themysterious，asanythattheingenuityoftheauthoroftheMysteriesofUdolphocoulddevise。Forwhatcanmorepartakeofthemysteriousthananantipathyspontaneousandprofound，suchasisevokedincertainexceptionalmortalsbythemereaspectofsomeothermortal，howeverharmlesshemaybe，ifnotcalledforthbythisveryharmlessnessitself？
Nowtherecanexistnoirritatingjuxtapositionofdissimilarpersonalitiescomparabletothatwhichispossibleaboardagreatwar-shipfullymannedandatsea。There，everydayamongallranksalmosteverymancomesintomoreorlessofcontactwithalmosteveryotherman。WhollytheretoavoideventhesightofanaggravatingobjectonemustneedsgiveitJonah\'stossorjumpoverboardhimself。Imaginehowallthismighteventuallyoperateonsomepeculiarhumancreaturethedirectreverseofasaint？
ButfortheadequatecomprehendingofClaggartbyanormalnature，thesehintsareinsufficient。Topassfromanormalnaturetohimonemustcross\"thedeadlyspacebetween。\"Andthisisbestdonebyindirection。