Chapter 23

by Herman Melville

　　It was Captain Vere himself who of his own motion communicated thefinding of the court to the prisoner; for that purpose going to thecompartment where he was in custody and bidding the marine there towithdraw for the time.Beyond the communication of the sentence what took place at thisinterview was never known. But in view of the character of the twainbriefly closeted in that state-room, each radically sharing in the rarerqualities of our nature -- so rare indeed as to be all but incredible toaverage minds however much cultivated -- some conjectures may be ventured.It would have been in consonance with the spirit of Captain Vereshould he on this occasion have concealed nothing from the condemned one-- should he indeed have frankly disclosed to him the part he himselfhad played in bringing about the decision, at the same time revealinghis actuating motives. On Billy's side it is not improbable that such aconfession would have been received in much the same spirit thatprompted it. Not without a sort of joy indeed he might have appreciatedthe brave opinion of him implied in his Captain's making such aconfidant of him. Nor, as to the sentence itself could he have beeninsensible that it was imparted to him as to one not afraid to die. Evenmore may have been. Captain Vere in the end may have developed thepassion sometimes latent under an exterior stoical or indifferent. Hewas old enough to have been Billy's father. The austere devotee ofmilitary duty, letting himself melt back into what remains primeval inour formalized humanity, may in the end have caught Billy to his hearteven as Abraham may have caught young Isaac on the brink of resolutelyoffering him up in obedience to the exacting behest. But there is notelling the sacrament, seldom if in any case revealed to the gaddingworld, wherever under circumstances at all akin to those here attemptedto be set forth, two of great Nature's nobler order embrace. There isprivacy at the time, inviolable to the survivor, and holy oblivion, thesequel to each diviner magnanimity, providentially covers all at last.The first to encounter Captain Vere in act of leaving thecompartment was the senior Lieutenant. The face he beheld, for themoment one expressive of the agony of the strong, was to that officer,tho' a man of fifty, a startling revelation. That the condemned onesuffered less than he who mainly had effected the condemnation wasapparently indicated by the former's exclamation in the scene soonperforce to be touched upon.