{"id":"01KG6G849Z0W6VGATGMFKWZW1A","cid":"bafkreifzgwaon7l2oocxhhwt3upepyi6q77nganez5d6bsxzpwxphjhiyq","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":392,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T03:48:16.150Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 3","source_file":"01KG6FXSCNX5F3D880P3YP3PKR","start_line":332,"text":"be the veritable unobstructed outcome of the innermost man. He had much\r\nprudence, much conscientiousness, and there were occasions when these\r\nvirtues were the cause of overmuch disquietude in him. On a passage, so\r\nlong as his craft was in any proximity to land, no sleep for Captain\r\nGraveling. He took to heart those serious responsibilities not so\r\nheavily borne by some shipmasters.\r\n\r\nNow while Billy Budd was down in the forecastle getting his kit\r\ntogether, the _Indomitable’s_ lieutenant, burly and bluff, nowise\r\ndisconcerted by Captain Graveling’s omitting to proffer the customary\r\nhospitalities on an occasion so unwelcome to him, an omission simply\r\ncaused by preoccupation of thought, unceremoniously invited himself into\r\nthe cabin, and also to a flask from the spirit locker, a receptacle\r\nwhich his experienced eye instantly discovered. In fact, he was one of\r\nthose sea-dogs in whom all the hardship and peril of naval life in the\r\ngreat prolonged wars of his time never impaired the natural instinct for\r\nsensuous enjoyment. His duty he always faithfully did; but duty is\r\nsometimes a dry obligation, and he was for irrigating its aridity\r\nwhensoever possible with a fertilising decoction of strong waters. For\r\nthe cabin’s proprietor there was nothing left but to play the part of\r\nthe enforced host with whatever grace and alacrity were practicable. As\r\nnecessary adjuncts to the flask, he silently placed tumbler and\r\nwater-jug before the irrepressible guest. But excusing himself from\r\npartaking just then, dismally watched the unembarrassed officer\r\ndeliberately diluting his grog a little, then tossing it off in three\r\nswallows, pushing the empty tumbler away, yet not so far as to be beyond\r\neasy reach, at the same time settling himself in his seat, and smacking\r\nhis lips with high satisfaction, looking straight at the host.\r\n\r\nThese proceedings over, the Master broke the silence; and there lurked a\r\nrueful reproach in the tone of his voice: ‘Lieutenant, you are going to\r\ntake my best man from me, the jewel of ’em.’\r\n\r\n‘Yes, I know,’ rejoined the other, immediately drawing back the tumbler,\r\npreliminary to a replenishing; ‘yes, I know. Sorry.’\r\n\r\n‘Beg pardon, but you don’t understand, Lieutenant. See here now. Before\r\nI shipped that young fellow, my forecastle was a rat-pit of quarrels. It\r\nwas black times, I tell you, aboard the _Rights_ here. I was worried to\r\nthat degree my pipe had no comfort for me. But Billy came; and it was\r\nlike a Catholic priest striking peace in an Irish shindy. Not that he\r\npreached to them or said or did anything in particular; but a virtue\r\nwent out of him, sugaring the sour ones. They took to him like hornets\r\nto treacle; all but the bluffer of the gang, the big, shaggy chap with\r\nthe fire-red whiskers. He indeed, out of envy, perhaps, of the newcomer,\r\nand thinking such a “sweet and pleasant fellow,” as he mockingly\r\ndesignated him to the others, could hardly have the spirit of a\r\ngame-cock, must needs bestir himself in trying to get up an ugly row\r\nwith him. Billy forbore with him, and reassured with him in a pleasant\r\nway--he is something like myself, Lieutenant, to whom aught like a\r\nquarrel is hateful--but nothing served. So, in the second dog-watch one\r\nday the Red Whiskers, in presence of the others, under pretence of\r\nshowing Billy just whence a sirloin steak was cut--for the fellow had\r\nonce been a butcher--insultingly gave him a dig under the ribs. Quick as\r\nlightning Billy let fly his arm. I dare say he never meant to do quite\r\nas much as he did, but anyhow he gave the burly fool a terrible\r\ndrubbing. It took about half a minute, I should think. And, Lord bless\r\nyou, the lubber was astonished at the celerity. And will you believe it,\r\nLieutenant, the Red Whiskers now really loves Billy--loves him, or is\r\nthe biggest hypocrite that ever I heard of. But they all love him. Some\r\nof ’em do his washing, darn old trowsers for him; the carpenter is at\r","title":"Chunk 3"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG6G6NC36SJG9DRK08Y7Z03F","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG6FXSCNX5F3D880P3YP3PKR","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG2T49K0H5GDRB0G4YDTPG8H","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG6G84A5SHNF5FXFTC2TGYYV","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG6G84A5C5438H6XY106F30J","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T03:48:16.319Z","ts":"2026-01-30T03:48:23.769Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}