Caine Mutiny, The - Herman Wouk [237]
Greenwald rose to cross-examine. “Mr. Keith, you have stated you disliked Captain Queeg.”
“I did dislike him.”
“Did you state under direct examination all your reasons for disliking him?”
“Not at all. I wasn’t given the chance to state half the reasons.”
“Please state the rest of your reasons, now, if you will.”
Words formed in Willie’s mind which, he knew, would change the course of several lives and land him in trouble from which he might never extricate himself. He spoke; it was like punching his fist through a glass door. “My chief reason for disliking Captain Queeg was his cowardice in battle.”
Challee started getting to his feet. Greenwald said quickly, “What cowardice?”
“He repeatedly ran from shore batteries-”
“Objection!” shouted the judge advocate. “Counsel is originating evidence beyond the scope of direct examination. He is leading the witness into irresponsible libels of an officer of the Navy. I request that the court admonish defense counsel and strike the cross-examination thus far from the record.”
“Please the court,” said Greenwald, facing into Blakely’s glare, “the witness’s dislike of Queeg was not only in the scope of the direct examination, it was the key fact brought out. The background of this dislike is of the utmost consequence. The witness has confessed ignorance of medicine and psychiatry. Things Queeg did, which caused the witness in his ignorance to dislike him, may in fact have been the helpless acts of a sick man. Defense will present material corroboration of all statements of the witness in this connection, and will in fact show that Queeg’s acts stemmed from illness-”
Challee flared at Greenwald, “This is not the time for defense to present its case or make a closing argument-”
“The judge advocate has opened the question of Lieutenant Keith’s admitted dislike of Captain Queeg,” Greenwald shot back. “Evidence is tested as it arises-”
Blakely rapped his gavel. “Defense counsel and the judge advocate are admonished for unseemly personal exchanges. The court will be cleared.”
When the parties of the trial came back into the room, Blakely had a copy of Navy Regulations open before him on the bench. He wore thick black-rimmed glasses which gave him an oddly peaceful professorial look. “For the benefit of all parties, court will read from Article 4, Sections 13 and 14 of the Articles for the Government of the Navy, before announcing its ruling.
“The punishment of death, or such other punishment as a court-martial may adjudge, may be inflicted on any person in the naval service, who, in time of battle, displays cowardice, negligence, or disaffection, or withdraws from or keeps out of danger to which he should expose himself ... or in time of battle, deserts his duty or station, or induces others to do so.”
Blakely took off his glasses and closed the book. He went on in a grave, tired tone, “The court has said this is a delicate case. Defense counsel and the witness are warned that they are on the most dangerous possible ground. In charging an officer of the United States Navy with an offense punishable by death, and that the most odious offense in military life, equal to murder, they take on themselves the heaviest responsibility, and face consequences the seriousness of which cannot be overstated. The court now asks defense counsel in view of the foregoing whether he desires to withdraw his questions.”
Greenwald said, “I do not so desire, sir.”
“The court asks the witness to