Caine Mutiny, The - Herman Wouk [238]
Willie, his teeth chattering a little, said, “I do not so desire, sir.”
“Subject to the foregoing,” said Blakely, with an audible sigh, pushing aside the book, “the objection is overruled. Defense counsel will proceed with his cross-examination.”
Willie told about Queeg’s running from the Saipan shore battery which had fired on the Stanfield. He narrated in detail the episode at Kwajalein which had resulted in Queeg’s being nicknamed “Old Yellowstain.” He saw for the first time a change in the expressions of the court as he spoke. The frigid solemnity with which they had peered at him gave way slowly, and instead there were seven faces of men listening with interest to an amazing tale. Challee, frowning bitterly, scribbled pages of notes.
“Mr. Keith, who coined this name, ‘Old Yellowstain’?” said Greenwald.
“I’m not sure, sir. It just sprang into existence.”
“What did it imply?”
“Well, cowardice, of course. But it also referred to the yellow marker. It was one of those naturals. It stuck.”
“Have you told all the incidents of cowardice that you recall?”
“Well, in any combat situation Captain Queeg inevitably would be found on the side of the bridge away from the firing. When we were patrolling near a beach, every time the ship reversed course the captain changed wings. Everyone noticed it. It was a common joke. All the bridge personnel will corroborate what I say, if they’re not afraid to talk.”
Greenwald said, “Besides these incidents of cowardice, what further reasons had you for disliking Queeg?”
“Well-I guess I’ve told the characteristic ones-well, for one thing, he extorted a hundred dollars from me-”
Challee stood wearily. “Objection. How long will these irrelevant unproven allegations be permitted by the court? The issue in this case is not whether Captain Queeg was a model officer, but whether he was insane on 18 December. Defense counsel has not even touched this issue. I suggest there is strong indication of collusion between defense counsel and witness to recklessly smear Commander Queeg and thus confuse the issue-”
Greenwald said, “The objection is identical with the last one court overruled. I repudiate the charge of collusion. Facts are facts, and need no collusion to be brought out. All these facts bear directly on the mental fitness of Captain Queeg to command a naval vessel, and as evidence they are nothing but clarification of Keith’s dislike of his commanding officer, a fact established by the judge advocate at great pains in direct examination.”
“The objection is identical,” said Blakely, rubbing his eyes, “and it is overruled. Proceed with cross-examination.”
“Describe this so-called extortion, Mr. Keith.”
Willie told of the loss of the crate of liquor in San Francisco Bay. Captain Blakely began grimacing horribly. Greenwald said, “Did the captain order you to pay for the liquor?”
“Oh, no. He didn’t order me. He made me admit that I was responsible for all acts of the working party because I was boat officer-although he had issued all the orders to the working party-and then he asked me to think over what I ought to do about it. That was all. But I was supposed to go on leave next day. My fiancée had flown out from New York to be with me. So I went to the captain. I apologized for my stupidity, and said I’d like to pay for the liquor. He took my money gladly, and signed my leave papers.”
“No further questions,” Greenwald said, and went to his seat. He felt a powerful grip on his knee under the table. He quickly sketched a revolting cross-eyed pig in a steaming cauldron, labeled it “Queeg,” showed it to Maryk, and shredded it into the wastebasket.
Challee re-examined Willie for twenty minutes, probing for contradictions and misstatements in his stories about Queeg; he got off a great deal of sarcasm at Willie’s expense, but he did not manage to shake the testimony.
Willie looked at the clock as he left the stand. It was ten minutes of eleven. He was amazed, just as he had been on