that there was only the captain who could punish, and that officers could not take the law into their own hands; why then has the master?”
“His doing wrong as superior officer is no reason why you as an inferior should disobey him, If that were permitted—if every order were to be cavilled at and argued upon, as just or unjust, there would be an end of all discipline. Besides, recollect, that in the service there is custom, which is the same as law.”
“That admits of a little argument,” replied Jack.
“The service will admit of none, my dear boy: recollect that, even on shore, we have two laws, that which is written, and the lex non scripta, which is custom; of course we have it in the service, for the articles of war cannot provide for everything.”
“They provide a court—martial for everything though,” replied Jack.
“Yes, with death or dismissal from the service— neither of which would be very agreeable. You have got yourself into a scrape, and although the captain is evidently your friend, he cannot overlook it: fortunately, it is with the master, which is of less consequence than with the other officers; but still, you will have to submit, for the captain cannot overlook it.”
“I’ll tell you what, Jolliffe,” replied Jack, “my eyes now begin to be opened to a great many things. The captain tells me, when I am astonished at bad language, that it is all zeal, and then I found out that what is all zeal in a superior to an inferior, is insolence when reversed. He tells me, that the articles of war are made to equally guide us all—the master breaks what is positively mentioned in the second article twenty times over, and goes scot free, while I am to be punished because I do not comply with what the articles do not mention. How was I to know that I ought to go to the mast—head for punishment? particularly when the captain tells me that he alone is to punish in the ship.
If I obey an order in opposition to the captain’s order, is not that as bad as disobeying the captain? I think that I have made out a very strong case, and my arguments are not to be confuted.”
“I’m afraid that the master will make out a very strong case, and that your arguments will never be heard.”
“That will be contrary to all the rules of justice.”
“But according to all the rules of service.”
“I do believe that I am a great fool,” observed Jack, after a pause. “What do you imagine made me come to sea, Jolliffe?”
“Because you did not know when you were well off,” replied the mate, drily.
“That’s true enough; but my reason was, because I thought I should find that equality here that I could not find on shore.”
Jolliffe stared.
“My dear boy, I heard you say that you obtained those opinions from your father; I mean no disrespect to him, but he must be either mad or foolish, if at his age he has not yet discovered that there is no such thing in existence.”
“I begin to think so,” replied Jack; “but that does not prove that there ought not to be.”
“I beg your pardon; the very non—existence proves that it ought not to be—‘whatever is, is right,’—you might as well expect to find perfect happiness or perfection in the individual. Your father must be a visionary.”