"With respect, sir," Ramage said politely, "my next question is of considerable importance but the beginning must refer to the challenge."
"Ask it and I will decide whether or not to allow it."
Ramage looked squarely at Ridley, whose eyes dropped. "The question is: You say that the Calypso did not answer the challenge and she was recognized as French-built. Why did not the Jason beat to quarters on the approach of what might be a hostile ship?"
"Disallowed," Goddard said firmly. "Has nothing to do with the charges. Don't answer," he told Ridley.
Captain Swinford leaned over and whispered something to the rear-admiral, but Goddard shook his head vigorously.
Damnation, Ramage thought: as far as these dozen captains are concerned, there is the Jason, sailing along quite peacefully, and along comes the nasty Calypso. How does one explain to the court that in fact the innocent Jason was flying the wrong challenge, had all her guns loaded, and was steering down to attempt to ram and certainly rake one of the King's ships?
Very well, try surprise: even if Goddard rules the question out of order, a seed of doubt will be planted in the heads of the members of the court - damnation, it should be hammered home!
"Mr Ridley," Ramage said politely, "I want you just to cast your mind back: where were you when Captain Shirley ordered his men to fire a broadside into the Calypso?"
"Don't answer - question disallowed - has nothing to do with the charges!" Goddard shouted, his voice rising in a crescendo.
Ramage decided to fire another barrel before Goddard recovered. "Sir, since that broadside was the reason that -"
"Silence! Strike that from the record! No, I mean don't note that down, Jenkins. Now look, Ramage, any more questions like that and you will be in contempt of court."
"Very well, sir," Ramage said contritely, "I thought that as I stand charged with removing Captain Shirley from his command, that my reasons for doing so would be -"
"Ramage!" Goddard shouted. "You know what the charges are and unless you limit your questions to the circumstances of the charges you will be in contempt of court. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir, 1 do now," Ramage said politely, and turned to Ridley.
"The lieutenant that I left on board, Mr Wagstaffe. Was he - in your opinion - a competent officer?"
"I understand so."
"Don't you know from your own observations?"
Ridley paused for a full minute, during which time Ramage reminded him he was on oath, and then said, reluctantly it seemed to Ramage: "Yes, I do; he was a competent officer."
"Did you see him giving any orders to Captain Shirley, or disobeying any orders that Captain Shirley gave him?"
Ramage glanced at Shirley. The man had moved; he had swung his head round to stare at Ridley. Was that anxiety, even fear, in his eyes: fear that Ridley might fall into the trap set by Ramage?
"I did not see him give any orders, but I was rarely on deck. I understand Captain Shirley gave him no orders."
Ramage saw from the expression on Shirley's face that the questions had been anticipated. Ridley's slow answers were due to the wretched man trying to remember what he had been told to say.
"I have no more questions to ask this witness, sir," Ramage said. Once Ridley again signed the minutes, Goddard waved him away and told Shirley to call his next witness.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The next witness was the Jason's second lieutenant, and Shirley asked him the same questions that he had asked Ridley, and received the same replies. To Ramage it seemed that the lieutenant, an older man than Ridley, was merely repeating answers which he had learned; as though a tutor had carefully drilled a boy in anticipation of questioning by the father. And he too had the same manner as Ridley, as though he was being blackmailed. Because it must be blackmail and not bribery. These men were frightened: they did not have the confident look of men who had been bribed, either with promises of promotion or sums of money.
The next two witnesses were the Jason's third and fourth lieutenants, and as Shirley started asking them the same questions again. Ramage saw Captain Swinford whisper another question to Goddard, who once again shook his head.
Captain Shirley's fifth witness was the one that Ramage was dreading, not because of any damage he might do to the defence but because Ramage did not want him involved.
"Call Lieutenant Wagstaffe," Shirley said, and for a moment his eyes flickered across the few feet to where Ramage was sitting. Was there a look of triumph in them? Or just the flat look of a madman playing some elaborate game of which only he knew the rules? Obviously Shirley would call Wagstaffe as a prosecution witness, and Ramage had made it very clear to Wagstaffe that he was to answer the questions completely and openly, whether or not he thought they might hurt Ramage's case. When Wagstaffe had protested, asking to be given some latitude, Ramage had told him: "We have nothing to hide. I put you on board the Jason because I thought Shirley was mad, and that's all there is to it."
But since Ramage had spoken to Wagstaffe, Rear-Admiral Goddard was so juggling the evidence by restricting the questions, that Ramage was now sure he was not going to be able to make a proper defence. Goddard (and perhaps the commander-in-chief and the Admiralty) must know that Shirley was mad, but apart from Goddard getting his own back on Ramage, neither the commander-in-chief nor the Admiralty would want it confirmed in open court (or even alleged in open court, let alone being confirmed by a verdict) that one of the Navy's captains was mad and had to be removed from his command not by some unknown commanding officer or flag officer of whom few had heard but by one of the country's most famous young frigate captains . . .
Wagstaffe took the oath and faced Goddard, assuming that the president of the court would ask the familiar question: "Tell us what you know . . ." but instead Jenkins started reading from one of Shirley's slips of paper.
"When did you board the Jason?"
"At eleven forty-three in the forenoon of July the twenty-first last," Wagstaffe said.
"What were the circumstances?"
"The Jason had nearly rammed -"
"Silence!" Goddard bellowed. "Confine yourself to the questions you are asked and to the substance of the charges against the prisoner."
"I am on oath, sir ..." Wagstaffe waited until he was sure that Jenkins had written that down and then continued: ". . . and I shall not perjure myself, either by wrong statements or by omissions, sir."
"Nobody is suggesting you perjure yourself," Goddard said huffily, startled by Wagstaffe's statement and realizing the significance of his use of the word "omissions". "Just confine yourself to the questions and the charges," Goddard said.
Jenkins read: "Having boarded the Jason with Captain Ramage and various other people, what did you do?"
"I had a severe coughing fit," Wagstaffe said innocently, and before Goddard realized what was coming next added: "There was still a lot of smoke about from the broadside theJason had just fired."
"Strike that from the record," Goddard shouted. "You have been warned once," he told Wagstaffe. "The next time you will be confined for contempt of court."
"Yes, sir," Wagstaffe said contritely, and added quietly: "May I be excused now, sir?"
Goddard, obviously wanting to make some amends for the shouting, had been looking amiably in Wagstaffe's direction, but now he looked first startled and then wary.
"The prosecutor - Captain Shirley - has more questions to ask you. And the defence, too," he added hurriedly. "Why are you asking to be excused?"