Flash For Freedom!

eye I saw Spring stiffen in his seat. 'Will you tell us, sir, whether or not there was evidence in those papers — as to the ownership of the vessel, for example-to prove that she was engaged illegally in the slave trade, in contravention of American law? You are on oath, sir — remember that!'

My heart lurched, because I had seen the way out. I held my breath a moment, to make my face red, and let it out slowly. I drew myself up, and glared at him with all the venom I could muster.

'This, sir,' says I, 'is intolerable. It is precisely why I did not wish to appear. You are well aware, sir, that there are facts which I am in duty bound not to disclose-facts of the highest import — it is all explained in that statement, sir — which I cannot in honour convey to anyone except to my chiefs at home. I was promised immunity from this —' brazening it for all I was worth, I rounded on Bailey. 'Captain Bailey, I appeal to you. This is entirely unworthy — I am badgered, sir, on the very grounds which it was promised to me would be inviolate. I will not endure it, sir! The counsel's questions must lead inevitably to the point which I was assured would not be touched. I … I …' There's nothing like a good stammer for conviction. 'I was a fool to be coerced into this! I should have known … incompetence! … harm done!'

There was tumult in the court; even Bailey was looking bewildered now; the adjudicator was at a loss. Anderson, clever man, had the good sense to look amazed; Spring was looking worried. Clitheroe, stuck between rage and astonishment, looked to Bailey, and then to me.

'On my word!' This was the adjudicator, darting his nose at me. 'What is this, sir? This outburst is quite-'

'Sir,' says I, 'I most humbly beg your pardon. I intended no disrepect to you, or to this august court.' I hesitated. 'I found myself placed in an intolerable position, sir — if an explanation is necessary, I beg that you will ask counsel for the plaintiff.'

There was a moment's silence, in which the adjudicator looked at Clitheroe, and Clitheroe stood with his face white and his mouth set. Then he shook his head.

'I see no advantage to the court in … examining this witness further,' says he, and he sat down.

Anderson jumped up, and began to address the adjudicator, but I was too bemused by my own eloquence to listen. The next thing I knew there was an adjournment, and I was hustled off to Bailey's office, with Clitheroe and Dunne, and the first two rounded on me like bears. But I snatched the ball from their hands, and laced into them for all I was worth — it was my only chance, I knew, to play the mystery as I had done in the Washington Navy Department, and play it as furiously as I could.

'If you so mishandle your case, sir, that you can't get a condemnation order that a child could obtain, is that my fault? The wrong slaves called as witnesses — this fellow Anderson permitted to shut me up on the very point where I could have given conclusive testimony! And then — the impudence to break the solemn assurance I was given in Washington, by questioning me in a way which, if I'd been fool enough to answer, must have elicited the names I am duty bound to conceal! And you dare to raise your voice to me, sir? Do you think I'll see my work ruined — two years of it —' Well, why not lay it on hard? '— simply because some fool of a lawyer can't win a case which in itself is nothing — nothing, sir, I tell you — compared with what I and my people are trying to do? Oh, this is too much!'

How I managed to lose my temper so badly for so long, when my innards were quaking, I am far from sure, They didn't take it lying down, either — especially Bailey, who was half-convinced my indignation was sham. But he couldn't be sure, you see; there was just enough mystery, as a result of all the bloody lies I'd told in Washington, to make him wonder.

'Your conduct, sir, gives me the gravest suspicions,' says he. 'I don't know — this is a deplorable affair! But we'll go into this, sir, believe you me; we'll get to the bottom —'

'Then you'll do it in your own good time, sir!' says I, looking him in the eye. 'Not in mine. I'm sick and tired of this whole sorry business. I was promised protection, sir —'

'Protection?' cries he, looking ugly. 'You have forfeited all claim to that. My department's protection is withdrawn, you may take that as read —'

'Thank God!' I exclaimed. 'For all the good it's been to me, I'm better without it. I intend to place myself, at once, under the protection of my ambassador in Washington. At once, do you hear? And whoever tries to hinder me will do so at his peril!'

For a moment he looked as though he was believing me, and then we were summoned back to the court, and I sat red-faced, squeezing myself to keep it up, while Clitheroe and Anderson bandied away at each other, and finally Anderson challenged him on some point or other, and Clitheroe made a speech, and concluded it by moving for the confiscation and condemnation of the Balliol College. There was much palaver over the matter of Spring's resisting arrest, and Anderson stuck to the point about an innocent merchantman being entitled to protect himself, etc., and finally the adjudicator took off his spectacles and asked did their cases rest? They nodded, and he put his spectacles back on, and everyone stood up.

The adjudicator talked for about half an hour, while our legs creaked, and I couldn't for the life of me stop my hands trembling, for there was no telling which way he was going. He reviewed the evidence, Spring's and the girls and my own, and then came to his peroration. It was short, and decisive.

'It rests with the plaintiff, Abraham Fairbrother, to show that the Balliol College was carrying slaves in contravention of United States law. There are grounds for believing that she was, in view of her equipment and other circumstances related in evidence. It may also appear that grounds could exist for charges to be brought in connection with damage done to United States property by Captain Spring. On the other hand, it may be that, after the conclusion of this court, the owners of the Balliol College may hold that an action lies against the United States government for unlawful detention.⁴⁴ These are matters outside the scope of this adjudication. The activities of the Balliol College, prior to her arrest, may also be matters for a mixed commission court of the British or other governments.

'It is precisely for the attention of such court, if it be called, that I have mentioned the conclusion of this adjudication that grounds exist for believing that the Balliol College was carrying slaves in contravention of United States law. But I cannot hold that the grounds have been proved conclusively to the satisfaction of this adjudication. The motion for confiscation fails.'

I pulled myself together and shot Clitheroe as baleful a look as I could manage, for Bailey's benefit. The adjudicator turned to Spring.

'You are free to go. As I understand it, your vessel is in the river, is it not, under a prize crew? Hear our order that this prize crew be withdrawn forthwith, and that such stores, water and wood as may be required in reason for your departure shall be left aboard, and in accordance with custom, clearance be granted for your departure this very day, or such date thereafter as you find fitting.'

'Thank you, sir,' says Spring. 'I thank the court. I shall leave anchorage today.'

The adjudicator banged his desk and scuttled out, and at once there was a great rush from the public benches to Spring's table, and he was being clapped on the back, and fellows were shaking Anderson's hand and hurrah-ing. Clitheroe walked out of the court without a word, and Bailey, after a lowering look at me, followed him. The two yellow girls, giggling and ogling, tripped away with their chaperone or bawd or whatever she was.

And suddenly I was standing alone. But I doubted, somehow, if this happy state would endure for long. My escort had gone with Bailey, but in spite of our violent exchanges, they would be expecting me at his office, or at least back at the Navy place where he had housed me. And then, for all my fine talk, they would keep a tight grip on me — for what? Interrogation, no doubt, and at best a convoy to Washington and my embassy, and God knew what would come of that. My buttock ached at the thought of sliding out again, but I knew I daren't stay. For one thing, the longer I was in this blasted country the greater the chance of my activities on the Mississippi being brought home to roost.

I looked about me. The spectators were all streaming out now, by the entrances at the back of the room. Half a dozen steps and I was among them — once outside, I could easily find my way to Susie's brothel, and this time, surely, she would be able to see me safe away; at least she could hide me until I grew a beard, or —

And then it struck me, all in a moment, the dazzling thought. It was fearful, at first, but as I considered it, on the steps leading down to the street, it seemed the only safe way. It was the answer, surely — and I found my legs taking me off to one side, behind a pillar, where I thought some more, and then I stepped out into the busy street, and walked across to the far side, and took refuge beneath a tree, waiting.

It was ten minutes before I saw what I wanted, and my heart was in my mouth in case Bailey or my escort would come on the scene, but they didn't. And then I was rewarded, and I set off, walking quickly, along the street,