Mutiny on the Bounty Page #4

Maybe it's you

who should take the licking.

Now look here.

It was the Captain asked me

take the cheeses to his home, as a favor.

It's always the same in this blasted navy.

You do a job for an officer like that,

you're called a thief.

And the crew lose their cheeses.

- So, you did the Captain a favor, eh?

- It was the Captain.

The Captain helping himself

to the ship's stores.

- Hey.

- The Captain's the thief, not me!

The Articles of War

provide most adequately

for a man who calls his Captain a thief.

I think a few weeks without grog

will teach him to hold his tongue.

No. Two dozen with the lash

will teach him better still.

All hands to witness punishment.

Mr. Christian, if you please.

"If any officer, mariner or soldier,

in or belonging to the fleet,

"shall behave himself

with contempt to his superior officer,

"such superior officer

being in the execution of his office,

"he shall be punished

according to the nature of his offense."

Two dozen lashes.

Ship's company, on hats.

You just remember,

it ain't me that's whipping you.

Don't worry, I'll live.

You know, mate, it ain't me. Remember.

Stop worrying. You're making me nervous.

Lay on, Quintal.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

- Six.

- You're going too lightly, Quintal.

Lay on with a will or you'll take his place.

Seven.

Eight.

Nine.

Ten.

Eleven.

Twelve.

You were ordered to witness punishment.

You can't turn away.

Thirteen.

Fourteen.

Fifteen.

Sixteen.

Seventeen.

Eighteen.

Nineteen.

Twenty.

Twenty-one.

Twenty-two.

Twenty-three.

Twenty-four.

Company dismissed!

Lay away lee braces!

You are not eating, Mr. Young.

- With your permission, I'm not hungry, sir.

- Permission denied.

We'll not have food wasted.

- Eat your supper.

- Aye, sir.

Not a very sociable group tonight.

As a matter of fact, sir,

I was about to make a remark

when you spoke.

You're pardoned.

Something troubling you, Mr. Christian?

No, sir. It's nothing. I just...

Well, I don't feel my cheeriest after

watching a man take a severe lashing.

Pass Mr. Young the potatoes, please.

You've witnessed punishment

before, surely.

Go ahead, speak your mind.

Well, sir, since you ask, it's...

It's the question of degree

that troubles me.

You see, if one flogs a man half to death

for a minor infraction,

then how does one punish him

for a serious offense?

Minor infraction, you said?

Yes. I think that two cheeses, sir...

Plus the word "thief"

applied to his Captain.

But you still feel, though,

that stopping the man's grog

was sufficient punishment?

Well, I agree with you.

- You agree?

- Eat it up. Excellent stew.

If we were concerned

with only the one case, certainly.

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