The witnesses were ordered out of the court and Ramage turned to watch them go: they scarcely make a crowd, he noted sourly - just the Bosun, the Carpenter's Mate and Jackson. Suddenly he saw someone at the doorway beckoning to Pisano, indicating that he too should leave the court. So Pisano is to be a witness! But he's not on Barrow's list of witnesses...
Well, that'll be a difficult move to counter. Ramage was surprised to find himself using chess similes, since he was an appalling player. He'd always found the game too slow, and had a bad memory. In fact his complete inability to remember the cards already played at those interminable games of whist in the Superb used to drive that fellow Hornblower mad. Yet, Ramage remembered with amusement, he sometimes won simply because he was such a bad player: even if Hornblower guessed the cards he held it was no help since his play was completely unpredictable. Nor, when Ramage won, did Hornblower like being reminded that surprise was the vital element in tactics...
After Pisano disappeared through the door Croucher rapped the table. 'The prisoner's report on the surrender of His Majesty's frigate Sibella will now be read to the court'
Ramage was shocked to find himself being referred to as 'the prisoner’; but of course it was correct.
Barrow wrote down the president's words - it was his job to keep the minutes - and then shuffled among his pile of papers to extract Ramage's report to Probus. It was hardly an impressive-sounding document when read by Barrow, who had an irritating habit of letting his voice drop as he reached the end of a line, and put the page down on the table each time his spectacles slipped, so that he could use both hands to readjust them.
To Ramage's surprise, Barrow continued reading after completing the passage describing the surrender. He was leaning forward, undecided whether or not to protest that the rest of the report had nothing to do with the ship's loss when Captain Ferris, the junior captain, interrupted.
'Surely this has no relevance for the court?'
‘Pray allow me to be judge of that,' said Captain Croucher.
'But we are only inquiring into the loss of the ship,' insisted Ferris.
'We are trying the accused for his conduct upon the occasion,' said Croucher, sounding like a parson chiding a wayward parishioner. 'In fairness to the accused, we must satisfy ourselves as to the whole of his conduct during this lamentable episode,' he added, barely able to keep the hypocrisy from his voice.
'But—'
'Captain Ferris,' Croucher said sharply, 'If you wish to argue the point we must clear the court.'
Ferris looked round at the other captains, who stared woodenly in front of them, and then glanced at Ramage as if to indicate it was hopeless for either of them to protest any further.
'Very well,' Croucher told Barrow, 'you may proceed.'
Finally Barrow finished reading, and sat down.
'Since this is an inquiry into the loss of the ship and an examination of the prisoner's conduct,' said Croucher, 'has the prisoner any further facts not contained in his report which he wishes to lay before the court?'
You clever swine, thought Ramage: now you've really trapped me. You want me to introduce the Pisano business so it's set down in the minutes and you can take it further; but if I don't say anything it'll look as though I'm hiding it.
He replied, 'Any facts I may have overlooked in my report will no doubt emerge during the examination of the witnesses, sir,' and was startled by his own smoothness.
'Have you overlooked any facts?' demanded Croucher.
‘No relevant facts that I can remember, sir.'
To hell with you, Ramage thought: it's vital to remember that intonation and emphasis are not important; what matters is how the words will be read by Sir John Jervis and the Admiralty in the minutes of the trial.
Poor Barrow - his pen was trying to keep pace with the rapid dialogue; any minute now, just as soon as he dared, the perspiring little purser would ask for a pause to give him time to catch up.
'Very well,' said Croucher. 'The Deputy Judge Advocate will now read out a second report to Captain Lord Probus.'
A second report? Ramage glanced at Barrow. Was this another gambit?
'This report is dated September 12th, addressed to Lord Probus, and signed by Count Pisano,' said Barrow. 'It begins—'
Just as Ramage was going to protest, Captain Ferris interrupted.
'Is this relevant to the case? The court has no official knowledge of Count Pisano's existence, nor his connexion with the loss of the Sibella.'
Captain Croucher put his hands palms downwards on the table and, looking at a point in space about two feet in front of his nose, said silkily, 'It is perhaps relevant that I am President of this court and you are its junior member ...'
Ramage sensed Croucher was not really bothered by Ferris's protests; he had another trick ready.
'... However, before introducing the document the court will wait until later in the proceedings, when its relevance will be made clear.'
He looked across at Barrow and said: 'Call the first witness.'
While the word was being passed for the Bosun, Barrow hurriedly scribbled away, darting bis pen into the ink pot from time to time with the rapidity of a snake striking.
Ramage could guess what he was writing: the page would be headed 'Minutes of Proceedings at a Court Martial held on board His Majesty's ship Trumpeter in Bastia on Thursday the 15th day of September, 1796.' Then would come, under the heading 'Present’, the names of the six captains, beginning with Croucher as president, ‘being all the captains of post ships according to seniority except Captain Lord Probus who certified the President his inability to attend through ill health.'
He would then scribble 'Insert order for trial' - the wording would be written into the fair copy of the minutes, as well as a record of his own appointment and the administration of oaths. Then there would be a discreet outline of the earlier exchanges with Captain Croucher, and now he would be scribbling a new heading 'Evidence in support of the charge'.
The Sibella’s Bosun came into the cabin, pausing just inside the door, obviously bewildered by the array of senior officers looking up at him, and dazzled by the sunlight.
Barrow looked up, motioned him to the table and gave him the Bible. The Bosun straightened his shoulders - he usually walked with a slight stoop - and repeated the Oath.
Captain Croucher told him: 'Don't answer a question until the Deputy Judge Advocate has had time to write it down, and don't speak too quickly.'
'Aye aye, sir.'
For several seconds Ramage had been listening to several men having a violent argument outside the cabin door and, just as Captain Croucher glanced up, thought he could distinguish a woman's voice speaking rapid Italian. Surely - no, he must be day-dreaming. Barrow, busy with his papers, had not noticed anything and began the questioning.
'You are Edward Brown, and were Boatswain of—'
The door was flung open with a violent crash that made everyone jump, and Gianna, her face white and drawn, emphasizing the fine chiselling of her high cheekbones, swept into the cabin. Her eyes blazed with anger and her whole bearing was that of a proud, impulsive young woman accustomed to being obeyed. Her dress, pale blue embroidered in gold, was partly hidden by a black silk cape which had been flung back carelessly over her shoulders.
A Marine sentry stumbled into the cabin after her, musket in his hands, crying out, 'Come back, ye crazy bitch!' and then one of the Trumpeter's lieutenants, pushing the sentry out of the way, grasped her arm.
'Madam, please! I've told you the court is in session!'