16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
brass flaming in the sun, yards (such as there
were) exactly squared by the lifts and braces.
But there was an even greater change in the
atmosphere, a formality and gravity shown at
one end of the scale by Sarah and Emily, who
had finished their duties in the sick-berth half
an hour before and who were now standing
on the forecastle in their best pinafores looking
solemnly at the Franklin, and at the other
by Jack Aubrey, who was returning from her in
the splendour of a post-captain, accompanied
by Martin and rowed with great exactness by
his bargemen.
'There, sir,' said Reade at Stephen's side. 'That
is what I meant by a splendid sight.'
Stephen followed his gaze beyond the Captain's
boat to the Franklin. She had cast off her
tow and she was sailing along abreast of the
Surprise, making a creditable five knots under
her courses, with the great triangular lateen