16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
fixed the terrible hooks and suckers of its long
arms into the net of salt beef towing over the
side to get rid of at least some of the salt before
the pieces went into the steep-tub – had
fixed them with such obstinate strength that it
had been drawn aboard.
With Sarah and Emily standing in opposite
corners of the cabin and holding the squid's
arms just so, Stephen snipped, drew, and described,
dissecting out various processes for
preservation: there was alas no possibility of
keeping the entire animal even if he had possessed
a jar large enough, since it was Mr
Vidal's property, he having detached it from
the beef at the cost of some cruel wounds (a
spiteful decapod) and having promised it to
the gunroom cook for today's feast, this Friday
being the day when, on the other side of the
world, Shelmerston, forgetting all differences
of creed, lit bonfires and danced round them