16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
wards pudding-time his voice rose from the
tone of conversation to something nearer that
of public address and Stephen realized with
dismay that they were to hear a discourse on
Rousseau and the proper education of children.
The plum-duff vanished, the cloth was drawn,
the decanters moved steadily round, Dutourd
boomed on. Stephen had stopped listening
several glasses back: his mind turned sometimes
with glowing joy to his discovery, more
often with intense irritation at Martin's obvious
desire to wound. It was true that Martin was
much more an observer of birds – an accurate,
highly experienced observer – than a systematic
ornithologist, basing his taxonomy
upon anatomical principles, yet even so...
Dr Maturin had curiously pale eyes, which he
often covered with blue spectacles. He was
not wearing them at present, and this pallor