16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
boarded mostly on the quarter, coming up
nimbly as cats, and raced forward with a confused
bellow. The master backed to the
mainmast.
'You left us to starve on the ocean, you rat,'
roared the first headsman.
'You made all sail and cracked on – cracked
on,' roared the second, shaking his lance,
barely articulate.
'Judas,' said the third.
'Now Zeek,' cried the master, 'you put down
that lance. I should have picked you up...'
The broad-shouldered harpooner, the man
who had been fast to the big bull whale, was
last up the side; he heaved his way through
the shouting, tight-packed throng; he said
nothing but he flung his iron straight through
the master's breast, deep into the wood.
Returning to the Surprise covered with blood