16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
hung straight down behind, Jack's was
clubbed, doubled back and held with a bow:
yet all but the few close-cropped men had undone
their plaits to let their salt-laden hair
profit from the downpour; and very disagreeable
they looked, upon the whole, with long
dank strands plastered about their upper persons,
bare in this warm rain – he gathered his
hair, wrung it out, tied it loosely with a handkerchief,
drank three cups of coffee with intense
appreciation, ate an ancient biscuit, and
called for towels. Putting them under his wet
head he stretched out on the stern locker,
asked for news of the doctor, heard Killick's
'Quiet as the grave, sir,' nodded, and went
straight to sleep in spite of the strong coffee
and the even stronger thunder of the wavecrests
torn off by the wind and striking the
deadlights that protected the flight of sternwindows
six inches from his left ear.