16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
whose strange cold north-flowing current was
undoubtedly present; and in duty bound her
two prizes sailed after her, each at two cable's
lengths.
The sun set, with the Franklin clear on the horizon,
and it left a golden sky of such beauty
that Stephen felt a constriction in his throat.
Sarah too was moved but she said nothing
until they were below again, when she observed,
'I shall say seven Hail Marys every day
until we see them again.'
The bosun was their first patient. He had
gone aboard the Alastor roaring drunk, and
there pursuing a pair of enemies into the
maintop he had fallen, landing in the waist of
the ship on to a variety of weapons. He was a
mass of cuts and abrasions: yet it was a great
wrench where his leg had caught in the catharpins
that kept him from his duty. He was
drunk again now, and he endeavoured to dis-