16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
would be the world's pity if they were kept to a
Carmelite silence – sure a healthy child must
laugh from time to time; it would be a dismal
existence otherwise. Indeed they were very
good, sitting up straight with their napkins
held just so.' He passed almond cakes,
poured coffee, and went on, 'As for public
opinion here in Peru, I should say that there is
reasonably strong feeling for independence,
particularly as the present Viceroy has made
some very unpopular decisions in favour of
those born in Spain as opposed to those born
here. In some cases it is combined with a desire
to see the end of slavery, but I do not
think this is so much so as it is in Chile. After
all, there are perhaps ten times as many slaves
here, and many of the plantations depend entirely
on their labour: yet there are many
highly-respected, influential men who hate it. I
have two friends, two colleagues, who know