16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
view the condor on her nest, the puma in his
lair. I do not mention the higher saxifrages.'
'I went to Quito once,' said Gayongos, 'which
is only nine thousand odd: up and up, always
up and up, your lungs bursting, the muscles of
your shins on fire; for you often have to lead
your mule. Never, never again. I had rather
be taken by the Inquisition. And there – how
curious – there, hesitating to cross the street' –
They were sitting in a protruding louvered balcony
from which they could see without being
seen – 'there, the gentleman in black, is a familiar
of the Inquisition. Yes. Yes. So he is.
That reminds me: Castro is a Marrano – his
great-grandmother was a Toledo Jewess –
and perhaps that is what makes him so anxious
to be cherished by the Viceroy while at
the same time he longs to insure himself on
the other side.'
'A difficult position,' observed Stephen. 'A