16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
Grainger, sitting down in a good blue coat
borrowed from his cousin the carpenter, looking
pale under his tan, grim and dangerous.
But grimness could not withstand Pullings'
and Stephen's good will, far less West's surprising
flow of spirits: his happiness broke out
in an extraordinary volubility – a thoroughly
amiable volubility – and he rose high above
his ordinary powers of anecdote and comic
rhyme; and when he was not proposing riddles
he laughed. There was no doubt that
Grainger was pleased with his reception; he
ate well, he smiled, he even laughed once or
twice; but all the time Maturin saw his quick
nervous eyes flitting from plate to plate, seeing
just how the gunroom ate its dinner, managed
its bread and drank its wine. Yet by puddingtime
and toasts the anxiety was gone;
Grainger joined in the song Farewell and
adieu to you fine Spanish ladies and even