16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
road, the last stretch, three steep traverses zigzagging
up to the post-house, into the snow
and over the pass. It would be walking every
step of the way. He did not mind at all.
'Will you not ride, don Esteban?' asked Eduardo,
holding the stirrup for him.
'No, sir,' said Stephen. 'The animal is extremely
tired – look at his hanging lip, God be
with him – whereas I am now quite recovered,
a sprightly popinjay.'
A little less sprightly by the time they reached
the massive post-house, built, like some of
those sections of the road cut deep into the
mountainside, of vast rocks so exactly shaped
that they outstripped all reasonable conjecture,
a little less sprightly, but perfectly human.
He took the liveliest interest in the yaretta fungus
growing on these rocks and on the inner
walls, and Eduardo said to him, 'How glad I