16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
self.'
'It is my collection I am thinking of,' said
Stephen. 'Whatever you may say, the sea
around the Horn is bound to be damp,
whereas my collections come from one of the
driest parts of the whole terraneous globe.
They need very careful attention, acres of
oiled silk, weeks of calm, patient care in describing,
figuring, packing. Once they are
tumbled and tossed unprepared, on the gelid
billows, all is lost – their pristine glory is gone
for ever.'
'Well, Doctor,' said Jack, 'some weeks I think I
can promise you. Your cranes may have lost
their heads, but the trades, or rather the antitrades,
have kept theirs, and they are blowing
as sweetly as ever our best friends could wish.'
The promised weeks they had, weeks of pure