16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
of his officers and several hands, invited him
to take a view from this eminence: Stephen
looked at the masts (the ship was rolling
twenty-one degrees and pitching twelve) and
blenched, but he lacked the moral courage to
refuse and within minutes he was rising
through the maze of rigging, rising on a double
whip with several turns about his person
and a look of contained horror on his face.
Bonden and young Wedell steered him
through the shrouds and backstays and their
reinforcements, Jack preceded him by foot,
and between them they got him safe into the
nest.
'Now I come to think of it,' said Jack, who
had meant no harm at all, 'I do not believe
you have ever been aloft with the ship a little
skittish. I hope it don't make you uneasy?'
'Not at all,' said Stephen, glancing over the
edge at the absurdly distant white-streaked