16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
and I tremble for our copper. Yes, Mr Reade?'
'If you please, sir, Chips says...'
'What was that, Mr Reade?'
'Beg pardon, sir. Mr Bentley says two inches
in the well, no more.'
'Very good. Tom, we must put before the
wind or close on until we can ship a jurymizen.
Pick our oldest whale-men and send
them into the crow's nest one after another to
pick us a way through the ice: there is a terrible
quantity to leeward. Let a stout bow-grace
be prepared; and since we are not likely to
see that big fellow' – nodding westwards – 'until
he has gone about twice, let the galley fires
be lit and all hands fed.'
'He may consider it his duty to hurry back and
protect his convoy,' said Pullings.
'Let us hope he has a very strong sense of
duty, an overwhelming sense of duty,' said