16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
There were only three casualties: one man, a
Knipperdolling named Isaac Rame, apparently
uninjured apart from a black mark the size of
a shilling over his heart, but completely, profoundly
insensible – listening to its completely
disordered beat Stephen shook his head – and
two other foremast hands strangely burnt.
These burns, though superficial, caused much
distress; they were extensive, branching all
over the men's backs in a close-set network of
divergent lines, and it took Stephen, Padeen
and Fabien so long to dress them that a pale
daylight was showing upon the table when
Stephen came into the cabin for breakfast.
'Well, here's a pretty go,' cried Jack. 'Here's a
pretty mess. Have a cup of coffee,' – pouring
it. He sounded quite cheerful, as though the
loss of the ship's mainmast were of slight importance;
and so it was, compared with what
followed. 'When we have finished breakfast –