16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
disliked even a very little blood and slime extremely:
that is to say, cold blood and slime.
In battle he was accustomed to wading ankledeep
in both without the least repulsion, laying
about him in a very dreadful manner. But he
could scarcely be brought to wring a chicken's
neck, still less watch a surgical operation.
'You will take the exposed furcula between
your finger and thumb,' Stephen went on, 'and
all proportions guarded you will gauge its
immobility.'
Jack gave a thin smile: seven excuses came
to his mind. But he was much attached to his
friend; and the excuses were improbable at
the best. He walked slowly forward into what
had once been his dining-cabin and was now,
to judge from the reek, a charnel-house.
He did indeed take the exposed furcula as he
was desired to do, and he listened to