16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
'I was desperate,' said Martin, his mind fixed
on that dreadful past. 'I was unclean, unclean:
rotting alive, as the seamen say. A shameful
death. And I think my mind was disturbed. Until
you absolutely asserted that these were saltsores
I was wholly convinced that they were of
sinful origin: you will admit they were very like.
They were very like, were they not?'
'When they had been exacerbated by an immoderate
use of mercury, perhaps they were;
though I doubt an impartial observer would
have been deceived.'
'The wicked fleeth where no man pursueth,'
said Martin. 'Dear Marturin, I have been a
very wicked fellow. In intention I have been a
very wicked fellow.'
'You must spend the night in drinking fresh
rainwater,' said Stephen. 'Every time you wake,
you must swallow down a glass at least, to get