16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
The support or opposition of so ambiguous a
character was neither here nor there, now that
great armed forces were about to be moved.
He listened to the general line however,
sometimes dozing although the backless
bench was a cruel seat for his weary frame,
until with relief he heard Hurtado's strong soldierly
voice: 'No, no, gentlemen, it will not do.
There is no trusting a man who watches the
cat so long and closely to see which way it will
jump. If we succeed he will join us. If we do
not he will denounce us. Remember Jose
Rivera.'
'That seems to have settled the question,' reflected
Stephen. 'What joy.' And soon after
one line set out for San Pedro, another for San
Pablo, lit by a lop-sided moon, which was just
as well, the wind being now so strong that lanterns
could not be relied on.