16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
to bawl out all together – a pitiful exhibition
and much too hoarse to be amusing – but as
the sudden clamour died away a single disgusted
voice, not very loud, came clear across
the quiet water: 'Oh the fucking sod.'
That was no native cry, no heathen mockery:
that was a naval expression, familiar to him
from childhood, and uttered in a naval voice.
He turned, and with a mixture of horror and
delight he saw the massive form of his Captain
heaving up for a final hail, clinging to the
stump of a mast; and he recognized the shattered
hull of the Alastor's launch.
Having whipped the skiff round and come
alongside he wasted no time in asking what
had happened or telling them they looked terrible,
but gave them his bottle of cold tea –
they were almost speechless from thirst, lips
black, faces inhuman – passed a line and began
towing the launch towards the shore.