16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
As she passed it Sarah said in his ear, 'Emily
is frightened.'
Stephen nodded, holding the needle between
his lips. He was not exactly frightened himself,
but he did dread misplacing an instrument orprobe.
Even down here the ship was moving
with a force he had never known: the lantern
swung madly, with no sort of rhythm now; and
he could scarcely keep his footing.
'This cannot go on,' he murmured. But it did
go on; and as he and Martin worked far into
the night that part of his mind which was not
taken up with probing, sawing, splinting, sewing
and bandaging heard and partly recorded
what was going on around him – the talk between
the hands treated or waiting for treatment,
the news brought by fresh cases, the
seamen's interpretation of the various sounds
and cries on deck.