Desolation Island (Aubrey & Maturin #5)

by Patrick O'Brian

‘I forgot to ask you, how was your night? How does your Gipsy woman come along?’ ‘I cannot answer for Mrs Boswell: the Caesarean section is no light undertaking, even without a hurricane. But if it can be fed, the child may live, the creature. It is, as you predicted, female; and therefore hardy. I was at a loss to know what to do with it at first.’ ‘There is the girl that waits on Mrs Wogan.’ ‘There is. But you will recall that she was transported for infanticide, repeated infanticide. She is a little eccentric where babies are concerned, and I could not think her quite a proper person. However, I opened my mind to Mrs Wogan, and she very handsomely offered her services. She tends it at present in a basket, lined with wool; and begs it may be indulged with a hanging stove.’ ‘Christ, Stephen, how I wish Tom Pullings were here,’ said Jack, and drifted off to sleep.

‘We got rid of the Jonah, is all that matters,’ said the Turk, to their astonishment. ‘All’s well, now no Jonah.’ Stephen walked over and looked down at the wasted yellow glabrous face: the Turk closed one knowing eye, and said, ‘No Jonah now,’ closed the other, and spoke no more.

‘I go to draw the skipper’s teeth.’ ‘They are drawn already,’ cried Jack. ‘His forge stands there on the beach, ha, ha, ha! What do you say to that, Stephen?’