Master and Commander (Aubrey & Maturin, #1)

by Patrick O'Brian

‘And that is the summit of human felicity?’

No: what I had in mind were those wider loyalties, those more general conflicts – the candid American, for example, before the issue became envenomed;

crake,

Middle English for Crow or Raven

Ever since Stephen Maturin had grown rich with their first prize he had constantly laid in great quantities of asafetida, castoreum and other substances, to make his medicines more revolting in taste, smell and texture than any others in the fleet; and he found it answered – his hardy patients knew with their entire beings that they were being physicked.

When you told me about that classical chap, it brought him so to mind … because it was about Irishmen, no doubt; and Dillon was Irish. Though you would never have thought so – never to be seen drunk, almost never called anyone out, spoke like a Christian, the most gentleman-like creature in

world, nothing of the hector at all – oh Christ. My dear fellow, my dear Maturin, I do beg your pardon. I say these damned things … I regret it extremely.’ ‘Ta, ta, ta,’ said Stephen, taking snuff and waving his hand from side to side.

noticed that the Sophie was no longer standing towards the supposed galleons but sailing from them as fast as she could possibly go, close-hauled, with everything she could set, including bonnets and even drabblers.

sweeps.’

Large oars

He was a severe and meagre, dusty man, with a harsh greyish-yellow face and deep violet rings under his eyes; he did not look capable of any pleasant emotion, yet he had both blushed and simpered when Stephen, upon being confided to his care as a prisoner-guest, had cried, ‘Not the illustrious Dr Juan Ramis, the author of the Specimen Animalium?’ Now

An ape on a rock no great way off threw a turd at him, quite unprovoked; and when he half rose in protest it shook its wizened fist and gibbered so furiously that he sank down again, so low were his spirits.