I don’t doubt, but who knows
when that may be.
Our only hope is that the
unpleasantness in France
might come to something.
You’ve heard the latest rumours,
of course?
that Louis was captured just
before Christmas.
What do you think they’ll do
with him? You can’t kill a king.
It’s as my father explained
to his gillie
Perhaps some of these people
have missed the odd meal or two
but lopping the heads of the nobility
isn’t going to fill their bellies,
is it?
Still, that’s Johnny Crapaud for you.
Well, allow me to introduce
the midshipmen of His Majesty’s
ship of the line, Justinian
Known elsewise to her intimates
as the good ship
Slough of Despond.
What’s this, Archie?
Another mess mate, gentlemen.
And whose pretty rear did you neglect
kissing to find yourself
among the fleet’s forgotten, eh?
-Well, speak, Apparition!
-My name is Hornblower.
What an infernal piece of
bad luck for you.
How old are you, Mr. Hornblower?
Seventeen, sir.
Seventeen, sir! You hear
that Cleveland?
If you wanted to be a seaman, boy,
you should have started at twelve.
I doubt he even knows the difference
between
a head and a halyard.
No, but I’ll make sure it’s the first
thing I look up in…
in Norrie’s Seamanship.
Now, gentlemen, if you will
excuse me.
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