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《Aubrey Maturin Series-16 The Wine-Dark Sea 》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在行业资料-天天文库。
1、PATRICKO'BRIANTheWine-DarkSeaChapterOneApurpleocean,vastundertheskyanddevoidofallvisiblelifeapartfromtwominuteshipsracingacrossitsimmensity.Theywereasclose-hauledtothesomewhatirregularnorth-easttradesasevertheycouldbe,witheverysailtheycouldsafelycarryandevenmore,theirbowlinestwangingtaut:the
2、yhadbeenrunninglikethisdayafterday,sometimessofarapartthateachsawonlytheother'stopsailsabovethehorizon,sometimeswithingunshot;andwhenthiswasthecasetheyfiredatoneanotherwiththeirchasers.TheforemostshipwastheFranklin,anAmericanprivateeroftwenty-twoguns,nine-pounders,andherpursuerwastheSurprise
3、,atwenty-eight-gunfrigateformerlybelongingtotheRoyalNavybutnowactingasaprivateertoo,mannedbyprivateersmenandvolunteers:shewasnominallycommandedbyahalf-payofficernamedThomasPullingsbutinfactbyherformercaptain,JackAubrey,amanmuchhigheronthepost-captain'slistthanwouldordinarilyhavebeenfoundinso
4、smallandantiquatedaship-ananomalouscraftentirely,foralthoughshepurportedtobeaprivateerherofficialthoughunpublishedstatuswasthatofHisMajesty'sHiredVesselSurprise.Shehadsetoutonhervoyagewiththepurposeofcarryinghersurgeon,StephenMaturin,toSouthAmerica,theretoenterintocontactwiththoseleadinginha
5、bitantswhowishedtomakeChileandPeruindependentofSpain:forMaturin,aswellasbeingadoctorofmedicine,wasanintelligence-agentexceptionallywellqualifiedforthistask,beingaCatalanonhismother'ssideandbitterlyopposedtoSpanish-thatistosayCastilian-oppressionofhiscountry.Hewasindeedopposedtooppressioninal
6、litsforms,andinhisyouthhehadsupportedtheUnitedIrishmen(hisfatherwasaCatholicIrishofficerintheSpanishservice)ineverythingbuttheviolenceof1798:butaboveall,faraboveall,heabhorredthatofBuonaparte,andhewasperfectlywillingtoofferhisservicestotheBritishgovernmenttohelpputanendtoit,toofferthemgratis
7、proDeo,thusdoingawaywithanyhintoftheodiousnameofspy,avilewretchhiredbytheMinistrytoinformuponhisfriends,anameassociatedinhisIrishchildhoodwiththatofJudas,Spy-WednesdaycomingjustbeforethePassion.Hispresentundertaking,resumedafteralonginterruptioncau
