资源描述：
《Aubrey Maturin Series-04 The Mauritius Command 》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、THEMAURITIUSCOMMANDbyPatrickO'BrianCHAPTERONECaptainAubreyoftheRoyalNavylivedinapartofHampshirewellsuppliedwithsea-officers,someofwhomhadreachedflag-rankinRodney'sdaywhileotherswerestillwaitingfortheirfirstcommand.Themorefortunatehadlarge,comfortablehousesoverlookingPortsmouth,Spithead,
2、StHelens,theIsleofWight,andtheconstantprocessionofmen-of-war;andCaptainAubreymighthavebeenamongthem,sinceasacommanderandasayoungpost-captainhehaddonesowellinprize-moneythathewasknownintheserviceasLuckyJackAubrey.Butwantofaship,thefailureofhisagent,hisignoranceofbusiness,andthesharppract
3、iceofanattorneyhadreducedhimtohalf-payandnomore;andinfacthisCottagelayonthenorthernslopeoftheDowns,notfarfromChiltonAdmiral,andtherisinghillshutoutallthesea,togetherwithmostofthesun.Thiscottage,thoughpicturesqueamongitsashtreesandevenromantic,ideallysuitedfortwointheearlydaysofhismarria
4、ge,wasneitherlargenorcomfortable;ithadalwaysbeenlow-ceilinged,pokeyandinconvenient,butnowthatitalsocontainedtwobabies,aniece,aruinedmother-in-law,somelargepiecesoffurniturefromMapesCourt,MrsWilliams'sformerhome,andacoupleofservants,itwassomethingliketheBlackHoleofCalcutta,exceptthatwher
5、eastheHolewashot,dryandairless,AshgroveCottageletindraughtsfromallsides,whilethedamprisingfromthefloorjoinedtheleaksintherooftoformpoolsinmanyoftherooms.ThesepeopleCaptainAubreymaintainedonnineshillingsaday,paidhalf-yearlyandoftenlongaftertheanxiously-awaiteddate;andalthoughinhismother-
6、in-lawhehadaremarkableeconomisttohelphim,theeffortofdoingsohadimprintedanexpressionofabidingworryonafacethatnaturehadmeanttolookcheerful--anexpressionthatsometimeshadatouchoffrustrationinitaswell,forCaptainAubrey,ascientificaswellasanaturalbornsailor,devotedtohydrographyandnavigation,wa
7、sdeeplyconcernedwithaplanforfindingthelongitudeatseabythemoonsofJupiter,andalthoughhegroundthemirrorsandlensesforhistelescopehimselfhewoulddearlyhavelovedtobeabletospendaguineaortwoonbrass-workfromtimetotime.AtsomedistancebelowAshgroveCottageadeeplaneledupthroughthefungus-smell
