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1、TheCommodorebyPatrickO'BrianChapterOneThickweatherinthechopsoftheChannelandadirtynight,withthestrongnorth-eastwindbringingrainfromthelowskyandracingcloud:Ushantsomewhereawayonthestarboardbow,theScilliestolarboard,butneveralight,neverastartobeseen;andnoo
2、bservationforthelastfourdays.Thetwohomeward-boundships,JackAubrey'sSurprise,anelderlytwenty-eight-gunfrigatesoldoutoftheservicesomeyearsagobutnow,asHisMajesty'shiredvesselSurprise,completingalongconfidentialmissionforGovernment,andHMSBerenice,CaptainHen
3、eageDundas,anevenolderbutsomewhatlesswornsixty-four-guntwo-decker,togetherwithhertendertheRingle,anAmericanschoonerofthekindknownasaBaltimoreclipper,hadbeensailingincompanyeversincetheymetnorthandeastofCapeHorn,aboutahundreddegreesoflatitudeorsixthousan
4、dsea-milesawayinastraightline,ifstraightlineshadanymeaningatallinavoyagegovernedentirelybythewind,thefirstcomingfromPeruandthecoastofChile,thesecondfromNewSouthWales.TheBerenicehadfoundtheSurprisemuchbatteredbyanencounterwithaheavyAmericanfrigate:evenmo
5、resobyalightning-strokethathadshatteredhermainmastand,farworse,deprivedherofherrudder.Thetwocaptainshadbeenboystogether,midshipmenandlieutenants:veryoldshipmatesandveryintimatefriendsindeed.TheBerenicehadsuppliedtheSurprisewithspars,cordage,storageandar
6、emarkablyefficientPakenhamsubstituteruddermadeofsparetopmasts;andthetwoship'scompanies,inspiteofaninitialstiffnessarisingfromtheSurprise'ssomewhatirregularstatus,agreedverywelltogetheraftertwoardentcricketmatchesontheislandofAscension,whereaproperrudder
7、wasshipped,andtherewasagreatdealofship-visitingasallthreelaywithlooseflappingsailsinthedoldrums,aswelteringfortnightwithmeltedtardrippingfromtheyards.Thoughunconscionablylong,itwasamostcompanionablevoyage,particularlyastheSuprisewasabletodoawaywithmucho
8、ftheinvidiousdifferencebetweendelivereranddeliveredbyprovidingthesicklyandunder-mannedBerenicewithasurgeon,herownhavingbeenlost,togetherwithhisonlymate,whentheirboatoverturnednottenyardsfromtheship-neithercouldswim,andeachseizedt
