资源描述：
《the reverse of the medal- patrick o′brian》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在教育资源-天天文库。
1、TheReverseOfTheMedalAubrey-MaturinSeriesBOOKELEVENbyPatrickO'BrianCHAPTERONETheWestIndiessquadronlayoffBridgetown,shelteredfromthenorth-casttradewindandbaskinginthebrilliantsun.Itwasadiminishedsquadron,consistingoflittlemorethantheancientIrresistible,wearingtheflagofSirWilliamPellew,re
2、datthefore,andtwoorthreebattered,worn-out,undermannedstoops,togetherwithastoreshipandatransport;foralltheseaworthyvesselswerefarawayintheAtlanticorCaribbean,lookingforthepossibleFrenchorAmericanmen-of-warandthecertainprivateers,numerous,well-armed,well-handled,fullofmen,swift-sailingan
3、deagerfortheirprey,theEnglishandalliedmerchantships.Yetalthoughtheywereold,weather-wornandofteniron-sicktheywereapleasantsightlyingthereonthepurebluesea,asoutwardlytrimasWestIndiesspitandpolishcouldmakethem,withpaintandputtydisguisingthewoundsofageandtheirbright-workallablaze;andalthou
4、ghsomeofthemhadsufferedsofromfeverinJamaicaandontheSpanishMainthattheycouldscarcelymusterhandsenoughtowintheiranchors,therewerestillplentyofmen,bothofficersandforemast-jacks,whowereintimatelyacquaintedwiththeshipthatwasbeatingupagainstthesteadybreezeandwithmanyofthepeopleinher.Shewasth
5、eSurprise,atwenty-eight-gunfrigatethathadbeensenttoprotecttheBritishwhalersintheSouthSeasfromtheNorfolk,anAmericanman-of-warofroughlyequalforce.TheSurprisewasevenolderthantheIrresistible-indeedshehadbeenonherwaytothebreaker'syardwhenshewassuddenlygiventhemission-butunlikehershewasaswee
6、tsailer,particularlyonabowline;andifshehadnotbeentowingadismastedshipshewouldcertainlyhavejoinedthesquadronalittleafterdinner.Asthingswere,however,itwasdoubtfulwhethershewouldbeabletodosobeforetheeveninggun.TheAdmiralwasinclinedtothinkthatshemightmanageit;butthentheAdmiralwassomewhatbi
7、asedbyhisstrongdesiretoknowwhethertheSurprisehadsucceededinhertask,andwhetherthevesselshehadintowwasaprizecapturedinhisextensivewatersormerelyadistressedneutraloraBritishwhaler.InthefirstcaseSirWilliamwouldbeentitledtoatwelfthofhervalueandinthesecondtonothingwhatsoever,noteventothepr
