enquired coldly â and for the benefit of the first lieutenant whose expression bespoke a measure of concern: âAre the materials available without detriment to the smooth running of the ship?â
The sailmaker reluctantly conceded that he supposed he might find something lying around.
âVery well, Mr Sweeney. Make it so. And as near to the stern-rail as you are able. My coxswain will assist you with any fixtures you may require.â
And so, to the bemusement of the shipâs company and the tight-lipped disapproval of Mr Duncan, a canvas structure somewhat resembling the pavilion of a medieval knight at a tournament gradually rose to prominence at the stern end of the frigate, with the blue ensign hanging somewhat flaccidly above its peaked extremity. Nathan availed himself of the Turkish carpets and cushions brought aboard by their passengers and a table was improvised from timbers and empty casks covered with a damask cloth. Well content with this arrangement, Nathan retired there for the best part of the afternoon, reclining upon the cushions in a silken robe which he had thrown over his shirt and breeches, and reading
Tom Jones
by Mr Henry Fielding, which he had borrowed from Fremantleâs extensive library.
He rarely smoked, but in the circumstances he allowed himself this luxury, filling his long, curved pipe with a special ingredient of tobacco and herbs provided by the shipâs surgeon, McLeish, which he was assured would induce a mood of calm composure. Nathan had initially taken this as a criticism of the more volatile aspect of his nature, but he had given the mixture a trial and conceded its merits. It induced feelings of serene equanimity, a benign acceptance of the many things he could not change but which had so often tested his patience in the past. When he enquired of its content, the surgeon merely winked and laid a finger upon his nose, but more persistent probing elicited the information that it contained a portion of the species
Cannabis sativa
, closely related to the hemp used in the manufacture of shipâs cable. McLeish advised against overuse, explaining that it could induce a level of complacency not advisable in the Captain of a ship-of-war, but at moments such as this, floating upon a flat calm under a cloudless sky with no obvious threats upon the horizon, Nathan felt that it could be resorted to with an easy conscience.
He had drawn back the flaps at the rear of his domain to allow a little air to flow and provide a view over the ocean to the distant Isle of Capraia, which grew more attractive a prospect as the hours slipped gently by. He imagined a life of seclusion and contemplation among the goats and herbs of the island pastures, far from the cares of command and conflict, dwelling upon the mysteries of the earth and the heavens in the manner of one of the Ancient Greek philosophers. In such a mood he concluded that he was far too inclined to worry about matters over which he had little or no control. Matters such as the wind and the tide â though admittedly the latter was not an issue in the Mediterranean. The war. And more particularly, the behaviour of other people. His mother, for instance, could often drive him to distraction with her whims and wiles, and yet she was really a very good-natured woman, very affectionate. He missed her a great deal. He must show her how much he appreciated her the next time he was home.
And then there was Sara.
They had met in Paris during the Terror, when Nathan was occupied on confidential business for His Majestyâs Government. They had fallen in love. At least, Nathan knew he had been in love and he was reasonably sure that Sara felt the same. But after only a brief courtship they had been thrown apart by the political upheavals of the time. Nathan had thought she was dead, a victim of the guillotine. In fact she had fled Paris and sought refuge in the Vendée where she had fought with the Catholic rebels.
The sailmaker reluctantly conceded that he supposed he might find something lying around.
âVery well, Mr Sweeney. Make it so. And as near to the stern-rail as you are able. My coxswain will assist you with any fixtures you may require.â
And so, to the bemusement of the shipâs company and the tight-lipped disapproval of Mr Duncan, a canvas structure somewhat resembling the pavilion of a medieval knight at a tournament gradually rose to prominence at the stern end of the frigate, with the blue ensign hanging somewhat flaccidly above its peaked extremity. Nathan availed himself of the Turkish carpets and cushions brought aboard by their passengers and a table was improvised from timbers and empty casks covered with a damask cloth. Well content with this arrangement, Nathan retired there for the best part of the afternoon, reclining upon the cushions in a silken robe which he had thrown over his shirt and breeches, and reading
Tom Jones
by Mr Henry Fielding, which he had borrowed from Fremantleâs extensive library.
He rarely smoked, but in the circumstances he allowed himself this luxury, filling his long, curved pipe with a special ingredient of tobacco and herbs provided by the shipâs surgeon, McLeish, which he was assured would induce a mood of calm composure. Nathan had initially taken this as a criticism of the more volatile aspect of his nature, but he had given the mixture a trial and conceded its merits. It induced feelings of serene equanimity, a benign acceptance of the many things he could not change but which had so often tested his patience in the past. When he enquired of its content, the surgeon merely winked and laid a finger upon his nose, but more persistent probing elicited the information that it contained a portion of the species
Cannabis sativa
, closely related to the hemp used in the manufacture of shipâs cable. McLeish advised against overuse, explaining that it could induce a level of complacency not advisable in the Captain of a ship-of-war, but at moments such as this, floating upon a flat calm under a cloudless sky with no obvious threats upon the horizon, Nathan felt that it could be resorted to with an easy conscience.
He had drawn back the flaps at the rear of his domain to allow a little air to flow and provide a view over the ocean to the distant Isle of Capraia, which grew more attractive a prospect as the hours slipped gently by. He imagined a life of seclusion and contemplation among the goats and herbs of the island pastures, far from the cares of command and conflict, dwelling upon the mysteries of the earth and the heavens in the manner of one of the Ancient Greek philosophers. In such a mood he concluded that he was far too inclined to worry about matters over which he had little or no control. Matters such as the wind and the tide â though admittedly the latter was not an issue in the Mediterranean. The war. And more particularly, the behaviour of other people. His mother, for instance, could often drive him to distraction with her whims and wiles, and yet she was really a very good-natured woman, very affectionate. He missed her a great deal. He must show her how much he appreciated her the next time he was home.
And then there was Sara.
They had met in Paris during the Terror, when Nathan was occupied on confidential business for His Majestyâs Government. They had fallen in love. At least, Nathan knew he had been in love and he was reasonably sure that Sara felt the same. But after only a brief courtship they had been thrown apart by the political upheavals of the time. Nathan had thought she was dead, a victim of the guillotine. In fact she had fled Paris and sought refuge in the Vendée where she had fought with the Catholic rebels.
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