Ramage by Dudley Pope

Author:Dudley Pope [Pope, Dudley]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Historical Naval Fiction
ISBN: 9780935526769
Google: PT5tkU5XfCMC
Amazon: 0935526765
Goodreads: 852721
Publisher: McBooks Press
Published: 1974-01-01T11:00:00+00:00

In the great cabin Ramage found an elegantly carved desk, with an inlaid top set facing the stern lights. He sat down and looked out at the smooth wake the frigate was leaving across the surface of the almost harsh blue sea. The prize brig, sails furled on the yards, a white ensign over the Tricolor, was tow-ing astern. The cable, led out of one of the frigate's stern chase gun ports, made a long and graceful curve, its weight making it dip down into the sea before it rose up again to the brig's bow. Occasionally, as the brig yawed and took a sheer to larboard, or starboard, the extra strain flattened the curve, and Ramage could hear the grumbling of the tiller ropes running down to the deck below as the men at the wheel put theLively's helm up or down, to counteract the cable's sudden tug.

Several miles beyond the brig was Argentario, distance and heat haze colouring it pearl-grey and smoothing the cliffs and peaks into rounded humps. The sun playing on the olive groves made them look like tiny inlaid squares of silver. The island of Giglio, a dozen miles nearer, was like a whale on the surface basking in the sun. Even closer, and farther to the right, Monte Cristo, with its sheer cliffs, sat like a big, rich brown cake on a vivid blue tablecloth.

Ramage reached for the quill and as he dipped it in the silver ink-well, saw a letter partly hidden under the sheets of blank paper. He was just going to put it to one side when he remem-bered Probus's curious phrase about not writing his report until he'd read Pisano's complaint.

Yes, it was from Pisano, written in a sprawling hand, each letter tumbling over its neighbour.

So that was why Probus insisted he used the desk...

The wording of Pisano's complaint was difficult to under-stand: a combination of indignation and near-hysteria played havoc with both his English grammar and vocabulary. As he read it, Ramage realized the words were an echo of the tirade he had last heard - spoken in high-pitched Italian - on the beach at Cala Grande. The letter concluded first with a demand thatTenente Ramage should be severely (underlined three times) punished for cowardice and negligence; and secondly, with pious expressions of gratitude that God should have been merciful in rescuing them fromTenente Ramage's clutches and delivering them into the capable hands ofIl Barone Probus.

Ramage put the letter down. He felt no anger or resentment, which surprised him. Just how did he feel? Hurt? No - you could be hurt only by someone you respected. Disgust? Yes, just plain straightforward and honest disgust: the same re-action as when you saw some drunken whore caressing a be-sotted seaman with one hand and stealing his money with the other. She would justify her behaviour by saying a girl had to eat and the sailor could afford the loss, forgetting he'd probably earned the money fighting in half a dozen actions, and for less than a pound a month.

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