esteven (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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where_away2012-02-18 08:39 pm
esteven) wrote in where_away2012-02-18 08:39 pm
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Scourge, the bosun's cat
The bosun's cat dropped through the open skylight: it was a lean young cat of indifferent character, somewhat whorish, and it at once began rubbing itself against their legs, purring.
'That reminds me,' said Jack, absently pulling its tail, 'Hollar is going to ask you for a really good name, a classical name that will reflect credit on the ship. He thinks Puss or Tib is low.'
'The only possible name for a bosun's cat is Scourge,' said Stephen.
Understanding dawned on Captain Aubrey quite fast, and his great fruity laugh boomed out, setting the larboard watch on the grin as far forward as the break of the forecastle. 'Oh Lord,' he said, wiping his bright blue eyes at last, 'how I wish I had said that. Get away, you silly beast,' - this to the cat, which had now crawled up his breast and was rubbing its whiskers against his face, its eyes closed in a foolish ecstasy
'Killick, Killick there. Remove the bosun's cat: take it back to his cabin. Killick, do you know its name?'
Killick detected the slight tremble in his Captain's voice, and since for once he was feeling relatively benign he said No, he did not.
'Its name is Scourge,' said Jack, bursting out again. 'Scourge is the name of the bosun's cat, oh ha, ha, ha, ha!'
(chapter 3)
Scourge must be the only animal that loves Jack. :D
'That reminds me,' said Jack, absently pulling its tail, 'Hollar is going to ask you for a really good name, a classical name that will reflect credit on the ship. He thinks Puss or Tib is low.'
'The only possible name for a bosun's cat is Scourge,' said Stephen.
Understanding dawned on Captain Aubrey quite fast, and his great fruity laugh boomed out, setting the larboard watch on the grin as far forward as the break of the forecastle. 'Oh Lord,' he said, wiping his bright blue eyes at last, 'how I wish I had said that. Get away, you silly beast,' - this to the cat, which had now crawled up his breast and was rubbing its whiskers against his face, its eyes closed in a foolish ecstasy
'Killick, Killick there. Remove the bosun's cat: take it back to his cabin. Killick, do you know its name?'
Killick detected the slight tremble in his Captain's voice, and since for once he was feeling relatively benign he said No, he did not.
'Its name is Scourge,' said Jack, bursting out again. 'Scourge is the name of the bosun's cat, oh ha, ha, ha, ha!'
(chapter 3)
Scourge must be the only animal that loves Jack. :D
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Mind you, Stephen coming up with it... "He who would pun would pick a pocket." *loves him*
(I love cats. I'm glad that the cat loves Jack. :D )
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Oh, FSotW has a lot of memorable quotes :D
So am I.
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FSOTW has one of my favourite Marine quotes... but I don't have my copy here and will need to pick it up - along with all the rest of the Aubreyad. And other AoS books.
And then I'll post up some of my own personal favourite quotes here, too.
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I adore that the cat is described as somewhat whorish!
The sloth did come to love Jack eventually I feel, given that it would curl up on his knee. Of course, the sloth was also very heavily bribed...
Maybe it's because, unlike Stephen, Jack doesn't really love animals? He likes them, and respects them and recognises they are useful, but he's not really very interested in them as personalities.
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And it is the cat that attaches herself to the captain ;D
the sloth was also very heavily bribed...
*g*
Which earned Jack a salope ;D Also, the cat came of her own accord and did not have to be bribed.
I feel you have a point there. Animals are useful to Jack, no more. Ships on the other hand...