But he had that difference at the back of his mind, all the same, as he looked at Buckland and Hornblower chatting together on the quarterdeck. The afternoon watch had ended, and the first dogwatch had begun, with Hornblower as officer of the watch. It was the traditional moment for relaxation; the heat of the day had passed, and the hands collected forward, some of them to gaze down at the dolphins leaping round the bows, while the officers who had been dozing during the afternoon in their cabins came up to the quarterdeck for air and paced up and down in little groups deep in conversation.
A ship of war manned for active service was the most crowded place in the world — more crowded than the most rundown tenement in Seven Dials — but long and hard experience had taught the inhabitants how to live even in those difficult conditions. Forward there were groups of men yarning, men skylarking; there were solitary men who had each pre‑empted a square yard of deck for himself and sat, cross‑legged, with tools and materials about them, doing scrimshaw work — delicate carvings on bone — or embroidery or whittling at models oblivious to the tumult about them. Similarly aft on the crowded quarterdeck the groups of officers strolled and chatted, avoiding the other groups without conscious effort.
It was in accordance with the traditions of the service that these groups left the windward side of the quarterdeck to Buckland as long as he was on deck; and Buckland seemed to be making a long stay this afternoon. He was deep in conversation with Hornblower, the two of them pacing up and down beside the quarterdeck carronades, eight yards forward, eight yards back again; long ago the navy had discovered that when the walking distance was so limited conversation must not be interrupted by the necessarily frequent turns. Every pair of officers turned inwards as they reached the limits of their walk, facing each other momentarily and continuing the conversation without a break, and walking with their hands clasped behind them as a result of the training they had all received as midshipmen not to put their hands in their pockets.
So walked Buckland and Hornblower, and curious glances were cast at them by the others, for even on this golden evening, with the blue‑enamel sea overside and the sun sinking to starboard with the promise of a magnificent sunset, everyone was conscious that in the cabin just below their feet lay a wretched insane man, half‑swathed in a straitjacket; and Buckland had to make up his mind how to deal with him. Up and down, up and down walked Buckland and Hornblower. Hornblower seemed to be as deferential as ever, and Buckland seemed to be asking questions; but some of the replies he received must have been unexpected, for more than once Buckland stopped in the middle of a turn and stood facing Hornblower, apparently repeating his question, while Hornblower seemed to be standing his ground both literally and figuratively, sturdy and yet respectful, as Buckland stood with the sun illuminating his haggard features.
Perhaps it had been a fortunate chance that had made Hornblower decide to take a bath under the wash‑deck pump — this conversation had its beginnings in that incident.
“Is that a council of war?” said Smith to Bush, looking across at the pair.
“Not likely,” said Bush.
A first lieutenant would not deliberately ask the advice or even the opinion of one so junior. Yet — yet — it might be possible, starting with idle conversation about different matters.
“Don’t tell me they’re discussing Catholic Emancipation,” said Lomax.
It was just possible, Bush realised guiltily, that they were discussing something else — that question as to how the captain had come to fall down the hatchway. Bush found himself automatically looking round the deck for Wellard when that thought occurred to him. Wellard was skylarking in the main rigging with the midshipmen and master’s mates as if he had not a care in the world. But it could not be that question which Buckland and Homblower were discussing. Their attitudes seemed to indicate that theories and not facts were the subject of the debate.