The president cleared his throat again in the dead silence, and speaking in a clear, seamanlike voice that combined gravity, formality and cheerfulness, he said, ‘Captain Aubrey: it is no small pleasure to me to receive the commands of the court I have the honour to preside at, that in delivering you your sword, I should congratulate you upon its being restored by both friend and foe alike; hoping ere long you will be called upon to draw it once more in the honourable defence of your country. 

Master and Commander – Patrick O’Brian

‘Oh, I shall plead guilty at once,’ said Stephen. ‘And I shall add that I was sitting in the powder-magazine with a naked light at the time, imagining the death of the King, wasting my medical stores, smoking tobacco and making a fraudulent return of the portable soup. What solemn nonsense it is’ — laughing heartily — ‘I am surprised so sensible a man as you should attribute any importance to the matter.’

‘Oh, I do not mind it,’ cried Jack. ‘How you lie,’ said Stephen affectionately, but within his own bosom.

Master and Commander – Patrick O’Brian

‘She’s the Superb; she does so to keep her station and not over-run the Admiral, for she is a superb sailer, you know, the best in the fleet. Did you hear that?’

‘Yes.’

‘It was rather clever, I thought — witty.’

Master and Commander – Patrick O’Brian

‘Has she got out of the mole?’ cried Stephen, at a considerable distance. ‘Has the battle begun?’ Reassured, he said, ‘I would not have missed it for a hundred pounds: that damned fellow in Ward B and his untimely fancies — a fine time to cut one’s throat, good lack a-day.’

Master and Commander – Patrick O’Brian

He turned to another favourite naval song:

There happened of late a terrible fray,
Begun upon our St James’s day,
With a thump, thump, thump, thump, thump,
Thump, thump a thump, thump. 

An ape on a rock no great way off three a turd at him, quite unprovoked; and when he half rose in protest it shook its wizened fist and gibbered so furiously that he sank down again, so low were his spirits. 

— Master and Commander – Patrick O’Brian

‘You go a-walking,’ he said. ‘Do for all love go walking up very steep heights — traverse the Rock from end to end — traverse it again and again on an empty stomach. You are an obese subject; your hand quiver as you go. You must weight sixteen or even seventeen stone.’
‘And to be sure I do sweat like a mare in foal,’ he reflected, sitting under the shade of a boulder, loosening his waist-band and mopping himself. 

Master and Commander – Patrick O’Brian

Knock-knock on the door. ‘Beg pardon, your honour. Loblolly boy’s all in a mother, sir. Young Mr Ricketts has swallowed a musket-ball and they can’t get it out. Choking to death, sir, if you please.’

‘Forgive me,’ said Stephen, carefully putting down his glass and covering it with a red spotted handkerchief, a bandanna.

‘Is all well — did you manage . . .?’ asked Jack five minutes later.

‘We may not be able to do all we could wish in physic,’ said Stephen with quiet satisfaction, ‘but at least we can give an emetic that answers, I believe. You were saying, sir?’

Master and Commander – Patrick O’Brian

‘I say these damned things,’ Jack went on, musing as they drank their bottle, ‘and don’t quite understand at the time, though I see people looking black as hell, and frowning, and my friends going “Pst, pst”, and then I say to myself, “You’re brought by the lee again, Jack.” Usually I make out what’s amiss, given time, but by then it’s too late.’

Master and Commander – Patrick O’Brian