lkjfl;dkjf I hadn't even thought of that. Bush. Man. They really hammer it in during LtH that he doesn't really have a jealous bone in his body, and he's certainly pretty willing to offer his captain up on a silver plate to Barbara if she'll help take care of him. The love that Bush has for Hornblower odesn't feel possessive, at least not in the book --
-- I don't know how far you are in SotL, but if you set the story just previous to SotL and they run into Archie then and Archie makes Hornblower happier and less freaked out despite his own doubts and frustrations. And then, at the end, he sails away. And Bush watches Hornblower go back to his old depressed self as they round the Cape. If you want to give Bush the intelligence to see it, the conversation with Barbara then takes on a whole, fascinating new dimension. It's an admission that him and their lovely ship, even acting together, aren't as good for Hornblower as Archie. *aches, aches aches*
Also, depending on how out of touch Archie and Hornblower were, would Archie know that Hornblower had gotten married? That he'd lost his children? Man.
The notion of Bush telling him about it.
And the notion of the connection that lingers even after the men have changed is such a brilliant, powerful one. It fits in so well with the notion of Navy life being a series of leavings, you know? But there are some things that you can't leave behind -- you can leave behind your family, your friends, land life, everything, except for the past.
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branchandroot
For an audience of one! Who didn't have to pay at the door, either. :D
Date: 2006-02-08 02:54 am (UTC)-- I don't know how far you are in SotL, but if you set the story just previous to SotL and they run into Archie then and Archie makes Hornblower happier and less freaked out despite his own doubts and frustrations. And then, at the end, he sails away. And Bush watches Hornblower go back to his old depressed self as they round the Cape. If you want to give Bush the intelligence to see it, the conversation with Barbara then takes on a whole, fascinating new dimension. It's an admission that him and their lovely ship, even acting together, aren't as good for Hornblower as Archie. *aches, aches aches*
Also, depending on how out of touch Archie and Hornblower were, would Archie know that Hornblower had gotten married? That he'd lost his children? Man.
The notion of Bush telling him about it.
And the notion of the connection that lingers even after the men have changed is such a brilliant, powerful one. It fits in so well with the notion of Navy life being a series of leavings, you know? But there are some things that you can't leave behind -- you can leave behind your family, your friends, land life, everything, except for the past.