1. Kingston, Kingston, Kingston. Hornblower knows it is irrational, but he wishes that he could have told Archie "no." Even when he thinks about it now, it leaves a bitter taste in his mouth.
2. Kingston.
3. Horatio never really enjoyed being drunk, but he did like that time in Portsmouth with Archie, trying to drink the town dry. It was just that last round of drinking -- the Spanish wine with the strange, tarry taste -- that he wished he'd said "no" to. He woke the next morning with a full Marine band in his head and a Rear Admiral salute in his ears.
So yes, he wishes that he had said no.
4. When Archie was ill in prison and Horatio was nursing him, there were these long, terrible periods of silence. Archie would turn his face away from food and water and Horatio and stare at the blank wall; it went on and on and on, and to make Archie talk, Horatio would ask Archie questions. At first, they were technical questions about sailing because they were what sprang to Horatio's mind, but eventually, they moved to a more personal note. Horatio began to ask about Archie's family. Did he have sisters? Were they married? Were both of his parents still living? Had they been the ones who took him to the theater?
Eventually, Archie turned away from the wall, and when Archie had answered everything that Horatio could think of, Archie looked at Horatio. "And you, Horatio?"
Up until that point, Horatio had never even told anyone that his father was dead while he was away at sea. No-one had, in fact, ever asked. To make Archie laugh, Horatio even told him about the childish games he played -- he had been trying to explain why he went to sea, and a shadow fell over Archie's face. He was probably thinking of the fact that it had been so long since he had been at sea, and that had been it.
Horatio had been friendly with Archie before that. He felt an enormous sense of obligation to this midshipman whose time in prison he was responsible for, but there hadn't been a true emotional connection between them.
5. "Promise me you won't write to my family. Promise, Horatio. Do you understand why? My mother will tell everyone, and this will mean nothing -- "
5 times Horatio wishes he had told Archie "No"
2. Kingston.
3. Horatio never really enjoyed being drunk, but he did like that time in Portsmouth with Archie, trying to drink the town dry. It was just that last round of drinking -- the Spanish wine with the strange, tarry taste -- that he wished he'd said "no" to. He woke the next morning with a full Marine band in his head and a Rear Admiral salute in his ears.
So yes, he wishes that he had said no.
4. When Archie was ill in prison and Horatio was nursing him, there were these long, terrible periods of silence. Archie would turn his face away from food and water and Horatio and stare at the blank wall; it went on and on and on, and to make Archie talk, Horatio would ask Archie questions. At first, they were technical questions about sailing because they were what sprang to Horatio's mind, but eventually, they moved to a more personal note. Horatio began to ask about Archie's family. Did he have sisters? Were they married? Were both of his parents still living? Had they been the ones who took him to the theater?
Eventually, Archie turned away from the wall, and when Archie had answered everything that Horatio could think of, Archie looked at Horatio. "And you, Horatio?"
Up until that point, Horatio had never even told anyone that his father was dead while he was away at sea. No-one had, in fact, ever asked. To make Archie laugh, Horatio even told him about the childish games he played -- he had been trying to explain why he went to sea, and a shadow fell over Archie's face. He was probably thinking of the fact that it had been so long since he had been at sea, and that had been it.
Horatio had been friendly with Archie before that. He felt an enormous sense of obligation to this midshipman whose time in prison he was responsible for, but there hadn't been a true emotional connection between them.
5. "Promise me you won't write to my family. Promise, Horatio. Do you understand why? My mother will tell everyone, and this will mean nothing -- "