1. There are a great number of things that Bush never told Hornblower. It was the nature of both their relationship and their characters to leave important things unsaid.
The fact that certain things were never said, though, did not mean that they were unexpressed. The important things were communicated.
2. Here is one thing that Bush never expressed to Hornblower, in either words or gesture, though: that he knew his captain was tone deaf. He had known since that night aboard the Renown when Hornblower walked him to bed. Bush had been drunk, but so drunk as to fail to notice that his friend had no idea what Bush had been humming until Bush began applying words to the melody.
3. Here is a second: that he knew Hornblower's children had died of smallpox.
4. Also: that their friendship notwithstanding, Bush had told Lady Barbara to look after his captain.
5. And finally, something that Bush never said, at least not as a form of address: Hornblower's given name. He said Hornblower's given name on a number of occaisions -- describing his friend to family at Chichester, for example, or when talking about Hornblower to friends in Sheerness -- but it was "Hornblower" during intimate conversations and, in other times, "sir" or "Captain" or "Commodore."
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branchandroot
1) Five things Bush never told Hornblower
Date: 2006-10-01 06:45 pm (UTC)The fact that certain things were never said, though, did not mean that they were unexpressed. The important things were communicated.
2. Here is one thing that Bush never expressed to Hornblower, in either words or gesture, though: that he knew his captain was tone deaf. He had known since that night aboard the Renown when Hornblower walked him to bed. Bush had been drunk, but so drunk as to fail to notice that his friend had no idea what Bush had been humming until Bush began applying words to the melody.
3. Here is a second: that he knew Hornblower's children had died of smallpox.
4. Also: that their friendship notwithstanding, Bush had told Lady Barbara to look after his captain.
5. And finally, something that Bush never said, at least not as a form of address: Hornblower's given name. He said Hornblower's given name on a number of occaisions -- describing his friend to family at Chichester, for example, or when talking about Hornblower to friends in Sheerness -- but it was "Hornblower" during intimate conversations and, in other times, "sir" or "Captain" or "Commodore."
Bush died before Hornblower became an Admiral.