Editing Tharkay
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Tharkay's father took some pains with his son's education, and Tharkay spoke English with an upperclass accent, but Tharkay was not accepted as a British gentleman by others. At some point in his life he was embroiled in a lawsuit in Scotland and became "tolerably familiar" with the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Scotland's highest civil court. He once told [[Temeraire]], rather sardonically, that lawyers were translators one hires to "say things properly", then added that, "Justice is expensive. That is why there is so little of it, and that reserved for those few with enough money and influence to afford it." | Tharkay's father took some pains with his son's education, and Tharkay spoke English with an upperclass accent, but Tharkay was not accepted as a British gentleman by others. At some point in his life he was embroiled in a lawsuit in Scotland and became "tolerably familiar" with the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Scotland's highest civil court. He once told [[Temeraire]], rather sardonically, that lawyers were translators one hires to "say things properly", then added that, "Justice is expensive. That is why there is so little of it, and that reserved for those few with enough money and influence to afford it." | ||
− | Tharkay's lawsuit apparently failed, and he went on to spend "the better part of his life in the wild places of the earth" as an experienced and highly competent | + | Tharkay's lawsuit apparently failed, and he went on to spend "the better part of his life in the wild places of the earth" as an experienced and highly competent traveller with a command of many languages, including Chinese, Turkish and the dragon language [[Durzagh]] (which he taught to Temeraire). He considered himself answerable to no authority but his own conscience and, in contrast to [[William Laurence|Laurence]], had little "natural inclination" to hold himself "responsible for the sins of the world", rather than for his own. |
In appearance Tharkay possessed a lean and angular face with somewhat Oriental features. His eyes were dark and slanting, but more Western in shape than Chinese, and although his skin was "much like polished teak wood" in colour, this was mainly due to sun and weather. He had something of a fondness for taming birds of prey. When Laurence first met him in the summer of 1806, he had an eagle as a companion, although she was later killed in an avalanche in the Pamirs inadvertently caused by Temeraire. Later on, during Napoleon's occupation, he acquired a kestrel. | In appearance Tharkay possessed a lean and angular face with somewhat Oriental features. His eyes were dark and slanting, but more Western in shape than Chinese, and although his skin was "much like polished teak wood" in colour, this was mainly due to sun and weather. He had something of a fondness for taming birds of prey. When Laurence first met him in the summer of 1806, he had an eagle as a companion, although she was later killed in an avalanche in the Pamirs inadvertently caused by Temeraire. Later on, during Napoleon's occupation, he acquired a kestrel. | ||
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Suspicious of Temeraire both for his political organizing and for his ability to replicate Lien's feat, the government agreed to commute Laurence's death sentence to transportation and labour in Australia on the condition that he take Temeraire with him. They were sent aboard the Allegiance, which was serving as a prison ship for the journey and carrying many, many other convicts. | Suspicious of Temeraire both for his political organizing and for his ability to replicate Lien's feat, the government agreed to commute Laurence's death sentence to transportation and labour in Australia on the condition that he take Temeraire with him. They were sent aboard the Allegiance, which was serving as a prison ship for the journey and carrying many, many other convicts. | ||
− | Somewhat to Laurence's surprise, Tharkay also chose to travel aboard the Allegiance. Technically he travelled as Captain Riley's guest, Riley's wife Captain [[Catherine Harcourt|Harcourt]] | + | Somewhat to Laurence's surprise, Tharkay also chose to travel aboard the Allegiance. Technically he travelled as Captain Riley's guest, Riley's wife Captain [[Catherine Harcourt|Harcourt]] having formally introduced them. Tharkay gave to Laurence only the excuse that he was "tolerably well in pocket, at present," thanks to Admiral Roland's generosity, and that since he had never been to Australia, the journey tempted him. Why he had selected the Allegiance for the voyage, when his funds would have allowed him to choose otherwise, he did not say. There is sufficient indication that he is motivated by a deep and profound respect for Laurence's character, and as a matter of conscious choice decides to remain in the latter's immediate circle of companionship: "Wanderlust might drive a man across the ocean or to the furthest edge of the world; it would not drive him aboard a ship with one he despised, when funds would have allowed him to choose his passage." |
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[[Category:A-Z]] | [[Category:A-Z]] | ||
[[Category:British]] | [[Category:British]] | ||
[[Category:People]] | [[Category:People]] |