“That is a usual state of affairs,” said Clive. “One might almost call it symptomatic. After a severe concussion the patient usually displays a lapse of memory, extending back to many hours before the injury.”
Bush stole a glance at Hornblower again. His face was still expressionless, and Bush tried to follow his example, both in betraying no emotion and in leaving the questioning to others. And yet this was great, glorious, magnificent news which could not be too much elaborated on for Bush’s taste.
“Where does he think he is?” went on Lomax.
“Oh, he knows he’s in this ship,” said Clive, cautiously.
Now Buckland turned upon Clive; Buckland was hollow-cheeked, unshaven, weary, but he had seen the captain in his berth, and he was in consequence a little more ready to force the issue.
“In your opinion is the captain fit for duty?” he demanded.
“Well—” said Clive again.
“Well?”
“Temporarily, perhaps not.”
That was an unsatisfactory answer, but Buckland seemed to have exhausted all his resolution in extracting it. Hornblower raised a masklike face and stared straight at Clive.