Persuasion

There is a man at the head of the table, he wears a white cravat, a vest and an ornate military coat. All eyes are on him though it has nothing to do with his attire. This man is a man of greatness. His skin is slightly glossy as he surveys the good work made of the meal set before him. the air in the room is filled with the scent of young hens cooked golden brown and eaten with no utensils. The lighting, which radiates from several large candelabras makes everyone at the table look lively and healthy. The light turning their otherwise pale complexions to a healthy full orange tinted glowing hue. For such soft faces it seems odd that all they speak of is war. " we have a navy registry right here"
" oh you won't find my ship in there". This man, captain Wentworth, was sent out on a floating piece of trash. Nothing fit for the ocean, so it no longer could be found in the active registry. It had been destroyed for scraps years ago. As the captain speaks of the pitiful state of his old ship an older man, an admiral seems offended. The young captain was lucky to get any charge at his age. He should be happy to get anything, to get a ship , to get a chance with the admirals daughter. The young captain should be grateful to even get a seat at the admirals table. The admiral’s daughter, who is mute through this entire exchange, looks uncomfortable in a greenish white gown. Her and the captain furtively sneak glances at each other as hands flash over the feast before them, fingers are picking bones bare like locust flying above the table top.
As they all eat and the candles slowly burn down the discussion turns again to work. The captain does not know when he shall be at sea again and the admiral can only hope that they all “ have the good luck to live to another war”. This seems natural to everyone in the scene; it is normal for one to hope for war and hope for employment. But as I watch the scene, hundreds of years later and captured on a flimsy piece of plastic and read by a laser, I can not help but wonder. Why all the talk of war? The admiral does not see the looks that captain gives his daughter. But I do. The admiral sees in his mind his ships in the great royal harbor ready to strike out to all corners of the world. He can see the whole world, but not his silent daughter and the captain, neither of them seem too important at all.