Chapters 17 and 18 Summary

Hornblower returns to England but grows restless after two months—the Congress of Vienna drags interminably on. Hornblower decides to return to France and visit his old friend, the Comte de Graçay, and his old lover, the Comte's daughter-in-law Marie. Hornblower enlists Brown's service for the long trip, and throughout the preparations and voyage Brown seems unusually animated. Previously, Hornblower and Brown had both been fugitives as prisoners of war and had both been sheltered from Napoleon's police and agents, along with Bush, by the Comte at his estate. During that time they had both gained a certain fluency in French. On the voyage Hornblower introspects about his motivation; although he will not admit it directly, he knows that his principle motivation in the voyage is to once again engage the lovely Marie in sexual intercourse.

Hornblower and Brown...