Patrick O’Brian on Having Your Cake

Jack Aubrey sometimes misspeaks, and Stephen Maturin is always ready to help. Here, all hands are needed to get the Surprise ready for sea, and so Jack Aubrey has stopped all shore leave:

‘May you not find the men grow wilful and discontented? May they not, with a united mind, rush violently from the ship?’

‘They will not be pleased. But they know we must catch the monsoon with a well-found ship; and they know they are in the Navy – they have chosen their cake, and must lie on it.’

‘You mean, they cannot have their bed and eat it.’

‘No, no, it is not quite that, neither. I mean – I wish you would not confuse my mind, Stephen.’

— Patrick O’Brian, H.M.S. Surprise