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64181.
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CHAPTER 64. Stubb’s Supper.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64182.
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Stubb’s whale had been killed some distance from the ship. It was a calm; so, forming a tandem of three boats, we commenced the slow business of towing the trophy to the Pequod. And now, as we eighteen men with our thirty-six arms, and one hundred and eighty thumbs and fingers, slowly toiled hour after hour upon that inert, sluggish corpse in the sea; and it seemed hardly to budge at all, except at long intervals; good evidence was hereby furnished of the enormousness of the mass we moved. For, upon the great canal of Hang-Ho, or whatever they call it, in China, four or five laborers on the foot-path will draw a bulky freighted junk at the rate of a mile an hour; but this grand argosy we towed heavily forged along, as if laden with pig-lead in bulk.
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Stubb
Fleece
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Darkness came on; but three lights up and down in the Pequod’s main-rigging dimly guided our way; till drawing nearer we saw Ahab dropping one of several more lanterns over the bulwarks. Vacantly eyeing the heaving whale for a moment, he issued the usual orders for securing it for the night, and then handing his lantern to a seaman, went his way into the cabin, and did not come forward again until morning.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64184.
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Though, in overseeing the pursuit of this whale, Captain Ahab had evinced his customary activity, to call it so; yet now that the creature was dead, some vague dissatisfaction, or impatience, or despair, seemed working in him; as if the sight of that dead body reminded him that Moby Dick was yet to be slain; and though a thousand other whales were brought to his ship, all that would not one jot advance his grand, monomaniac object. Very soon you would have thought from the sound on the Pequod’s decks, that all hands were preparing to cast anchor in the deep; for heavy chains are being dragged along the deck, and thrust rattling out of the port-holes. But by those clanking links, the vast corpse itself, not the ship, is to be moored. Tied by the head to the stern, and by the tail to the bows, the whale now lies with its black hull close to the vessel’s and seen through the darkness of the night, which obscured the spars and rigging aloft, the two—ship and whale, seemed yoked together like colossal bullocks, whereof one reclines while the other remains standing.*
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*A little item may as well be related here. The strongest and most reliable hold which the ship has upon the whale when moored alongside, is by the flukes or tail; and as from its greater density that part is relatively heavier than any other excepting the side-fins , its flexibility even in death, causes it to sink low beneath the surface; so that with the hand you cannot get at it from the boat, in order to put the chain round it. But this difficulty is ingeniously overcome: a small, strong line is prepared with a wooden float at its outer end, and a weight in its middle, while the other end is secured to the ship. By adroit management the wooden float is made to rise on the other side of the mass, so that now having girdled the whale, the chain is readily made to follow suit; and being slipped along the body, is at last locked fast round the smallest part of the tail, at the point of junction with its broad flukes or lobes.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64186.
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If moody Ahab was now all quiescence, at least so far as could be known on deck, Stubb, his second mate, flushed with conquest, betrayed an unusual but still good-natured excitement. Such an unwonted bustle was he in that the staid Starbuck, his official superior, quietly resigned to him for the time the sole management of affairs. One small, helping cause of all this liveliness in Stubb, was soon made strangely manifest. Stubb was a high liver; he was somewhat intemperately fond of the whale as a flavorish thing to his palate.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64187.
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"A steak, a steak, ere I sleep! You, Daggoo! overboard you go, and cut me one from his small!"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64188.
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Here be it known, that though these wild fishermen do not, as a general thing, and according to the great military maxim, make the enemy defray the current expenses of the war at least before realizing the proceeds of the voyage , yet now and then you find some of these Nantucketers who have a genuine relish for that particular part of the Sperm Whale designated by Stubb; comprising the tapering extremity of the body.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64189.
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About midnight that steak was cut and cooked; and lighted by two lanterns of sperm oil, Stubb stoutly stood up to his spermaceti supper at the capstan-head, as if that capstan were a sideboard. Nor was Stubb the only banqueter on whale’s flesh that night. Mingling their mumblings with his own mastications, thousands on thousands of sharks, swarming round the dead leviathan, smackingly feasted on its fatness. The few sleepers below in their bunks were often startled by the sharp slapping of their tails against the hull, within a few inches of the sleepers’ hearts. Peering over the side you could just see them as before you heard them wallowing in the sullen, black waters, and turning over on their backs as they scooped out huge globular pieces of the whale of the bigness of a human head. This particular feat of the shark seems all but miraculous. How at such an apparently unassailable surface, they contrive to gouge out such symmetrical mouthfuls, remains a part of the universal problem of all things. The mark they thus leave on the whale, may best be likened to the hollow made by a carpenter in countersinking for a screw.
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Stubb
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64190.
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Though amid all the smoking horror and diabolism of a sea-fight, sharks will be seen longingly gazing up to the ship’s decks, like hungry dogs round a table where red meat is being carved, ready to bolt down every killed man that is tossed to them; and though, while the valiant butchers over the deck-table are thus cannibally carving each other’s live meat with carving-knives all gilded and tasselled, the sharks, also, with their jewel-hilted mouths, are quarrelsomely carving away under the table at the dead meat; and though, were you to turn the whole affair upside down, it would still be pretty much the same thing, that is to say, a shocking sharkish business enough for all parties; and though sharks also are the invariable outriders of all slave ships crossing the Atlantic, systematically trotting alongside, to be handy in case a parcel is to be carried anywhere, or a dead slave to be decently buried; and though one or two other like instances might be set down, touching the set terms, places, and occasions, when sharks do most socially congregate, and most hilariously feast; yet is there no conceivable time or occasion when you will find them in such countless numbers, and in gayer or more jovial spirits, than around a dead sperm whale, moored by night to a whaleship at sea. If you have never seen that sight, then suspend your decision about the propriety of devil-worship, and the expediency of conciliating the devil.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64191.
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But, as yet, Stubb heeded not the mumblings of the banquet that was going on so nigh him, no more than the sharks heeded the smacking of his own epicurean lips.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64192.
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"Cook, cook!—where’s that old Fleece?"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64193.
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he cried at length, widening his legs still further, as if to form a more secure base for his supper; and, at the same time darting his fork into the dish, as if stabbing with his lance;
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Stubb
Fleece
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64194.
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"cook, you cook!—sail this way, cook!"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64195.
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The old black, not in any very high glee at having been previously roused from his warm hammock at a most unseasonable hour, came shambling along from his galley, for, like many old blacks, there was something the matter with his knee-pans, which he did not keep well scoured like his other pans; this old Fleece, as they called him, came shuffling and limping along, assisting his step with his tongs, which, after a clumsy fashion, were made of straightened iron hoops; this old Ebony floundered along, and in obedience to the word of command, came to a dead stop on the opposite side of Stubb’s sideboard; when, with both hands folded before him, and resting on his two-legged cane, he bowed his arched back still further over, at the same time sideways inclining his head, so as to bring his best ear into play.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64196.
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"Cook,"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64197.
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said Stubb, rapidly lifting a rather reddish morsel to his mouth,
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Stubb
Fleece
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64198.
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"don’t you think this steak is rather overdone? You’ve been beating this steak too much, cook; it’s too tender. Don’t I always say that to be good, a whale-steak must be tough? There are those sharks now over the side, don’t you see they prefer it tough and rare? What a shindy they are kicking up! Cook, go and talk to ’em; tell ’em they are welcome to help themselves civilly, and in moderation, but they must keep quiet. Blast me, if I can hear my own voice. Away, cook, and deliver my message. Here, take this lantern,"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64199.
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snatching one from his sideboard;
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Stubb
Fleece
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64200.
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"now then, go and preach to ’em!"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64201.
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Sullenly taking the offered lantern, old Fleece limped across the deck to the bulwarks; and then, with one hand dropping his light low over the sea, so as to get a good view of his congregation, with the other hand he solemnly flourished his tongs, and leaning far over the side in a mumbling voice began addressing the sharks, while Stubb, softly crawling behind, overheard all that was said.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64202.
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"Fellow-critters: I’se ordered here to say dat you must stop dat dam noise dare. You hear? Stop dat dam smackin’ ob de lip! Massa Stubb say dat you can fill your dam bellies up to de hatchings, but by Gor! you must stop dat dam racket!"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64203.
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"Cook,"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64204.
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here interposed Stubb, accompanying the word with a sudden slap on the shoulder,—
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Stubb
Fleece
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64205.
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"Cook! why, damn your eyes, you mustn’t swear that way when you’re preaching. That’s no way to convert sinners, cook!"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64206.
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"Who dat? Den preach to him yourself,"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64207.
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sullenly turning to go.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64208.
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"No, cook; go on, go on."
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Stubb
Fleece
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64209.
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"Well, den, Belubed fellow-critters:"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64210.
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"Right!"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64211.
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exclaimed Stubb, approvingly,
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Stubb
Fleece
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64212.
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"coax ’em to it; try that,"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64213.
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and Fleece continued.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64214.
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"Do you is all sharks, and by natur wery woracious, yet I zay to you, fellow-critters, dat dat woraciousness—’top dat dam slappin’ ob de tail! How you tink to hear, spose you keep up such a dam slappin’ and bitin’ dare?"
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Stubb
Fleece
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"Cook,"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64216.
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cried Stubb, collaring him,
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Stubb
Fleece
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64217.
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"I won’t have that swearing. Talk to ’em gentlemanly."
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Stubb
Fleece
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64218.
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Once more the sermon proceeded.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64219.
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"Your woraciousness, fellow-critters, I don’t blame ye so much for; dat is natur, and can’t be helped; but to gobern dat wicked natur, dat is de pint. You is sharks, sartin; but if you gobern de shark in you, why den you be angel; for all angel is not’ing more dan de shark well goberned. Now, look here, bred’ren, just try wonst to be cibil, a helping yourselbs from dat whale. Don’t be tearin’ de blubber out your neighbour’s mout, I say. Is not one shark dood right as toder to dat whale? And, by Gor, none on you has de right to dat whale; dat whale belong to some one else. I know some o’ you has berry brig mout, brigger dan oders; but den de brig mouts sometimes has de small bellies; so dat de brigness of de mout is not to swaller wid, but to bit off de blubber for de small fry ob sharks, dat can’t get into de scrouge to help demselves."
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Stubb
Fleece
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"Well done, old Fleece!"
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Stubb
Fleece
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cried Stubb,
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Stubb
Fleece
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64222.
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"that’s Christianity; go on."
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Stubb
Fleece
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64223.
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"No use goin’ on; de dam willains will keep a scougin’ and slappin’ each oder, Massa Stubb; dey don’t hear one word; no use a-preachin’ to such dam g’uttons as you call ’em, till dare bellies is full, and dare bellies is bottomless; and when dey do get ’em full, dey wont hear you den; for den dey sink in de sea, go fast to sleep on de coral, and can’t hear not’ing at all, no more, for eber and eber."
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Stubb
Fleece
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64224.
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"Upon my soul, I am about of the same opinion; so give the benediction, Fleece, and I’ll away to my supper."
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Stubb
Fleece
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64225.
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Upon this, Fleece, holding both hands over the fishy mob, raised his shrill voice, and cried—
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Stubb
Fleece
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64226.
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"Cussed fellow-critters! Kick up de damndest row as ever you can; fill your dam’ bellies ’till dey bust—and den die."
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Stubb
Fleece
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64227.
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"Now, cook,"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64228.
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said Stubb, resuming his supper at the capstan;
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Stubb
Fleece
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"stand just where you stood before, there, over against me, and pay particular attention."
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Stubb
Fleece
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64230.
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"All dention,"
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Stubb
Fleece
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said Fleece, again stooping over upon his tongs in the desired position.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64232.
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"Well,"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64233.
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said Stubb, helping himself freely meanwhile;
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Stubb
Fleece
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64234.
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"I shall now go back to the subject of this steak. In the first place, how old are you, cook?"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64235.
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"What dat do wid de ’teak,"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64236.
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said the old black, testily.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64237.
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"Silence! How old are you, cook?"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64238.
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"’Bout ninety, dey say,"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64239.
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he gloomily muttered.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64240.
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"And you have lived in this world hard upon one hundred years, cook, and don’t know yet how to cook a whale-steak?"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64241.
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rapidly bolting another mouthful at the last word, so that morsel seemed a continuation of the question.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64242.
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"Where were you born, cook?"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64243.
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"’Hind de hatchway, in ferry-boat, goin’ ober de Roanoke."
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Stubb
Fleece
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64244.
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"Born in a ferry-boat! That’s queer, too. But I want to know what country you were born in, cook!"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64245.
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"Didn’t I say de Roanoke country?"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64246.
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he cried sharply.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64247.
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"No, you didn’t, cook; but I’ll tell you what I’m coming to, cook. You must go home and be born over again; you don’t know how to cook a whale-steak yet."
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Stubb
Fleece
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64248.
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"Bress my soul, if I cook noder one,"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64249.
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he growled, angrily, turning round to depart.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64250.
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"Come back, cook;—here, hand me those tongs;—now take that bit of steak there, and tell me if you think that steak cooked as it should be? Take it, I say"
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Stubb
Fleece
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—holding the tongs towards him—
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Stubb
Fleece
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64252.
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"take it, and taste it."
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Stubb
Fleece
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64253.
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Faintly smacking his withered lips over it for a moment, the old negro muttered,
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Stubb
Fleece
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64254.
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"Best cooked ’teak I eber taste; joosy, berry joosy."
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Stubb
Fleece
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64255.
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"Cook,"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64256.
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said Stubb, squaring himself once more;
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Stubb
Fleece
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64257.
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"do you belong to the church?"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64258.
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"Passed one once in Cape-Down,"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64259.
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said the old man sullenly.
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Fleece
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64260.
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"And you have once in your life passed a holy church in Cape-Town, where you doubtless overheard a holy parson addressing his hearers as his beloved fellow-creatures, have you, cook! And yet you come here, and tell me such a dreadful lie as you did just now, eh?"
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Stubb
Fleece
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said Stubb.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64262.
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"Where do you expect to go to, cook?"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64263.
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"Go to bed berry soon,"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64264.
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he mumbled, half-turning as he spoke.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64265.
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"Avast! heave to! I mean when you die, cook. It’s an awful question. Now what’s your answer?"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64266.
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"When dis old brack man dies,"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64267.
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said the negro slowly, changing his whole air and demeanor,
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Stubb
Fleece
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64268.
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"he hisself won’t go nowhere; but some bressed angel will come and fetch him."
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Stubb
Fleece
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64269.
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"Fetch him? How? In a coach and four, as they fetched Elijah? And fetch him where?"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64270.
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"Up dere,"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64271.
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said Fleece, holding his tongs straight over his head, and keeping it there very solemnly.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64272.
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"So, then, you expect to go up into our main-top, do you, cook, when you are dead? But don’t you know the higher you climb, the colder it gets? Main-top, eh?"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64273.
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"Didn’t say dat t’all,"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64274.
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said Fleece, again in the sulks.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64275.
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"You said up there, didn’t you? and now look yourself, and see where your tongs are pointing. But, perhaps you expect to get into heaven by crawling through the lubber’s hole, cook; but, no, no, cook, you don’t get there, except you go the regular way, round by the rigging. It’s a ticklish business, but must be done, or else it’s no go. But none of us are in heaven yet. Drop your tongs, cook, and hear my orders. Do ye hear? Hold your hat in one hand, and clap t’other a’top of your heart, when I’m giving my orders, cook. What! that your heart, there?—that’s your gizzard! Aloft! aloft!—that’s it—now you have it. Hold it there now, and pay attention."
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Stubb
Fleece
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64276.
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"All ’dention,"
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Stubb
Fleece
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64277.
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said the old black, with both hands placed as desired, vainly wriggling his grizzled head, as if to get both ears in front at one and the same time.
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Fleece
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64278.
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"Well then, cook, you see this whale-steak of yours was so very bad, that I have put it out of sight as soon as possible; you see that, don’t you? Well, for the future, when you cook another whale-steak for my private table here, the capstan, I’ll tell you what to do so as not to spoil it by overdoing. Hold the steak in one hand, and show a live coal to it with the other; that done, dish it; d’ye hear? And now to-morrow, cook, when we are cutting in the fish, be sure you stand by to get the tips of his fins; have them put in pickle. As for the ends of the flukes, have them soused, cook. There, now ye may go."
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Stubb
Fleece
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64279.
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But Fleece had hardly got three paces off, when he was recalled.
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Stubb
Fleece
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64280.
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"Cook, give me cutlets for supper to-morrow night in the mid-watch. D’ye hear? away you sail, then.—Halloa! stop! make a bow before you go.—Avast heaving again! Whale-balls for breakfast—don’t forget."
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Fleece
Set
64281.
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"Wish, by gor! whale eat him, ’stead of him eat whale. I’m bressed if he ain’t more of shark dan Massa Shark hisself,"
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Stubb
Fleece
Set
64282.
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muttered the old man, limping away; with which sage ejaculation he went to his hammock.
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Stubb
Fleece
Set