Transcript

019 - Chapter 17 · Pirate

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Speaker 1: Chapter seventeen of the Pirate by Sir Walter Scott. This
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Speaker 1: LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Read by Dionngine's
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Speaker 1: Salt Lake City, Utah. They manned their boats, and all
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Speaker 1: the young men arm with whatsoever might the monster's harm. Pikes, hullbirds, spits,
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Speaker 1: and darts that wound afar the tools of peace and
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Speaker 1: implements of war. Now was the time for vigorous lads
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Speaker 1: to show what love or honor could incite them to
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Speaker 1: a goodly theater, where rocks around with reverend age and
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Speaker 1: lovely lasses crowned battle of the summer Islands. The morning
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Speaker 1: which succeeds such a feast as that of Magnus Troil
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Speaker 1: usually lacks a little of the zest which seasoned the
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Speaker 1: revels of the preceding day, As the fashionable reader may
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Speaker 1: have observed at a public breakfast during the race week
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Speaker 1: in a country town for what is called the best society.
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Speaker 1: These lingering moments are usually spent by the company, each
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Speaker 1: apart in their own dressing rooms. At Burguestra, it will
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Speaker 1: readily be believed no such space for retirement was afforded,
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Speaker 1: and the lasses, with their paler cheeks. The elder dames,
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Speaker 1: with many a wink and yawn, were compelled to meet
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Speaker 1: with their male companions, headaches and all. Just three hours
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Speaker 1: after they had parted from each other. Eric's gambaster had
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Speaker 1: done all that man could do to supply the full
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Speaker 1: means of diverting the ennui of the morning meal. The
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Speaker 1: board groaned with rounds of hung beef made after the
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Speaker 1: fashion of Zeteland, with pasties, with big meats, with fish
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Speaker 1: dressed and cured in every possible manner, nay, with the
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Speaker 1: foreign delicacies of tea, coffee and chocolate. For as we
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Speaker 1: have already had occasion to remark, the situation of these
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Speaker 1: islands made them early acquainted with various articles of foreign
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Speaker 1: luxury which were as yet but little known in Scotland,
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Speaker 1: where at a much later period than that we write
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Speaker 1: of one pound of green tea was dressed like cabbage,
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Speaker 1: and another converted into a vegetable sauce for salt beef
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Speaker 1: by the ignorance of the good housewives to whom they
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Speaker 1: had been sent as rare presents. Besides these preparations, the
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Speaker 1: table exhibited whatever mighty potions are resorted to by bon
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Speaker 1: vivants under the facetious name of a hair of the
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Speaker 1: dog that beat you. There was the potent irish uscaba,
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Speaker 1: write nance genuine sheeedam aquavida from Cathnus, and golden wasser
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Speaker 1: from Hamburg. There was rum of formidable antiquity and cordials
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Speaker 1: from the Leeward Islands. After these details, it were needless
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Speaker 1: to mention the stout home brewed ale, the German mom
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Speaker 1: and schwartzbear. And still more would it be beneath our
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Speaker 1: dignity to dwell upon the innumerable sorts of pottage and flummery,
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Speaker 1: together with the bland and various preparations of milk for
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Speaker 1: those who preferred thinner potations. No wonder that the sight
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Speaker 1: of so much good cheer awakened the appetite and raised
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Speaker 1: the spirits of the fatigued revelers. The young men began
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Speaker 1: immediately to seek out their partners of the preceding evening
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Speaker 1: and to renew the small talk which had driven in
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Speaker 1: the night so merrily away. While Magnus, with his stout
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Speaker 1: old norse kindred encouraged by precept and example, those of
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Speaker 1: elder days and graver mood to a substantial flirtation with
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Speaker 1: the good things before them. Still, however, there was a
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Speaker 1: long period to be filled up before dinner, For the
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Speaker 1: most protracted breakfast cannot well last above an hour, and
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Speaker 1: it was to be feared that Claude hull Crow meditated
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Speaker 1: the occupation of this vacant morning with a formidable recitation
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Speaker 1: of his own verses, besides telling at its full length
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Speaker 1: the whole history of his introduction to glorious John Dryden.
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Speaker 1: But fortune relieved the guests of Burgwestra from this threatened
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Speaker 1: infliction by sending them means of amusement peculiarly related to
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Speaker 1: their taste and habits. Most of the guests were using
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Speaker 1: their toothpicks. Some were beginning to talk of what was
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Speaker 1: to be done next, when, with haste in his step,
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Speaker 1: fire in his eye, and a harpoon in his hand,
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Speaker 1: eric'scambister came to announce to the company that there was
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Speaker 1: a whale on shore, or nearly so. At the throat
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Speaker 1: of the vow, then you might have seen such a joyous,
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Speaker 1: boisterous and universal bustle as only the love of sport,
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Speaker 1: so deeply implanted in our nature, can possibly inspire. A
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Speaker 1: set of country squires about to beat for the first
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Speaker 1: woodcocks of the season were a comparison as petty in
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Speaker 1: respect to the glee, and in regard to the importance
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Speaker 1: of the object that bat too upon a strong cover
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Speaker 1: in Ettrick Forest for the destruction of the foxes, the
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Speaker 1: insurrection of the sportsmen of the Lennox when one of
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Speaker 1: the Duke's deer gets out from inch Marin Nay, the
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Speaker 1: joyous rally of the fox chase itself, with all its
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Speaker 1: blithe accompaniments of hound and horn, fall infinitely short of
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Speaker 1: the animation with which the gallant sons of Tully set
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Speaker 1: off to encounter the monster whom the sea had sent
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Speaker 1: for their amusement. At so opportune a conjuncture, the multifarious
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Speaker 1: stories of Burgwestra were rummaged hastily for all sorts of
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Speaker 1: arms which could be used on such an occasion. Harpoons, swords, pikes,
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Speaker 1: and hulbirds fell to the lot of some others contented
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Speaker 1: themselves with hayforks, spits, and whatever else could be found
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Speaker 1: that was at once long and sharp. Thus hastily equipped,
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Speaker 1: one division, under the command of Captain Cleveland, hastened to
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Speaker 1: man the boats which lay in the little Haven, while
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Speaker 1: the rest of the party hurried by land to the
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Speaker 1: scene of action. Poor Tryptolemus was interrupted in a plan
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Speaker 1: which he too had formed against the patients of the Zetlanders,
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Speaker 1: and which was to have consisted in a lecture upon
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Speaker 1: the agriculture and the capabilities of the country. By this
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Speaker 1: sudden hubbub, which put an end at once to Halcrow's
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Speaker 1: poetry and to his no less formidable prose, it may
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Speaker 1: be easily imagined that he took very little interest in
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Speaker 1: the sport which was so suddenly substituted for his lucubrations.
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Speaker 1: And he would not even have deigned to have looked
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Speaker 1: upon the active scene which was about to take place,
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Speaker 1: had he not been stimulated thereunto by the exhortations of
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Speaker 1: Mistress Abbey. Pit yourself forward, man, said that provident person,
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Speaker 1: pit yourself forward, what cans where a blessing may light?
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Speaker 1: They say that all men share, and share equals equals
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Speaker 1: in the creatures oz and a pint of it would
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Speaker 1: be worth siller to light the crews in the long
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Speaker 1: dark nights that they speak of. Pit yourself forward, man,
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Speaker 1: there's a grip to yet faint heart never won. Fair lady,
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Speaker 1: what cans? But what when it's fresh, it may eat
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Speaker 1: well enough and spare butter. What zeal was added to
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Speaker 1: Triptolemus's motions by the prospect of eating fresh train oil
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Speaker 1: instead of butter, we know not, but as better might
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Speaker 1: not be, He brandished the rural implement, a stable fork
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Speaker 1: with which he was armed, and went down to wage
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Speaker 1: battle with the whale. The situation in which the enemy's
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Speaker 1: ill fate had placed him was particularly favorable to the
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Speaker 1: enterprise of the islanders. A tide of unusual height had
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Speaker 1: carried the animal over a large bar of sand into
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Speaker 1: the vaux Or creek in which he was now lying.
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Speaker 1: So soon as he found the water ebbing, he became
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Speaker 1: sensible of his danger, and had made desperate efforts to
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Speaker 1: get over the shallow water where the waves broke on
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Speaker 1: the bar. But hitherto he had rather injured than mended,
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Speaker 1: his condition, having got himself partly aground, and lying therefore
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Speaker 1: particularly exposed to the meditated attack. At this moment the
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Speaker 1: enemy came down upon him. The front ranks consisted of
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Speaker 1: the young and hardy, armed in the miscellaneous manner we
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Speaker 1: have described, while to witness and animate their efforts. The
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Speaker 1: young women and the elderly persons of both sexes took
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Speaker 1: their place among them rocks, which overhung the scene of action.
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Speaker 1: As the boats had to double a little headland ere
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Speaker 1: they opened the mouth of the Voux, those who came
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Speaker 1: by land to the shores of the inlet had time
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Speaker 1: to make the necessary reconnaissances upon the force and situation
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Speaker 1: of the enemy on whom they were about to commence
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Speaker 1: a simultaneous attack by land and sea. This duty, the
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Speaker 1: stout hearted and experienced general, for so the U Dollar
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Speaker 1: might be termed, would intrust to no eyes but his own.
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Speaker 1: And indeed his external appearance and his sage conduct rendered
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Speaker 1: him alike qualified for the command which he enjoyed. His
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Speaker 1: gold laced hat was exchanged for a bare skin cap.
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Speaker 1: His suit of blue broadcloth, with its scarlet lining and
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Speaker 1: loops and frogs of bullion, had given place to a
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Speaker 1: red flannel jacket with buttons of black horn, over which
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Speaker 1: he wore a seal skin shirt curiously seamed and plaited
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Speaker 1: on the bosom, such as are used by the Eskimos
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Speaker 1: and sometimes by the greenland whale fishers. Sea boots of
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Speaker 1: a formidable size completed his dress, and in his hand
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Speaker 1: he held a large whaling knife, which he brandished as
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Speaker 1: if impatient to employ it in the operation of flinching
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Speaker 1: the huge animal which lay before them, that is, the
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Speaker 1: act of separating its flesh from its bones. Upon closer examination, however,
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Speaker 1: he was obliged to confess that the sport to which
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Speaker 1: he had conducted his friends, however much it corresponded with
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Speaker 1: the magnificent scale of his hospitality, was likely to be
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Speaker 1: attended with its own peculiar dangers and difficulties. The animal,
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Speaker 1: upwards of sixty feet in length, lying perfectly still in
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Speaker 1: a deep part of the vow into which it had weltered,
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Speaker 1: and where it seemed to await the return of tide,
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Speaker 1: of which it was probably assured by instinct. A council
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Speaker 1: of experienced harpooners was instantly called, and it was agreed
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Speaker 1: that an effort should be made to noose the tail
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Speaker 1: of this torpid leviathan by casting a cable around it,
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Speaker 1: to be made fast by anchors to the shore, and
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Speaker 1: thus to secure against his escape in case the tide
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Speaker 1: should make before they were able to dispatch him. Three
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Speaker 1: boats were destined to this delicate piece of service, one
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Speaker 1: of which the U Dollar himself proposed to command, while
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Speaker 1: Cleveland and Mertown were to direct the two others. This
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Speaker 1: being decided, they sat down on the strand, waiting with
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Speaker 1: impatience until the naval part of the force should arrive
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Speaker 1: the vaux. It was during this interval that Tryptolomus Yellowly,
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Speaker 1: after measuring with his eyes the extraordinary size of the whale,
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Speaker 1: observed that, in his poor mind, a wane with six
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Speaker 1: ousin or with sixty ousin, either if they were they
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Speaker 1: ousin of the country could not drag sick and a
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Speaker 1: huge creature from the water where it was now lying
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Speaker 1: to the sea beach. Trifling as this remark may seem
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Speaker 1: to the reader, it was connected with the subject which
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Speaker 1: always fired the blood of the old U Dollar, who,
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Speaker 1: glancing upon Tryptolemus a quick and stern look, asked him
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Speaker 1: what the devil it signified. Supposing a hundred oxen could
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Speaker 1: not drag the whale upon the beach, Mister Yellowly, though
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Speaker 1: not much liking the tone with which the question was put,
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Speaker 1: felt that his dignity and his profit compelled him to
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Speaker 1: answer as follows. Nay, sir, you know yourself, Master Magnus Troyal,
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Speaker 1: and everyone knows that knows anything that wells of sickened
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Speaker 1: size as may not be masterfully dragged on shore by
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Speaker 1: the instrumentality of one wain. With six of them are
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Speaker 1: the right and property of the Admiral, who is at
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Speaker 1: this time the same noble lord, who is moreover chamberlain
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Speaker 1: of these isles. And I tell you, mister tryptolemus yellily
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Speaker 1: said the U dollar, as I would tell your master
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Speaker 1: if he were here, that every man who risks his
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Speaker 1: life to bring that fish shore shall have an equal
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Speaker 1: share and partition according to our ancient and lovable Norse custom.
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Speaker 1: And want nay, if there is so much as a
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Speaker 1: woman looking on that will but touch the cable, she
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Speaker 1: will be partner with us I and more than all that,
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Speaker 1: if she will but say there is a reason for it,
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Speaker 1: we will assign a portion to the babe that is unborn.
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Speaker 1: The strict principle of equity which dictated this last arrangement
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Speaker 1: occasioned laughter among the men and some slight confusion among
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Speaker 1: the women. The factor, however, thought it shame to be
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Speaker 1: so easily daunted. Suum quiquet TRIBUTEO said he, I will
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Speaker 1: stand for my Lord's right and my own will, you,
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Speaker 1: replied Magnus. Then by the Martyr's bones, you shall have
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Speaker 1: no law of partition but that of God and Saint Olive,
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Speaker 1: which we had before either Factor or Treasurer or chamberlain
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Speaker 1: were heard of. All shall share that lend a hand,
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Speaker 1: and never a one else. So you, master Factor, shall
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Speaker 1: be busy as well as other folk, and think yourself
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Speaker 1: lucky to share like other folk. Jump into that boat,
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Speaker 1: for the boats had by this time pulled round the headland.
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Speaker 1: And you, my lads, make way for the Factor in
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Speaker 1: the stern sheets. He shall be the first man this
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Speaker 1: blessed day that shall strike the fish. The loud, authoritative
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Speaker 1: voice and the habit of absolute command inferred in the
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Speaker 1: u Dollar's whole manner, together with the conscious want of
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Speaker 1: favorers and backers amongst the rest of the company, rendered
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Speaker 1: it difficult for Tryptolemus to evade compliance. Although he was
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Speaker 1: thus about to be placed in a situation equally novel
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Speaker 1: and perilous, he was, still, however, hesitating and attempting an
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Speaker 1: explanation with a voice in which anger was qualified by fear,
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Speaker 1: and both thinly disguised under an attempt to be jocular
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Speaker 1: and to represent the whole as a jest. When he
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Speaker 1: or the voice of Babby maundering in his ear, would
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Speaker 1: he lose his share of the Ulsa and the laning
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Speaker 1: zettland winter coming on when the lightest day in December
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Speaker 1: is not so clear as a moonless night in the merns.
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Speaker 1: This domestic instigation, in addition to those of fear of
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Speaker 1: the u dollar and shame to seem less courageous than others,
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Speaker 1: so inflamed the agriculturalist spirits that he shook his grap
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Speaker 1: aloft and entered the boat with the air of Neptune,
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Speaker 1: himself carrying on high his trident. The three boats destined
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Speaker 1: for this perilous service now approached the dark mass, which
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Speaker 1: lay like an aisle in the deepest part of the Voux,
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Speaker 1: and suffered them to approach without showing any sign of animation,
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Speaker 1: silently and with such precaution as the extreme delicacy of
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Speaker 1: the operation required. The intrepid adventurers, after the failure of
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Speaker 1: their first attempt and the expenditure of considerable time, succeeded
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Speaker 1: in casting a cable around the body of the torpid monster,
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Speaker 1: and in carrying the ends of it ashore. When an
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Speaker 1: hundred hands were instantly employed in securing them. But ere
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Speaker 1: this was accomplished, the tide began to make fast, and
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Speaker 1: the u dollar informed his assistance that either the fish
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Speaker 1: must be killed or at least greatly wounded, ere the
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Speaker 1: depth of water on the bar was sufficient to float him,
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Speaker 1: or that he was not unlikely to escape from their
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Speaker 1: joint prowess. Wherefore, said he, we must set to work,
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Speaker 1: and the factor shall have the honor to make the
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Speaker 1: first throw. The valiant triptolemus caught the word, and it
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Speaker 1: is necessary to say that the patience of the whale,
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Speaker 1: in suffering himself to be noosed without resistance, had abated
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Speaker 1: his terrors and very much lowered the creature. In his opinion,
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Speaker 1: he protested, the fish had no more wit and scarcely
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Speaker 1: more activity than a black snail, And influenced by this
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Speaker 1: undue contempt of the adversary, he waited neither for a
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Speaker 1: further signal, nor a better weapon, nor a more suitable position. But,
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Speaker 1: rising in his energy, hurled his grape with all his
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Speaker 1: force against the unfortunate monster. The boats had not yet
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Speaker 1: retreated from him to the distance necessary to ensure safety.
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Speaker 1: When this injudicious commencement of the war took place. Magnus Troyle,
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Speaker 1: who had only jested with the Factor, and had reserved
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Speaker 1: the launching the first spear against the whale to some
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Speaker 1: much more skillful hand, had just time to exclaim minders selves, lads,
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Speaker 1: or we are all swamped, when the monster roused at
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Speaker 1: once from inactivity by the blow of the Factor's missile, blew,
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Speaker 1: with a noise resembling the explosion of a steam engine,
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Speaker 1: a huge shower of water into the air, and at
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Speaker 1: the same time began to lash the waves with his
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Speaker 1: tail in every direction. The boat in which Magnus presided
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Speaker 1: received the shower of brine which the animals spouted aloft,
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Speaker 1: and the adventurous Triptolemus, who had a full share of
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Speaker 1: the immersion, was so much astonished and terrified by the
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Speaker 1: consequences of his own valorous deed, that he tumbled backwards
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Speaker 1: amongst the feet of the people, who, too busy to
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Speaker 1: attend to him, were actively engaged in getting the boat
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Speaker 1: into shoal water out of the whale's reach. Here he
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Speaker 1: lay for some minutes, trampled on by the feet of
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Speaker 1: the boatmen, until they lay on their oars to bail.
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Speaker 1: When the u dollar ordered them to pull to shore
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Speaker 1: and land this spare hand, who had commenced the fishing
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Speaker 1: so inauspiciously. While this was doing, the other boats had
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Speaker 1: also pulled off to safer distance. And now from these
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Speaker 1: as well as from the shore, the unfortunate native of
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Speaker 1: the deep was overwhelmed by all kinds of missiles, harpoons
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Speaker 1: and spears flew against him. On all sides. Guns were fired,
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Speaker 1: and each various means of annoyance plied, which could excite
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Speaker 1: him to exhaust his strength in useless rage. When the
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Speaker 1: animal found that he once locked in by shallows on
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Speaker 1: all sides, and became sensible at the same time of
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Speaker 1: the strain of the cable on his body, the convulsive
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Speaker 1: efforts which he made to escape, accompanied with sounds resembling
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Speaker 1: deep and loud groans, would have moved the compassion of
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Speaker 1: all but a practice whale fisher. The repeated showers which
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Speaker 1: he spouted into the air began now to be mingled
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Speaker 1: with blood, and the waves which surrounded him assumed the
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Speaker 1: same crimson appearance. Meantime, the attempts of the assailants were redoubled,
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Speaker 1: but Mordaunt, Mertown and Cleveland in particular exerted themselves to
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Speaker 1: the uttermost contending who should display most courage in approaching
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Speaker 1: the monster so tremendous in its agonies, and should inflict
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Speaker 1: the most deep and deadly wounds upon its huge bulk.
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Speaker 1: The contests seemed at last pretty well over, for although
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Speaker 1: the animal continued from time to time to make frantic
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Speaker 1: exertions for liberty, yet its strength appeared so much exhausted that,
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Speaker 1: even with the assistance of the tide, which had now
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Speaker 1: risen considerably, it was thought it could scarcely extricate itself.
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Speaker 1: Madness gave this signal to venture nearer to the whale,
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Speaker 1: calling out at the same time, close in, lads, he
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Speaker 1: is not half so mad. Now the factor may look
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Speaker 1: for a winter's oil for the two lamps at Harfra
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Speaker 1: pull close in lads, ere his orders could be obeyed.
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Speaker 1: The other two boats had anticipated his purpose, and mordaunt Mertown,
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Speaker 1: eager to distinguish himself above Cleveland, had, with all the
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Speaker 1: whole strength he possessed, plunged a half pike into the
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Speaker 1: body of the animal. But the Leviathan, like a nation
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Speaker 1: whose resources appeared totally exhausted by previous losses, and calamities,
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Speaker 1: collected his whole remaining force for an effort which proved
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Speaker 1: at once desperate and successful. The wound last received had
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Speaker 1: probably reached through his external defenses of blubber and attained
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Speaker 1: some very sensitive part of the system. For he roared
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Speaker 1: aloud as he sent to the sky a mingled sheet
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Speaker 1: of brine and blood, and snapping the strong cable like
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Speaker 1: a twig, overset Mertown's boat with a blow of his tail,
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Speaker 1: shot himself by a mighty effort over the bar upon
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Speaker 1: which the tide had now risen considerably, and made out
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Speaker 1: to see, carrying with him a whole grove of the
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Speaker 1: implements which had been planted in his body, and leaving
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Speaker 1: behind him on the waters a dark red trace of
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Speaker 1: his course. There goes to see your crews of oil,
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Speaker 1: Master yellowly, said Magnus, And you must consume mutton suet
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Speaker 1: or go to bed in the dark operam at Olium Perdidi,
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Speaker 1: muttered Tryptolemus. But if they catch me while fishing again,
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Speaker 1: I will consent that the fish sh else swallow me
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Speaker 1: as he did. Jonah, But where is Mordaunt Mertown? All
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Speaker 1: this while, exclaimed Claude Holcrow, And it was instantly perceived
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Speaker 1: that the youth, who had been stunned when his boat
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Speaker 1: was stove was unable to swim to shore as the
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Speaker 1: other sailors did, and now floated senseless upon the waves.
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Speaker 1: We have noticed the strange and inhuman prejudice which rendered
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Speaker 1: the Zetlanders of that period unwilling to assist those whom
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Speaker 1: they saw in the act of drowning, though that is
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Speaker 1: the calamity to which the Islanders are most frequently exposed.
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Speaker 1: Three men, however, soared above this superstition. The first was
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Speaker 1: Claude Holcrow, who threw himself from a small rock headlong
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Speaker 1: into the waves forgetting, as he himself afterwards stated that
25:53
Speaker 1: he could not swim, and if possessed of the harp
25:57
Speaker 1: of Aryan, had no dolphins in attendance. The first plunge
26:02
Speaker 1: which the poet made in deep water reminding him of
26:05
Speaker 1: these deficiencies, he was fain to cling to the rock
26:09
Speaker 1: from which he had dived, and was at length glad
26:12
Speaker 1: to regain the shore at the expense of a ducking
26:16
Speaker 1: Magnus Troyle, whose honest heart forgot his late coolness towards
26:21
Speaker 1: mordaunt when he saw the youth's danger would instantly have
26:25
Speaker 1: brought him more effectual aid, but Eric's cambaster held him fast. Howt, Sir,
26:32
Speaker 1: Howt exclaimed that faithful attendant Captain Cleveland has a grip
26:37
Speaker 1: of mister Mordant. Just let the twa strangers help milk
26:40
Speaker 1: other and stand by the upshot. The light of the
26:44
Speaker 1: country is not to be quenched for the like of
26:47
Speaker 1: them by still, Sir, I say, bretness Vaux is not
26:52
Speaker 1: a bowl of punch that a man can be fished
26:55
Speaker 1: out of like a toast with a long spoon. This
26:59
Speaker 1: sage monstrance would have been altogether lost upon Magnus had
27:04
Speaker 1: he not observed that Cleveland had in fact jumped out
27:07
Speaker 1: of the boat and swum to Murtown's assistance, and was
27:12
Speaker 1: keeping him afloat till the boat came to the aid
27:15
Speaker 1: of both. As soon as the immediate danger which called
27:19
Speaker 1: so loudly for assistance, was thus ended, the honest ye
27:23
Speaker 1: Dollar's desire to render aid terminated also, And recollecting the
27:28
Speaker 1: cause of offense which he had or thought he had
27:32
Speaker 1: against Mordaunt Murtown, he shook off his butler's hold, and,
27:36
Speaker 1: turning round scornfully from the beach, called Eric an old
27:41
Speaker 1: fool for supposing that he cared whether the young fellow
27:45
Speaker 1: sank or swam. Still, However, amid his assumed indifference, Magnus
27:51
Speaker 1: could not help peeping over the heads of the circle
27:54
Speaker 1: which surrounding Mordaunt. As soon as he was brought on shore,
27:59
Speaker 1: were charitably employed in endeavoring to recall him to life,
28:03
Speaker 1: and he was not able to attain the appearance of
28:07
Speaker 1: absolute unconcern until the young man sat up on the
28:11
Speaker 1: beach and showed plainly that the accident had been attended
28:16
Speaker 1: with no material consequences. It was then first that, cursing
28:21
Speaker 1: the assistance for not giving the lad a glass of brandy,
28:26
Speaker 1: he walked sullenly away, as if totally unconcerned in his fate.
28:31
Speaker 1: The women, always accurate in observing the hell tale emotions
28:36
Speaker 1: of each other, failed not to remark that when the
28:39
Speaker 1: sisters of Burguestra some Mordaunt immersed in the waves, Minna
28:44
Speaker 1: grew as pale as death, while Brenda uttered successive shrieks
28:49
Speaker 1: of terror. But though there were some nods, winks and
28:53
Speaker 1: hints that old acquaintance were not easily forgot, it was
28:58
Speaker 1: on the whole candidly admitted that less than such marks
29:02
Speaker 1: of interest would scarce have been expected when they saw
29:06
Speaker 1: the companion of their early youth in the act of
29:09
Speaker 1: perishing before their eyes. Whatever interest Mordaunt's condition, excited, while
29:16
Speaker 1: it seemed perilous, began to abate as he recovered himself,
29:21
Speaker 1: and when his senses were fully restored, only Cloude Holcrow
29:25
Speaker 1: with two or three others were standing by him. About
29:29
Speaker 1: ten paces off. Stood Cleveland, his hair and clothes dropping water,
29:35
Speaker 1: and his features wearing so peculiar an expression as immediately
29:39
Speaker 1: to arrest the attention of Mordaunt. There was a suppressed
29:43
Speaker 1: smile on his cheek and a look of pride in
29:47
Speaker 1: his eye that implied liberation from a painful restraint, and
29:52
Speaker 1: something resembling gratified scorn. Clode Holcrow hastened to intimate to
29:58
Speaker 1: Mordaunt that he owed his life life to Cleveland and
30:01
Speaker 1: the youth. Rising from the ground, and losing all other
30:05
Speaker 1: feelings in those of gratitude, stepped forward with his hand
30:09
Speaker 1: stretched out to offer his warmest thanks to his preserver,
30:14
Speaker 1: But he stopped short in surprise as Cleveland, retreating a
30:18
Speaker 1: pace or two, folded his arms on his breast and
30:22
Speaker 1: declined to accept his proffered hand. He drew back in turn,
30:27
Speaker 1: and gazed with astonishment at the ungracious manner and almost
30:32
Speaker 1: insulting look with which Cleveland, who had formerly rather expressed
30:37
Speaker 1: a frank cordiality or at least openness of bearing, now,
30:42
Speaker 1: after having thus rendered him a most important service, chose
30:46
Speaker 1: to receive his thanks. It is enough, said Cleveland, observing
30:51
Speaker 1: his surprise, and it is unnecessary to say more about it.
30:56
Speaker 1: I have paid back my debt, and we are now equal.
31:00
Speaker 1: You are more than equal with me, Captain Cleveland, answered Mertown,
31:05
Speaker 1: because you endangered your life to do for me what
31:09
Speaker 1: I did for you without the slightest risk. Besides, he added,
31:14
Speaker 1: trying to give the discourse a more pleasant turn, I
31:18
Speaker 1: have your rifle gun to boot cowards. Only count danger
31:22
Speaker 1: for any point of the game, said Cleveland. Danger has
31:26
Speaker 1: been my consort for life, and sailed with me on
31:30
Speaker 1: a thousand worse voyages. And for rifles. I have enough
31:35
Speaker 1: of my own, and you may see when you will
31:39
Speaker 1: which can use them best. There was something in the
31:42
Speaker 1: tone with which this was said that struck Mordaunt strongly.
31:47
Speaker 1: It was mitching molluco as Hamlet says, and meant mischief. Cleveland,
31:53
Speaker 1: saw his surprise, came close up to him, and spoke,
31:57
Speaker 1: in a low tone of voice, hark ye, my young brother.
32:01
Speaker 1: There is a custom among us, gentlemen of fortune, that
32:05
Speaker 1: when we follow the same chase and take the wind
32:09
Speaker 1: out of each other's sails, we think sixty yards of
32:13
Speaker 1: the sea beach and a brace of rifles are no
32:16
Speaker 1: bad way of making our odds. Even I do not
32:20
Speaker 1: understand you, Captain Cleveland, said Mordaunt. I do not suppose
32:25
Speaker 1: you do. I did not suppose you would, said the captain,
32:29
Speaker 1: and turning on his heel with a smile that resembled
32:33
Speaker 1: a sneer. Mordaunt saw him mingle with the guests, and
32:37
Speaker 1: very soon beheld him at the side of Minna, who
32:40
Speaker 1: was talking to him with animated features that seemed to
32:44
Speaker 1: thank him for his gallant and generous conduct. If it
32:49
Speaker 1: were not for Brenda, thought Mordaunt, I almost wish he
32:52
Speaker 1: had left me in the voux, for no one seems
32:56
Speaker 1: to care whether I am alive or dead. To rifles
33:00
Speaker 1: and sixty yards of sea beach is that what he
33:03
Speaker 1: points at. It may come, but not on the day
33:07
Speaker 1: he has saved my life with risk of his own.
33:11
Speaker 1: While he was thus musing eric'scambuster was whispering to Holcrow.
33:16
Speaker 1: If these two lads do not do each other a mischief,
33:20
Speaker 1: there is no faith in frights. Master Mordant saves Cleveland. Well, Cleveland,
33:27
Speaker 1: in requital has turned all the sunshine of Burgwestra to
33:31
Speaker 1: his own side of the house. And think what it
33:34
Speaker 1: is to lose favor in such a house as this,
33:38
Speaker 1: where the punch kettle is never allowed to cool. Well,
33:42
Speaker 1: Now that Cleveland, in his turn, has been such a
33:46
Speaker 1: fool as to fish Mordant out of the vaux see
33:50
Speaker 1: if he does not give him sour silks for stokfish, shaw,
33:56
Speaker 1: Shaw replied the poet, that is all old woman's fancies,
34:01
Speaker 1: my friend Eric, For what says glorious Dryden, Saint John,
34:06
Speaker 1: the yellow gall that in your bosom floats engenders all
34:11
Speaker 1: these melancholy thoughts, Saint John or Saint James either may
34:16
Speaker 1: be mistaken in the matter, said Eric, for I think
34:20
Speaker 1: neither of them lived in Zetland. I only say that,
34:25
Speaker 1: if there is faith in old saws, these two lads
34:29
Speaker 1: will do each other a mischief. And if they do,
34:32
Speaker 1: I trust it will light on Mordaunt Mertown. And why,
34:37
Speaker 1: Eric Scambister, said Holcrow, hastily and angrily, should you wish
34:43
Speaker 1: ill to that poor young man that is worth fifty
34:46
Speaker 1: of the other. Let everyone roosts the ford as he
34:50
Speaker 1: finds it, replied Eric, Master Mordaunt is all for one water,
34:56
Speaker 1: like his old dogfish of a father. Now, Captain cl
35:00
Speaker 1: leveland do you see takes his glass like an honest
35:03
Speaker 1: fellow and a gentleman. Rightly reasoned and in thine own division,
35:09
Speaker 1: said Hulcrow, and, breaking off their conversation, took his way
35:13
Speaker 1: back to Burgwestra, to which the guests of Magnus were
35:17
Speaker 1: now returning, discussing as they went with much animation the
35:22
Speaker 1: various incidents of their attack upon the whale, and not
35:27
Speaker 1: a little scandalized that it should have baffled all their exertions.
35:32
Speaker 1: I hope Captain Donderdrecht, of the entruct of Rotterdam will
35:37
Speaker 1: never hear of it, said Magnus. He would swear donner
35:41
Speaker 1: and blitzen. We were only fit to fish flounders. End
35:46
Speaker 1: of Chapter seventeen