英语听书《白鲸记》第23期

Thinks I, Queequeg, this is using Rogers's bestcutlery with a vengeance. Afterwards I wonderedthe less at this operation when I came to know ofwhat fine steel the head of a harpoon is made, andhow exceedingly sharp the long straight edges arealways kept.

The rest of his toilet was soon achieved, and heproudly marched out of the room, wrapped up in hisgreat pilot monkey jacket, and sporting his harpoonlike a marshal's baton.

CHAPTER 5. Breakfast.

I quickly followed suit, and descending into the bar-room accosted the grinning landlord verypleasantly. I cherished no malice towards him, though he had been skylarking with me not alittle in the matter of my bedfellow.

However, a good laugh is a mighty good thing, and rather too scarce a good thing; the more'sthe pity. So, if any one man, in his own proper person, afford stuff for a good joke to anybody,let him not be backward, but let him cheerfully allow himself to spend and be spent in that way.And the man that has anything bountifully laughable about him, be sure there is more in thatman than you perhaps think for.

The bar-room was now full of the boarders who had been dropping in the night previous, andwhom I had not as yet had a good look at. They were nearly all whalemen; chief mates, andsecond mates, and third mates, and sea carpenters, and sea coopers, and sea blacksmiths, andharpooneers, and ship keepers; a brown and brawny company, with bosky beards; an unshorn,shaggy set, all wearing monkey jackets for morning gowns.

You could pretty plainly tell how long each one had been ashore. This young fellow's healthycheek is like a sun-toasted pear in hue, and would seem to smell almost as musky; he cannothave been three days landed from his Indian voyage. That man next him looks a few shadeslighter; you might say a touch of satin wood is in him. In the complexion of a third still lingers atropic tawn, but slightly bleached withal; HE doubtless has tarried whole weeks ashore. Butwho could show a cheek like Queequeg? which, barred with various tints, seemed like theAndes' western slope, to show forth in one array, contrasting climates, zone by zone.

"Grub, ho!" now cried the landlord, flinging open a door, and in we went to breakfast.

They say that men who have seen the world, thereby become quite at ease in manner, quiteself-possessed in company. Not always, though: Ledyard, the great New England traveller, andMungo Park, the Scotch one; of all men, they possessed the least assurance in the parlor. Butperhaps the mere crossing of Siberia in a sledge drawn by dogs as Ledyard did, or the taking along solitary walk on an empty stomach, in the negro heart of Africa, which was the sum ofpoor Mungo's performances—this kind of travel, I say, may not be the very best mode ofattaining a high social polish. Still, for the most part, that sort of thing is to be had anywhere.