Page 246 - Adventures in shadow-land

“ I have seen her* I have followed her all the
way from home. She stands holding out a silver

vase. Every creature in the sea ought to fly to
deliver her. If I was only as big and strong as

you.! These men are youT enemies as well as mine
and hers- I know how they kill you whales when­

ever they can. Yon can sink that ship if you like
and deliver the goddess,”

The whale was so astonished that he had to go
to the top of the water and blow. *‘ My dear sir,' *

said he, diving down again, “ you are under some
strange mistake. That is nothing but wood, that

figure on the ship, as sure as my name is Moby
Dick.”

“ You great stupid creature, where are your
eyes?" said the merman in a passion, and yet he
was rather struck by the whale's remarks too.

“ In my head/' said Moby Dick, “ and I

shouldn't think yours were. Why they put some
such thing on all the ships— women, dolphins*
what not. I’ve seen dozens of ’em. I know about

nymphs. I used to read about ’em in the old

classical dictionary in our school. Every school
of whales of any pretension has one. If she was