Page 251 - Adventures in shadow-land

man met his most intimate friend* who had been
looking for him a long time, and had only heard

of him through Moby Dick.
,f My dear fellow/' said his friend, “ I am so

glad to see you !" and then he stopped, for
he couldn’t help seeing that the other was not

at all glad to see him, and he felt hurt and dis­
appointed.

*'Are you?1' said the merman, coldly, and
gazing after the ship sailing away from him.

Why, of course. We’ve all been so anxious
about you. Why haven't you written ? Your

grandfather has tried every spell he could think
of, but it all seemed of no use. The dear old

gentleman is almost sick, and so miserable about
you that he has had no heart to finish his work,

even though the Baltic merman has come out with
another pamphlet. Do come home."
Now as his friend spoke our merman felt at

once how selfish and ungrateful he had been.
But his passion for his wooden nymph had so

altered his nature that instead of being sorry he
was only angry with himself, and pretended that

he was angry with his friend.