Page:Moby-Dick (1851) US edition.djvu/361

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Stubb's Supper.
329

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!”

“Cook,” here interposed Stubb, accompanying the word with a sudden slap on the shoulder,—“Cook! why, damn your eyes, you mustn’t swear that way when you're preaching.  That’s no way to convert sinners, Cook!”

“Who dat?  Den preach to him yourself,” sullenly turning to go.

“No, Cook; go on, go on.”

“Well, den, Belubed fellow-critters:”—

“Right!” exclaimed Stubb, approvingly, “coax ’em to it; try that,” and Fleece continued.

“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?”

“Cook,” cried Stubb, collaring him, “I wont have that swearing.  Talk to ’em gentlemanly.”

Once more the sermon proceeded.

“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 yoursebls 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 ob de mout is not to swallar wid, but to bite off de blubber for de small fry ob sharks, dat can’t get into de scrouge to help demselves.”