登陆注册
15291000000013

第13章

Breakfast I quickley followed suit, and descending into the bar-room accosted the grinning landlord very pleasantly. I cherished no malice towards him, though he had been skylarking with me not a little in the matter of my bedfellow.

However, a good laugh is a mighty good thing, and rather too scarce a good thing; the more's the 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 to be spent in that way. And the man that has anything bountifully laughable about him, be sure there is more in that man than you perhaps think for.

The bar-room was now full of the boarders who had been dropping in the night previous, and whom I had not as yet had a good look at. They were nearly all whalemen; chief mates, and second mates, and third mates, and sea carpenters, and sea coopers, and sea blacksmiths, and harpooneers, 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 healthy cheek is like a sun-toasted pear in hue, and would seem to smell almost as musky; he cannot have been three days landed from his Indian voyage. That man next him looks a few shades lighter; you might say a touch of satin wood is in him. In the complexion of a third still lingers a tropic tawn, but slightly bleached withal; he doubtless has tarried whole weeks ashore. But who could show a cheek like Queequeg? which, barred with various tints, seemed like the Andes' 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, quite self-possessed in company. Not always, though:

Ledyard, the great New England traveller, and Mungo Park, the Scotch one; of all men, they possessed the least assurance in the parlor. But perhaps the mere crossing of Siberia in a sledge drawn by dogs as Ledyard did, or the taking a long solitary walk on an empty stomach, in the negro heart of Africa, which was the sum of poor Mungo's performances- this kind of travel, I say, may not be the very best mode of attaining a high social polish. Still, for the most part, that sort of thing is to be had anywhere.

These reflections just here are occasioned by the circumstance that after we were all seated at the table, and I was preparing to hear some good stories about whaling; to my no small surprise nearly every man maintained a profound silence. And not only that, but they looked embarrassed. Yes, here were a set of sea-dogs, many of whom without the slightest bashfulness had boarded great whales on the high seas- entire strangers to them- and duelled them dead without winking;and yet, here they sat at a social breakfast table- all of the same calling, all of kindred tastes- looking round as sheepishly at each other as though they had never been out of sight of some sheepfold among the Green Mountains. A curious sight; these bashful bears, these timid warrior whalemen!

But as for Queequeg- why, Queequeg sat there among them- at the head of the table, too, it so chanced; as cool as an icicle. To be sure Icannot say much for his breeding. His greatest admirer could not have cordially justified his bringing his harpoon into breakfast with him, and using it there without ceremony; reaching over the table with it, to the imminent jeopardy of many heads, and grappling the beefsteaks towards him. But that was certainly very coolly done by him, and every one knows that in most people's estimation, to do anything coolly is to do it genteelly.

We will not speak of all Queequeg's peculiarities here; how he eschewed coffee and hot rolls, and applied his undivided attention to beefsteaks, done rare. Enough, that when breakfast was over he withdrew like the rest into the public room, lighted his tomahawk-pipe, and was sitting there quietly digesting and smoking with his inseparable hat on, when I sallied out for a stroll.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 葬龙棺

    葬龙棺

    我经历传说中的龙泉乡事件和95年的僵尸事件后申请了退役。2000年夏季的一天,曾经的一个战友来到我家里,告诉我关于98年特大洪水的一些内幕。以及他需要我的帮助,当他拉起右手上遮盖的手套时,看到了不属于人类该出现的东西.........
  • 强国之路20年

    强国之路20年

    本文为著名作者刘战英所著的社会理论专著,刘书林,清华大学清华大学人文社会科学学院教授、博士生导师,清华大学高校德育研究中心主任。
  • 无归客天涯

    无归客天涯

    据说,这里该写作品介绍?朋友们,我该写点什么才能显得我比较有才华?兄弟们,我该写点什么才能显得我比较有水平?老少爷们,我该写点什么才能让全世界都看到?咳咳!字数貌似已经很可观。就写这些吧!……流烟貌似什么都没说,但流烟其实已经说了很多。闲言少叙,流烟插播一条广告:本书三百万以上,内容充盈,故事跌宕——说出来您可能不信,流烟写的这些可都是真事儿啊!百万之内您不看,流烟不怪您,鸡肋鸡肋,吃起来纠结。百万之后,还望您多多支持!
  • 婢妾

    婢妾

    语言天才意外穿越,惨遭宅门职场潜规则。这是个炖肉多过谈情的年代,渣爷觊觎,渣奶陷害,小小通房忍辱负重,只为了攒钱赎身幸福奔小康~——PS:新人新书,请大家多多支持~么~
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 古代情诗名篇五百首

    古代情诗名篇五百首

    中国古典诗歌内容丰富,蔚为大观,是中华文化的重要组成部分。其中,情诗(词、曲)又是中国古典诗歌中占有重要地位。《古代情诗名篇五百首》从中国古代的名家情诗中,精选五百余首,对于各位作者的生平做了简要介绍,同时对于诗歌也进行了解析,帮助读者对历代名家情诗进行鉴赏。
  • 上古之路

    上古之路

    人究竟是安排命运,还是....被命运安排。脚下的路,是继续前进,还是...就此停步。
  • 贼圣传

    贼圣传

    一代贼王入仙路,三界风起荡乾坤!贼之极致,法宝、灵丹、功法、神通、修为、气运、机缘,无不可偷!
  • 谁等谁的青春

    谁等谁的青春

    林芊最终还是选择了离开,并不是因为张继于的背叛,也不是因为对周阳的愧疚,只是有些东西折腾过了闹腾过了,似乎不再是原来那个模样了。李子君还是去送她了,两个人哭的稀里哗啦,的确,感情永久的话又哪来那么多不可原谅呢。李子君说,其实,留下来会好些。林芊宛然一笑,留着也是伤感,走了也是伤感,如果舍不得,还是会回来的。那些日子如大雁南飞般一去不再回,而那几年,你等我,我等他,他等她,蓦然回首,等到了谁的青春,又把谁的青春占为己有?恍然间,等不到的青春,已逝去,而你我他她,又在何处等待着谁……