Морской волк

Chapter 2

           Thedyingmanbeatatattooonthehatchwithhisheels,straightenedouthislegs,andstiffenedinonegreattenseeffort,androlledhisheadfromsidetoside.Thenthemusclesrelaxed,theheadstoppedrolling,andasigh,asofprofoundrelief,floatedupwardfromhislips.Thejawdropped,theupperliplifted,andtworowsoftobacco-discolouredteethappeared.Itseemedasthoughhisfeatureshadfrozenintoadiabolicalgrinattheworldhehadleftandoutwitted.

           Thenamostsurprisingthingoccurred.Thecaptainbrokelooseuponthedeadmanlikeathunderclap.Oathsrolledfromhislipsinacontinuousstream.Andtheywerenotnamby-pambyoaths,ormereexpressionsofindecency.Eachwordwasablasphemy,andthereweremanywords.Theycrispedandcrackledlikeelectricsparks.Ihadneverheardanythinglikeitinmylife,norcouldIhaveconceiveditpossible.Withaturnforliteraryexpressionmyself,andapenchantforforciblefiguresandphrases,Iappreciated,asnootherlistener,Idaresay,thepeculiarvividnessandstrengthandabsoluteblasphemyofhismetaphors.Thecauseofitall,asnearasIcouldmakeout,wasthattheman,whowasmate,hadgoneonadebauchbeforeleavingSanFrancisco,andthenhadthepoortastetodieatthebeginningofthevoyageandleaveWolfLarsenshort-handed.

           Itshouldbeunnecessarytostate,atleasttomyfriends,thatIwasshocked.Oathsandvilelanguageofanysorthadalwaysbeenrepellenttome.Ifeltawiltingsensation,asinkingattheheart,and,Imightjustaswellsay,agiddiness.Tome,deathhadalwaysbeeninvestedwithsolemnityanddignity.Ithadbeenpeacefulinitsoccurrence,sacredinitsceremonial.ButdeathinitsmoresordidandterribleaspectswasathingwithwhichIhadbeenunacquaintedtillnow.AsIsay,whileIappreciatedthepoweroftheterrificdenunciationthatsweptoutofWolfLarsen’smouth,Iwasinexpressiblyshocked.

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