The Pulpit

           Ihadnotbeenseatedverylongereamanofacertainvenerablerobustnessentered;immediatelyasthestorm-pelteddoorflewbackuponadmittinghim,aquickregardfuleyeingofhimbyallthecongregation,sufficientlyattestedthatthisfineoldmanwasthechaplain.Yes,itwasthefamousFatherMapple,socalledbythewhalemen,amongwhomhewasaverygreatfavorite.Hehadbeenasailorandaharpooneerinhisyouth,butformanyyearspasthaddedicatedhislifetotheministry.AtthetimeInowwriteof,FatherMapplewasinthehardywinterofahealthyoldage;thatsortofoldagewhichseemsmergingintoasecondfloweringyouth,foramongallthefissuresofhiswrinkles,thereshonecertainmildgleamsofanewlydevelopingbloomthespringverdurepeepingforthevenbeneathFebruary’ssnow.Noonehavingpreviouslyheardhishistory,couldforthefirsttimebeholdFatherMapplewithouttheutmostinterest,becausetherewerecertainengraftedclericalpeculiaritiesabouthim,imputabletothatadventurousmaritimelifehehadled.WhenheenteredIobservedthathecarriednoumbrella,andcertainlyhadnotcomeinhiscarriage,forhistarpaulinhatrandownwithmeltingsleet,andhisgreatpilotclothjacketseemedalmosttodraghimtothefloorwiththeweightofthewaterithadabsorbed.However,hatandcoatandovershoeswereonebyoneremoved,andhungupinalittlespaceinanadjacentcorner;when,arrayedinadecentsuit,hequietlyapproachedthepulpit.

           Likemostoldfashionedpulpits,itwasaveryloftyone,andsincearegularstairstosuchaheightwould,byitslonganglewiththefloor,seriouslycontractthealreadysmallareaofthechapel,thearchitect,itseemed,hadacteduponthehintofFatherMapple,andfinishedthepulpitwithoutastairs,substitutingaperpendicularsideladder,likethoseusedinmountingashipfromaboatatsea.

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