П’ятнадцятирічний капітан

The Jubarte

           Acable’slength,ameasurepeculiartothesea,comprisesalengthofonehundredandtwentyfathoms,thatistosay,twohundredmeters.

           Theboatswain,standingaft,steeredinsuchamannerastoapproachtheleftsideofthemammal,butavoiding,withthegreatestcare,passingwithinreachoftheformidabletail,asingleblowofwhichwouldbeenoughtocrushtheboat.

           AttheprowCaptainHull,hislegsalittleaparttomaintainhisequilibrium,heldtheweaponwithwhichhewasgoingtogivethefirstblow.Theycouldcountonhisskilltofixthatharpooninthethickmasswhichemergedfromthewaters.

           Nearthecaptain,inapail,wascoiledthefirstofthefivelines,firmlyfastenedtotheharpoon,andtowhichtheywouldsuccessivelyjointheotherfourifthewhaleplungedtogreatdepths.

           "Areweready,boys?"murmuredCaptainHull.

           "Yes,"repliedHowik,graspinghisoarfirmlyinhislargehands.

           "Alongside!alongside!"

           Theboatswainobeyedtheorder,andthewhale-boatcamewithinlessthantenfeetoftheanimal.

           Thelatternolongermoved,andseemedasleep.

           Whalesthussurprisedwhileasleepofferaneasierprize,anditoftenhappensthatthefirstblowwhichisgivenwoundsthemmortally.

           "Thisimmovablenessisquiteastonishing!"thoughtCaptainHull."Therascaloughtnottobeasleep,andneverthelessthereissomethingthere!"

           Theboatswainthoughtthesame,andhetriedtoseetheoppositesideoftheanimal.

           Butitwasnotthemomenttoreflect,buttoattack.

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