376 
MOBY DICK; OR 
“you may as well begin by telling him that he looks a sort of babyish 
to me, though I don’t pretend to be a judge.” 
“He says, Monsieur,” said the Guernsey man, in French, turning 
to his captain, “that only yesterday his ship spoke a vessel ; whose cap- 
tain and chief mate, with six sailors, had all died of fever caught from 
a blasted whale they had brought alongside.” 
Upon this the captain started, and eagerly desired to know more. 
“W-hat now ?” said the Guernsey man to Stubb. 
“Why, since he takes it so easy, tell him that now I have eyed him 
carefully, I’m quite certain that he’s no more fit to command a whale 
ship than a St. Jago monkey. In fact, tell him from me he’s a ba- 
boon.” 
“He vows and declares, Monsieur, that the other whale, the dried 
one, is far more deadly than the blasted one; in fine, Monsieur, he 
conjures us, as we value our lives, to cut loose from these fish.” 
Instantly the captain ran forward, and in a loud voice commanded 
his crew to desist from hoisting the cutting-tackles, and at once cast 
loose the cables and chains confining the whales to the ship. 
“What now?” said the Guernsey man, when the captain had re- 
turned to them. 
“Why, let me see; yes, you may as well tell him now that — that — 
in fact, tell him I’ve diddled him, and (aside to himself) perhaps 
somebody else.” 
“He says, Monsieur, that he’s very happy to have been of any serv- 
ice to us.” 
Hearing this, the captain vowed that they were the grateful par- 
ties (meaning himself and mate) and concluded by inviting Stubb 
down into his cabin to drink a bottle of Bordeaux. 
“He wants you to take a glass of wine with him,” said the inter- 
preter. 
“Thank him heartily; but tell him it’s against my principles to 
drink with the man I’ve diddled. In fact, tell him I must go.” 
“He says, Monsieur, that his principles won’t admit of his drink- 
ing; but that if Monsieur wants to live another day to drink, then 
Monsieur had best drop all four boats, and pull the ship away from 
these whales, for it’s so calm they won’t drift.” 
By this time Stubb was over the side, and, getting into his boat, 
