"Some ten days after the French ships sailed, the whale-boat arrived, and the captain was forced to enlist some of the more civilized Tahitans, who had been somewhat used to the sea. Chartering a small native schooner, he returned with them to his vessel; and finding all right there, again resumed his cruisings. "Where Steelkilt now is, gentlemen, none know; but upon the island of Nantucket, the widow of Radney still turns to the sea which refuses to give up its dead; still in dreams sees the awful white whale that destroyed him.... "'Are you through?' said Don Sebastian, quietly. "I am, Don. "'Then I entreat you, tell me if to the best of your own convictions, this your story is, in substance, really true? It is so passing wonderful! Did you get it from an unquestionable source? Bear with me if I seem to press.' "'Also bear with all of us, sir sailor; for we all join in Don Sebastian's suit,' cried the company, with exceeding interest. "Is there a copy of the Holy Evangelists in the Golden Inn, gentlemen? "'Nay,' said Don Sebastian; 'but I know a worthy priest near by, who will quickly procure one for me. I go for it; but are you well advised? this may grow too serious.' "'Will you be so good as to bring the priest also, Don?' "'Though there are no Auto-da-Fés in Lima now,' said one of the company to another; 'I fear our sailor friend runs risk of the archiepiscopacy. Let us withdraw more out of the moonlight. I see no need of this.' "Excuse me for running after you, Don Sebastian; but may I also beg that you will be particular in procuring the largest sized Evangelists you can.... "'This is the priest; he brings you the Evangelists,' said Don Sebastian, gravely, returning with a tall and solemn figure. "Let me remove my hat. Now, venerable priest, further into the light, and hold the Holy Book before me that I may touch it. "So help me Heaven, and on my honor, the story I have told ye, gentlemen, is, in substance and its great items, true. I know it to be true; it happened on this ball; I trod the ship; I knew the crew; I have seen and talked with Steelkilt since the death of Radney." MY NOVEL, OR, VARIETIES IN ENGLISH LIFE.[6] [6] Continued from the September Number. Book VII.--INITIAL CHAPTER. "What is courage?" said my uncle Roland, rousing himself from a reverie into which he had fallen after the Sixth Book in this history had been read to our family circle. "What is courage?" he repeated more earnestly. "Is it insensibility to fear? _That_ may be the mere accident of constitution; and, if so, there is no more merit in being courageous than in being this table." "I am very glad to hear you speak thus," observed Mr. Caxton, "for I should not like to consider myself a coward; yet I am very sensible to fear in all dangers, bodily and moral." "La, Austin, how can you say so?" cried my mother, firing up; "was it not only last week that you faced the great bull that was rushing after Blanche and the children?"