The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket: Comprising the details of a mutiny and atrocious butchery on board the American brig Grampus, on her way to the South Seas, in the month of June, 1827.Poe, Edgar Allan
General
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket: Comprising the details of a mutiny and atrocious butchery on board the American brig Grampus, on her way to the South Seas, in the month of June, 1827.
Poe, Edgar Allan
Sea stories; Stowaways -- Fiction; Whaling ships -- Fiction; Young men -- Fiction
The middle of June at length arrived, and everything had been matured.
The note was written and delivered, and on a Monday morning I left the
house for the New Bedford packet, as supposed. I went, however,
straight to Augustus, who was waiting for me at the corner of a street.
It had been our original plan that I should keep out of the way until
dark, and then slip on board the brig; but, as there was now a thick
fog in our favour, it was agreed to lose no time in secreting me.
Augustus led the way to the wharf, and I followed at a little distance,
enveloped in a thick seaman's cloak, which he had brought with him, so
that my person might not be easily recognised. Just as we turned the
second corner, after passing Mr. Edmund's well, who should appear,
standing right in front of me, and looking me full in the face, but old
Mr. Peterson, my grandfather. "Why, bless my soul, Gordon," said he,
after a long pause, "why, why--_whose_ dirty cloak is that you have
on?" "Sir!" I replied, assuming, as well as I could, in the exigency of
the moment, an air of offended surprise, and talking in the gruffest of
all imaginable tones--"sir! you are a sum'mat mistaken--my name, in the
first place, bee'nt nothing at all like Goddin, and I'd want you for to
know better, you blackguard, than to call my new obercoat a darty one!"
For my life I could hardly refrain from screaming with laughter at the
odd manner in which the old gentleman received this handsome rebuke. He
started back two or three steps, turned first pale and then excessively
red, threw up his spectacles, then, putting them down, ran full tilt at
me, with his umbrella uplifted. He stopped short, however, in his
career, as if struck with a sudden recollection; and presently, turning
round, hobbled off down the street, shaking all the while with rage,
and muttering between his teeth, "Won't do--new glasses--thought it was
Gordon--d----d good-for-nothing salt water Long Tom."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account