Moby Dick

[Old Thunder]

Mrs. Hussey soon appeared, with a mustard-pot in one hand and a vinegar-cruet in the other, having just broken away from the occupation of attending to the castors,* and scolding her little black boy meantime.

*Bottles for holding condiments.

 

[Old Thunder]

"Wood-house!" cried I, "which way to it? Run for God's sake, and fetch something to pry open the door -- the axe! -- the axe! -- he's had a stroke; depend upon it!" -- and so saying I was unmethodically rushing upstairs again empty-handed, when Mrs. Hussey interposed the mustard-pot and vinegar-cruet, and the entire castor of her countenance.

 

[Old Thunder]

"What's the matter with you, young man?"

 

[Old Thunder]

"Get the axe! For God's sake, run for the doctor, some one, while I pry it open!"

 

[Old Thunder]

"Look here," said the landlady, quickly putting down the vinegar-cruet, so as to have one hand free; "look here: are you talking about prying open any of my doors?" -- and with that she seized my arm.

 

[Old Thunder]

"What's the matter with you? What's the matter with you, shipmate?"

 

[Old Thunder]

In as calm, but rapid a manner as possible, I gave her to understand the whole case.

 

[Old Thunder]

Unconsciously clapping the vinegar-cruet to one side of her nose, she ruminated for an instant; then exclaimed -- "No! I haven't seen it since I put it there."

 

[Old Thunder]

Running to a little closet under the landing of the stairs, she glanced in, and returning, told me that Queequeg's harpoon was missing.

 

[Old Thunder]

"He's killed himself," she cried.