- description
- # The lonely house
## Overview
This is a subsection titled "The lonely house" extracted from the text file [israel_potter.txt](arke:01KG89J1DKC9HHJRKY25JZBEXW). It is part of Chapter XVI, "THEY LOOK IN AT CARRICKFERGUS, AND DESCEND ON WHITEHAVEN." [Chapter XVI. THEY LOOK IN AT CARRICKFERGUS, AND DESCEND ON WHITEHAVEN.](arke:01KG8AJJ2BDJ8N0FXM1C21XVSG) within the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. The subsection narrates an encounter at a house on the outskirts of town.
## Context
The subsection is part of a larger narrative contained in the file [israel_potter.txt](arke:01KG89J1DKC9HHJRKY25JZBEXW), which is included in the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. It appears in Chapter XVI, following the subsection [Israel's mission to the town](arke:01KG8AK7N0BV5ZTQS0ZJRP2YQK) and preceding the subsection [Return to the pier](arke:01KG8AK7N1B9BW35FXW2BDVDV1).
## Contents
The subsection describes Israel's attempt to get a light for his pipe from a house on the edge of town. He knocks on the door and asks for a light, but the man inside initially refuses. Israel insists, claiming it is daylight and that they are old friends. The sleepy man opens the door, and Israel enters, lights his pipe, and leaves quickly. Paul, who is waiting outside, has gathered more pipes to spread the fire.
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- 2026-01-30T20:48:50.644Z
- description_model
- gemini-2.5-flash-lite
- description_title
- The lonely house
- end_line
- 4551
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:47:55.385Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 4529
- text
- There was a lonely house standing somewhat disjointed from the town,
some poor laborer’s abode. Rapping at the door, Israel, pipe in mouth,
begged the inmates for a light for his tobacco.
“What the devil,” roared a voice from within, “knock up a man this time
of night to light your pipe? Begone!”
“You are lazy this morning, my friend,” replied Israel, “it is
daylight. Quick, give me a light. Don’t you know your old friend?
Shame! open the door.”
In a moment a sleepy fellow appeared, let down the bar, and Israel,
stalking into the dim room, piloted himself straight to the fire-place,
raked away the cinders, lighted his tobacco, and vanished.
All was done in a flash. The man, stupid with sleep, had looked on
bewildered. He reeled to the door, but, dodging behind a pile of
bricks, Israel had already hurried himself out of sight.
“Well done, my lion,” was the hail he received from Paul, who, during
his absence, had mustered as many pipes as possible, in order to
communicate and multiply the fire.
- title
- The lonely house