- end_line
- 2353
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:14.838Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 2302
- text
- such malevolence as he did. For I was young and handsome, at least my
mother so thought me, and as soon as I became a little used to the sea,
and shook off my low spirits somewhat, I began to have my old color in
my cheeks, and, spite of misfortune, to appear well and hearty; whereas
_he_ was being consumed by an incurable malady, that was eating up his
vitals, and was more fit for a hospital than a ship.
As I am sometimes by nature inclined to indulge in unauthorized
surmisings about the thoughts going on with regard to me, in the people
I meet; especially if I have reason to think they dislike me; I will
not put it down for a certainty that what I suspected concerning this
Jackson relative to his thoughts of me, was really the truth. But only
state my honest opinion, and how it struck me at the time; and even
now, I think I was not wrong. And indeed, unless it was so, how could I
account to myself, for the shudder that would run through me, when I
caught this man gazing at me, as I often did; for he was apt to be dumb
at times, and would sit with his eyes fixed, and his teeth set, like a
man in the moody madness.
I well remember the first time I saw him, and how I was startled at his
eye, which was even then fixed upon me. He was standing at the ship’s
helm, being the first man that got there, when a steersman was called
for by the pilot; for this Jackson was always on the alert for easy
duties, and used to plead his delicate health as the reason for
assuming them, as he did; though I used to think, that for a man in
poor health, he was very swift on the legs; at least when a good place
was to be jumped to; though that might only have been a sort of
spasmodic exertion under strong inducements, which every one knows the
greatest invalids will sometimes show.
And though the sailors were always very bitter against any thing like
_sogering,_ as they called it; that is, any thing that savored of a
desire to get rid of downright hard work; yet, I observed that, though
this Jackson was a notorious old _soger_ the whole voyage (I mean, in
all things not perilous to do, from which he was far from hanging
back), and in truth was a great veteran that way, and one who must have
passed unhurt through many campaigns; yet, they never presumed to call
him to account in any way; or to let him so much as think, what they
thought of his conduct. But I often heard them call him many hard names
behind his back; and sometimes, too, when, perhaps, they had just been
tenderly inquiring after his health before his face. They all stood in
mortal fear of him; and cringed and fawned about him like so many
spaniels; and used to rub his back, after he was undressed and lying in
his bunk; and used to run up on deck to the cook-house, to warm some
cold coffee for him; and used to fill his pipe, and give him chews of
tobacco, and mend his jackets and trowsers; and used to watch, and
tend, and nurse him every way. And all the time, he would sit scowling
on them, and found fault with what they did; and I noticed, that those
who did the most for him, and cringed the most before him, were the
very ones he most abused; while two or three who held more aloof, he
treated with a little consideration.
- title
- Chunk 3