"The islanders I suppose are mostly fishermen, yet," added he, glancing
rudely into her face, "there are some persons of intelligence among
them, are there not?"
Natalie looked at him for a moment, as if in doubt whether ignorance or
some meaner motive had prompted the question, when she remarked, "you
evidently have never learned of the great dangers attendant upon a
stranger's visit to Nantucket."
"Ah, indeed, I shall be under great obligations for the information,"
said he, his eyes wide open with curiosity! "pray, what are
those dangers?"
"The islanders, as you have imagined, being so unlike the inhabitants of
civilized lands, have such a natural propensity for wielding the
harpoon, that should a person differing from their kind appear amongst
them, they might be liable to capture him, mistaking the object for a
new species of land-shark!"
At this piece of information, delivered in such a calm, pleasant manner,
the smiles which had been visible on the faces of those who listened,
grew into a hearty laugh, in which the chagrined Montague joined, as
being the safest way of retreat, and although piqued by the ludicrous
position in which he had been placed, he could not but look with
admiration upon the gentle creature, whose pleasant repartee had been in
self-defence.
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