"Why, blast your eyes, Bildad," cried Peleg, Thou dost not want
to swindle this young man! he must have more than that."
"Seven hundred and seventy-seventh," again said Bildad, without lifting
his eyes; and then went on mumbling--"for where your treasure is,
there will your heart be also."
"I am going to put him down for the three hundredth," said Peleg,
"do ye hear that, Bildad! The three hundredth lay, I say."
Bildad laid down his book, and turning solemnly towards
him said, "Captain Peleg, thou hast a generous heart;
but thou must consider the duty thou owest to the other
owners of this ship--widows and orphans, many of them--
and that if we too abundantly reward the labors of this young man,
we may be taking the bread from those widows and those orphans.
The seven hundred and seventy-seventh lay, Captain Peleg."
"Thou Bildad!" roared Peleg, starting up and clattering about the cabin.
"Blast ye, Captain Bildad, if I had followed thy advice in these matters,
I would afore now had a conscience to lug about that would be heavy
enough to founder the largest ship that ever sailed round Cape Horn."
"Captain Peleg," said Bildad steadily, "thy conscience may be
drawing ten inches of water, or ten fathoms, I can't tell;
but as thou art still an impenitent man, Captain Peleg, I greatly
fear lest thy conscience be but a leaky one; and will in the end
sink thee foundering down to the fiery pit, Captain Peleg.
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