[Mardi: and A Voyage Thither, Vol. I (of 2) by Herman Melville]@TWC D-Link bookMardi: and A Voyage Thither, Vol. I (of 2) CHAPTER XXIII 4/5
And furthermore, by way of codicil, she declared that she was slave to nobody. Now, Samoa, sad to tell, stood in no little awe of his bellicose spouse.
What, though a hero in other respects; what, though he had slain his savages, and gallantly carried his craft from their clutches:--Like the valiant captains Marlborough and Belisarius, he was a poltroon to his wife.
And Annatoo was worse than either Sarah or Antonina. However, like every thing partaking of the nature of a scratch, most conjugal squabbles are quickly healed; for if they healed not, they would never anew break out: which is the beauty of the thing.
So at length they made up but the treaty stipulations of Annatoo told much against the interests of Samoa.
Nevertheless, ostensibly, it was agreed upon, that they should strictly go halves; the lady, however, laying special claim to certain valuables, more particularly fancied. But as a set-off to this, she generously renounced all claims upon the spare rigging; all claims upon the fore-mast and mainmast; and all claims upon the captain's arms and ammunition.
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