Moby Dick

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craters for volcanoes; and the grave-digger in the play sings, spade in
hand. Dost thou never?"

"Sing, sir? Do I sing? Oh, I'm indifferent enough, sir, for that; but
the reason why the grave-digger made music must have been because there
was none in his spade, sir. But the caulking mallet is full of it. Hark
to it."

"Aye, and that's because the lid there's a sounding-board; and what in
all things makes the sounding-board is this--there's naught beneath. And
yet, a coffin with a body in it rings pretty much the same, Carpenter.
Hast thou ever helped carry a bier, and heard the coffin knock against
the churchyard gate, going in?

"Faith, sir, I've--"

"Faith? What's that?"