Answer:
I didn't read the book or know the story but I can imagine that if it is meant to be literal, he/she said it because having the disease made him/her more careful and weary.
Explanation:
It is kind of like what happened with this Corona. We heard about the "disease" and became more weary and careful. Also: sharpened our senses.
The irony occurs when the main character wants to be a sea captain but is warned when he sees the colomber, because it is thought to bring death to those who see it out in the sea. In the end the main character learn that the colomber just wanted to give him something and he wasn't going to die just because he saw him.
They’re different type of website and links between other pages of brainly