CHAPTER73StubbandFlaskkillaRight

itmustbeborneinmindthatallthistimewehaveaspermwhale'sprodigiousheadhangingtothepequod'sside.butwemustletitcontinuehangingthereawhiletillwecangetachancetoattendtoit.forthepresentothermatterspress,andthebestwecandonowforthehead,istoprayheaventhetacklesmayhold.

now,duringthepastnightandforenoon,thepequodhadgraduallydriftedintoasea,which,byitsoccasionalpatchesofyellowbrit,gaveunusualtokensofthevicinityofrightwhales,aspeciesoftheleviathanthatbutfewsupposedtobeatthisparticulartimelurkinganywherenear.andthoughallhandscommonlydisdainedthecaptureofthoseinferiorcreatures;andthoughthepequodwasnotcommissionedtocruiseforthematall,andthoughshehadpassednumbersofthemnearthecrozettswithoutloweringaboat;yetnowthataspermwhalehadbeenbroughtalongsideandbeheaded,tothesurpriseofall,theannouncementwasmadethatarightwhaleshouldbecapturedthatday,ifopportunityoffered.

norwasthislongwanting.tallspoutswereseentoleeward;andtwoboats,stubb'sandflask's,weredetachedinpursuit.pullingfurtherandfurtheraway,theyatlastbecamealmostinvisibletothemenatthemast-head.butsuddenlyinthedistance,theysawagreatheapoftumultuouswhitewater,andsoonafternewscamefromaloftthatoneorboththeboatsmustbefast.anintervalpassedandtheboatswereinplainsight,intheactofbeingedrighttowardstheshipbythetowingwhale.soclosedidthemonstercometothehull,thatatfirstitseemedasifhemeantitmalice;butsuddenlygoingdowninamaelstrom,withinthreerodsoftheplanks,hewhollydisappearedfromview,asifdivingunderthekeel."cut,cut!"wasthecryfromtheshiptotheboats,which,foroneinstant,seemedonthepointofbeingbroughtwithadeadlydashagainstthevessel'sside.buthavingplentyoflineyetinthetubs,andthewhalenotsoundingveryrapidly,theypaidoutabundanceofrope,andatthesametimepulledwithalltheirmightsoastogetaheadoftheship.forafewminutesthelewasintenselycritical;forwhiletheystillslackedoutthetightenedlineinonedirection,andstillpliedtheiroarsinanother,thecontendingstrainthreatenedtotakethemunder.butitwasonlyafewfeetadvancetheysoughttogain.andtheystucktoittilltheydidgainit;wheninstantly,aswifttremorwasfeltrunninglikelightningalongthekeel,asthestrainedline,scrapingbeneaththeship,suddenlyrosetoviewunderherbows,snappingandquivering;andsoflingingoffitsdrippings,thatthedropsfelllikebitsofbrokenglassonthewater,whilethewhalebeyondalsorosetosight,andoncemoretheboatswerefreetofly.buttheedwhaleabatedhisspeed,andblindlyalteringhiscourse,wentroundthesternoftheshiptowingthetwoboatsafterhim,sothattheyperformedacompletecircuit.

meantime,theyhauledmoreandmoreupontheirlines,tillcloseflankinghimonbothsides,stubbansweredflaskwithlanceforlance;andthusroundandroundthepequodthebattlewent,whilethemultitudesofsharksthathadbeforeswumroundthespermwhale'sbody,rushedtothefreshbloodthatwasspilled,thirstilydrinkingateverynewgash,astheeagerisraelitesdidatthenewburstingfountainsthatpouredfromthesmittenrock.

atlasthisspoutgrewthick,andwithafrightfulrollandvomit,heturneduponhisbackacorpse.

whilethetwoheadsmenwereengagedinmakingfastcordstohisflukes,andinotherwaysgettingthemassinreadinessfortowing,someconversationensuedbetweenthem.

"iwonderwhattheoldmanwantswiththislumpoffoullard,"saidstubb,notwithoutsomedisgustatthethoughtofhavingtodowithsoignoblealeviathan.

"wantswithit?"saidflask,coilingsomesparelineintheboat'sbow,"didyouneverhearthattheshipwhichbutoncehasaspermwhale'sheadhoistedonherstarboardside,andatthesametimearightwhale'sonthelarboard;didyouneverhear,stubb,thatthatshipcanneverafterwardscapsize?"

"whynot?

"idon'tknow,butiheardthatgambogeghostofafedallahsayingso,andheseemstoknowallaboutships'charms.butisometimesthinkhe'llcharmtheshiptonogoodatlast.idon'thalflikethatchap,stubb.didyouevernoticehowthattuskofhisisasortofcarvedintoasnake'shead,stubb?"

"sinkhim!ineverlookathimatall;butifeverigetachanceofadarknight,andhestandinghardbythebulwarks,andnooneby;lookdownthere,flask"—pointingintotheseawithapeculiarmotionofbothhands—"aye,willi!flask,itakethatfedallahtobethedevilindisguise.doyoubelievethatcockandbullstoryabouthishavingbeenstowedawayonboardship?he'sthedevil,isay.thereasonwhyyoudon'tseehistail,isbecausehetucksitupoutofsight;hecarriesitcoiledawayinhispocket,iguess.blasthim!nowthatithinkofit,he'salwayswantingoakumtostuffintothetoesofhisboots."

"hesleepsinhisboots,don'the?hehasn'tgotanyhammock;buti'veseenhimlayofnightsinacoilofing."

"nodoubt,andit'sbecauseofhiscursedtail;hecoilsitdown,doyesee,intheeyeoftheing."

"what'stheoldmanhavesomuchtodowithhimfor?"

"strikingupaswaporabargain,isuppose."

"bargain?—aboutwhat?"

"why,doyesee,theoldmanishardbentafterthatwhitewhale,andthedevilthereistryingtocomeroundhim,andgethimtoswapawayhissilverwatch,orhissoul,orsomethingofthatsort,andthenhe'llsurrendermobydick."

"pooh!stubb,youareskylarking;howcanfedallahdothat?"

"idon'tknow,flask,butthedevilisacuriouschap,andawickedone,itellye.why,theysayashowhewentasaunteringintotheoldflag-shiponce,switchinghistailaboutdevilisheasyandgentlemanlike,andinquiringiftheoldgovernorwasathome.well,hewasathome,andaskedthedevilwhathewanted.thedevil,switchinghishoofs,upandsays,'iwantjohn.''whatfor?'saystheoldgovernor.'whatbusinessisthatofyours,'saysthedevil,gettingmad,—'iwanttousehim.''takehim,'saysthegovernor—andbythelord,flask,ifthedevildidn'tgivejohntheasiaticcholerabeforehegotthroughwithhim,i'lleatthiswhaleinonemouthful.butlooksharp—ain'tyouallreadythere?well,then,pullahead,andlet'sgetthewhalealongside."

"ithinkiremembersomesuchstoryasyouweretelling,"saidflask,whenatlastthetwoboatswereslowlyadvancingwiththeirburdentowardstheship,"butican'trememberwhere."

"threespaniards?adventuresofthosethreebloodymindedsoldadoes?didyereaditthere,flask?iguessyedid?"

"no:neversawsuchabook;heardofit,though.butnow,tellme,stubb,doyousupposethatthatdevilyouwasspeakingofjustnow,wasthesameyousayisnowonboardthepequod?"

"amithesamemanthathelpedkillthiswhale?doesn'tthedevilliveforever;whoeverheardthatthedevilwasdead?didyoueverseeanyparsonawearingmourningforthedevil?andifthedevilhasalatch-keytogetintotheadmiral'scabin,don'tyousupposehecancrawlintoaporthole?tellmethat,mr.flask?"

"howolddoyousupposefedallahis,stubb?"

"doyouseethatmainmastthere?"pointingtotheship;"well,that'sthefigureone;nowtakeallthehoopsinthepequod'shold,andstringalonginarowwiththatmast,foroughts,doyousee;well,thatwouldn'tbegintobefedallah'sage.norallthecoopersincreationcouldn'tshowhoopsenoughtomakeoughtsenough."

"butseehere,stubb,ithoughtyoualittleboastedjustnow,thatyoumeanttogivefedallahasea-toss,ifyougotagoodchance.now,ifhe'ssooldasallthosehoopsofyourscometo,andifheisgoingtoliveforever,whatgoodwillitdotopitchhimoverboard—tellmethat?

"givehimagoodducking,anyhow."

"buthe'dcrawlback."

"duckhimagain;andkeepduckinghim."

"supposeheshouldtakeitintohisheadtoduckyou,though—yes,anddrownyou—whatthen?"

"ishouldliketoseehimtryit;i'dgivehimsuchapairofblackeyesthathewouldn'tdaretoshowhisfaceintheadmiral'scabinagainforalongwhile,letalonedownintheorlopthere,wherehelives,andhereaboutsontheupperdeckswherehesneakssomuch.damnthedevil,flask;soyousupposei'mafraidofthedevil?who'safraidofhim,excepttheoldgovernorwhodaresn'tcatchhimandputhimindouble-darbies,ashedeserves,butletshimgoaboutkidnappingpeople;aye,andsignedabondwithhim,thatallthepeoplethedevilkidnapped,he'droastforhim?there'sagovernor!"

"doyousupposefedallahwantstokidnapcaptainahab?"

"doisupposeit?you'llknowitbeforelong,flask.butiamgoingnowtokeepasharplook-outonhim;andifiseeanythingverysuspiciousgoingon,i'lljusttakehimbythenapeofhisneck,andsay—lookhere,beelzebub,youdon'tdoit;andifhemakesanyfuss,bythelordi'llmakeagrabintohispocketforhistail,takeittothecapstan,andgivehimsuchawrenchingandheaving,thathistailwillcomeshortoffatthestump—doyousee;andthen,iratherguesswhenhefindshimselfdockedinthatqueerfashion,he'llsneakoffwithoutthepoorsatisfactionoffeelinghistailbetweenhislegs."

"andwhatwillyoudowiththetail,stubb?"

"dowithit?sellitforanoxwhipwhenwegethome;—whatelse?"

"now,doyoumeanwhatyousay,andhavebeensayingallalong,stubb?"

"meanornotmean,hereweareattheship."

theboatswereherehailed,totowthewhaleonthelarboardside,whereflukechainsandothernecessarieswerealreadypreparedforsecuringhim.

"didn'titellyouso?"saidflask;"yes,you'llsoonseethisrightwhale'sheadhoistedupoppositethatparmacetti's."

ingoodtime,flask'ssayingprovedtrue.asbefore,thepequodsteeplyleanedovertowardsthespermwhale'shead,now,bythecounterpoiseofbothheads,sheregainedherevenkeel;thoughsorelystrained,youmaywellbelieve.so,whenononesideyouhoistinlocke'shead,yougooverthatway;butnow,ontheotherside,hoistinkant'sandyoucomebackagain;butinverypoorplight.thus,somemindsforeverkeeptrimmingboat.oh,yefoolish!throwallthesethunder-headsoverboard,andthenyouwillfloatlightandright.

indisposingofthebodyofarightwhale,whenbroughtalongsidetheship,thesamepreliminaryproceedingscommonlytakeplaceasinthecaseofaspermwhale;only,inthelatterinstance,theheadiscutoffwhole,butintheformerthelipsandtongueareseparatelyremovedandhoistedondeck,withallthewellknownblackboneattachedtowhatiscalledthecrown-piece.butnothinglikethis,inthepresentcase,hadbeendone.thecarcasesofbothwhaleshaddroppedastern;andthehead-ladenshipnotalittleresembledamulecarryingapairofoverburdeningpanniers.

meantime,fedallahwascalmlyeyeingtherightwhale'shead,andeverandanonglancingfromthedeepwrinklestheretothelinesinhisownhand.andahabchancedsotostand,thattheparseeoccupiedhisshadow;while,iftheparsee'sshadowwasthereatallitseemedonlytoblendwith,andlengthenahab's.asthecrewtoiledon,laplandishspeculationswerebandiedamongthem,concerningallthesepassingthings.