CHAPTER135TheChase—ThirdDay

themorningofthethirddaydawnedfairandfresh,andoncemorethesolitarynight-manatthefore-mast-headwasrelievedbycrowdsofthedaylightlook-outs,whodottedeverymastandalmosteveryspar.

"d'yeseehim?"criedahab;butthewhalewasnotyetinsight.

"inhisinfalliblewake,though;butfollowthatwake,that'sall.helmthere;steady,asthougoest,andhastbeengoing.whatalovelydayagain!wereitanewmadeworld,andmadeforasummer-housetotheangels,andthismorningthefirstofitsthrowingopentothem,afairerdaycouldnotdawnuponthatworld.here'sfoodforthought,hadahabtimetothink;butahabneverthinks;heonlyfeels,feels,feels;that'stinglingenoughformortalman!tothink'saudacity.godonlyhasthatrightandprivilege.thinkingis,oroughttobe,acoolnessandacalmness;andourpoorheartsthrob,andourpoorbrainsbeattoomuchforthat.andyet,i'vesometimesthoughtmybrainwasverycalm—frozencalm,thisoldskullcracksso,likeaglassinwhichthecontentsturnedtoice,andshiverit.andstillthishairisgrowingnow;thismomentgrowing,andheatmustbreedit;butno,it'slikethatsortofcommongrassthatwillgrowanywhere,betweentheearthycleftsofgreenlandiceorinvesuviuslava.howthewildwindsblowit;theywhipitaboutmeasthetornshredsofsplitsailslashthetossedshiptheyclingto.avilewindthathasnodoubtblownerethisthroughprisoncorridorsandcells,andwardsofhospitals,andventilatedthem,andnowcomesblowinghitherasinnocentasfleeces.outuponit!—it'stainted.wereithewind,i'dblownomoreonsuchawicked,miserableworld.i'dcrawlsomewheretoacave,andslinkthere.andyet,'tisanobleandheroicthing,thewind!whoeverconqueredit?ineveryfightithasthelastandbitterestblow.runtiltingatit,andyoubutrunthroughit.ha!acowardwindthatstrikesstarknakedmen,butwillnotstandtoreceiveasingleblow.evenahabisabraverthing—anoblerthingthanthat.wouldnowthewindbuthadabody;butallthethingsthatmostexasperateandoutragemortalman,allthesethingsarebodiless,butonlybodilessasobjects,notasagents.there'samostspecial,amostcunning,oh,amostmaliciousdifference!andyet,isayagain,andswearitnow,thatthere'ssomethingallgloriousandgraciousinthewind.thesewarmtradewinds,atleast,thatintheclearheavensblowstraighton,instrongandsteadfast,vigorousmildness;andveernotfromtheirmark,howeverthebasercurrentsoftheseamayturnandtack,andmightiestmississippiesofthelandswiftandswerveabout,uncertainwheretogoatlast.andbytheeternalpoles!thesesametradesthatsodirectlyblowmygoodshipon;thesetrades,orsomethinglikethem—somethingsounchangeable,andfullasstrong,blowmykeeledsoulalong!toit!aloftthere!whatd'yesee?"

"nothing,sir."

"nothing!andnoonathand!thedoubloongoesa-ing!seethesun!aye,aye,itmustbeso.i'veoversailedhim.how,gotthestart?aye,he'schasingmenow;noti,him—that'sbad;imighthaveknownit,too.fool!thelines—theharpoonshe'stowing.aye,aye,ihaverunhimbylastnight.about!about!comedown,allofye,buttheregularlookouts!manthebraces!"

steeringasshehaddone,thewindhadbeensomewhatonthepequod'squarter,sothatnowbeingpointedinthereversedirection,thebracedshipsailedharduponthebreezeassherechurnedthecreaminherownwhitewake.

"againstthewindhenowsteersfortheopenjaw,"murmuredstarbucktohimself,ashecoiledthenewhauledmain-braceupontherail."godkeepus,butalreadymybonesfeeldampwithinme,andfromtheinsidewetmyflesh.imisdoubtmethatidisobeymygodinobeyinghim!"

"standbytoswaymeup!"criedahab,advancingtothehempenbasket."weshouldmeethimsoon."

"aye,aye,sir,"andstraightwaystarbuckdidahab'sbidding,andoncemoreahabswungonhigh.

awholehournowpassed;gold-beatenouttoages.timeitselfnowheldlongbreathswithkeensuspense.butatlast,somethreepointsofftheweatherbow,ahabdescriedthespoutagain,andinstantlyfromthethreemast-headsthreeshriekswentupasifthetonguesoffirehadvoicedit.

"foreheadtoforeheadimeetthee,thisthirdtime,mobydick!ondeckthere!—bracesharperup;crowdherintothewind'seye.he'stoofarofftoloweryet,mr.starbuck.thesailsshake!standoverthathelmsmanwithatop-maul!so,so;hetravelsfast,andimustdown.butletmehaveonemoregoodroundlookalofthereatthesea;there'stimeforthat.anold,oldsight,andyetsomehowsoyoung;aye,andnotchangedawinksinceifirstsawit,aboy,fromthesand-hillsofnantucket!thesame!—thesame!—thesametonoahastome.there'sasoftshowertoleeward.suchlovelyleewardings!theymustleadsomewhere—tosomethingelsethancommonland,morepalmythanthepalms.leeward!thewhitewhalegoesthatway;looktowindward,then;thebetterifthebittererquarter.butgoodbye,goodbye,oldmast-head!what'sthis?—green?aye,tinymossesinthesewarpedcracks.nosuchgreenweatherstainsonahab'shead!there'sthedifferencenowbetweenman'soldageandmatter's.butaye,oldmast,webothgrowoldtogether;soundinourhulls,though,arewenot,myship?aye,minusaleg,that'sall.byheaventhisdeadwoodhasthebetterofmyliveflesheveryway.ican'tcomparewithit;andi'veknownsomeshipsmadeofdeadtreesoutlastthelivesofmenmadeofthemostvitalstuffofvitalfathers.what'sthathesaid?heshouldstillgobeforeme,mypilot;andyettobeseenagain?butwhere?willihaveeyesatthebottomofthesea,supposingidescendthoseendlessstairs?andallnighti'vebeensailingfromhim,whereverhedidsinkto.aye,aye,likemanymorethoutold'stdirefultruthastouchingthyself,oparsee;but,ahab,therethyshotfellshort.good-bye,masthead—keepagoodeyeuponthewhale,thewhilei'mgone.we'lltalkto-morrow,nay,to-night,whenthewhitewhaleliesdownthere,tiedbyheadandtail."

hegavetheword;andstillgazingroundhim,wassteadilyloweredthroughtheclovenblueairtothedeck.

induetimetheboatswerelowered;butasstandinginhisshallop'sstern,ahabjusthovereduponthepointofthedescent,hewavedtothemate,—whoheldoneofthetackle-ropesondeck—andbadehimpause.

"starbuck!"

"sir?"

"forthethirdtimemysoul'sshipstartsuponthisvoyage,starbuck."

"aye,sir,thouwilthaveitso."

"someshipssailfromtheirports,andeverafterwardsaremissing,starbuck!"

"truth,sir:saddesttruth."

"somemendieatebbtide;someatlowwater;someatthefulloftheflood;—andifeelnowlikeabillowthat'sallonecrestedcomb,starbuck.iamold;—shakehandswithme,man."

theirhandsmet;theireyesfastened;starbuck'stearstheglue.

"oh,mycaptain,mycaptain!—nobleheart—gonot—gonot!—see,it'sabravemanthatweeps;howgreattheagonyofthepersuasionthen!"

"loweraway!"—criedahab,tossingthemate'sarmfromhim."standbythecrew!"

inaninstanttheboatwaspullingroundcloseunderthestern.

"thesharks!thesharks!"criedavoicefromthelowcabin-windowthere;"omaster,mymaster,comeback!"

butahabheardnothing;forhisownvoicewashigh-liftedthen;andtheboatleapedon.

yetthevoicespaketrue;forscarcehadhepushedfromtheship,whennumbersofsharks,seeminglyrisingfromoutthedarkwatersbeneaththehull,maliciouslysnappedatthebladesoftheoars,everytimetheydippedinthewater;andinthiswayaccompaniedtheboatwiththeirbites.itisathingnotuncommonlyhappeningtothewhale-boatsinthoseswarmingseas;thesharksattimesapparentlyfollowingtheminthesameprescientwaythatvultureshoveroverthebannersofmarchingregimentsintheeast.butthesewerethefirstsharksthathadbeenobservedbythepequodsincethewhitewhalehadbeenfirstdescried;andwhetheritwasthatahab'screwwereallsuchtiger-yellowbarbarians,andthereforetheirfleshmoremuskytothesensesofthesharks—amattersometimeswellknowntoaffectthem,—howeveritwas,theyseemedtofollowthatoneboatwithoutmolestingtheothers.

"heartofwroughtsteel!"murmuredstarbuckgazingovertheside,andfollowingwithhiseyestherecedingboat—"canstthouyetringboldlytothatsight?—loweringthykeelamongraveningsharks,andfollowedbythem,open-mouthedtothechase;andthisthecriticalthirdday?—forwhenthreedaysflowtogetherinonecontinuousintensepursuit;besurethefirstisthemorning,thesecondthenoon,andthethirdtheeveningandtheendofthatthing—bethatendwhatitmay.oh!mygod!whatisthisthatshootsthroughme,andleavesmesodeadlycalm,yetexpectant,—fixedatthetopofashudder!futurethingsswimbeforeme,asinemptyoutlinesandskeletons;allthepastissomehowgrowndim.mary,girl!thoufadestinpalegloriesbehindme;boy!iseemtoseebutthyeyesgrownwondrousblue.strangestproblemsoflifeseemclearing;butcloudssweepbetween—ismyjourney'sendcoming?mylegsfeelfaint;likehiswhohasfooteditallday.feelthyheart,—beatsityet?stirthyself,starbuck!—staveitoff—move,move!speakaloud!—mast-headthere!seeyemyboy'shandonthehill?—crazed;—aloftthere!—keepthykeenesteyeupontheboats:—markwellthewhale!—ho!again!—driveoffthathawk!see!hepecks—hetearsthevane"—pointingtotheredflagflyingatthemain-truck—"ha!hesoarsawaywitit!—where'stheoldmannow?see'stthouthatsight,ohahab!—shudder,shudder!"

theboatshadnotgoneveryfar,whenbyasignalfromthemast-heads—adownwardpointedarm,ahabknewthatthewhalehadsounded;butintendingtobenearhimatthenextrising,heheldonhiswayalittlesidewaysfromthevessel;thebecharmedcrewmaintainingtheprofoundestsilence,asthehead-beatwaveshammeredandhammeredagainsttheopposingbow.

"drive,driveinyournails,ohyewaves!totheiruttermostheadsdrivethemin!yebutstrikeathingwithoutalid;andnocoffinandnohearsecanbemine:—andhemponlycankillme!ha!ha!"

suddenlythewatersaroundthemslowlyswelledinbroadcircles;thenquicklyupheaved,asifsidewaysslidingfromasubmergedbergofice,swiftlyrisingtothesurface.alowrumblingsoundwasheard;asubterraneoushum;andthenallheldtheirbreaths;asledwithtrailingropes,andharpoons,andlances,avastformshotlengthwise,butobliquelyfromthesea.shroudedinathindroopingveilofmist,ithoveredforamomentintherainbowedair;andthenfellswampingbackintothedeep.crushedthirtyfeetupwards,thewatersflashedforaninstantlikeheapsoffountains,thenbrokenlysankinashowerofflakes,leavingthecirclingsurfacecreamedlikenewmilkroundthemarbletrunkofthewhale.

"giveway!"criedahabtotheoarsmen,andtheboatsdartedforwardtotheattack;butmaddenedbyyesterday'sfreshironsthatcorrodedinhim,mobydickseemedcombinedlypossessedbyalltheangelsthatfellfromheaven.thewidetiersofweldedtendonsoverspreadinghisbroadwhiteforehead,beneaththetransparentskin,lookedknittedtogether;asheadon,hecamechurninghistailamongtheboats;andoncemoreflailedthemapart;spillingouttheironsandlancesfromthetwomates'boats,anddashinginonesideoftheupperpartoftheirbows,butleavingahab'salmostwithoutascar.

whileooandqueequegwerestoppingthestrainedplanks;andasthewhaleswimmingoutfromthem,turned,andshowedoneentireflankasheshotbythemagain;atthatmomentaquickcrywentup.lashedroundandroundtothefish'sback;pinionedintheturnsuponturnsinwhich,duringthepastnight,thewhalehadreeledtheinvolutionsofthelinesaroundhim,thehalftornbodyoftheparseewasseen;hissableraimentfrayedtoshreds;hisdistendedeyesturnedfulluponoldahab.

theharpoondroppedfromhishand.

"befooled,befooled!"—drawinginalongleanbreath—"aye,parsee!iseetheeagain.—aye,andthougoestbefore;andthis,thisthenisthehearsethatthoudidstpromise.butiholdtheetothelastletterofthyword.whereisthesecondhearse?away,mates,totheship!thoseboatsareuselessnow;repairthemifyecanintime,andreturntome;ifnot,ahabisenoughtodie—down,men!thefirstthingthatbutofferstojumpfromthisboatistandin,thatthingiharpoon.yearenotothermen,butmyarmsandmylegs;andsoobeyme.—where'sthewhale?gonedownagain?"

buthelookedtoonightheboat;forasifbentuponescapingwiththecorpsehebore,andasiftheparticularplaceofthelastencounterhadbeenbutastageinhisleewardvoyage,mobydickwasnowagainsteadilyswimmingforward;andhadalmostpassedtheship,—whichthusfarhadbeensailinginthecontrarydirectiontohim,thoughforthepresentherheadwayhadbeenstopped.heseemedswimmingwithhisutmostvelocity,andnowonlyintentuponpursuinghisownstraightpathinthesea.

"oh!ahab,"criedstarbuck,"nottoolateisit,evennow,thethirdday,todesist.see!mobydickseekstheenot.itisthou,thou,thatmadlyseekesthim!"

settingsailtotherisingwind,thelonelyboatwasswiftlyimpelledtoleeward,bybothoarsandcanvas.andatlastwhenahabwasslidingbythevessel,sonearasplainlytodistinguishstarbuck'sfaceasheleanedovertherail,hehailedhimtoturnthevesselabout,andfollowhim,nottooswiftly,atajudiciousinterval.glancingupwards,hesawtashtego,queequeg,andoo,eagerlymountingtothethreemast-heads;whiletheoarsmenwererockinginthetwostavedboatswhichhadbutjustbeenhoistedtotheside,andwerebusilyatworkinrepairingthem.oneaftertheother,throughtheport-holes,ashesped,healsocaughtflyingglimpsesofstubbandflask,busyingthemselvesondeckamongbundlesofnewironsandlances.ashesawallthis;asheheardthehammersinthebrokenboats;farotherhammersseemeddrivinganailintohisheart.butherallied.andnowmarkingthatthevaneorflagwasgonefromthemain-masthead,heshoutedtotashtego,whohadjustgainedthatperch,todescendagainforanotherflag,andahammerandnails,andsonailittothemast.

whetheredbythethreedays'runningchase,andtheresistancetohisswimmingintheknottedhamperhebore;orwhetheritwassomelatentdeceitfulnessandmaliceinhim:whicheverwastrue,thewhitewhale'swaynowbegantoabate,asitseemed,fromtheboatsorapidlynearinghimoncemore;thoughindeedthewhale'slaststarthadnotbeensolongaoneasbefore.andstillasahabglidedoverthewavestheunpityingsharksaccompaniedhim;andsopertinaciouslystucktotheboat;andsocontinuallybitattheplyingoars,thatthebladesbecameedandcrunched,andleftsmallsplintersinthesea,atalmosteverydip.

"heedthemnot!thoseteethbutgivenewrowlockstoyouroars.pullon!'tisthebetterrest,theshark'sjawthantheyieldingwater."

"butateverybite,sir,thethinbladesgrowsmallerandsmaller!"

"theywilllastlongenough!pullon!—butwhocantell"—hemuttered—"whetherthesesharksswimtofeastonthewhaleoronahab?—butpullon!aye,allalive,now—wenearhim.thehelm!takethehelm!letmepass,"—andsosayingtwooftheoarsmenhelpedhimforwardtothebowsofthestillflyingboat.

atlengthasthecraftwascasttooneside,andranrangingalongwiththewhitewhale'sflank,heseemedstrangelyobliviousofitsadvance—asthewhalesometimeswill—andahabwasfairlywithinthesmokymountainmist,which,thrownofffromthewhale'sspout,curledroundhisgreat,monadnockhump;hewaseventhusclosetohim;when,withbodyarchedback,andbotharmslengthwisehigh-liftedtothepoise,hedartedhisfierceiron,andhisfarfiercecurseintothehatedwhale.asbothsteelandcursesanktothesocket,asifsuckedintoamorass,mobydicksidewayswrithed;spasmodicallyrolledhisnighflankagainstthebow,and,withoutstavingaholeinit,sosuddenlycantedtheboatover,thathaditnotbeenfortheelevatedpartofthegunwaletowhichhethenclung,ahabwouldoncemorehavebeentossedintothesea.asitwas,threeoftheoarsmen—whoforeknewnotthepreciseinstantofthedart,andwerethereforeunpreparedforitseffects—thesewereflungout;butsofell,that,inaninstanttwoofthemclutchedthegunwaleagain,andrisingtoitslevelonacombingwave,hurledthemselvesbodilyinboardagain;thethirdmanhelplesslydroppingastern,butstillafloatandswimming.

almostsimultaneously,withamightyvolitionofungraduated,instantaneousswiftness,thewhitewhaledartedthroughthewelteringsea.butwhenahabcriedouttothesteersmantotakenewturnswiththeline,andholditso;andcommandedthecrewtoturnroundontheirseats,andtowtheboatuptothemark;themomentthetreacherouslinefeltthatdoublestrainandtug,itsnappedintheemptyair!

"whatbreaksinme?somesinewcracks!—'tiswholeagain;oars!oars!burstinuponhim!"

hearingthetremendousrushofthesea-crashingboat,thewhalewheeledroundtopresenthisblankforeheadatbay;butinthatevolution,catchingsightofthenearingblackhulloftheship;seeminglyseeinginitthesourceofallhispersecutions;bethinkingit—itmaybe—alargerandnoblerfoe;ofasudden,heboredownuponitsadvancingprow,smitinghisjawsamidfieryshowersoffoam.

ahabered;hishandsmotehisforehead."igrowblind;hands!stretchoutbeforemethatimayyetgropemyway.is'tnight?"

"thewhale!theship!"criedthecringingoarsmen.

"oars!oars!slopedownwardstothydepths,osea,thatereitbeforevertoolate,ahabmayslidethislast,lasttimeuponhismark!isee:theship!theship!dashon,mymen!willyenotsavemyship?"

butastheoarsmenviolentlyforcedtheirboatthroughthesledge-hammeringseas,thebeforewhalesmittenbow-endsoftwoplanksburstthrough,andinaninstantalmost,thetemporarilydisabledboatlaynearlylevelwiththewaves;itshalf-wading,splashingcrew,tryinghardtostopthegapandbaleoutthepouringwater.