CHAPTER129TheCabin

ahabmovingtogoondeck;pipcatcheshimbythehandtofollow.

"lad,lad,itelltheethoumustnotfollowahabnow.thehouriscomingwhenahabwouldnotscaretheefromhim,yetwouldnothavetheebyhim.thereisthatinthee,poorlad,whichifeeltoocuringtomymalady.likecureslike;andforthishunt,mymaladybecomesmymostdesiredhealth.dothouabidebelowhere,wheretheyshallservethee,asifthouwertthecaptain.aye,lad,thoushaltsithereinmyownscrewedchair;anotherscrewtoit,thoumustbe."

"no,no,no!yehavenotawholebody,sir;doyebutusepoormeforyouronelostleg;onlytreaduponme,sir;iasknomore,soiremainapartofye."

"oh!spiteofmillionvillains,thismakesmeabigotinthefadelessfidelityofman!—andablack!andcrazy!—butmethinkslike-cures-likeappliestohimtoo;hegrowssosaneagain."

"theytellme,sir,thatstubbdidoncedesertpoorlittlepip,whosedrownedbonesnowshowwhite,foralltheblacknessofhislivingskin.butiwillneverdesertye,sir,asstubbdidhim.sir,imustgowithye."

"ifthouspeakestthustomemuchmore,ahab'spurposekeelsupinhim.itelltheeno;itcannotbe."

"ohgoodmaster,master,master!

"weepso,andiwillmurderthee!haveacare,forahabtooismad.listen,andthouwiltoftenhearmyivoryfootuponthedeck,andstillknowthatiamthere.andnowiquitthee.thyhand!—met!trueartthou,lad,asthecircumferencetoitscentre.so:godforeverblessthee;andifitcometothat,—godforeversavethee,letwhatwillbefall."

(ahabgoes;pipstepsonestepforward.)

"herehethisinstantstood;istandinhisair,—buti'malone.nowwereevenpoorpiphereicouldendureit,buthe'smissing.pip!pip!ding,dong,ding!who'sseenpip?hemustbeuphere;let'strythedoor.what?neitherlock,norbolt,norbar;andyetthere'snoopeningit.itmustbethespell;hetoldmetostayhere:aye,andtoldmethisscrewedchairwasmine.here,then,i'llseatme,againstthetransom,intheship'sfullmiddle,allherkeelandherthreemastsbeforeme.here,ouroldsailorssay,intheirblackseventy-foursgreatadmiralssometimessitattable,andlorditoverrowsofcaptainsandlieutenants.ha!what'sthis?epaulets!epaulets!theepauletsallcomecrowding!passroundthedecanters;gladtoseeye;fillup,monsieurs!whatanoddfeeling,now,whenablackboy'shosttowhitemenwithgoldlaceupontheircoats!—monsieurs,haveyeseenonepip?—alittlenegrolad,fivefeethigh,hang-doglook,andcowardly!jumpedfromawhale-boatonce;—seenhim?no!wellthen,fillupagain,captains,andlet'sdrinkshameuponallcowards!inamenonames.shameuponthem!putonefootuponthetable.shameuponallcowards.—hist!abovethere,ihearivory—oh,master!master!iamindeeddown-heartedwhenyouwalkoverme.butherei'llstay,thoughthissternstrikesrocks;andtheybulgethrough;andoysterscometojoinme."