CHAPTER131ThePequodMeetsTheDelight

theintensepequodsailedon;therollingwavesanddayswentby;thelife-buoy-coffinstilllightlyswung;andanothership,mostmiserablymisnamedthedelight,wasdescried.asshedrewnigh,alleyeswerefixeduponherbroadbeams,calledshears,which,insomewhaling-ships,crossthequarter-deckattheheightofeightorninefeet;servingtocarrythespare,ed,ordisabledboats.

uponthestranger'sshearswerebeheldtheshattered,whiteribs,andsomefewsplinteredplanks,ofwhathadoncebeenawhale-boat;butyounowsawthroughthiswreck,asplainlyasyouseethroughthepeeled,half-unhinged,andbleachingskeletonofahorse.

"hastseenthewhitewhale?"

"look!"repliedthehollow-cheekedcaptainfromhistaffrail;andwithhistrumpethepointedtothewreck.

"hastkilledhim?"

"theharpoonisnotyetforgedthateverwilldothat,"answeredtheother,sadlyglancinguponaroundedhammockonthedeck,whosegatheredsidessomenoiselesssailorswerebusyinsewingtogether.

"notforged!"andsnatchingperth'slevelledironfromthecrotch,ahabhelditout,exclaiming—"lookye,nantucketer;hereinthishandiholdhisdeath!temperedinblood,andtemperedbylightningarethesebarbs;andisweartotemperthemtriplyinthathotplacebehindthefin,wherethewhitewhalemostfeelshisaccursedlife!"

"thengodkeepthee,oldman—see'stthouthat"—pointingtothehammock—"iburybutoneoffivestoutmen,whowerealiveonlyyesterday;butweredeaderenight.onlythatoneibury;therestwereburiedbeforetheydied;yousailupontheirtomb."thenturningtohiscrew—"areyereadythere?placetheplankthenontherail,andliftthebody;so,then—oh!god"—advancingtowardsthehammockwithupliftedhands—"maytheresurrectionandthelife——"

"braceforward!uphelm!"criedahablikelightningtohismen.

butthesuddenlystartedpequodwasnotquickenoughtoescapethesoundofthesplashthatthecorpsesoonmadeasitstruckthesea;notsoquick,indeed,butthatsomeoftheflyingbubblesmighthavesprinkledherhullwiththeirghostlybaptism.

asahabnowglidedfromthedejecteddelight,thestrangelife-buoyhangingatthepequod'ssterncameintoconspicuousrelief.

"ha!yonder!lookyonder,men!"criedaforebodingvoiceinherwake."invain,oh,yestrangers,yeflyoursadburial;yebutturnusyourtaffrailtoshowusyourcoffin!