CHAPTER134TheChase—SecondDay

atday-break,thethreemast-headswerepunctuallymannedafresh.

"d'yeseehim?"criedahabafterallowingalittlespaceforthelighttospread.

"seenothing,sir."

"turnupallhandsandmakesail!hetravelsfasterthanithoughtfor;—thetop-gallantsails!—aye,theyshouldhavebeenkeptonherallnight.butnomatter—'tisbutrestingfortherush."

herebeitsaid,thatthispertinaciouspursuitofoneparticularwhale,continuedthroughdayintonight,andthroughnightintoday,isathingbynomeansunprecedentedinthesouthseafishery.forsuchisthewonderfulskill,prescienceofexperience,andinvincibleconfidenceacquiredbysomegreatnaturalgeniusesamongthenantucketcommanders;thatfromthesimpleobservationofawhalewhenlastdescried,theywill,undercertaingivencircumstances,prettyaccuratelyforetellboththedirectioninwhichhewillcontinuetoswimforatime,whileoutofsight,aswellashisprobablerateofprogressionduringthatperiod.and,inthesecases,somewhatasapilot,whenaboutlosingsightofacoast,whosegeneraltrendinghewellknows,andwhichhedesiresshortlytoreturntoagain,butatsomefurtherpoint;likeasthispilotstandsbyhiscompass,andtakestheprecisebearingofthecapeatpresentvisible,inorderthemorecertainlytohitarighttheremote,unseenheadland,eventuallytobevisited:sodoesthefisherman,athiscompass,withthewhale;forafterbeingchased,anddiligentlymarked,throughseveralhoursofdaylight,then,whennightobscuresthefish,thecreature'sfuturewakethroughthedarknessisalmostasestablishedtothesagaciousmindofthehunter,asthepilot'scoastistohim.sothattothishunter'swondrousskill,theproverbialevanescenceofathingwritinwater,awake,istoalldesiredpurposeswellnighasreliableasthesteadfastland.andasthemightyironleviathanofthemodernrailwayissofamiliarlyknowninitseverypace,that,withwatchesintheirhands,mentimehisrateasdoctorsthatofababy'spulse;andlightlysayofit,theuptrainorthedowntrainwillreachsuchorsuchaspot,atsuchorsuchanhour;evenso,almost,thereareoccasionswhenthesenantucketerstimethatotherleviathanofthedeep,accordingtotheobservedhumorofhisspeed;andsaytothemselves,somanyhourshencethiswhalewillhavegonetwohundredmiles,willhaveaboutreachedthisorthatdegreeoflatitudeorlongitude.buttorenderthisacutenessatallessfulintheend,thewindandtheseamustbethewhaleman'sallies;forofwhatpresentavailtothebecalmedorwindboundmarineristheskillthatassureshimheisexactlyninety-threeleaguesandaquarterfromhisport?inferablefromthesestatements,aremanycollateralsubtilematterstouchingthechaseofwhales.

theshiptoreon;leavingsuchafurrowintheseaaswhenacannon-ball,missent,becomesaplough-shareandturnsupthelevelfield.

"bysaltandhemp!"criedstubb,"butthisswiftmotionofthedeckcreepsupone'slegsandtinglesattheheart.thisshipandiaretwobravefellows!—ha,ha!someonetakemeup,andlaunchme,spine-wise,onthesea,—forbylive-oaks!myspine'sakeel.ha,ha!wegothegaitthatleavesnodustbehind!"

"theresheblows—sheblows!—sheblows!—rightahead!"wasnowthemast-headcry.

"aye,aye!"criedstubb,"iknewit—yecan'tescape—blowonandsplityourspout,owhale!themadfiendhimselfisafterye!blowyourtrump—blisteryourlungs!—ahabwilldamoffyourblood,asamillershutshiswatergateuponthestream!"

andstubbdidbutspeakoutforwellnighallthatcrew.thefrenziesofthechasehadbythistimeworkedthembubblinglyup,likeoldwineworkedanew.whateverpalefearsandforebodingssomeofthemmighthavefeltbefore;thesewerenotonlynowkeptoutofsightthroughthegrowingaweofahab,buttheywerebrokenup,andonallsidesrouted,astimidprairieharesthatscatterbeforetheboundingbison.thehandoffatehadsnatchedalltheirsouls;andbythestirringperilsofthepreviousday;therackofthepastnight'ssuspense;thefixed,unfearing,blind,recklesswayinwhichtheirwildcraftwentplungingtowardsitsflyingmark;byallthesethings,theirheartswerebowledalong.thewindthatmadegreatbelliesoftheirsails,andrushedthevesselonbyarmsinvisibleasirresistible;thisseemedthesymbolofthatunseenagencywhichsoenslavedthemtotherace.

theywereoneman,notthirty.forastheoneshipthatheldthemall;thoughitwasputtogetherofallcontrastingthings—oak,andmaple,andpinewood;iron,andpitch,andhemp—yetalltheseranintoeachotherintheoneconcretehull,whichshotonitsway,bothbalancedanddirectedbythelongcentralkeel;evenso,alltheindividualitiesofthecrew,thisman'svalor,thatman'sfear;guiltandguiltiness,allvarietieswereweldedintooneness,andwerealldirectedtothatfatalgoalwhichahabtheironelordandkeeldidpointto.

theinglived.themast-heads,likethetopsoftallpalms,wereoutspreadinglytuftedwitharmsandlegs.clingingtoasparwithonehand,somereachedforththeotherwithimpatientwavings;others,shadingtheireyesfromthevividsunlight,satfaroutontherockingyards;allthesparsinfullbearingofmortals,readyandripefortheirfate.ah!howtheystillstrovethroughthatinfinitebluenesstoseekoutthethingthatmightdestroythem!

"whysingyenotoutforhim,ifyeseehim?"criedahab,when,afterthelapseofsomeminutessincethefirstcry,nomorehadbeenheard."swaymeup,men;yehavebeendeceived;notmobydickcastsoneoddjetthatway,andthendisappears."

itwasevenso;intheirheadlongeagerness,themenhadmistakensomeotherthingforthewhalespout,astheeventitselfsoonproved;forhardlyhadahabreachedhisperch;hardlywastheropebelayedtoitspinondeck,whenhestruckthekey-notetoanorchestra,thatmadetheairvibrateaswiththecombineddischargesofrifles.thetriumphanthallooofthirtybuckskinlungswasheard,as—muchnearertotheshipthantheplaceoftheimaginaryjet,lessthanamileahead—mobydickbodilyburstintoview!fornotbyanycalmandindolentspoutings;notbythepeaceablegushofthatmysticfountaininhishead,didthewhitewhalenowrevealhisvicinity;butbythefarmorewondrousphenomenonofbreaching.risingwithhisutmostvelocityfromthefurthestdepths,thespermwhalethusboomshisentirebulkintothepureelementofair,andpilingupamountainofdazzlingfoam,showshisplacetothedistanceofsevenmilesandmore.inthosemoments,thetorn,enragedwavesheshakesoff,seemhismane;insomecases,thisbreachingishisactofdefiance.

"thereshebreaches!thereshebreaches!"wasthecry,asinhisimmeasurablebravadoesthewhitewhaletossedhimselfsalmon-liketoheaven.sosuddenlyseenintheblueplainofthesea,andrelievedagainstthestillbluermarginofthesky,thespraythatheraised,forthemoment,intolerablyglitteredandglaredlikeaglacier;andstoodtheregraduallyfadingandfadingawayfromitsfirstsparklingintensity,tothedimmistinessofanadvancingshowerinavale.

"aye,breachyourlasttothesun,mobydick!"criedahab,"thyhourandthyharpoonareathand!—down!downallofye,butonemanatthefore.theboats!—standby!"

unmindfulofthetediousrope-laddersoftheshrouds,themen,likeshootingstars,slidtothedeck,bytheisolatedbackstaysandhalyards;whileahab,lessdartingly,butstillrapidlywasdroppedfromhisperch.

"loweraway,"hecried,sosoonashehadreachedhisboat—aspareone,edtheafternoonprevious."mr.starbuck,theshipisthine—keepawayfromtheboats,butkeepnearthem.lower,all!"

asiftostrikeaquickterrorintothem,bythistimebeingthefirstassailanthimself,mobydickhadturned,andwasnowcomingforthethreecrews.ahab'sboatwascentral;andcheeringhismen,hetoldthemhewouldtakethewhalehead-and-head,—thatis,pullstraightuptohisforehead,—anotuncommonthing;forwhenwithinacertainlimit,suchacourseexcludesthecomingonsetfromthewhale'ssidelongvision.buterethatcloselimitwasgained,andwhileyetallthreeboatswereplainastheship'sthreemaststohiseye;thewhitewhalechurninghimselfintofuriousspeed,almostinaninstantasitwere,rushingamongtheboatswithopenjaws,andalashingtail,offeredappallingbattleoneveryside;andheedlessoftheironsdartedathimfromeveryboat,seemedonlyintentonannihilatingeachseparateplankofwhichthoseboatsweremade.butskilfullyman?uvred,incessantlywheelingliketrainedchargersinthefield;theboatsforawhileeludedhim;though,attimes,butbyaplank'sbreadth;whileallthetime,ahab'sunearthlyslogantoreeveryothercrybuthistoshreds.

butatlastinhisuntraceableevolutions,thewhitewhalesocrossedandrecrossed,andinathousandwaysentangledtheslackofthethreelinesnowfasttohim,thattheyforeshortened,and,ofthemselves,warpedthedevotedboatstowardstheplantedironsinhim;thoughnowforamomentthewhaledrewasidealittle,asiftorallyforamoretremendouscharge.seizingthatopportunity,ahabfirstpaidoutmoreline:andthenwasrapidlyhaulingandjerkinginuponitagain—hopingthatwaytodisencumberitofsomesnarls—whenlo!—asightmoresavagethantheembattledteethofsharks!

caughtandtwisted—corkscrewedinthemazesoftheline,looseharpoonsandlances,withalltheirbristlingbarbsandpoints,cameflashinganddrippinguptothechocksinthebowsofahab'sboat.onlyonethingcouldbedone.seizingtheboat-knife,hecriticallyreachedwithin—through—andthen,without—theraysofsteel;edinthelinebeyond,passedit,inboard,tothebowsman,andthen,twicesunderingtheropenearthechocks—droppedtheinterceptedfagotofsteelintothesea;andwasallfastagain.thatinstant,thewhitewhalemadeasuddenrushamongtheremainingtanglesoftheotherlines;bysodoing,irresistiblyedthemoreinvolvedboatsofstubbandflasktowardshisflukes;dashedthemtogetherliketworollinghusksonasurf-beatenbeach,andthen,divingdownintothesea,disappearedinaboilingmaelstrom,inwhich,foraspace,theodorouscedarchipsofthewrecksdancedroundandround,likethegratednutmeginaswiftlystirredbowlofpunch.

whilethetwocrewswereyetcirclinginthewaters,reachingoutaftertherevolvingline-tubs,oars,andotherfloatingfurniture,whileaslopelittleflaskbobbedupanddownlikeanemptyvial,twitchinghislegsupwardstoescapethedreadedjawsofsharks;andstubbwaslustilysingingoutforsomeonetoladlehimup;andwhiletheoldman'sline—nowparting—admittedofhispullingintothecreamypooltorescuewhomhecould;—inthatwildsimultaneousnessofathousandconcretedperils,—ahab'syetunstrickenboatseemeddrawnuptowardsheavenbyinvisiblewires,—as,arrow-like,shootingperpendicularlyfromthesea,thewhitewhaledashedhisbroadforeheadagainstitsbottom,andsentit,turningoverandover,intotheair;tillitfellagain—gunwaledownwards—andahabandhismenledoutfromunderit,likesealsfromasea-sidecave.

thefirstuprisingmomentumofthewhale—modifyingitsdirectionashestruckthesurface—involuntarilylaunchedhimalongit,toalittledistancefromthecentreofthedestructionhehadmade;andwithhisbacktoit,henowlayforamomentslowlyfeelingwithhisflukesfromsidetoside;andwheneverastrayoar,bitofplank,theleastchiporcrumboftheboatstouchedhisskin,histailswiftlydrewback,andcamesidewayssmitingthesea.butsoon,asifsatisfiedthathisworkforthattimewasdone,hepushedhispleatedforeheadthroughtheocean,andtrailingafterhimtheintertangledlines,continuedhisleewardwayatatraveller'smethodicpace.

asbefore,theattentiveshiphavingdescriedthewholefight,againcamebearingdowntotherescue,anddroppingaboat,pickedupthefloatingmariners,tubs,oars,andwhateverelsecouldbecaughtat,andsafelylandedthemonherdecks.somesprainedshoulders,wrists,andankles;lividcontusions;wrenchedharpoonsandlances;inextricableintricaciesofrope;shatteredoarsandplanks;allthesewerethere;butnofatalorevenseriousillseemedtohavebefallenanyone.aswithfedallahthedaybefore,soahabwasnowfoundgrimlyclingingtohisboat'sbrokenhalf,whichaffordedacomparativelyeasyfloat;nordiditsoexhausthimasthepreviousday'smishap.

butwhenhewashelpedtothedeck,alleyeswerefasteneduponhim;asinsteadofstandingbyhimselfhestillhalf-hungupontheshoulderofstarbuck,whohadthusfarbeentheforemosttoassisthim.hisivoryleghadbeensnappedoff,leavingbutoneshortsharpsplinter.

"aye,aye,starbuck,'tissweettoleansometimes,betheleanerwhohewill;andwouldoldahabhadleanedoftenerthanhehas."

"theferrulehasnotstood,sir,"saidthecarpenter,nowcomingup;"iputgoodworkintothatleg."

"butnobonesbroken,sir,ihope,"saidstubbwithtrueconcern.

"aye!andallsplinteredtopieces,stubb!—d'yeseeit.—butevenwithabrokenbone,oldahabisuntouched;andiaccountnolivingboneofmineonejotmoreme,thanthisdeadonethat'slost.norwhitewhale,norman,norfiend,cansomuchasgrazeoldahabinhisownproperandessiblebeing.cananyleadtouchyonderfloor,anymastscrapeyonderroof?—aloftthere!whichway?"

"deadtoleeward,sir."

"uphelm,then;pileonthesailagain,shipkeepers!downtherestofthespareboatsandrigthem—mr.starbuckaway,andmustertheboat'screws."

"letmefirsthelptheetowardsthebulwarks,sir.

"oh,oh,oh!howthissplintergoresmenow!accursedfate!thattheunconquerablecaptaininthesoulshouldhavesuchacravenmate!"

"sir?"

"mybody,man,notthee.givemesomethingforacane—there,thatshiveredlancewilldo.musterthemen.surelyihavenotseenhimyet.byheavenitcannotbe!—missing?—quick!callthemall."

theoldman'shintedthoughtwastrue.uponmusteringthecompany,theparseewasnotthere.

"theparsee!"criedstubb—"hemusthavebeencaughtin——"

"theblackvomitwrenchthee!—runallofyeabove,alow,cabin,forecastle—findhim—notgone—notgone!"

butquicklytheyreturnedtohimwiththetidingsthattheparseewasnowheretobefound.

"aye,sir,"saidstubb—"caughtamongthetanglesofyourline—ithoughtisawhimingunder."

"myline!myline?gone?—gone?whatmeansthatlittleword?—whatdeath-knellringsinit,thatoldahabshakesasifhewerethebelfry.theharpoon,too!—tossoverthelitterthere,—d'yeseeit?—theforgediron,men,thewhitewhale's—no,no,no,—blisteredfool!thishanddiddartit!—'tisinthefish!—aloftthere!keephimnailed—quick!—allhandstotheingoftheboats—collecttheoars—harpooneers!theirons,theirons!—hoisttheroyalshigher—apullonallthesheets!—helmthere!steady,steadyforyourlife!i'lltentimesgirdletheunmeasuredglobe;yeaanddivestraightthroughit,buti'llslayhimyet!"

"greatgod!butforonesingleinstantshowthyself,"criedstarbuck;"never,neverwiltthoucapturehim,oldman—injesus'namenomoreofthis,that'sworsethandevil'smadness.twodayschased;twicestovetosplinters;thyverylegoncemoresnatchedfromunderthee;thyevilshadowgone—allgoodangelsmobbingtheewithwarnings:—whatmorewouldstthouhave?—shallwekeepchasingthismurderousfishtillheswampsthelastman?shallwebeedbyhimtothebottomofthesea?shallwebetowedbyhimtotheinfernalworld?oh,oh,—impietyandblasphemytohunthimmore!"

"starbuck,oflatei'vefeltstrangelymovedtothee;eversincethathourwebothsaw—thouknow'stwhat,inoneanother'seyes.butinthismatterofthewhale,bethefrontofthyfacetomeasthepalmofthishand—alipless,unfeaturedblank.ahabisforeverahab,man.thiswholeact'simmutablydecreed.'twasrehearsedbytheeandmeabillionyearsbeforethisoceanrolled.fool!iamthefates'lieutenant;iactunderorders.lookthou,underling!thatthouobeyestmine.—standroundme,men.yeseeanoldmancutdowntothestump;leaningonashiveredlance;proppeduponalonelyfoot.'tisahab—hisbody'spart;butahab'ssoul'sacentipede,thatmovesuponahundredlegs.ifeelstrained,halfstranded,asropesthattowdismastedfrigatesinagale;andimaylookso.butereibreak,ye'llhearmecrack;andtillyehearthat,knowthatahab'shawsertowshispurposeyet.believeye,men,inthethingscalledomens?thenlaughaloud,andcryencore!foreretheydrown,drowningthingswilltwicerisetothesurface;thenriseagain,tosinkforevermore.sowithmobydick—twodayshe'sfloated—tomorrowwillbethethird.aye,men,he'llriseoncemore,—butonlytospouthislast!d'yefeelbravemen,brave?"

"asfearlessfire,"criedstubb.

"andasmechanical,"mutteredahab.thenasthemenwentforward,hemutteredon:"thethingscalledomens!andyesterdayitalkedthesametostarbuckthere,concerningmybrokenboat.oh!howvaliantlyiseektodriveoutofothers'heartswhat'sclinchedsofastinmine!—theparsee—theparsee!—gone,gone?andhewastogobefore:—butstillwastobeseenagainereicouldperish—how'sthat?—there'sariddlenowmightbaffleallthelawyersbackedbytheghostsofthewholelineofjudges:—likeahawk'sbeakitpecksmybrain.i'll,i'llsolveit,though!"

whenduskdescended,thewhalewasstillinsighttoleeward.

sooncemorethesailwasshortened,andeverythingpassednearlyasonthepreviousnight;only,thesoundofhammers,andthehumofthegrindstonewasheardtillnearlydaylight,asthementoiledbylanternsinthecompleteandcarefulingofthespareboatsandsharpeningtheirfreshweaponsforthemorrow.meantime,ofthebrokenkeelofahab'swreckedcraftthecarpentermadehimanotherleg;whilestillasonthenightbefore,slouchedahabstoodfixedwithinhisscuttle;hishid,heliotropeglanceanticipatinglygonebackwardonitsdial;satdueeastwardfortheearliestsun.