CHAPTER117TheWhaleWatch

thefourwhalesslainthateveninghaddiedwideapart;one,fartowindward;one,lessdistant,toleeward;oneahead;oneastern.theselastthreewerebroughtalongsideerenightfall;butthewindwardonecouldnotbereachedtillmorning;andtheboatthathadkilleditlaybyitssideallnight;andthatboatwasahab's.

thewaif-polewasthrustuprightintothedeadwhale'sspout-hole;andthelanternhangingfromitstop,castatroubledflickeringglareupontheblack,glossyback,andfaroutuponthemidnightwaves,whichgentlychafedthewhale'sbroadflank,likesoftsurfuponabeach.

ahabandallhisboat'screwseemedasleepbuttheparsee;whocrouchinginthebow,satwatchingthesharks,thatspectrallyplayedroundthewhale,andtappedthelightcedarplankswiththeirtails.asoundlikethemoaninginsquadronsoverasphaltitesofunforgivenghostsofgomorrah,ranshudderingthroughtheair.

startedfromhisslumbers,ahab,facetoface,sawtheparsee;andhoopedroundbythegloomofthenighttheyseemedthelastmeninafloodedworld."ihavedreameditagain,"saidhe.

"ofthehearses?haveinotsaid,oldman,thatneitherhearsenorcoffincanbethine?

"andwhoarehearsedthatdieonthesea?"

"butisaid,oldman,thaterethoucouldstdieonthisvoyage,twohearsesmustverilybeseenbytheeonthesea;thefirstnotmadebymortalhands;andthevisiblewoodofthelastonemustbegrowninamerica."

"aye,aye!astrangesightthat,parsee:—ahearseanditsplumesfloatingovertheoceanwiththewavesforthepall-bearers.ha!suchasightweshallnotsoonsee."

"believeitornot,thoucanstnotdietillitbeseen,oldman."

"andwhatwasthatsayingaboutthyself?"

"thoughitcometothelast,ishallstillgobeforetheethypilot."

"andwhenthouartsogonebefore—ifthateverbefall—thenereicanfollow,thoumuststillappeartome,topilotmestill?—wasitnotso?well,then,didibelieveallyesay,ohmypilot!ihaveheretwopledgesthatishallyetslaymobydickandsurviveit."

"takeanotherpledge,oldman,"saidtheparsee,ashiseyeslighteduplikefire-fliesinthegloom—"hemonlycankillthee."

"thegallows,yemean.—iamimmortalthen,onlandandonsea,"criedahab,withalaughofderision;—"immortalonlandandonsea!"

bothweresilentagain,asoneman.thegreydawncameon,andtheslumberingcrewarosefromtheboat'sbottom,anderenoonthedeadwhalewasbroughttotheship.