CHAPTER114TheGilder

penetratingfurtherandfurtherintotheheartofthejapanesecruisingground,thepequodwassoonallastirinthefishery.often,inmild,pleasantweather,fortwelve,fifteen,eighteen,andtwentyhoursonthestretch,theywereengagedintheboats,steadilypulling,orsailing,orpaddlingafterthewhales,orforaninterludeofsixtyorseventyminutescalmlyawaitingtheiruprising;thoughwithbutsmallessfortheirpains.

atsuchtimes,underanabatedsun;afloatalldayuponsmooth,slowheavingswells;seatedinhisboat,lightasabirchcanoe;andsosociablymixingwiththesoftwavesthemselves,thatlikehearth-stonecatstheypurragainstthegunwale;thesearethetimesofdreamyquietude,whenbeholdingthetranquilbeautyandbrilliancyoftheocean'sskin,oneforgetsthetigerheartthatpantsbeneathit;andwouldnotwillinglyremember,thatthisvelvetpawbutconcealsaremorselessfang.

thesearethetimes,wheninhiswhale-boattheroversoftlyfeelsacertainfilial,confident,land-likefeelingtowardsthesea;thatheregardsitassomuchfloweryearth;andthedistantshiprevealingonlythetopsofhermasts,seemslingforward,notthroughhighrollingwaves,butthroughthetallgrassofarollingprairie:aswhenthewesternemigrants'horsesonlyshowtheirerectedears,whiletheirhiddenbodieswidelywadethroughtheamazingverdure.

thelong-drawnvirginvales;themildbluehillsides;asoverthesetherestealsthehush,thehum;youalmostswearthatplay-weariedchildrenliesleepinginthesesolitudes,insomegladmay-time,whentheflowersofthewoodsareplucked.andallthismixeswithyourmostmysticmood;sothatfactandfancy,half-waymeeting,interpenetrate,andformoneseamlesswhole.

nordidsuchsoothingscenes,howevertemporary,failofatleastastemporaryaneffectonahab.butifthesesecretgoldenkeysdidseemtoopeninhimhisownsecretgoldentreasuries,yetdidhisbreathuponthemprovebuttarnishing.

oh,grassyglades!oh,eververnalendlesslandscapesinthesoul;inye,—thoughlongparchedbythedeaddroughtoftheearthylife,—inye,menyetmayroll,likeyounghorsesinnewmorningclover;andforsomefewfleetingmoments,feelthecooldewofthelifeimmortalonthem.wouldtogodtheseblessedcalmswouldlast.butthemingled,minglingthreadsoflifearewovenbywarpandwoof:calmscrossedbystorms,astormforeverycalm.thereisnosteadyunretracingprogressinthislife;wedonotadvancethroughfixedgradations,andatthelastonepause:throughinfancy'sunconsciousspell,boyhood'sthoughtlessfaith,adolescence'doubt(thecommondoom),thenscepticism,thendisbelief,restingatlastinmanhood'sponderingreposeofif.butoncegonethrough,wetracetheroundagain;andareinfants,boys,andmen,andifseternally.whereliesthefinalharbor,whenceweunmoornomore?inwhatraptethersailstheworld,ofwhichtheweariestwillneverweary?whereisthefoundling'sfatherhidden?oursoulsarelikethoseorphanswhoseunweddedmothersdieinbearingthem:thesecretofourpaternityliesintheirgrave,andwemusttheretolearnit.

andthatsameday,too,gazingfardownfromhisboat'ssideintothatsamegoldensea,starbucklowlymurmured:—

"lovelinessunfathomable,aseverloversawinhisyoungbride'seye!—tellmenotofthyteeth-tieredsharks,andthykidnappingcannibalways.letfaithoustfact;letfancyoustmemory;ilookdeepdownanddobelieve."

andstubb,fish-like,withsparklingscales,leapedupinthatsamegoldenlight:—

"iamstubb,andstubbhashishistory;butherestubbtakesoathsthathehasalwaysbeenjolly!"