CHAPTER99TheDoubloon

erenowithasbeenrelatedhowahabwaswonttopacehisquarter-deck,takingregularturnsateitherlimit,thebinnacleandmainmast;butinthemultiplicityofotherthingsrequiringnarrationithasnotbeenaddedhowthatsometimesinthesewalks,whenmostplungedinhismood,hewaswonttopauseinturnateachspot,andstandtherestrangelyeyeingtheparticularobjectbeforehim.whenhehaltedbeforethebinnacle,withhisglancefastenedonthepointedneedleinthecompass,thatglanceshotlikeajavelinwiththepointedintensityofhispurpose;andwhenresuminghiswalkheagainpausedbeforethemainmast,then,asthesamerivetedglancefastenedupontherivetedgoldcointhere,hestillworethesameaspectofnailedfirmness,onlydashedwithacertainwildlonging,ifnothopefulness.

butonemorning,turningtopassthedoubloon,heseemedtobenewlyattractedbythestrangefiguresandinscriptionsstampedonit,asthoughnowforthefirsttimebeginningtointerpretforhimselfinsomemonomaniacwaywhateversignificancemightlurkinthem.andsomecertainsignificancelurksinallthings,elseallthingsarelittleworth,andtheroundworlditselfbutanemptycipher,excepttosellbythecartload,astheydohillsaboutboston,tofillupsomemorassinthemilkyway.

nowthisdoubloonwasofpurest,virgingold,rakedsomewhereoutoftheheartofgorgeoushills,whence,eastandwest,overgoldensands,thehead-watersofmanyapactolusflows.andthoughnownailedamidstalltherustinessofironboltsandtheverdigrisofcopperspikes,yet,untouchableandimmaculatetoanyfoulness,itstillpreserveditsquitoglow.nor,thoughplacedamongstaruthlesscrewandeveryhourpassedbyruthlesshands,andthroughthelivelongnightsshroudedwiththickdarknesswhichmightcoveranypilferingapproach,neverthelesseverysunrisefoundthedoubloonwherethesunsetleftitlast.foritwassetapartandsanctifiedtooneawe-strikingend;andhoweverwantonintheirsailorways,oneandall,themarinersrevereditasthewhitewhale'stalisman.sometimestheytalkeditoverinthewearywatchbynight,wonderingwhoseitwastobeatlast,andwhetherhewouldeverlivetospendit.

nowthosenoblegoldencoinsofsouthamericaareasmedalsofthesunandtropictoken-pieces.herepalms,alpacas,andvolcanoes;sun'sdisksandstars;ecliptics,horns-of-plenty,andrichbannerswaving,areinluxuriantprofusionstamped;sothatthepreciousgoldseemsalmosttoderiveanaddedpreciousnessandenhancingglories,bypassingthroughthosefancymints,sospanishlypoetic.

itsochancedthatthedoubloonofthepequodwasamostwealthyexampleofthesethings.onitsroundborderitboretheletters,republicadelecuador:quito.sothisbrightcoincamefromacountryplantedinthemiddleoftheworld,andbeneaththegreatequator,andnamedafterit;andithadbeencastmidwayuptheandes,intheunwaningclimethatknowsnoautumn.zonedbythoselettersyousawthelikenessofthreeandes'summits;fromoneaflame;atoweronanother;onthethirdacrowingcock;whilearchingoverallwasasegmentofthepartitionedzodiac,thesignsallmarkedwiththeirusualcabalistics,andthekeystonesunenteringtheequinoctialpointatlibra.

beforethisequatorialcoin,ahab,notunobservedbyothers,wasnowpausing.

"there'ssomethingeveregotisticalinmountain-topsandtowers,andallothergrandandloftythings;lookhere,—threepeaksasproudaslucifer.thefirmtower,thatisahab;thevolcano,thatisahab;thecourageous,theundaunted,andvictoriousfowl,that,too,isahab;allareahab;andthisroundgoldisbuttheimageoftherounderglobe,which,likeamagician'sglass,toeachandeverymaninturnbutmirrorsbackhisownmysteriousself.greatpains,smallgainsforthosewhoasktheworldtosolvethem;itcannotsolveitself.methinksnowthiscoinedsunwearsaruddyface;butsee!aye,heentersthesignofstorms,theequinox!andbutsixmonthsbeforehewheeledoutofaformerequinoxataries!fromstormtostorm!sobeit,then.borninthroes,'tisfitthatmanshouldliveinpainsanddieinpangs!sobeit,then!here'sstoutstuffforwoetoworkon.sobeit,then."

"nofairyfingerscanhavepressedthegold,butdevil'sclawsmusthavelefttheirmouldingstheresinceyesterday,"murmuredstarbucktohimself,leaningagainstthebulwarks."theoldmanseemstoreadbelshazzar'sawfulwriting.ihavenevermarkedthecoininspectingly.hegoesbelow;letmeread.adarkvalleybetweenthreemighty,heavenabidingpeaks,thatalmostseemthetrinity,insomefaintearthlysymbol.sointhisvaleofdeath,godgirdsusround;andoverallourgloom,thesunofrighteousnessstillshinesabeaconandahope.ifwebenddownoureyes,thedarkvaleshowshermouldysoil;butifweliftthem,thebrightsunmeetsourglancehalfway,tocheer.yet,oh,thegreatsunisnofixture;andif,atmidnight,wewouldfainsnatchsomesweetsolacefromhim,wegazeforhiminvain!thiscoinspeakswisely,mildly,truly,butstillsadlytome.iwillquitit,lesttruthshakemefalsely."

"therenow'stheoldmogul,"soliloquizedstubbbythetry-works,"he'sbeeningit;andtheregoesstarbuckfromthesame,andbothwithfaceswhichishouldsaymightbesomewherewithinninefathomslong.andallfromlookingatapieceofgold,whichdidihaveitnowonnegrohillorincorlaer'shook,i'dnotlookatitverylongerespendingit.humph!inmypoor,insignificantopinion,iregardthisasqueer.ihaveseendoubloonsbeforenowinmyvoyagings;yourdoubloonsofoldspain,yourdoubloonsofperu,yourdoubloonsofchili,yourdoubloonsofbolivia,yourdoubloonsofpopayan;withplentyofgoldmoidoresandpistoles,andjoes,andhalfjoes,andquarterjoes.whatthenshouldtherebeinthisdoubloonoftheequatorthatissokillingwonderful?bygolconda!letmereaditonce.halloa!here'ssignsandwonderstruly!that,now,iswhatoldbowditchinhisepitomecallsthezodiac,andwhatmyalmanacbelowcallsditto.i'llgetthealmanacandasihavehearddevilscanberaisedwithdaboll'sarithmetic,i'lltrymyhandatraisingameaningoutofthesequeercurvicuesherewiththemassachusettscalendar.here'sthebook.let'sseenow.signsandwonders;andthesun,he'salwaysamong'em.hem,hem,hem;heretheyare—heretheygo—allalive:—aries,ortheram;taurus,orthebullandjimimi!here'sgeminihimself,orthetwins.well;thesunhewheelsamong'em.aye,hereonthecoinhe'sjustcrossingthethresholdbetweentwooftwelvesittingroomsallinaring.book!youliethere;thefactis,youbooksmustknowyourplaces.you'lldotogiveusthebarewordsandfacts,butwecomeintosupplythethoughts.that'smysmallexperience,sofarasthemassachusettscalendar,andbowditch'snavigator,anddaboll'sarithmeticgo.signsandwonders,eh?pityifthereisnothingwonderfulinsigns,andsignificantinwonders!there'sacluesomewhere;waitabit;hist—hark!byjove,ihaveit!lookyou,doubloon,yourzodiachereisthelifeofmaninoneroundchapter;andnowi'llreaditoff,straightoutofthebook.come,almanack!tobegin:there'saries,ortheram—lecherousdog,hebegetsus;then,taurus,orthebull—hebumpsusthefirstthing;thengemini,orthetwins—thatis,virtueandvice;wetrytoreachvirtue,whenlo!comescancerthecrab,anddragsusback;andhere,goingfromvirtue,leo,aroaringlion,liesinthepath—hegivesafewfiercebitesandsurlydabswithhispaw;weescape,andhailvirgo,thevirgin!that'sourfirstlove;wemarryandthinktobehappyforaye,whenpopcomeslibra,orthescales—happinessweighedandfoundwanting;andwhileweareverysadaboutthat,lord!howwesuddenlyjump,asscorpio,orthescorpion,stingsusintherear;wearecuringthewound,whenwhangcomethearrowsallround;sagittarius,orthearcher,isamusinghimself.aswepluckouttheshafts,standaside!here'sthebattering-ram,capricornus,orthegoat;fulltilt,hecomesrushing,andheadlongwearetossed;whenaquarius,orthewater-bearer,poursouthiswholedelugeanddrownsus;andtowindupwithpisces,orthefishes,wesleep.there'sasermonnow,writinhighheaven,andthesungoesthroughiteveryyear,andyetcomesoutofitallaliveandhearty.jollilyhe,aloftthere,wheelsthroughtoilandtrouble;andso,alowhere,doesjollystubb.oh,jolly'sthewordforaye!adieu,doubloon!butstop;herecomeslittleking-post;dodgeroundthetry-works,now,andlet'shearwhathe'llhavetosay.there;he'sbeforeit;he'lloutwithsomethingpresently.so,so;he'sbeginning."

"iseenothinghere,butaroundthingmadeofgold,andwhoeverraisesacertainwhale,thisroundthingbelongstohim.so,what'sallthisstaringbeenabout?itisworthsixteendollars,that'strue;andattwocentsthecigar,that'sninehundredandsixtycigars.iwon'tsmokedirtypipeslikestubb,butilikecigars,andhere'sninehundredandsixtyofthem;soheregoesflaskalofttospy'emout."

"shallicallthatwiseorfoolish,now;ifitbereallywiseithasafoolishlooktoit;yet,ifitbereallyfoolish,thenhasitasortofwiseishlooktoit.but,avast;herecomesouroldmanxman—theoldhearsedriver,hemusthavebeen,thatis,beforehetooktothesea.heluffsupbeforethedoubloon;halloa,andgoesroundontheothersideofthemast;why,there'sahorse-shoenailedonthatside;andnowhe'sbackagain;whatdoesthatmean?hark!he'smuttering—voicelikeanoldworn-outcoffee-mill.prickears,andlisten!"

"ifthewhitewhaleberaised,itmustbeinamonthandaday,whenthesunstandsinsomeoneofthesesigns.i'vestudiedsigns,andknowtheirmarks;theyweretaughtmetwoscoreyearsago,bytheoldwitchincopenhagen.now,inwhatsignwillthesunthenbe?thehorse-shoesign;forthereitis,rightoppositethegold.andwhat'sthehorse-shoesign?thelionisthehorse-shoesign—theroaringanddevouringlion.ship,oldship!myoldheadshakestothinkofthee."

"there'sanotherrenderingnow;butstillonetext.allsortsofmeninonekindofworld,yousee.dodgeagain!herecomesqueequeg—alltattooing—lookslikethesignsofthezodiachimself.whatsaysthecannibal?asilivehe'scomparingnotes;lookingathisthighbone;thinksthesunisinthethigh,orinthecalf,orinthebowels,isuppose,astheoldwomentalksurgeon'sastronomyinthebackcountry.andbyjove,he'sfoundsomethingthereinthevicinityofhisthigh—iguessit'ssagittarius,orthearcher.no:hedon'tknowwhattomakeofthedoubloon;hetakesitforanoldbuttonoffsomeking'strowsers.but,asideagain!herecomesthatghost-devil,fedallah;tailcoiledoutofsightasusual,oakuminthetoesofhispumpsasusual.whatdoeshesay,withthatlookofhis?ah,onlymakesasigntothesignandbowshimself;thereisasunonthecoin—fireworshipper,dependuponit.ho!moreandmore.thiswaycomespip—poorboy!wouldhehaddied,ori;he'shalfhorribletome.hetoohasbeenwatchingalloftheseinterpreters—myselfincluded—andlooknow,hecomestoread,withthatunearthlyidiotface.standawayagainandhearhim.hark!"

"ilook,youlook,helooks;welook,yelook,theylook."

"uponmysoul,he'sbeenstudyingmurray'sgrammar!improvinghismind,poorfellow!butwhat'sthathesaysnow—hist!"

"ilook,youlook,helooks;welook,yelook,theylook."

"why,he'sgettingitbyheart—hist!again."

"ilook,youlook,helooks;welook,yelook,theylook."

"well,that'sfunny."

"andi,you,andhe;andwe,ye,andthey,areallbats;andi'macrow,especiallywhenistanda'topofthispinetreehere.caw!caw!caw!caw!caw!caw!ain'tiacrow?andwhere'sthescare-crow?therehestands;twobonesstuckintoapairofoldtrowsers,andtwomorepokedintothesleevesofanoldjacket."

"wonderifhemeansme?—complimentary!—poorlad!—icouldgohangmyself.anyway,forthepresent,i'llquitpip'svicinity.icanstandtherest,fortheyhaveplainwits;buthe'stoocrazy-wittyformysanity.so,so,ileavehimmuttering."

"here'stheship'snavel,thisdoubloonhere,andtheyareallonfiretounscrewit.but,unscrewyournavel,andwhat'stheconsequence?thenagain,ifitstayshere,thatisugly,too,forwhenaught'snailedtothemastit'sasignthatthingsgrowdesperate.ha,ha!oldahab!thewhitewhale;he'llnailye!thisisapinetree.myfather,inoldtollandcounty,cutdownapinetreeonce,andfoundasilverringgrownoverinit;someolddarkey'sweddingring.howdiditgetthere?andsothey'llsayintheresurrection,whentheycometofishupthisoldmast,andfindadoubloonlodgedinit,withbeddedoystersfortheybark.oh,thegold!theprecious,precious,gold!thegreenmiser'llhoardyesoon!hish!hish!godgoes'mongtheworldsblackberrying.cook!ho,cook!andcookus!jenny!hey,hey,hey,hey,hey,jenny,jenny!andgetyourhoe-cakedone!"