CHAPTER36TheQuarter-Deck

enterahab:then,all.

itwasnotagreatwhileaftertheaffairofthepipe,thatonemorningshortlyafterbreakfast,ahab,aswashiswont,ascendedthecabin-gangwaytothedeck.theremostsea-captainsusuallywalkatthathour,ascountrygentlemen,afterthesamemeal,takeafewturnsinthegarden.

soonhissteady,ivorystridewasheard,astoandfrohepacedhisoldrounds,uponplankssofamiliartohistread,thattheywerealloverdented,likegeologicalstones,withthepeculiarmarkofhiswalk.didyoufixedlygaze,too,uponthatribbedanddentedbrow;therealso,youwouldseestillstrangerfoot-prints—thefoot-printsofhisoneunsleeping,ever-pacingthought.

butontheoccasioninquestion,thosedentslookeddeeper,evenashisnervousstepthatmorningleftadeepermark.and,sofullofhisthoughtwasahab,thatateveryuniformturnthathemade,nowatthemain-mastandnowatthebinnacle,youcouldalmostseethatthoughtturninhimasheturned,andpaceinhimashepaced;socompletelypossessinghim,indeed,thatitallbutseemedtheinwardmouldofeveryoutermovement.

"d'yemarkhim,flask?"whisperedstubb;"thechickthat'sinhimpeckstheshell.'twillsoonbeout."

thehoursworeon;—ahabnowshutupwithinhiscabin;anon,pacingthedeck,withthesameintensebigotryofpurposeinhisaspect.

itdrewnearthecloseofday.suddenlyhecametoahaltbythebulwarks,andinsertinghisbonelegintotheauger-holethere,andwithonehandgraspingashroud,heorderedstarbucktosendeverybodyaft.

"sir!"saidthemate,astonishedatanorderseldomornevergivenonship-boardexceptinsomeextraordinarycase.

"sendeverybodyaft,"repeatedahab."mast-heads,there!comedown!"

whentheentireship'scompanywereassembled,andwithcuriousandnotwhollyunapprehensivefaces,wereeyeinghim,forhelookednotunliketheweatherhorizonwhenastormiscomingup,ahab,afterrapidlyglancingoverthebulwarks,andthendartinghiseyesamongthecrew,startedfromhisstandpoint;andasthoughnotasoulwerenighhimresumedhisheavyturnsuponthedeck.withbentheadandhalfslouchedhathecontinuedtopace,unmindfulofthewonderingwhisperingamongthemen;tillstubbcautiouslywhisperedtoflask,thatahabmusthavesummonedthemthereforthepurposeofwitnessingapedestrianfeat.butthisdidnotlastlong.vehementlypausing,hecried:—

"whatdoyedowhenyeseeawhale,men?"

"singoutforhim!"wastheimpulsiverejoinderfromascoreofclubbedvoices.

"good!"criedahab,withawildapprovalinhistones;observingtheheartyanimationintowhichhisunexpectedquestionhadsomagneticallythrownthem.

"andwhatdoyenext,men?"

"loweraway,andafterhim!"

"andwhattuneisityepullto,men?"

"adeadwhaleorastoveboat!"

moreandmorestrangelyandfiercelygladandapproving,grewthecountenanceoftheoldmanateveryshout;whilethemarinersbegantogazecuriouslyateachother,asifmarvellinghowitwasthattheythemselvesbecamesoexcitedatsuchseeminglypurposelessquestions.

but,theywerealleagernessagain,asahab,nowhalf-revolvinginhispivot-hole,withonehandreachinghighupashroud,andtightly,almostconvulsivelygraspingit,addressedthemthus:—

"allyemast-headershavebeforenowheardmegiveordersaboutawhitewhale.lookye!d'yeseethisspanishounceofgold?"—holdingupabroadbrightcointothesun—"itisasixteendollarpiece,men.d'yeseeit?mr.starbuck,handmeyontop-maul."

whilethematewasgettingthehammer,ahab,withoutspeaking,wasslowlyrubbingthegoldpieceagainsttheskirtsofhisjacket,asiftoheightenitslustre,andwithoutusinganywordswasmeanwhilelowlyhummingtohimself,producingasoundsostrangelymuffledandinarticulatethatitseemedthemechanicalhummingofthewheelsofhisvitalityinhim.

receivingthetop-maulfromstarbuck,headvancedtowardsthemain-mastwiththehammerupliftedinonehand,exhibitingthegoldwiththeother,andwithahighraisedvoiceexclaiming:"whosoeverofyeraisesmeawhite-headedwhalewithawrinkledbrowandacrookedjaw;whosoeverofyeraisesmethatwhite-headedwhale,withthreeholespuncturedinhisstarboardfluke—lookye,whosoeverofyeraisesmethatsamewhitewhale,heshallhavethisgoldounce,myboys!"

"huzza!huzza!"criedtheseamen,aswithswingingtarpaulinstheyhailedtheactofnailingthegoldtothemast.

"it'sawhitewhale,isay,"resumedahab,ashethrewdownthetopmaul:"awhitewhale.skinyoureyesforhim,men;looksharpforwhitewater;ifyeseebutabubble,singout."

allthiswhiletashtego,oo,andqueequeghadlookedonwithevenmoreintenseinterestandsurprisethantherest,andatthementionofthewrinkledbrowandcrookedjawtheyhadstartedasifeachwasseparatelytouchedbysomespecificrecollection.

"captainahab,"saidtashtego,"thatwhitewhalemustbethesamethatsomecallmobydick."

"mobydick?"shoutedahab."doyeknowthewhitewhalethen,tash?"

"doeshefan-tailalittlecurious,sir,beforehegoesdown?"saidthegay-headerdeliberately.

"andhasheacuriousspout,too,"saidoo,"verybushy,evenforaparmacetty,andmightyquick,captainahab?"

"andhehaveone,two,three—oh!goodmanyironinhimhide,too,captain,"criedqueequegdisjointedly,"alltwiske-teebe-twisk,likehim—him—"falteringhardforaword,andscrewinghishandroundandroundasthoughuncorkingabottle—"likehim—him—"

"corkscrew!"criedahab,"aye,queequeg,theharpoonsliealltwistedandwrenchedinhim;aye,oo,hisspoutisabigone,likeawholeshockofwheat,andwhiteasapileofournantucketwoolafterthegreatannualsheep-shearing;aye,tashtego,andhefan-tailslikeasplitjibinasquall.deathanddevils!men,itismobydickyehaveseen—mobydick—mobydick!"

"captainahab,"saidstarbuck,who,withstubbandflask,hadthusfarbeeneyeinghissuperiorwithincreasingsurprise,butatlastseemedstruckwithathoughtwhichsomewhatexplainedallthewonder."captainahab,ihaveheardofmobydick—butitwasnotmobydickthattookoffthyleg?"

"whotoldtheethat?"criedahab;thenpausing,"aye,starbuck;aye,myheartiesallround;itwasmobydickthatdismastedme;mobydickthatbroughtmetothisdeadstumpistandonnow.aye,aye,"heshoutedwithaterrific,loud,animalsob,likethatofaheart-strickenmoose;"aye,aye!itwasthataccursedwhitewhalethatrazedme;madeapooringlubberofmeforeverandaday!"thentossingbotharms,withmeasurelessimprecationsheshoutedout:"aye,aye!andi'llchasehimroundgoodhope,androundthehorn,androundthenorwaymaelstrom,androundperdition'sflamesbeforeigivehimup.andthisiswhatyehaveshippedfor,men!tochasethatwhitewhaleonbothsidesofland,andoverallsidesofearth,tillhespoutsblackbloodandrollsfinout.whatsayye,men,willyesplicehandsonit,now?ithinkyedolookbrave."

"aye,aye!"shoutedtheharpooneersandseamen,runningclosertotheexcitedoldman:"asharpeyeforthewhitewhale;asharplanceformobydick!"

"godblessye,"heseemedtohalfsobandhalfshout."godblessye,men.steward!godrawthegreatmeasureofgrog.butwhat'sthislongfaceabout,mr.starbuck;wiltthounotchasethewhitewhale?artnotgameformobydick?"

"iamgameforhiscrookedjaw,andforthejawsofdeathtoo,captainahab,ifitfairlycomesinthewayofthebusinesswefollow;buticameheretohuntwhales,notmycommander'svengeance.howmanybarrelswillthyvengeanceyieldtheeevenifthougettestit,captainahab?itwillnotfetchtheemuchinournantucketmarket."

"nantucketmarket!hoot!butcomecloser,starbuck;thourequirestalittlelowerlayer.ifmoney'stobethemeasurer,man,andtheaccountantshavecomputedtheirgreatcounting-housetheglobe,bygirdlingitwithguineas,onetoeverythreepartsofaninch;then,letmetellthee,thatmyvengeancewillfetchagreatpremiumhere!"

"hesmiteshischest,"whisperedstubb,"what'sthatfor?methinksitringsmostvast,buthollow."

"vengeanceonadumbbrute!"criedstarbuck,"thatsimplysmotetheefromblindestinstinct!madness!tobeenragedwithadumbthing,captainahab,seemsblasphemous."

"harkyeyetagain—thelittlelowerlayer.allvisibleobjects,man,arebutaspasteboardmasks.butineachevent—inthelivingact,theundoubteddeed—there,someunknownbutstillreasoningthingputsforththemouldingsofitsfeaturesfrombehindtheunreasoningmask.ifmanwillstrike,strikethroughthemask!howcantheprisonerreachoutsideexceptbythrustingthroughthewall?tome,thewhitewhaleisthatwall,shovedneartome.sometimesithinkthere'snaughtbeyond.but'tisenough.hetasksme;heheapsme;iseeinhimoutrageousstrength,withaninscrutablemalicesinewingit.thatinscrutablethingischieflywhatihate;andbethewhitewhaleagent,orbethewhitewhaleprincipal,iwillwreakthathateuponhim.talknottomeofblasphemy,man;i'dstrikethesunifitinsultedme.forcouldthesundothat,thencouldidotheother;sincethereiseverasortoffairplayherein,jealousypresidingoverallcreations.butnotmymaster,man,iseventhatfairplay.who'soverme?truthhathnoconfines.takeoffthineeye!moreintolerablethanfiends'glaringsisadoltishstare!so,so;thoureddenestandpalest;myheathasmeltedtheetoanger-glow.butlookye,starbuck,whatissaidinheat,thatthingunsaysitself.therearemenfromwhomwarmwordsaresmallindignity.imeantnottoincensethee.letitgo.look!seeyonderturkishcheeksofspottedtawn—living,breathingpicturespaintedbythesun.thepaganleopards—theunreckingandunworshippingthings,thatlive;andseek,andgivenoreasonsforthetorridlifetheyfeel!thecrew,man,thecrew!aretheynotoneandallwithahab,inthismatterofthewhale?seestubb!helaughs!seeyonderchilian!hesnortstothinkofit.standupamidthegeneralhurricane,thyonetostsaplingcannot,starbuck!andwhatisit?reckonit.'tisbuttohelpstrikeafin;nowondrousfeatforstarbuck.whatisitmore?fromthisonepoorhunt,then,thebestlanceoutofallnantucket,surelyhewillnothangback,wheneveryforemast-handhasclutchedawhetstone?ah!constrainingsseizethee;isee!thebillowliftsthee!speak,butspeak!—aye,aye!thysilence,then,thatvoicesthee.(aside)somethingshotfrommydilatednostrils,hehasinhaleditinhislungs.starbucknowismine;cannotopposemenow,withoutrebellion."

"godkeepme!—keepusall!"murmuredstarbuck,lowly.

butinhisjoyattheenchanted,tacitacquiescenceofthemate,ahabdidnothearhisforebodinginvocation;noryetthelowlaughfromthehold;noryetthepresagingvibrationsofthewindsinthecordage;noryetthehollowflapofthesailsagainstthemasts,asforamomenttheirheartssankin.foragainstarbuck'sdowncasteyeslightedupwiththestubbornnessoflife;thesubterraneanlaughdiedaway;thewindsblewon;thesailsfilledout;theshipheavedandrolledasbefore.ah,yeadmonitionsandwarnings!whystayyenotwhenyecome?butratherareyepredictionsthanwarnings,yeshadows!yetnotsomuchpredictionsfromwithout,asverificationsoftheforegoingthingswithin.forwithlittleexternaltoconstrainus,theinnermostnecessitiesinourbeing,thesestilldriveuson.

"themeasure!themeasure!"criedahab.

receivingthebrimmingpewter,andturningtotheharpooneers,heorderedthemtoproducetheirweapons.thenrangingthembeforehimnearthecapstan,withtheirharpoonsintheirhands,whilehisthreematesstoodathissidewiththeirlances,andtherestoftheship'scompanyformedacircleroundthegroup;hestoodforaninstantsearchinglyeyeingeverymanofhiscrew.butthosewildeyesmethis,asthebloodshoteyesoftheprairiewolvesmeettheeyeoftheirleader,ereherushesonattheirheadinthetrailofthebison;but,alas!onlytofallintothehiddensnareoftheindian.

"drinkandpass!"hecried,handingtheheavychargedflagontothenearestseaman."thecrewalonenowdrink.roundwithit,round!shortdraughts—longswallows,men;'tishotassatan',so;itgoesroundexcellently.itspiralizesinye;forksoutattheserpent-snappingeye.welldone;almostdrained.thatwayitwent,thiswayitcomes.handitme—here'sahollow!men,yeseemtheyears;sobrimminglifeisgulpedandgone.steward,refill!

"attendnow,mybraves.ihavemusteredyeallroundthiscapstan;andyemates,flankmewithyourlances;andyeharpooneers,standtherewithyourirons;andye,stoutmariners,ringmein,thatimayinsomesortreviveanoblecustomofmyfishermanfathersbeforeme.omen,youwillyetseethat—ha!boy,comeback?badpenniescomenotsooner.handitme.why,now,thispewterhadrunbrimmingagain,wer'tnotthoust.vitus'imp—away,thouague!

"advance,yemates!crossyourlancesfullbeforeme.welldone!letmetouchtheaxis."sosaying,withextendedarm,hegraspedthethreelevel,radiatinglancesattheircrossedcentre;whilesodoing,suddenlyandnervouslytwitchedthem;meanwhile,glancingintentlyfromstarbucktostubb;fromstubbtoflask.itseemedasthough,bysomenameless,interiorvolition,hewouldfainhaveshockedintothemthesamefieryemotionaccumulatedwithintheleydenjarofhisownmagneticlife.thethreematesquailedbeforehisstrong,sustained,andmysticaspect.stubbandflasklookedsidewaysfromhim;thehonesteyeofstarbuckfelldownright.

"invain!"criedahab;"but,maybe,'tiswell.fordidyethreebutoncetakethefull-forcedshock,thenmineownelectricthing,thathadperhapsexpiredfromoutme.perchance,too,itwouldhavedroppedyedead.perchanceyeneeditnot.downlances!andnow,yemates,idoappointyethreecupbearerstomythreepagankinsmenthere—yonthreemosthonorablegentlemenandnoblemen,myvaliantharpooneers.disdainthetask?what,whenthegreatpopewashesthefeetofars,usinghistiaraforewer?oh,mysweetcardinals!yourowncondescension,thatshallbendyetoit.idonotorderye;yewillit.cutyourseizingsanddrawthepoles,yeharpooneers!"