CHAPTER34TheCabin-Table

itisnoon;anddough-boy,thesteward,thrustinghispaleloaf-of-breadfacefromthecabinscuttle,announcesdinnertohislordandmaster;who,sittingintheleequarter-boat,hasjustbeentakinganobservationofthesun;andisnowmutelyreckoningthelatitudeonthesmooth,medallion-shapedtablet,reservedforthatdailypurposeontheupperpartofhisivoryleg.fromhiscompleteinattentiontothetidings,youwouldthinkthatmoodyahabhadnotheardhismenial.butpresently,catchingholdofthemizenshrouds,heswingshimselftothedeck,andinaneven,unexhilaratedvoice,saying,"dinner,mr.starbuck,"disappearsintothecabin.

whenthelastechoofhissultan'sstephasdiedaway,andstarbuck,thefirstemir,haseveryreasontosupposethatheisseated,thenstarbuckrousesfromhisquietude,takesafewturnsalongtheplanks,and,afteragravepeepintothebinnacle,says,withsometouchofpleasantness,"dinner,mr.stubb,"anddescendsthescuttle.thesecondemirloungesabouttheingawhile,andthenslightlyshakingthemainbrace,toseewhetheritwillbeallrightwiththatimportantrope,helikewisetakesuptheoldburden,andwitharapid"dinner,mr.flask,"followsafterhispredecessors.

butthethirdemir,nowseeinghimselfallaloneonthequarter-deck,seemstofeelrelievedfromsomecuriousrestraint;for,tippingallsortsofknowingwinksinallsortsofdirections,andkickingoffhisshoes,hestrikesintoasharpbutnoiselesssquallofahornpiperightoverthegrandturk'shead;andthen,byadexteroussleight,pitchinghiscapupintothemizentopforashelf,hegoesdownrollickingsofaratleastasheremainsvisiblefromthedeck,reversingallotherprocessions,bybringinguptherearwithmusic.buteresteppingintothecabindoorwaybelow,hepauses,shipsanewfacealtogether,and,then,independent,hilariouslittleflaskenterskingahab'spresence,inthecharacterofabjectus,ortheslave.

itisnottheleastamongthestrangethingsbredbytheintenseartificialnessofsea-usages,thatwhileintheopenairofthedecksomeofficerswill,uponprovocation,bearthemselvesboldlyanddefyinglyenoughtowardstheircommander;yet,tentoone,letthoseveryofficersthenextmomentgodowntotheircustomarydinnerinthatsamecommander'scabin,andstraightwaytheirinoffensive,nottosaydeprecatoryandhumbleairtowardshim,ashesitsattheheadofthetable;thisismarvellous,sometimesmostcomical.whereforethisdifference?aproblem?perhapsnot.tohavebeenbelshazzar,kingofbabylon;andtohavebeenbelshazzar,nothaughtilybutcourteously,thereincertainlymusthavebeensometouchofmundanegrandeur.buthewhointherightlyregalandintelligentspiritpresidesoverhisownprivatedinnertableofinvitedguests,thatman'sunchallengedpoweranddominionofindividualinfluenceforthetime;thatman'sroyaltyofstatetranscendsbelshazzar's,forbelshazzarwasnotthegreatest.whohasbutoncedinedhisfriends,hastastedwhatitistobec?sar.itisawitcheryofsocialczarshipwhichthereisnowithstanding.now,iftothisconsiderationyousuperaddtheofficialsupremacyofaship-master,then,byinference,youwillderivethecauseofthatpeculiarityofsea-lifejustmentioned.

overhisivory-inlaidtable,ahabpresidedlikeamute,manedsea-liononthewhitecoralbeach,surroundedbyhiswarlikebutstilldeferentialcubs.inhisownproperturn,eachofficerwaitedtobeserved.theywereaslittlechildrenbeforeahab;andyet,inahab,thereseemednottolurkthesmallestsocialarrogance.withonemind,theirintenteyesallfastenedupontheoldman'sknife,ashecarvedthechiefdishbeforehim.idonotsupposethatfortheworldtheywouldhaveprofanedthatmomentwiththeslightestobservation,evenuponsoneutralatopicastheweather.no!andwhenreachingouthisknifeandfork,betweenwhichthesliceofbeefwaslocked,ahabtherebymotionedstarbuck'splatetowardshim,thematereceivedhismeatasthoughreceivingalms;andcutittenderly;andalittlestartedif,perchance,theknifegrazedagainsttheplate;andcheweditnoiselessly;andswallowedit,notwithoutcircumspection.for,likethecoronationbanquetatfrankfort,wherethegermanemperorprofoundlydineswiththesevenimperialelectors,sothesecabinmealsweresomehowsolemnmeals,eateninawfulsilence;andyetattableoldahabforbadenotconversation;onlyhehimselfwasdumb.whatareliefitwastochokingstubb,whenaratmadeasuddenracketintheholdbelow.andpoorlittleflask,hewastheyoungestson,andlittleboyofthiswearyfamilyparty.hisweretheshinbonesofthesalinebeef;hiswouldhavebeenthedrumsticks.forflasktohavepresumedtohelphimself,thismusthaveseemedtohimtantamounttolarcenyinthefirstdegree.hadhehelpedhimselfatthattable,doubtless,nevermorewouldhehavebeenabletoholdhisheadupinthishonestworld;nevertheless,strangetosay,ahabneverforbadehim.andhadflaskhelpedhimself,thechanceswereahabhadneversomuchasnoticedit.leastofall,didflaskpresumetohelphimselftobutter.whetherhethoughttheownersoftheshipdeniedittohim,onaccountofitsclottinghisclear,sunnycomplexion;orwhetherhedeemedthat,onsolongavoyageinsuchmarketlesswaters,butterwasatapremium,andthereforewasnotforhim,asubaltern;howeveritwas,flask,alas!wasabutterlessman!

anotherthing.flaskwasthelastpersondownatthedinner,andflaskisthefirstmanup.consider!forherebyflask'sdinnerwasbadlyjammedinpointoftime.starbuckandstubbbothhadthestartofhim;andyettheyalsohavetheprivilegeofloungingintherear.ifstubbeven,whoisbutapeghigherthanflask,happenstohavebutasmallappetite,andsoonshowssymptomsofconcludinghisrepast,thenflaskmustbestirhimself,hewillnotgetmorethanthreemouthfulsthatday;foritisagainstholyusageforstubbtoprecedeflasktothedeck.thereforeitwasthatflaskonceadmittedinprivate,thateversincehehadarisentothedignityofanofficer,fromthatmomenthehadneverknownwhatitwastobeotherwisethanhungry,moreorless.forwhatheatedidnotsomuchrelievehishunger,askeepitimmortalinhim.peaceandsatisfaction,thoughtflask,haveforeverdepartedfrommystomach.iamanofficer;but,howiwishicouldfishabitofold-fashionedbeefintheforecastle,asiusedtowheniwasbeforethemast.there'sthefruitsofpromotionnow;there'sthevanityofglory:there'stheinsanityoflife!besides,ifitweresothatanymeresailorofthepequodhadagrudgeagainstflaskinflask'sofficialcapacity,allthatsailorhadtodo,inordertoobtainamplevengeance,wastogoaftatdinner-time,andgetapeepatflaskthroughthecabinsky-light,sittingsillyanddumfounderedbeforeawfulahab.

now,ahabandhisthreematesformedwhatmaybecalledthefirsttableinthepequod'scabin.aftertheirdeparture,takingplaceininvertedordertotheirarrival,thecanvasclothwascleared,orratherwasrestoredtosomehurriedorderbythepallidsteward.andthenthethreeharpooneerswerebiddentothefeast,theybeingitsresiduarylegatees.theymadeasortoftemporaryservants'hallofthehighandmightycabin.

instrangecontrasttothehardlytolerableconstraintandnamelessinvisibledomineeringsofthecaptain'stable,wastheentirecare-freelicenseandease,thealmostfranticdemocracyofthoseinferiorfellowstheharpooneers.whiletheirmasters,themates,seemedafraidofthesoundofthehingesoftheirownjaws,theharpooneerschewedtheirfoodwithsucharelishthattherewasareporttoit.theydinedlikelords;theyfilledtheirbellieslikeindianshipsalldayloadingwithspices.suchportentousappetiteshadqueequegandtashtego,thattofilloutthevacanciesmadebythepreviousrepast,oftenthepaledough-boywasfaintobringonagreatbaronofsalt-junk,seeminglyquarriedoutofthesolidox.andifhewerenotlivelyaboutit,ifhedidnotgowithanimblehop-skip-and-jump,thentashtegohadanungentlemanlywayofacceleratinghimbydartingaforkathisback,harpoon-wise.andonceoo,seizedwithasuddenhumor,assisteddough-boy'smemorybysnatchinghimupbodily,andthrustinghisheadintoagreatemptywoodentrencher,whiletashtego,knifeinhand,beganlayingoutthecirclepreliminarytoscalpinghim.hewasnaturallyaverynervous,shudderingsortoflittlefellow,thisbread-facedsteward;theprogenyofabankruptbakerandahospitalnurse.andwhatwiththestandingspectacleoftheblackterrificahab,andtheperiodicaltumultuousvisitationsofthesethreesavages,doughboy'swholelifewasonecontinuallip-quiver.commonly,afterseeingtheharpooneersfurnishedwithallthingstheydemanded,hewouldescapefromtheirclutchesintohislittlepantryadjoining,andfearfullypeepoutatthemthroughtheblindsofitsdoor,tillallwasover.

itwasasighttoseequeequegseatedoveragainsttashtego,opposinghisfiledteethtotheindian's:crosswisetothem,ooseatedonthefloor,forabenchwouldhavebroughthishearse-plumedheadtothelowcarlines;ateverymotionofhiscolossallimbs,makingthelowcabinframeworktoshake,aswhenanafricanelephantgoespassengerinaship.butforallthis,thegreatnegrowaswonderfullyabstemious,nottosaydainty.itseemedhardlypossiblethatbysuchcomparativelysmallmouthfulshecouldkeepupthevitalitydiffusedthroughsobroad,baronial,andsuperbaperson.but,doubtless,thisnoblesavagefedstronganddrankdeepoftheaboundingelementofair;andthroughhisdilatednostrilssnuffedinthesublimelifeoftheworlds.notbybeeforbybread,aregiantsmadeornourished.butqueequeg,hehadamortal,barbaricsmackofthelipineating—anuglysoundenough—somuchso,thatthetremblingdoughboyalmostlookedtoseewhetheranymarksofteethlurkedinhisownleanarms.andwhenhewouldheartashtegosingingoutforhimtoproducehimself,thathisbonesmightbepicked,thesimple-wittedstewardallbutshatteredthecrockeryhangingroundhiminthepantry,byhissuddenfitsofthepalsy.nordidthewhetstonewhichtheharpooneerscarriedintheirpockets,fortheirlancesandotherweapons;andwithwhichwhetstones,atdinner,theywouldostentatiouslysharpentheirknives;thatgratingsounddidnotatalltendtotranquillizepoordough-boy.howcouldheforgetthatinhisislanddays,queequeg,forone,mustcertainlyhavebeenguiltyofsomemurderous,convivialindiscretions.alas!dough-boy!hardfaresthewhitewaiterwhowaitsuponcannibals.notanapkinshouldhecarryonhisarm,butabuckler.ingoodtime,though,tohisgreatdelight,thethreesaltseawarriorswouldriseanddepart;tohiscredulous,fable-mongeringears,alltheirmartialbonesjinglinginthemateverystep,likemoorishscimetarsinscabbards.

but,thoughthesebarbariansdinedinthecabin,andnominallylivedthere;still,beinganythingbutsedentaryintheirhabits,theywerescarcelyeverinitexceptatmealtimes,andjustbeforesleeping-time,whentheypassedthroughittotheirownpeculiarquarters.

inthisonematter,ahabseemednoexceptiontomostamericanwhalecaptains,who,asaset,ratherinclinetotheopinionthatbyrightstheship'scabinbelongstothem;andthatitisbycourtesyalonethatanybodyelseis,atanytime,permittedthere.sothat,inrealtruth,thematesandharpooneersofthepequodmightmoreproperlybesaidtohavelivedoutofthecabinthaninit.forwhentheydidenterit,itwassomethingasastreet-doorentersahouse;turninginwardsforamoment,onlytobeturnedoutthenext;and,asapermanentthing,residingintheopenair.nordidtheylosemuchhereby;inthecabinwasnocompanionship;socially,ahabwasessible.thoughnominallyincludedinthecensusofchristendom,hewasstillanalientoit.helivedintheworld,asthelastofthegrislybearslivedinsettledmissouri.andaswhenspringandsummerhaddeparted,thatwildloganofthewoods,buryinghimselfinthehollowofatree,livedoutthewinterthere,suckinghisownpaws;so,inhisinclement,howlingoldage,ahab'ssoul,shutupinthecavedtrunkofhisbody,therefeduponthesullenpawsofitsgloom!