Thecounterpanewasofpatchwork,fullofoddlittleparti-coloredsquaresandtriangles;andthisarmofhistattooedalloverwithaninterminableCretanlabyrinthofafigure,notwopartsofwhichwereofonepreciseshade-owingIsupposetohiskeepinghisarmatseaunmethodicallyinsunandshade,hisshirtsleevesirregularlyrolledupatvarioustimes-thissamearmofhis,Isay,lookedforalltheworldlikeastripofthatsamepatchworkquilt.
Indeed,partlylyingonitasthearmdidwhenIfirstawoke,Icouldhardlytellitfromthequilt,theysoblendedtheirhuestogether;anditwasonlybythesenseofweightandpressurethatIcouldtellthatQueequegwashuggingme.
WhenIwasachild,Iwellrememberasomewhatsimilarcircumstancethatbefellme;whetheritwasarealityoradream,Inevercouldentirelysettle.Thecircumstancewasthis.
Ihadbeencuttingupsomecaperorother-Ithinkitwastryingtocrawlupthechimney,asIhadseenalittlesweepdoafewdaysprevious;andmystepmotherwho,somehoworother,wasallthetimewhippingme,orsendingmetobedsupperless,-mymotherdraggedmebythelegsoutofthechimneyandpackedmeofftobed,thoughitwasonlytwoo’clockintheafternoonofthe21stJune,thelongestdayinyearinourhemisphere.
Buttherewasnohelpforit,soupstairsIwenttomylittleroominthethirdfloor,undressedmyselfasslowlyaspossiblesoastokilltime,andwithabittersighgotbetweenthesheets.
IlaytheredismallycalculatingthatsixteenentirehoursmustelapsebeforeIcouldhopeforaresurrection.Sixteenhoursinbed!
Anditwassolighttoo;thesunshininginatthewindow,andagreatrattlingofcoachesinthestreets,andthesoundofgayvoicesalloverthehouse.
Ifeltworseandworse-atlastIgotup,dressed,andsoftlygoingdowninmystockingedfeet,soughtoutmystepmother,andsuddenlythrewmyselfatherfeet,beseechingherasaparticularfavortogivemeagoodslipperingformymisbehaviour:anythingindeedbutcondemningmetolieabedsuchanunendurablelengthoftime.
ForseveralhoursIlaytherebroadawake,feelingagreatdealworsethanIhaveeverdonesince,evenfromthegreatestsubsequentmisfortunes.
AtlastImusthavefallenintoatroublednightmareofadoze;andslowlywakingfromit-halfsteepedindreams-Iopenedmyeyes,andthebeforesunlitroomwasnowwrappedinouterdarkness.
InstantlyIfeltashockrunningthroughallmyframe;nothingwastobeseen,andnothingwastobeheard;butasupernaturalhandseemedplacedinmine.
Myarmhungoverthecounterpane,andthenameless,unimaginable,silentformorphantom,towhichthehandbelonged,seemedcloselyseatedbymybed-side.
Forwhatseemedagespiledonages,Ilaythere,frozenwiththemostawfulfears,notdaringtodragawaymyhand;yeteverthinkingthatifIcouldbutstiritonesingleinch,thehorridspellwouldbebroken.
Iknewnothowthisconsciousnessatlastglidedawayfromme;butwakinginthemorning,Ishudderinglyremembereditall,andfordaysandweeksandmonthsafterwardsIlostmyselfinconfoundingattemptstoexplainthemystery.
Now,takeawaytheawfulfear,andmysensationsatfeelingthesupernaturalhandinminewereverysimilar,inthestrangeness,tothosewhichIexperiencedonwakingupandseeingQueequeg’spaganarmthrownroundme.
Butatlengthallthepastnight’seventssoberlyrecurred,onebyone,infixedreality,andthenIlayonlyalivetothecomicalpredicament.
ForthoughItriedtomovehisarm-unlockhisbridegroomclasp-yet,sleepingashewas,hestillhuggedmetightly,asthoughnaughtbutdeathshouldpartustwain.Inowstrovetorousehim-“Queequeg!”-buthisonlyanswerwasasnore.
Throwingasidethecounterpane,therelaythetomahawksleepingbythesavage’sside,asifitwereahatchet-facedbaby.
Aprettypickle,truly,thoughtI;abedhereinastrangehouseinthebroadday,withacannibalandatomahawk!“Queequeg!
Atlength,bydintofmuchwriggling,andloudandincessantexpostulationsupontheunbecomingnessofhishuggingafellowmaleinthatmatrimonialsortofstyle,Isucceededinextractingagrunt;andpresently,hedrewbackhisarm,shookhimselfalloverlikeaNewfoundlanddogjustfromthewater,andsatupinbed,stiffasapike-staff,lookingatme,andrubbinghiseyesasifhedidnotaltogetherrememberhowIcametobethere,thoughadimconsciousnessofknowingsomethingaboutmeseemedslowlydawningoverhim.
Meanwhile,Ilayquietlyeyeinghim,havingnoseriousmisgivingsnow,andbentuponnarrowlyobservingsocuriousacreature.
When,atlast,hismindseemedmadeuptouchingthecharacterofhisbedfellow,andhebecame,asitwere,reconciledtothefact;hejumpedoutuponthefloor,andbycertainsignsandsoundsgavemetounderstandthat,ifitpleasedme,hewoulddressfirstandthenleavemetodressafterwards,leavingthewholeapartmenttomyself.
ThinksI,Queequeg,underthecircumstances,thisisaverycivilizedoverture;but,thetruthis,thesesavageshaveaninnatesenseofdelicacy,saywhatyouwill;itismarvelloushowessentiallypolitetheyare.
IpaythisparticularcomplimenttoQueequeg,becausehetreatedmewithsomuchcivilityandconsideration,whileIwasguiltyofgreatrudeness;staringathimfromthebed,andwatchingallhistoilettemotions;forthetimemycuriositygettingthebetterofmybreeding.
Hecommenceddressingattopbydonninghisbeaverhat,averytallone,bytheby,andthen-stillminushistrowsers-hehunteduphisboots.
Whatundertheheavenshediditfor,Icannottell,buthisnextmovementwastocrushhimself-bootsinhand,andhaton-underthebed;when,fromsundryviolentgaspingsandstrainings,Iinferredhewashardatworkbootinghimself;thoughbynolawofproprietythatIeverheardof,isanymanrequiredtobeprivatewhenputtingonhisboots.
Hewasjustenoughcivilizedtoshowoffhisoutlandishnessinthestrangestpossiblemanners.Hiseducationwasnotyetcompleted.Hewasanundergraduate.
Ifhehadnotbeenasmalldegreecivilized,heveryprobablywouldnothavetroubledhimselfwithbootsatall;butthen,ifhehadnotbeenstillasavage,heneverwouldhavedreamtofgettingunderthebedtoputthemon.
Atlast,heemergedwithhishatverymuchdentedandcrusheddownoverhiseyes,andbegancreakingandlimpingabouttheroom,asif,notbeingmuchaccustomedtoboots,hispairofdamp,wrinkledcowhideones-probablynotmadetoordereither-ratherpinchedandtormentedhimatthefirstgooffofabittercoldmorning.
Seeing,now,thattherewerenocurtainstothewindow,andthatthestreetbeingverynarrow,thehouseoppositecommandedaplainviewintotheroom,andobservingmoreandmoretheindecorousfigurethatQueequegmade,stavingaboutwithlittleelsebuthishatandbootson;IbeggedhimaswellasIcould,toacceleratehistoiletsomewhat,andparticularlytogetintohispantaloonsassoonaspossible.
AtthattimeinthemorninganyChristianwouldhavewashedhisface;butQueequeg,tomyamazement,contentedhimselfwithrestrictinghisablutionstohischest,arms,andhands.
Hethendonnedhiswaistcoat,andtakingupapieceofhardsoaponthewash-standcentretable,dippeditintowaterandcommencedlatheringhisface.
Iwaswatchingtoseewherehekepthisrazor,whenloandbehold,hetakestheharpoonfromthebedcorner,slipsoutthelongwoodenstock,unsheathesthehead,whetsitalittleonhisboot,andstridinguptothebitofmirroragainstthewall,beginsavigorousscraping,orratherharpooningofhischeeks.
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