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InthesameNewBedfordtherestandsaWhaleman’sChapel,andfewarethemoodyfishermen,shortlyboundfortheIndianOceanorPacific,whofailtomakeaSundayvisittothespot.IamsurethatIdidnot.
Returningfrommyfirstmorningstroll,Iagainsalliedoutuponthisspecialerrand.
Theskyhadchangedfromclear,sunnycold,todrivingsleetandmist.
Wrappingmyselfinmyshaggyjacketoftheclothcalledbearskin,Ifoughtmywayagainstthestubbornstorm.
Entering,Ifoundasmallscatteredcongregationofsailors,andsailors’wivesandwidows.
Amuffledsilencereigned,onlybrokenattimesbytheshrieksofthestorm.
Eachsilentworshipperseemedpurposelysittingapartfromtheother,asifeachsilentgriefwereinsularandincommunicable.
Thechaplainhadnotyetarrived;andtherethesesilentislandsofmenandwomensatsteadfastlyeyeingseveralmarbletablets,withblackborders,masonedintothewalloneithersidethepulpit.
Threeofthemransomethinglikethefollowing,butIdonotpretendtoquote:
SACREDTOTHEMEMORYOFJOHNTALBOT,Who,attheageofeighteen,waslostoverboardNeartheIsleofDesolation,offPatagonia,November1st,1836.THISTABLETIserectedtohisMemoryBYHISSISTER.
SACREDTOTHEMEMORYOFROBERTLONG,WILLISELLERY,NATHANCOLEMAN,WALTERCANNY,SETHMACY,ANDSAMUELGLEIG,Formingoneoftheboats’crewsOFTHESHIPELIZAWhoweretowedoutofsightbyaWhale,OntheOff-shoreGroundinthePACIFIC,December31st,1839.
THISMARBLEIshereplacedbytheirsurvivingSHIPMATES.
SACREDTOTHEMEMORYOFThelateCAPTAINEZEKIELHARDY,WhointhebowsofhisboatwaskilledbyaSpermWhaleonthecoastofJapan,August3d,1833.
THISTABLETIserectedtohisMemoryBYHISWIDOW.
Shakingoffthesleetfrommyice-glazedhatandjacket,Iseatedmyselfnearthedoor,andturningsidewayswassurprisedtoseeQueequegnearme.
Affectedbythesolemnityofthescene,therewasawonderinggazeofincredulouscuriosityinhiscountenance.
Thissavagewastheonlypersonpresentwhoseemedtonoticemyentrance;becausehewastheonlyonewhocouldnotread,and,therefore,wasnotreadingthosefrigidinscriptionsonthewall.
Whetheranyoftherelativesoftheseamenwhosenamesappearedtherewerenowamongthecongregation,Iknewnot;butsomanyaretheunrecordedaccidentsinthefishery,andsoplainlydidseveralwomenpresentwearthecountenanceifnotthetrappingsofsomeunceasinggrief,thatIfeelsurethatherebeforemewereassembledthose,inwhoseunhealingheartsthesightofthosebleaktabletssympatheticallycausedtheoldwoundstobleedafresh.
Oh!yewhosedeadlieburiedbeneaththegreengrass;whostandingamongflowerscansay-here,hereliesmybeloved;yeknownotthedesolationthatbroodsinbosomslikethese.
Whatbitterblanksinthoseblack-borderedmarbleswhichcovernoashes!
Whatdespairinthoseimmovableinscriptions!
WhatdeadlyvoidsandunbiddeninfidelitiesinthelinesthatseemtognawuponallFaith,andrefuseresurrectionstothebeingswhohaveplacelesslyperishedwithoutagrave.
AswellmightthosetabletsstandinthecaveofElephantaashere.
Inwhatcensusoflivingcreatures,thedeadofmankindareincluded;whyitisthatauniversalproverbsaysofthem,thattheytellnotales,thoughcontainingmoresecretsthantheGoodwinSands!
howitisthattohisnamewhoyesterdaydepartedfortheotherworld,weprefixsosignificantandinfidelaword,andyetdonotthusentitlehim,ifhebutembarksfortheremotestIndiesofthislivingearth;whytheLifeInsuranceCompaniespaydeath-forfeituresuponimmortals;inwhateternal,unstirringparalysis,anddeadly,hopelesstrance,yetliesantiqueAdamwhodiedsixtyroundcenturiesago;howitisthatwestillrefusetobecomfortedforthosewhoweneverthelessmaintainaredwellinginunspeakablebliss;whyallthelivingsostrivetohushallthedead;whereforebuttherumorofaknockinginatombwillterrifyawholecity.
Allthesethingsarenotwithouttheirmeanings.
ButFaith,likeajackal,feedsamongthetombs,andevenfromthesedeaddoubtsshegathershermostvitalhope.
Itneedsscarcelytobetold,withwhatfeelings,ontheeveofaNantucketvoyage,Iregardedthosemarbletablets,andbythemurkylightofthatdarkened,dolefuldayreadthefateofthewhalemenwhohadgonebeforeme.
Yes,Ishmael,thesamefatemaybethine.ButsomehowIgrewmerryagain.
Delightfulinducementstoembark,finechanceforpromotion,itseems-aye,astoveboatwillmakemeanimmortalbybrevet.
Yes,thereisdeathinthisbusinessofwhaling-aspeechlesslyquickchaoticbundlingofamanintoEternity.Butwhatthen?
MethinkswehavehugelymistakenthismatterofLifeandDeath.
Methinksthatwhattheycallmyshadowhereonearthismytruesubstance.
Methinksthatinlookingatthingsspiritual,wearetoomuchlikeoystersobservingthesunthroughthewater,andthinkingthatthickwaterthethinnestofair.
Methinksmybodyisbuttheleesofmybetterbeing.
Infacttakemybodywhowill,takeitIsay,itisnotme.
AndthereforethreecheersforNantucket;andcomeastoveboatandstovebodywhentheywill,forstavemysoul,Jovehimselfcannot.
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