English
Atlength,towardsnoon,uponthefinaldismissaloftheship’sriggers,andafterthePequodhadbeenhauledoutfromthewharf,andaftertheever-thoughtfulCharityhadcomeoffinawhale-boat,withherlastgift-anightcapforStubb,thesecondmate,herbrother-in-law,andaspareBibleforthesteward-afterallthis,thetwoCaptains,PelegandBildad,issuedfromthecabin,andturningtothechiefmate,Pelegsaid:
“Now,Mr.Starbuck,areyousureeverythingisright?CaptainAhabisallready-justspoketohim-nothingmoretobegotfromshore,eh?Well,callallhands,then.Muster‘emafthere-blast‘em!”
“Noneedofprofanewords,howevergreatthehurry,Peleg,”saidBildad,“butawaywiththee,friendStarbuck,anddoourbidding.”
Hownow!Hereupontheverypointofstartingforthevoyage,CaptainPelegandCaptainBildadweregoingitwithahighhandonthequarter-deck,justasiftheyweretobejoint-commandersatsea,aswellastoallappearancesinport.
And,asforCaptainAhab,nosignofhimwasyettobeseen;only,theysaidhewasinthecabin.
Butthen,theideawas,thathispresencewasbynomeansnecessaryingettingtheshipunderweigh,andsteeringherwellouttosea.
Indeed,asthatwasnotatallhisproperbusiness,butthepilot’s;andashewasnotyetcompletelyrecovered-sotheysaid-therefore,CaptainAhabstayedbelow.
Andallthisseemednaturalenough;especiallyasinthemerchantservicemanycaptainsnevershowthemselvesondeckforaconsiderabletimeafterheavinguptheanchor,butremainoverthecabintable,havingafarewellmerry-makingwiththeirshorefriends,beforetheyquittheshipforgoodwiththepilot.
Buttherewasnotmuchchancetothinkoverthematter,forCaptainPelegwasnowallalive.Heseemedtodomostofthetalkingandcommanding,andnotBildad.
“Afthere,yesonsofbachelors,”hecried,asthesailorslingeredatthemain-mast.“Mr.Starbuck,driveaft.”
“Strikethetentthere!”-wasthenextorder.
AsIhintedbefore,thiswhalebonemarqueewasneverpitchedexceptinport;andonboardthePequod,forthirtyyears,theordertostrikethetentwaswellknowntobethenextthingtoheavinguptheanchor.
“Manthecapstan!Bloodandthunder!-jump!”-wasthenextcommand,andthecrewsprangforthehandspikes.
Nowingettingunderweigh,thestationgenerallyoccupiedbythepilotistheforwardpartoftheship.
AndhereBildad,who,withPeleg,beitknown,inadditiontohisotherofficers,wasoneofthelicensedpilotsoftheport-hebeingsuspectedtohavegothimselfmadeapilotinordertosavetheNantucketpilot-feetoalltheshipshewasconcernedin,forheneverpilotedanyothercraft-Bildad,Isay,mightnowbeseenactivelyengagedinlookingoverthebowsfortheapproachinganchor,andatintervalssingingwhatseemedadismalstaveofpsalmody,tocheerthehandsatthewindlass,whoroaredforthsomesortofchorusaboutthegirlsinBoobleAlley,withheartygoodwill.
Nevertheless,notthreedaysprevious,BildadhadtoldthemthatnoprofanesongswouldbeallowedonboardthePequod,particularlyingettingunderweigh;andCharity,hissister,hadplacedasmallchoicecopyofWattsineachseaman’sberth.
Meantime,overseeingtheotherpartoftheship,CaptainPelegrippedandsworeasterninthemostfrightfulmanner.
Ialmostthoughthewouldsinktheshipbeforetheanchorcouldbegotup;involuntarilyIpausedonmyhandspike,andtoldQueequegtodothesame,thinkingoftheperilswebothran,instartingonthevoyagewithsuchadevilforapilot.
Iwascomfortingmyself,however,withthethoughtthatinpiousBildadmightbefoundsomesalvation,spiteofhissevenhundredandseventy-seventhlay;whenIfeltasuddensharppokeinmyrear,andturninground,washorrifiedattheapparitionofCaptainPelegintheartofwithdrawinghislegfrommyimmediatevicinity.Thatwasmyfirstkick.
“Isthatthewaytheyheaveinthemarchantservice?”heroared.
“Spring,thousheep-head;spring,andbreakthybackbone!
Whydon’tyespring,Isay,allofye-spring!Quohog!
spring,thouchapwiththeredwhiskers;springthere,Scotch-cap;spring,thougreenpants.
Spring,Isay,allofye,andspringyoureyesout!”
Andsosaying,hemovedalongthewindlass,hereandthereusinghislegveryfreely,whileimperturbableBildadkeptleadingoffwithhispsalmody.
ThinksI,CaptainPelegmusthavebeendrinkingsomethingto-day.
Atlasttheanchorwasup,thesailswereset,andoffweglided.
Itwasashort,coldChristmas;andastheshortnortherndaymergedintonight,wefoundourselvesalmostbroaduponthewintryocean,whosefreezingspraycasedusinice,asinpolishedarmor.
Thelongrowsofteethonthebulwarksglistenedinthemoonlight;andlikethewhiteivorytusksofsomehugeelephant,vastcurvingiciclesdependedfromthebows.
LankBildad,aspilot,headedthefirstwatch,andeverandanon,astheoldcraftdeepdivedintothegreenseas,andsenttheshiveringfrostalloverher,andthewindshowled,andthecordagerang,hissteadynoteswereheard,-
“Sweetfieldsbeyondtheswellingflood,Standdressedinlivinggreen.SototheJewsoldCanaanstood,WhileJordanrolledbetween.”
Neverdidthosesweetwordssoundmoresweetlytomethanthen.Theywerefullofhopeandfruition.
SpiteofthisfrigidwinternightintheboisterousAtlantic,spiteofmywetfeetandwetterjacket,therewasyet,itthenseemedtome,manyapleasanthaveninstore;andmeadsandgladessoeternallyvernal,thatthegrassshotupbythespring,untrodden,unwilted,remainsatmidsummer.
Atlastwegainedsuchanoffing,thatthetwopilotswereneedednolonger.Thestoutsail-boatthathadaccompaniedusbeganrangingalongside.
Itwascuriousandnotunpleasing,howPelegandBildadwereaffectedatthisjuncture,especiallyCaptainBildad.
Forloathtodepart,yet;veryloathtoleave,forgood,ashipboundonsolongandperilousavoyage-beyondbothstormyCapes;ashipinwhichsomethousandsofhishardearneddollarswereinvested;aship,inwhichanoldshipmatesailedascaptain;amanalmostasoldashe,oncemorestartingtoencounteralltheterrorsofthepitilessjaw;loathtosaygood-byetoathingsoeverywaybrimfulofeveryinteresttohim,-pooroldBildadlingeredlong;pacedthedeckwithanxiousstrides;randownintothecabintospeakanotherfarewellwordthere;againcameondeck,andlookedtowindward;lookedtowardsthewideandendlesswaters,onlyboundbythefar-offunseenEasternContinents;lookedtowardstheland;lookedaloft;lookedrightandleft;lookedeverywhereandnowhere;andatlast,mechanicallycoilingaropeuponitspin,convulsivelygraspedstoutPelegbythehand,andholdingupalantern,foramomentstoodgazingheroicallyinhisface,asmuchastosay,“Nevertheless,friendPeleg,Icanstandit;yes,Ican.”
AsforPeleghimself,hetookitmorelikeaphilosopher;butforallhisphilosophy,therewasateartwinklinginhiseye,whenthelanterncametoonear.
Andhe,too,didnotalittlerunfromthecabintodeck-nowawordbelow,andnowawordwithStarbuck,thechiefmate.
But,atlast,heturnedtohiscomrade,withafinalsortoflookabouthim,-“CaptainBildad-come,oldshipmate,wemustgo.Backthemainyardthere!Boatahoy!Standbytocomeclosealongside,now!Careful,careful!-come,Bildad,boy-sayyourlast.
Lucktoye,Starbuck-lucktoye,Mr.Stubb-lucktoye,Mr.Flask-good-byeandgoodlucktoyeall-andthisdaythreeyearsI’llhaveahotsuppersmokingforyeinoldNantucket.Hurrahandaway!”
“Godblessye,andhaveyeinHisholykeeping,men,”murmuredoldBildad,almostincoherently.
“Ihopeye’llhavefineweathernow,sothatCaptainAhabmaysoonbemovingamongye-apleasantsunisallheneeds,andye’llhaveplentyoftheminthetropicvoyageyego.Becarefulinthehunt,yemates.
Don’tstavetheboatsneedlessly,yeharpooneers;goodwhitecedarplankisraisedfullthreepercentwithintheyear.Don’tforgetyourprayers,either.
Mr.Starbuck,mindthatcooperdon’twastethesparestaves.Oh!
thesail-needlesareinthegreenlocker.
Don’twhaleittoomucha’Lord’sdays,men;butdon’tmissafairchanceeither,that’srejectingHeaven’sgoodgifts.
Haveaneyetothemolassestierce,Mr.Stubb;itwasalittleleaky,Ithought.
Ifyetouchattheislands,Mr.Flask,bewareoffornication.Good-bye,good-bye!
Don’tkeepthatcheesetoolongdowninthehold,Mr.Starbuck;it’llspoil.
Becarefulwiththebutter-twentycentsthepounditwas,andmindye,if—”
“Come,come,CaptainBildad;stoppalavering,-away!”andwiththat,Peleghurriedhimovertheside,andbothdroptintotheboat.
Shipandboatdiverged;thecold,dampnightbreezeblewbetween;ascreaminggullflewoverhead;thetwohullswildlyrolled;wegavethreeheavy-heartedcheers,andblindlyplungedlikefateintotheloneAtlantic.
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