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Somedayselapsed,andiceandicebergsallastern,thePequodnowwentrollingthroughthebrightQuitospring,whichatsea,almostperpetuallyreignsonthethresholdoftheeternalAugustoftheTropic.
Thewarmlycool,clear,ringingperfumed,overflowing,redundantdays,wereascrystalgobletsofPersiansherbet,heapedup-flakedup,withrose-watersnow.
Thestarredandstatelynightsseemedhaughtydamesinjewelledvelvets,nursingathomeinlonelypride,thememoryoftheirabsentconqueringEarls,thegoldenhelmetedsuns!
Forsleepingman,‘twashardtochoosebetweensuchwinsomedaysandsuchseducingnights.
Butallthewitcheriesofthatunwaningweatherdidnotmerelylendnewspellsandpotenciestotheoutwardworld.
Inwardtheyturneduponthesoul,especiallywhenthestillmildhoursofevecameon;then,memoryshothercrystalsastheclearicemostformsofnoiselesstwilights.
Andallthesesubtleagencies,moreandmoretheywroughtonAhab’stexture.
Oldageisalwayswakeful;asif,thelongerlinkedwithlife,thelessmanhastodowithaughtthatlookslikedeath.
Amongsea-commanders,theoldgreybeardswilloftenestleavetheirberthstovisitthenight-cloakeddeck.
ItwassowithAhab;onlythatnow,oflate,heseemedsomuchtoliveintheopenair,thattrulyspeaking,hisvisitsweremoretothecabin,thanfromthecabintotheplanks.
“Itfeelslikegoingdownintoone’stomb,”-hewouldmuttertohimself-“foranoldcaptainlikemetobedescendingthisnarrowscuttle,togotomygrave-dugberth.”
So,almosteverytwenty-fourhours,whenthewatchesofthenightwereset,andthebandondecksentinelledtheslumbersofthebandbelow;andwhenifaropewastobehauledupontheforecastle,thesailorsflungitnotrudelydown,asbyday,butwithsomecautiousnessdroptittoitsplaceforfearofdisturbingtheirslumberingshipmates;whenthissortofsteadyquietudewouldbegintoprevail,habitually,thesilentsteersmanwouldwatchthecabin-scuttle;anderelongtheoldmanwouldemerge,grippingattheironbanister,tohelphiscrippledway.
Someconsideringtouchofhumanitywasinhim;forattimeslikethese,heusuallyabstainedfrompatrollingthequarter-deck;becausetohisweariedmates,seekingreposewithinsixinchesofhisivoryheel,suchwouldhavebeenthereverberatingcrackanddinofthatbonystep,thattheirdreamswouldhavebeenonthecrunchingteethofsharks.
Butonce,themoodwasonhimtoodeepforcommonregardings;andaswithheavy,lumber-likepacehewasmeasuringtheshipfromtaffrailtomainmast,Stubb,theoldsecondmate,cameupfrombelow,withacertainunassured,deprecatinghumorousness,hintedthatifCaptainAhabwaspleasedtowalktheplanks,then,noonecouldsaynay;buttheremightbesomewayofmufflingthenoise;hintingsomethingindistinctlyandhesitatinglyaboutaglobeoftow,andtheinsertionintoit,oftheivoryheel.
Ah!Stubb,thoudidstnotknowAhabthen.
“AmIacannon-ball,Stubb,”saidAhab,“thatthouwouldstwadmethatfashion?Butgothyways;Ihadforgot.
Belowtothynightlygrave;wheresuchasyesleepbetweenshrouds,touseyetothefillingoneatlast.-Down,dog,andkennel!”
Startingattheunforseenconcludingexclamationofthesosuddenlyscornfuloldman,Stubbwasspeechlessamoment;thensaidexcitedly,“Iamnotusedtobespokentothatway,sir;Idobutlessthanhalflikeit,sir.”
“Avast!grittedAhabbetweenhissetteeth,andviolentlymovingaway,asiftoavoidsomepassionatetemptation.
“No,sir;notyet,”saidStubb,emboldened,“Iwillnottamelybecalledadog,sir.”
“Thenbecalledtentimesadonkey,andamule,andanass,andbegone,orI’llcleartheworldofthee!”
Ashesaidthis,Ahabadvanceduponhimwithsuchoverbearingterrorsinhisaspect,thatStubbinvoluntarilyretreated.
“Iwasneverservedsobeforewithoutgivingahardblowforit,”mutteredStubb,ashefoundhimselfdescendingthecabin-scuttle.“It’sveryqueer.
Stop,Stubb;somehow,now,Idon’twellknowwhethertogobackandstrikehim,or-what’sthat?
-downhereonmykneesandprayforhim?
Yes,thatwasthethoughtcomingupinme;butitwouldbethefirsttimeIeverdidpray.
It’squeer;veryqueer;andhe’squeertoo;aye,takehimforeandaft,he’saboutthequeerestoldmanStubbeversailedwith.Howheflashedatme!-hiseyeslikepowder-pans!ishemad!
Anywaythere’ssomething’sonhismind,assureastheremustbesomethingonadeckwhenitcracks.
Heaintinhisbednow,either,morethanthreehoursoutofthetwenty-four;andhedon’tsleepthen.
Didn’tthatDough-Boy,thesteward,tellmethatofamorninghealwaysfindstheoldman’shammockclothesallrumpledandtumbled,andthesheetsdownatthefoot,andthecoverlidalmosttiedintoknots,andthepillowasortoffrightfulhot,asthoughabakedbrickhadbeenonit?Ahotoldman!
Iguesshe’sgotwhatsomefolksashorecallaconscience;it’sakindofTic-Dolly-rowtheysay-worsenoratoothache.
Well,well;Idon’tknowwhatitis,buttheLordkeepmefromcatchingit.
He’sfullofriddles;Iwonderwhathegoesintotheafterholdfor,everynight,asDough-Boytellsmehesuspects;what’sthatfor,Ishouldliketoknow?
Who’smadeappointmentswithhiminthehold?Ain’tthatqueer,now?
Butthere’snotelling,it’stheoldgame-Heregoesforasnooze.
Damnme,it’sworthafellow’swhiletobebornintotheworld,ifonlytofallrightasleep.
AndnowthatIthinkofit,that’saboutthefirstthingbabiesdo,andthat’sasortofqueer,too.
Damnme,butallthingsarequeer,cometothinkof‘em.Butthat’sagainstmyprinciples.
Thinknot,ismyeleventhcommandment;andsleepwhenyoucan,ismytwelfth-Soheregoesagain.Buthow’sthat?didn’thecallmeadog?blazes!
hecalledmetentimesadonkey,andpiledalotofjackassesontopofthat!
Hemightaswellhavekickedme,anddonewithme.
Maybehedidkickme,andIdidn’tobserveit,Iwassotakenabackwithhisbrow,somehow.Itflashedlikeableachedbone.Whatthedevil’sthematterwithme?Idon’tstandrightonmylegs.
Comingafoulofthatoldmanhasasortofturnedmewrongsideout.
BytheLord,Imusthavebeendreaming,though-How?how?how?
-buttheonlyway’stostashit;soheregoestohammockagain;andinthemorning,I’llseehowthisplagueyjugglingthinksoverbydaylight.”
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