English
NextmorningStubbaccostedFlask.
“Suchaqueerdream,King-Post,Ineverhad.
Youknowtheoldman’sivoryleg,wellIdreamedhekickedmewithit;andwhenItriedtokickback,uponmysoul,mylittleman,Ikickedmylegrightoff!Andthen,presto!
Ahabseemedapyramid,andIlikeablazingfool,keptkickingatit.
Butwhatwasstillmorecurious,Flask-youknowhowcuriousalldreamsare-throughallthisragethatIwasin,Isomehowseemedtobethinkingtomyself,thatafterall,itwasnotmuchofaninsult,thatkickfromAhab.‘Why,’thinksI,‘what’stherow?It’snotarealleg,onlyafalseone.’
Andthere’samightydifferencebetweenalivingthumpandadeadthump.
That’swhatmakesablowfromthehand,Flask,fiftytimesmoresavagetobearthanablowfromacane.
Thelivingmember-thatmakesthelivinginsult,mylittleman.
AndthinksItomyselfallthewhile,mind,whileIwasstubbingmysillytoesagainstthatcursedpyramid-soconfoundedlycontradictorywasitall,allthewhile,Isay,Iwasthinkingtomyself,‘what’shislegnow,butacane-.awhale-bonecane.
Yes,’thinksI,‘itwasonlyaplayfulcudgelling-infact,onlyawhaleboningthathegaveme-notabasekick.
Besides,’thinksI,‘lookatitonce;why,theendofit-thefootpart-whatasmallsortofenditis;whereas,ifabroadfootedfarmerkickedme,there’sadevilishbroadinsult.
Butthisinsultiswhittleddowntoapointonly.’
Butnowcomesthegreatestjokeofthedream,Flask.
WhileIwasbatteringawayatthepyramid,asortofbadger-hairedoldmerman,withahumponhisback,takesmebytheshoulders,andslewsmeround.‘Whatareyou‘bout?’sayshe.Slid!man,butIwasfrightened.Suchaphiz!
But,somehow,nextmomentIwasoverthefright.‘WhatamIabout?’saysIatlast.
‘Andwhatbusinessisthatofyours,Ishouldliketoknow,Mr.Humpback?Doyouwantakick?’
Bythelord,Flask,Ihadnosoonersaidthat,thanheturnedroundhissterntome,bentover,anddraggingupalotofseaweedhehadforaclout-whatdoyouthink,Isaw?
-whythunderalive,man,hissternwasstuckfullofmarlinspikes,withthepointsout.
SaysIonsecondthought,‘IguessIwon’tkickyou,oldfellow.’
‘WiseStubb,’saidhe,‘wiseStubb;’andkeptmutteringitallthetime,asortofeatingofhisgumslikeachimneyhag.
Seeinghewasn’tgoingtostopsayingoverhis‘wiseStubb,wiseStubb,’IthoughtImightaswellfalltokickingthepyramidagain.
ButIhadonlyjustliftedmyfootforit,whenheroaredout,‘Stopthatkicking!’
‘Halloa,’saysI,‘what’sthematternow,oldfellow?’
‘Lookyehere,’sayshe;‘let’sarguetheinsult.CaptainAhabkickedye,didn’the?’
‘Yes,hedid,’saysI-‘righthereitwas.’
‘Verygood,’sayshe-‘heusedhisivoryleg,didn’the?’
‘Yes,hedid,’saysI.‘Wellthen,’sayshe,‘wiseStubb,whathaveyoutocomplainof?Didn’thekickwithrightgoodwill?
itwasn’tacommonpitchpineleghekickedwith,wasit?
No,youwerekickedbyagreatman,andwithabeautifulivoryleg,Stubb.It’sanhonor;Iconsideritanhonor.Listen,wiseStubb.
InoldEnglandthegreatestlordsthinkitgreatglorytobeslappedbyaqueen,andmadegarter-knightsof;but,beyourboast,Stubb,thatyewerekickedbyoldAhab,andmadeawisemanof.
RememberwhatIsay;bekickedbyhim;accounthiskickshonors;andonnoaccountkickback;foryoucan’thelpyourself,wiseStubb.Don’tyouseethatpyramid?’
Withthat,heallofasuddenseemedsomehow,insomequeerfashion,toswimoffintotheair.
Isnored;rolledover;andthereIwasinmyhammock!
Now,whatdoyouthinkofthatdream,Flask?”
“Idon’tknow;itseemsasortoffoolishtome,tho.’”
“Maybe;maybe.Butit’smadeawisemanofme,Flask.
D’yeseeAhabstandingthere,sidewayslookingoverthestern?
Well,thebestthingyoucando,Flask,istolettheoldmanalone;neverspeaktohim,whateverhesays.Halloa!What’sthatheshouts?Hark!”
“Mast-head,there!Looksharp,allofye!Therearewhaleshereabouts!
Ifyeseeawhiteone,splityourlungsforhim!
“Whatdoyouthinkofthatnow,Flask?ain’tthereasmalldropofsomethingqueeraboutthat,eh?Awhitewhale-didyemarkthat,man?
Lookye-there’ssomethingspecialinthewind.Standbyforit,Flask.
Ahabhasthatthat’sbloodyonhismind.But,mum;hecomesthisway.”
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