English
Itisnoon;andDough-Boy,thesteward,thrustinghispaleloaf-of-breadfacefromthecabin-scuttle,announcesdinnertohislordandmasterwho,sittingintheleequarter-boat,hasjustbeentakinganobservationofthesun;andisnowmutelyreckoningthelatitudeonthesmooth,medallion-shapedtablet,reservedforthatdailypurposeontheupperpartofhisivoryleg.
Fromhiscompleteinattentiontothetidings,youwouldthinkthatmoodyAhabhadnotheardhismenial.
Butpresently,catchingholdofthemizenshrouds,heswingshimselftothedeck,andinaneven,unexhilaratedvoice,saying,“Dinner,Mr.Starbuck,”disappearsintothecabin.
Whenthelastechoofhissultan’sstephasdiedaway,andStarbuck,thefirstEmir,haseveryreasontosupposethatheisseated,thenStarbuckrousesfromhisquietude,takesafewturnsalongtheplanks,and,afteragravepeepintothebinnacle,says,withsometouchofpleasantness,“Dinner,Mr.Stubb,”anddescendsthescuttle.
ThesecondEmirloungesabouttheriggingawhile,andthenslightlyshakingthemainbrace,toseewhetheritwillbeallrightwiththatimportantrope,helikewisetakesuptheoldburden,andwitharapid“Dinner,Mr.Flask,”followsafterhispredecessors.
ButthethirdEmir,nowseeinghimselfallaloneonthequarter-deck,seemstofeelrelievedfromsomecuriousrestraint;for,tippingallsortsofknowingwinksinallsortsofdirections,andkickingoffhisshoes,hestrikesintoasharpbutnoiselesssquallofahornpiperightovertheGrandTurk’shead;andthen,byadexteroussleight,pitchinghiscapupintothemizentopforashelf,hegoesdownrollickingsofaratleastasheremainsvisiblefromthedeck,reversingallotherprocessions,bybringinguptherearwithmusic.
Buteresteppingintothecabindoorwaybelow,hepauses,shipsanewfacealtogether,and,then,independent,hilariouslittleFlaskentersKingAhab’spresence,inthecharacterofAbjectus,ortheSlave.
Itisnottheleastamongthestrangethingsbredbytheintenseartificialnessofsea-usages,thatwhileintheopenairofthedecksomeofficerswill,uponprovocation,bearthemselvesboldlyanddefyinglyenoughtowardstheircommander;yet,tentoone,letthoseveryofficersthenextmomentgodowntotheircustomarydinnerinthatsamecommander’scabin,andstraightwaytheirinoffensive,nottosaydeprecatoryandhumbleairtowardshim,ashesitsattheheadofthetable;thisismarvellous,sometimesmostcomical.
Whereforethisdifference?Aproblem?Perhapsnot.
TohavebeenBelshazzar,KingofBabylon;andtohavebeenBelshazzar,nothaughtilybutcourteously,thereincertainlymusthavebeensometouchofmundanegrandeur.
Buthewhointherightlyregalandintelligentspiritpresidesoverhisownprivatedinner-tableofinvitedguests,thatman’sunchallengedpoweranddominionofindividualinfluenceforthetime;thatman’sroyaltyofstatetranscendsBelshazzar’s,forBelshazzarwasnotthegreatest.
Whohasbutoncedinedhisfriends,hastastedwhatitistobeCaesar.
Itisawitcheryofsocialczarshipwhichthereisnowithstanding.
Now,iftothisconsiderationyousuper-addtheofficialsupremacyofaship-master,then,byinference,youwillderivethecauseofthatpeculiarityofsea-lifejustmentioned.
Overhisivory-inlaidtable,Ahabpresidedlikeamute,manedsea-liononthewhitecoralbeach,surroundedbyhiswar-likebutstilldeferentialcubs.
Inhisownproperturn,eachofficerwaitedtobeserved.
TheywereaslittlechildrenbeforeAhab;andyet,inAhab,thereseemednottolurkthesmallestsocialarrogance.
Withonemind,theirintenteyesallfastenedupontheoldman’sknife,ashecarvedthechiefdishbeforehim.
Idonotsupposethatfortheworldtheywouldhaveprofanedthatmomentwiththeslightestobservation,evenuponsoneutralatopicastheweather.No!
Andwhenreachingouthisknifeandfork,betweenwhichthesliceofbeefwaslocked,AhabtherebymotionedStarbuck’splatetowardshim,thematereceivedhismeatasthoughreceivingalms;andcutittenderly;andalittlestartedif,perchance,theknifegrazedagainsttheplate;andcheweditnoiselessly;andswallowedit,notwithoutcircumspection.
For,liketheCoronationbanquetatFrankfort,wheretheGermanEmperorprofoundlydineswiththesevenimperialelectors,sothesecabinmealsweresomehowsolemnmeals,eateninawfulsilence;andyetattableoldAhabforbadenotconversation;onlyhehimselfwasdumb.
WhatareliefitwastochokingStubb,whenaratmadeasuddenracketintheholdbelow.
AndpoorlittleFlask,hewastheyoungestson,andlittleboyofthiswearyfamilyparty.
Hisweretheshin-bonesofthesalinebeef;hiswouldhavebeenthedrumsticks.
ForFlasktohavepresumedtohelphimself,thismusthaveseemedtohimtantamounttolarcenyinthefirstdegree.
Hadhehelpedhimselfatthetable,doubtless,nevermorewouldhehavebeenabletoholdhisheadupinthishonestworld;nevertheless,strangetosay,Ahabneverforbadehim.
AndhadFlaskhelpedhimself,thechanceswereAhabhadneversomuchasnoticedit.
Leastofall,didFlaskpresumetohelphimselftobutter.
Whetherhethoughttheownersoftheshipdeniedittohim,onaccountofitsclottinghisclear,sunnycomplexion;orwhetherhedeemedthat,onsolongavoyageinsuchmarketlesswaters,butterwasatapremium,andthereforewasnotforhim,asubaltern;howeveritwas,Flask,alas!wasabutterlessman!
Anotherthing.Flaskwasthelastpersondownatthedinner,andFlaskisthefirstmanup.Consider!
ForherebyFlask’sdinnerwasbadlyjammedinpointoftime.
StarbuckandStubbbothhadthestartofhim;andyettheyalsohavetheprivilegeofloungingintherear.
IfStubbeven,whoisbutapeghigherthanFlask,happenstohavebutasmallappetite,andsoonshowssymptomsofconcludinghisrepast,thenFlaskmustbestirhimself,hewillnotgetmorethanthreemouthfulsthatday;foritisagainstholyusageforStubbtoprecedeFlasktothedeck.
ThereforeitwasthatFlaskonceadmittedinprivate,thateversincehehadarisentothedignityofanofficer,fromthatmomenthehadneverknownwhatitwastobeotherwisethanhungry,moreorless.
Forwhatheatedidnotsomuchrelievehishunger,askeepitimmortalinhim.
Peaceandsatisfaction,thoughtFlask,haveforeverdepartedfrommystomach.
Iamanofficer;but,howIwishIcouldfishabitofold-fashionedbeefinthefore-castle,asIusedtowhenIwasbeforethemast.
There’sthefruitofpromotionnow;there’sthevanityofglory:there’stheinsanityoflife!
Besides,ifitweresothatanymeresailorofthePequodhadagrudgeagainstFlaskinFlask’sofficialcapacity,allthatsailorhadtodo,inordertoobtainamplevengeance,wastogoaftatdinnertime,andgetapeepatFlaskthroughthecabinsky-light,sittingsillyanddumfounderedbeforeawfulAhab.
Now,AhabandhisthreematesformedwhatmaybecalledthefirsttableinthePequod’scabin.
Aftertheirdeparture,takingplaceininvertedordertotheirarrival,thecanvasclothwascleared,orratherwasrestoredtosomehurriedorderbythepallidsteward.
Andthenthethreeharpooneerswerebiddentothefeast,theybeingitsresiduarylegatees.
Theymadeasortoftemporaryservants’hallofthehighandmightycabin.
Instrangecontrasttothehardlytolerableconstraintandnamelessinvisibledomineeringsofthecaptain’stable,wastheentirecare-freelicenseandease,thealmostfranticdemocracyofthoseinferiorfellowstheharpooneers.
Whiletheirmasters,themates,seemedafraidofthesoundofthehingesoftheirownjaws,theharpooneerschewedtheirfoodwithsucharelishthattherewasareporttoit.
Theydinedlikelords;theyfilledtheirbellieslikeIndianshipsalldayloadingwithspices.
SuchportentousappetiteshadQueequegandTashtego,thattofilloutthevacanciesmadebythepreviousrepast,oftenthepaleDough-Boywasfaintobringonagreatbaronofsalt-junk,seeminglyquarriedoutofthesolidox.
Andifhewerenotlivelyaboutit,ifhedidnotgowithanimblehop-skip-and-jump,thenTashtegohadanungentlemanlywayofacceleratinghimbydartingaforkathisback,harpoon-wise.
AndonceDaggoo,seizedwithasuddenhumor,assistedDough-Boy’smemorybysnatchinghimupbodily,andthrustinghisheadintoagreatemptywoodentrencher,whileTashtego,knifeinhand,beganlayingoutthecirclepreliminarytoscalpinghim.
Hewasnaturallyaverynervous,shudderingsortoflittlefellow,thisbread-facedsteward;theprogenyofabankruptbakerandahospitalnurse.
AndwhatwiththestandingspectacleoftheblackterrificAhab,andtheperiodicaltumultuousvisitationsofthesethreesavages,Dough-Boy’swholelifewasonecontinuallip-quiver.
Commonly,afterseeingtheharpooneersfurnishedwithallthingstheydemanded,hewouldescapefromtheirclutchesintohislittlepantryadjoining,andfearfullypeepoutatthemthroughtheblindsofitsdoor,tillallwasover.
ItwasasighttoseeQueequegseatedoveragainstTashtego,opposinghisfiledteethtotheIndian’s;crosswisetothem,Daggooseatedonthefloor,forabenchwouldhavebroughthishearse-plumedheadtothelowcarlines;ateverymotionofhiscolossallimbs,makingthelowcabinframeworktoshake,aswhenanAfricanelephantgoespassengerinaship.
Butforallthis,thegreatnegrowaswonderfullyabstemious,nottosaydainty.
Itseemedhardlypossiblethatbysuchcomparativelysmallmouthfulshecouldkeepupthevitalitydiffusedthroughsobroad,baronial,andsuperbaperson.
But,doubtless,thisnoblesavagefedstronganddrankdeepoftheaboundingelementofair;andthroughhisdilatednostrilssnuffedinthesublimelifeoftheworlds.
Notbybeeforbybread,aregiantsmadeornourished.
ButQueequeg,hehadamortal,barbaricsmackofthelipineating-anuglysoundenough-somuchso,thatthetremblingDough-Boyalmostlookedtoseewhetheranymarksofteethlurkedinhisownleanarms.
AndwhenhewouldhearTashtegosingingoutforhimtoproducehimself,thathisbonesmightbepicked,thesimple-wittedstewardallbutshatteredthecrockeryhangingroundhiminthepantry,byhissuddenfitsofthepalsy.
Nordidthewhetstonewhichtheharpooneerscarriedintheirpockets,fortheirlancesandotherweapons;andwithwhichwhetstones,atdinner,theywouldostentatiouslysharpentheirknives;thatgratingsounddidnotatalltendtotranquillizepoorDough-Boy.
HowcouldheforgetthatinhisIslanddays,Queequeg,forone,mustcertainlyhavebeenguiltyofsomemurderous,convivialindiscretion.Alas!Dough-Boy!
hardfaresthewhitewaiterwhowaitsuponcannibals.
Notanapkinshouldhecarryonhisarm,butabuckler.
Ingoodtime,though,tohisgreatdelight,thethreesalt-seawarriorswouldriseanddepart;tohiscredulous,fable-mongeringears,alltheirmartialbonesjinglinginthemateverystep,likeMoorishscimetarsinscabbards.
But,thoughthesebarbariansdinedinthecabin,andnominallylivedthere;still,beinganythingbutsedentaryintheirhabits,theywerescarcelyeverinitexceptatmealtimes,andjustbeforesleeping-time,whentheypassedthroughittotheirownpeculiarquarters.
Inthisonematter,AhabseemednoexceptiontomostAmericanwhalecaptains,who,asaset,ratherinclinetotheopinionthatbyrightstheship’scabinbelongstothem;andthatitisbycourtesyalonethatanybodyelseis,atanytime,permittedthere.
Sothat,inrealtruth,thematesandharpooneersofthePequodmightmoreproperlybesaidtohavelivedoutofthecabinthaninit.
Forwhentheydidenterit,itwassomethingasastreetdoorentersahouse;turninginwardsforamoment,onlytobeturnedoutthenext;and,asapermanentthing,residingintheopenair.
Nordidtheylosemuchhereby;inthecabinwasnocompanionship;socially,Ahabwasinaccessible.
ThoughnominallyincludedinthecensusofChristendom,hewasstillanalientoit.
Helivedintheworld,asthelastoftheGrislyBearslivedinsettledMissouri.
AndaswhenSpringandSummerhaddeparted,thatwildLoganofthewoods,buryinghimselfinthehollowofatree,livedoutthewinterthere,suckinghisownpaws;so,inhisinclement,howlingoldage,Ahab’ssoul,shutupinthecavedtrunkofhisbody,therefeduponthesullenpawsofitsgloom!
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