Thecabin;bythesternwindows;Ahabsittingalone,andgazingout. Ileaveawhiteandturbidwake;palewaters,palercheeks,where’erIsail.Theenviousbillowssidelongswelltowhelmmytrack;letthem;butfirstIpass. Yonder,byever-brimminggoblet’srim,thewarmwavesblushlikewine.Thegoldbrowplumbstheblue. Thediversun-slowdivedfromnoon-goesdown;mysoulmountsup!shewearieswithherendlesshill. Is,then,thecrowntooheavythatIwear?thisIronCrownofLombardy. Yetisitbrightwithmanyagem;Ithewearer,seenotitsfarflashings;butdarklyfeelthatIwearthat,thatdazzlinglyconfounds.‘Tisiron-thatIknow-notgold. ‘Tissplit,too-thatIfeel;thejaggededgegallsmeso,mybrainseemstobeatagainstthesolidmetal;aye,steelskull,mine;thesortthatneedsnohelmetinthemostbrain-batteringfight! timewas,whenasthesunrisenoblyspurredme,sothesunsetsoothed.Nomore. Thislovelylight,itlightsnotme;alllovelinessisanguishtome,sinceIcanne’erenjoy. Giftedwiththehighperception,Ilackthelow,enjoyingpower;damned,mostsubtlyandmostmalignantly!damnedinthemidstofParadise!Goodnight-goodnight! (wavinghishand,hemovesfromthewindow.) ‘Twasnotsohardatask.Ithoughttofindonestubborn,attheleast;butmyonecoggedcirclefitsintoalltheirvariouswheels,andtheyrevolve. Or,ifyouwill,likesomanyant-hillsofpowder,theyallstandbeforeme;andItheirmatch.Oh,hard! thattofireothers,thematchitselfmustneedsbewasting! WhatI’vedared,I’vewilled;andwhatI’vewilled,I’lldo! Theythinkmemad-Starbuckdoes;butI’mdemoniac,Iammadnessmaddened! Thatwildmadnessthat’sonlycalmtocomprehenditself! TheprophecywasthatIshouldbedismembered;and-Aye!Ilostthisleg. InowprophesythatIwilldismembermydismemberer. Now,then,betheprophetandthefulfillerone. That’smorethanye,yegreatgods,everwere. Ilaughandhootatye,yecricket-players,yepugilists,yedeafBurkesandblindedBendigoes! Iwillnotsayasschoolboysdotobullies-Takesomeoneofyourownsize;don’tpommelme! No,ye’veknockedmedown,andIamupagain;butyehaverunandhidden. Comeforthfrombehindyourcottonbags!Ihavenolongguntoreachye. Come,Ahab’scomplimentstoye;comeandseeifyecanswerveme.Swerveme? yecannotswerveme,elseyeswerveyourselves!manhasyethere.Swerveme? Thepathtomyfixedpurposeislaidwithironrails,whereonmysoulisgroovedtorun. Overunsoundedgorges,throughtherifledheartsofmountains,undertorrents’beds,unerringlyIrush! Naught’sanobstacle,naught’sanangletotheironway! 
