English
Itwasacloudy,sultryafternoon;theseamenwerelazilyloungingaboutthedecks,orvacantlygazingoverintothelead-coloredwaters.
QueequegandIweremildlyemployedweavingwhatiscalledasword-mat,foranadditionallashingtoourboat.
Sostillandsubduedandyetsomehowpreludingwasallthescene,andsuchanincantationofrevelrylurkedintheair,thateachsilentsailorseemedresolvedintohisowninvisibleself.
IwastheattendantorpageofQueequeg,whilebusyatthemat.
AsIkeptpassingandrepassingthefillingorwoofofmarlinebetweenthelongyarnsofthewarp,usingmyownhandfortheshuttle,andasQueequeg,standingsideways,everandanonslidhisheavyoakenswordbetweenthethreads,andidlylookingoffuponthewater,carelesslyandunthinkinglydrovehomeeveryyarn;Isaysostrangeadreaminessdidtherethenreignallovertheshipandalloverthesea,onlybrokenbytheintermittingdullsoundofthesword,thatitseemedasifthisweretheLoomofTime,andImyselfwereashuttlemechanicallyweavingandweavingawayattheFates.
Therelaythefixedthreadsofthewarpsubjecttobutonesingle,everreturning,unchangingvibration,andthatvibrationmerelyenoughtoadmitofthecrosswiseinterblendingofotherthreadswithitsown.
Thiswarpseemednecessity;andhere,thoughtI,withmyownhandIplymyownshuttleandweavemyowndestinyintotheseunalterablethreads.
Meantime,Queequeg’simpulsive,indifferentsword,sometimeshittingthewoofslantingly,orcrookedly,orstrongly,orweakly,asthecasemightbe;andbythisdifferenceintheconcludingblowproducingacorrespondingcontrastinthefinalaspectofthecompletedfabric;thissavage’ssword,thoughtI,whichthusfinallyshapesandfashionsbothwarpandwoof;thiseasy,indifferentswordmustbechance-aye,chance,freewill,andnecessity-wiseincompatible-allinterweavinglyworkingtogether.
Thestraightwarpofnecessity,nottobeswervedfromitsultimatecourse-itseveryalternatingvibration,indeed,onlytendingtothat;freewillstillfreetoplyhershuttlebetweengiventhreads;andchance,thoughrestrainedinitsplaywithintherightlinesofnecessity,andsidewaysinitsmotionsdirectedbyfreewill,thoughthusprescribedtobyboth,chancebyturnsruleseither,andhasthelastfeaturingblowatevents.
ThuswewereweavingandweavingawaywhenIstartedatasoundsostrange,longdrawn,andmusicallywildandunearthly,thattheballoffreewilldroppedfrommyhand,andIstoodgazingupatthecloudswhencethatvoicedroppedlikeawing.
Highaloftinthecross-treeswasthatmadGay-Header,Tashtego.
Hisbodywasreachingeagerlyforward,hishandstretchedoutlikeawand,andatbriefsuddenintervalshecontinuedhiscries.
Tobesurethesamesoundwasthatverymomentperhapsbeingheardallovertheseas,fromhundredsofwhalemen’slook-outsperchedashighintheair;butfromfewofthoselungscouldthataccustomedoldcryhavederivedsuchamarvellouscadenceasfromTashtegotheIndian’s.
Ashestoodhoveringoveryouhalfsuspendedinair,sowildlyandeagerlypeeringtowardsthehorizon,youwouldhavethoughthimsomeprophetorseerbeholdingtheshadowsofFate,andbythosewildcriesannouncingtheircoming.
“Theresheblows!there!there!there!sheblows!sheblows!”
“Where-away?”
“Onthelee-beam,abouttwomilesoff!aschoolofthem!”
Instantlyallwascommotion.
TheSpermWhaleblowsasaclockticks,withthesameundeviatingandreliableuniformity.Andtherebywhalemendistinguishthisfishfromothertribesofhisgenus.
“Theregoflukes!”wasnowthecryfromTashtego;andthewhalesdisappeared.
“Quick,steward!”criedAhab.“Time!time!”
Dough-Boyhurriedbelow,glancedatthewatch,andreportedtheexactminutetoAhab.
Theshipwasnowkeptawayfromthewind,andshewentgentlyrollingbeforeit.
Tashtegoreportingthatthewhaleshadgonedownheadingtoleeward,weconfidentlylookedtoseethemagaindirectlyinadvanceofourbows.
ForthatsingularcraftattimesevincedbytheSpermWhalewhen,soundingwithhisheadinonedirection,henevertheless,whileconcealedbeneaththesurface,millsaround,andswiftlyswimsoffintheoppositequarter-thisdeceitfulnessofhiscouldnotnowbeinaction;fortherewasnoreasontosupposethatthefishseenbyTashtegohadbeeninanywayalarmed,orindeedknewatallofourvicinity.
Oneofthemenselectedforshipkeepers-thatis,thosenotappointedtotheboats,bythistimerelievedtheIndianatthemain-masthead.
Thesailorsattheforeandmizzenhadcomedown;thelinetubswerefixedintheirplaces;thecraneswerethrustout;themainyardwasbacked,andthethreeboatsswungoverthesealikethreesamphirebasketsoverhighcliffs.
Outsideofthebulwarkstheireagercrewswithonehandclungtotherail,whileonefootwasexpectantlypoisedonthegunwale.
Solookthelonglineofman-of-war’smenabouttothrowthemselvesonboardanenemy’sship.
Butatthiscriticalinstantasuddenexclamationwasheardthattookeveryeyefromthewhale.
WithastartallglaredatdarkAhab,whowassurroundedbyfiveduskyphantomsthatseemedfreshformedoutofair.
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