English
ItmustbeborneinmindthatallthistimewehaveaSpermWhale’sprodigiousheadhangingtothePequod’sside.
Butwemustletitcontinuehangingthereawhiletillwecangetachancetoattendtoit.
Forthepresentothermatterspress,andthebestwecandonowforthehead,istoprayheaventhetacklesmayhold.
Now,duringthepastnightandforenoon,thePequodhadgraduallydriftedintoasea,which,byitsoccasionalpatchesofyellowbrit,gaveunusualtokensofthevicinityofRightWhales,aspeciesoftheLeviathanthatbutfewsupposedtobeatthisparticulartimelurkinganywherenear.
Andthoughallhandscommonlydisdainedthecaptureofthoseinferiorcreatures;andthoughthePequodwasnotcommissionedtocruiseforthematall,andthoughshehadpassednumbersofthemneartheCrozettswithoutloweringaboat;yetnowthataSpermWhalehadbeenbroughtalongsideandbeheaded,tothesurpriseofall,theannouncementwasmadethataRightWhaleshouldbecapturedthatday,ifopportunityoffered.
Norwasthislongwanting.Tallspoutswereseentoleeward;andtwoboats,Stubb’sandFlask’s,weredetachedinpursuit.
Pullingfurtherandfurtheraway,theyatlastbecamealmostinvisibletothemenatthemasthead.
Butsuddenlyinthedistance,theysawagreatheapoftumultuouswhitewater,andsoonafternewscamefromaloftthatoneorboththeboatsmustbefast.
Anintervalpassedandtheboatswereinplainsight,intheactofbeingdraggedrighttowardstheshipbythetowingwhale.
Soclosedidthemonstercometothehull,thatatfirstitseemedasifhemeantitmalice;butsuddenlygoingdowninamaelstrom,withinthreerodsoftheplanks,hewhollydisappearedfromview,asifdivingunderthekeel.“Cut,cut!”
wasthecryfromtheshiptotheboats,which,foroneinstant,seemedonthepointofbeingbroughtwithadeadlydashagainstthevessel’sside.
Buthavingplentyoflineyetinthetubs,andthewhalenotsoundingveryrapidly,theypaidoutabundanceofrope,andatthesametimepulledwithalltheirmightsoastogetaheadoftheship.
Forafewminutesthestrugglewasintenselycritical;forwhiletheystillslackedoutthetightenedlineinonedirection,andstillpliedtheiroarsinanother,thecontendingstrainthreatenedtotakethemunder.
Butitwasonlyafewfeetadvancetheysoughttogain.
Andtheystucktoittilltheydidgainit;wheninstantly,aswifttremorwasfeltrunninglikelightningalongthekeel,asthestrainedline,scrapingbeneaththeship,suddenlyrosetoviewunderherbows,snappingandquivering;andsoflingingoffitsdrippings,thatthedropsfelllikebitsofbrokenglassonthewater,whilethewhalebeyondalsorosetosight,andoncemoretheboatswerefreetofly.
Butthefaggedwhaleabatedhisspeed,andblindlyalteringhiscourse,wentroundthesternoftheshiptowingthetwoboatsafterhim,sothattheyperformedacompletecircuit.
Meantime,theyhauledmoreandmoreupontheirlines,tillcloseflankinghimonbothsides,StubbansweredFlaskwithlanceforlance;andthusroundandroundthePequodthebattlewent,whilethemultitudesofsharksthathadbeforeswumroundtheSpermWhale’sbody,rushedtothefreshbloodthatwasspilled,thirstilydrinkingateverynewgash,astheeagerIsraelitesdidatthenewburstingfountainsthatpouredfromthesmittenrock.
Atlasthisspoutgrewthick,andwithafrightfulrollandvomit,heturneduponhisbackacorpse.
Whilethetwoheadsmenwereengagedinmakingfastcordstohisflukes,andinotherwaysgettingthemassinreadinessfortowing,someconversationensuedbetweenthem.
“Iwonderwhattheoldmanwantswiththislumpoffoullard,”saidStubb,notwithoutsomedisgustatthethoughtofhavingtodowithsoignoblealeviathan.
“Wantswithit?”saidFlask,coilingsomesparelineintheboat’sbow,“didyouneverhearthattheshipwhichbutoncehasaSpermWhale’sheadhoistedonherstarboardside,andatthesametimeaRightWhale’sonthelarboard;didyouneverhear,Stubb,thatthatshipcanneverafterwardscapsize?”
“Whynot?
“Idon’tknow,butIheardthatgambogeghostofaFedallahsayingso,andheseemstoknowallaboutships’charms.
ButIsometimesthinkhe’llcharmtheshiptonogoodatlast.Idon’thalflikethatchap,Stubb.
Didyouevernoticehowthattuskofhisisasortofcarvedintoasnake’shead,Stubb?”
“Sinkhim!Ineverlookathimatall;butifeverIgetachanceofadarknight,andhestandinghardbythebulwarks,andnooneby;lookdownthere,Flask”-pointingintotheseawithapeculiarmotionofbothhands-“Aye,willI!
Flask,ItakethatFedallahtobethedevilindisguise.
Doyoubelievethatcockandbullstoryabouthishavingbeenstowedawayonboardship?He’sthedevil,Isay.
Thereasonwhyyoudon’tseehistail,isbecausehetucksitupoutofsight;hecarriesitcoiledawayinhispocket,Iguess.Blasthim!
nowthatIthinkofit,he’salwayswantingoakumtostuffintothetoesofhisboots.”
“Hesleepsinhisboots,don’the?Hehasn’tgotanyhammock;butI’veseenhimlayofnightsinacoilofrigging.”
“Nodoubt,andit’sbecauseofhiscursedtail;hecoilsitdown,doyesee,intheeyeoftherigging.”
“What’stheoldmanhavesomuchtodowithhimfor?”
“Strikingupaswaporabargain,Isuppose.”
“Bargain?-aboutwhat?”
“Why,doyesee,theoldmanishardbentafterthatWhiteWhale,andthedevilthereistryingtocomeroundhim,andgethimtoswapawayhissilverwatch,orhissoul,orsomethingofthatsort,andthenhe’llsurrenderMobyDick.”
“Pooh!Stubb,youareskylarking;howcanFedallahdothat?”
“Idon’tknow,Flask,butthedevilisacuriouschap,andawickedone,Itellye.
Why,theysayashowhewentasaunteringintotheoldflag-shiponce,switchinghistailaboutdevilisheasyandgentlemanlike,andinquiringiftheoldgovernorwasathome.
Well,hewasathome,andaskedthedevilwhathewanted.
Thedevil,switchinghishoofs,upandsays,‘IwantJohn.’‘Whatfor?’saystheoldgovernor.
‘Whatbusinessisthatofyours,’saysthedevil,gettingmad,-‘Iwanttousehim.’
‘Takehim,’saysthegovernor-andbytheLord,Flask,ifthedevildidn’tgiveJohntheAsiaticcholerabeforehegotthroughwithhim,I’lleatthiswhaleinonemouthful.
Butlooksharp-ain’tyouallreadythere?
Well,then,pullahead,andlet’sgetthewhalealongside.”
“IthinkIremembersomesuchstoryasyouweretelling,”saidFlask,whenatlastthetwoboatswereslowlyadvancingwiththeirburdentowardstheship,“butIcan’trememberwhere.”
“ThreeSpaniards?Adventuresofthosethreebloody-mindedsoladoes?Didyereaditthere,Flask?Iguessyedid?”
“No:neversawsuchabook;heardofit,though.Butnow,tellme,Stubb,doyousupposethatthatdevilyouwasspeakingofjustnow,wasthesameyousayisnowonboardthePequod?”
“AmIthesamemanthathelpedkillthiswhale?
Doesn’tthedevilliveforever;whoeverheardthatthedevilwasdead?
Didyoueverseeanyparsonawearingmourningforthedevil?
Andifthedevilhasalatch-keytogetintotheadmiral’scabin,don’tyousupposehecancrawlintoaporthole?Tellmethat,Mr.Flask?”
“HowolddoyousupposeFedallahis,Stubb?”
“Doyouseethatmainmastthere?”pointingtotheship;“well,that’sthefigureone;nowtakeallthehoopsinthePequod’shold,andstringalonginarowwiththatmast,foroughts,doyousee;well,thatwouldn’tbegintobeFedallah’sage.
Norallthecoopersincreationcouldn’tshowhoopsenoughtomakeoughtsenough.”
“Butseehere,Stubb,Ithoughtyoualittleboastedjustnow,thatyoumeanttogiveFedallahasea-toss,ifyougotagoodchance.
Now,ifhe’ssooldasallthosehoopsofyourscometo,andifheisgoingtoliveforever,whatgoodwillitdotopitchhimoverboard-tellmethat?
“Givehimagoodducking,anyhow.”
“Buthe’dcrawlback.”
“Duckhimagain;andkeepduckinghim.”
“Supposeheshouldtakeitintohisheadtoduckyou,though-yes,anddrownyou-whatthen?”
“Ishouldliketoseehimtryit;I’dgivehimsuchapairofblackeyesthathewouldn’tdaretoshowhisfaceintheadmiral’scabinagainforalongwhile,letalonedownintheorlopthere,wherehelives,andhereaboutsontheupperdeckswherehesneakssomuch.
Damnthedevil,Flask;soyousupposeI’mafraidofthedevil?
Who’safraidofhim,excepttheoldgovernorwhodaresn’tcatchhimandputhimindouble-darbies,ashedeserves,butletshimgoaboutkidnappingpeople;aye,andsignedabondwithhim,thatallthepeoplethedevilkidnapped,he’droastforhim?There’sagovernor!”
“DoyousupposeFedallahwantstokidnapCaptainAhab?”
“DoIsupposeit?You’llknowitbeforelong,Flask.
ButIamgoingnowtokeepasharplook-outonhim;andifIseeanythingverysuspiciousgoingon,I’lljusttakehimbythenapeofhisneck,andsay-Lookhere,Beelzebub,youdon’tdoit;andifhemakesanyfuss,bytheLordI’llmakeagrabintohispocketforhistail,takeittothecapstan,andgivehimsuchawrenchingandheaving,thathistailwillcomeshortoffatthestump-doyousee;andthen,Iratherguesswhenhefindshimselfdockedinthatqueerfashion,he’llsneakoffwithoutthepoorsatisfactionoffeelinghistailbetweenhislegs.”
“Andwhatwillyoudowiththetail,Stubb?”
“Dowithit?Sellitforanoxwhipwhenwegethome;-whatelse?”
“Now,doyoumeanwhatyousay,andhavebeensayingallalong,Stubb?”
“Meanornotmean,hereweareattheship.”
Theboatswereherehalled,totowthewhaleonthelarboardside,whereflukechainsandothernecessarieswerealreadypreparedforsecuringhim.
“Didn’tItellyouso?”saidFlask;“yes,you’llsoonseethisrightwhale’sheadhoistedupoppositethatparmacety’s.”
Ingoodtime,Flask’ssayingprovedtrue.
Asbefore,thePequodsteeplyleanedovertowardsthespermwhale’shead,now,bythecounterpoiseofbothheads,sheregainedherevenkeel;thoughsorelystrained,youmaywellbelieve.
So,whenononesideyouhoistinLocke’shead,yougooverthatway;butnow,ontheotherside,hoistinKant’sandyoucomebackagain;butinverypoorplight.
Thus,somemindsforeverkeeptrimmingboat.Oh,yefoolish!
throwallthesethunder-headsoverboard,andthenyouwillfloatlightandright.
Indisposingofthebodyofarightwhale,whenbroughtalongsidetheship,thesamepreliminaryproceedingscommonlytakeplaceasinthecaseofaspermwhale;only,inthelatterinstance,theheadiscutoffwhole,butintheformerthelipsandtongueareseparatelyremovedandhoistedondeck,withallthewellknownblackboneattachedtowhatiscalledthecrown-piece.
Butnothinglikethis,inthepresentcase,hadbeendone.
Thecarcasesofbothwhaleshaddroppedastern;andthehead-ladenshipnotalittleresembledamulecarryingapairofoverburdeningpanniers.
Meantime,Fedallahwascalmlyeyeingtherightwhale’shead,andeverandanonglancingfromthedeepwrinklestheretothelinesinhisownhand.
AndAhabchancedsotostand,thattheParseeoccupiedhisshadow;while,iftheParsee’sshadowwasthereatallitseemedonlytoblendwith,andlengthenAhab’s.
Asthecrewtoiledon,Laplandishspeculationswerebandiedamongthem,concerningallthesepassingthings.
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