English
“InvainitwastorakeforAmbergrieseinthepaunchofthisLeviathan,insufferablefetordenyingnotinquiry.”SIRT.BROWNE,V.E.
Itwasaweekortwoafterthelastwhalingscenerecounted,andwhenwewereslowlysailingoverasleepy,vapory,mid-daysea,thatthemanynosesonthePequod’sdeckprovedmorevigilantdiscoverersthanthethreepairsofeyesaloft.
Apeculiarandnotverypleasantsmellwassmeltinthesea.
“Iwillbetsomethingnow,”saidStubb,“thatsomewherehereaboutsaresomeofthosedruggedwhaleswetickledtheotherday.Ithoughttheywouldkeelupbeforelong.”
Presently,thevaporsinadvanceslidaside;andthereinthedistancelayaship,whosefurledsailsbetokenedthatsomesortofwhalemustbealongside.
Asweglidednearer,thestrangershowedFrenchcolorsfromhispeak;andbytheeddyingcloudofvulturesea-fowlthatcircled,andhovered,andswoopedaroundhim,itwasplainthatthewhalealongsidemustbewhatthefishermencallablastedwhale,thatis,awhalethathasdiedunmolestedonthesea,andsofloatedanunappropriatedcorpse.
Itmaywellbeconceived,whatanunsavoryodorsuchamassmustexhale;worsethananAssyriancityintheplague,whenthelivingareincompetenttoburythedeparted.
Sointolerableindeedisitregardedbysome,thatnocupiditycouldpersuadethemtomooralongsideofit.
Yetaretherethosewhowillstilldoit;notwithstandingthefactthattheoilobtainedfromsuchsubjectsisofaveryinferiorquality,andbynomeansofthenatureofattar-of-rose.
Comingstillnearerwiththeexpiringbreeze,wesawthattheFrenchmanhadasecondwhalealongside;andthissecondwhaleseemedevenmoreofanosegaythanthefirst.
Intruth,itturnedouttobeoneofthoseproblematicalwhalesthatseemtodryupanddiewithasortofprodigiousdyspepsia,orindigestion;leavingtheirdefunctbodiesalmostentirelybankruptofanythinglikeoil.
Nevertheless,intheproperplaceweshallseethatnoknowingfishermanwilleverturnuphisnoseatsuchawhaleasthis,howevermuchhemayshunblastedwhalesingeneral.
ThePequodhadnowsweptsonightothestranger,thatStubbvowedherecognizedhiscuttingspade-poleentangledinthelinesthatwereknottedroundthetailofoneofthesewhales.
“There’saprettyfellow,now,”hebanteringlylaughed,standingintheship’sbows,“there’sajackalforye!
IwellknewthattheseCrappoesofFrenchmenarebutpoordevilsinthefishery;sometimesloweringtheirboatsforbreakers,mistakingthemforSpermWhalespouts;yes,andsometimessailingfromtheirportwiththeirholdfullofboxesoftallowcandles,andcasesofsnuffers,foreseeingthatalltheoiltheywillgetwon’tbeenoughtodiptheCaptain’swickinto;aye,weallknowthesethings;butlookye,here’saCrappothatiscontentwithourleavings,thedruggedwhalethere,Imean;aye,andiscontenttoowithscrapingthedrybonesofthatotherpreciousfishhehasthere.
Poordevil!
Isay,passroundahat,someone,andlet’smakehimapresentofalittleoilfordearcharity’ssake.
Forwhatoilhe’llgetfromthatdruggedwhalethere,wouldn’tbefittoburninajail;no,notinacondemnedcell.
Andasfortheotherwhale,why,I’llagreetogetmoreoilbychoppingupandtryingoutthesethreemastsofours,thanhe’llgetfromthatbundleofbones;though,nowthatIthinkofit,itmaycontainsomethingworthagooddealmorethanoil;yes,ambergris.
Iwondernowifouroldmanhasthoughtofthat.It’sworthtrying.
Yes,I’mforit;”andsosayinghestartedforthequarter-deck.
Bythistimethefaintairhadbecomeacompletecalm;sothatwhetherorno,thePequodwasnowfairlyentrappedinthesmell,withnohopeofescapingexceptbyitsbreezingupagain.
Issuingfromthecabin,Stubbnowcalledhisboat’screw,andpulledoffforthestranger.
Drawingacrossherbow,heperceivedthatinaccordancewiththefancifulFrenchtaste,theupperpartofherstem-piecewascarvedinthelikenessofahugedroopingstalk,waspaintedgreen,andforthornshadcopperspikesprojectingfromithereandthere;thewholeterminatinginasymmetricalfoldedbulbofabrightredcolor.
Uponherheadboards,inlargegiltletters,heread“BoutondeRose,”-Rose-button,orRose-bud;andthiswastheromanticnameofthisaromaticship.
ThoughStubbdidnotunderstandtheBoutonpartoftheinscription,yetthewordrose,andthebulbousfigure-headputtogether,sufficientlyexplainedthewholetohim.
“Awoodenrose-bud,eh?”hecriedwithhishandtohisnose,“thatwilldoverywell;buthowlikeallcreationitsmells!”
Nowinordertoholddirectcommunicationwiththepeopleondeck,hehadtopullroundthebowstothestarboardside,andthuscomeclosetotheblastedwhale;andsotalkoverit.
Arrivedthenatthisspot,withonehandstilltohisnose,hebawled-“Bouton-de-Rose,ahoy!arethereanyofyouBouton-de-RosesthatspeakEnglish?”
“Yes,”rejoinedaGuernsey-manfromthebulwarks,whoturnedouttobethechief-mate.
“Well,then,myBouton-de-Rose-bud,haveyouseentheWhiteWhale?”
“Whatwhale?”
“TheWhiteWhale-aSpermWhale-MobyDick,haveyeseenhim?
“Neverheardofsuchawhale.CachalotBlanche!WhiteWhale-no.”
“Verygood,then;goodbyenow,andI’llcallagaininaminute.”
ThenrapidlypullingbacktowardsthePequod,andseeingAhableaningoverthequarter-deckrailawaitinghisreport,hemouldedhistwohandsintoatrumpetandshouted-“No,Sir!No!”
UponwhichAhabretired,andStubbreturnedtotheFrenchman.
HenowperceivedthattheGuernsey-man,whohadjustgotintothechains,andwasusingacutting-spade,hadslunghisnoseinasortofbag.
“What’sthematterwithyournose,there?”saidStubb.“Brokeit?”
“Iwishitwasbroken,orthatIdidn’thaveanynoseatall!”answeredtheGuernsey-man,whodidnotseemtorelishthejobhewasatverymuch.“Butwhatareyouholdingyoursfor?”
“Oh,nothing!It’sawaxnose;Ihavetoholditon.Fineday,ain’tit?Airrathergardenny,Ishouldsay;throwusabunchofposies,willye,Bouton-de-Rose?”
“Whatinthedevil’snamedoyouwanthere?”roaredtheGuernseyman,flyingintoasuddenpassion.
“Oh!keepcool-cool?yes,that’stheword!
whydon’tyoupackthosewhalesinicewhileyou’reworkingat‘em?
Butjokingaside,though;doyouknow,Rose-bud,thatit’sallnonsensetryingtogetanyoiloutofsuchwhales?
Asforthatdriedupone,there,hehasn’tagillinhiswholecarcase.”
“Iknowthatwellenough;but,d’yesee,theCaptainherewon’tbelieveit;thisishisfirstvoyage;hewasaColognemanufacturerbefore.
Butcomeaboard,andmayhaphe’llbelieveyou,ifhewon’tme;andsoI’llgetoutofthisdirtyscrape.”
“Anythingtoobligeye,mysweetandpleasantfellow,”rejoinedStubb,andwiththathesoonmountedtothedeck.Thereaqueerscenepresenteditself.
Thesailors,intasselledcapsofredworsted,weregettingtheheavytacklesinreadinessforthewhales.
Buttheyworkedratherslowandtalkedveryfast,andseemedinanythingbutagoodhumor.
Alltheirnosesupwardlyprojectedfromtheirfaceslikesomanyjibbooms.
Nowandthenpairsofthemwoulddroptheirwork,andrunuptothemast-headtogetsomefreshair.
Somethinkingtheywouldcatchtheplague,dippedoakumincoal-tar,andatintervalsheldittotheirnostrils.
Othershavingbrokenthestemsoftheirpipesalmostshortoffatthebowl,werevigorouslypuffingtobacco-smoke,sothatitconstantlyfilledtheirolfactories.
StubbwasstruckbyashowerofoutcriesandanathemasproceedingfromtheCaptain’sround-houseabaft;andlookinginthatdirectionsawafieryfacethrustfrombehindthedoor,whichwasheldajarfromwithin.
Thiswasthetormentedsurgeon,who,afterinvainremonstratingagainsttheproceedingsoftheday,hadbetakenhimselftotheCaptain’sround-house(cabinethecalledit)toavoidthepest;butstill,couldnothelpyellingouthisentreatiesandindignationsattimes.
Markingallthis,Stubbarguedwellforhisscheme,andturningtotheGuernsey-manhadalittlechatwithhim,duringwhichthestrangermateexpressedhisdetestationofhisCaptainasaconceitedignoramus,whohadbroughtthemallintosounsavoryandunprofitableapickle.
Soundinghimcarefully,StubbfurtherperceivedthattheGuernsey-manhadnottheslightestsuspicionconcerningtheambergris.
Hethereforeheldhispeaceonthathead,butotherwisewasquitefrankandconfidentialwithhim,sothatthetwoquicklyconcoctedalittleplanforbothcircumventingandsatirizingtheCaptain,withouthisatalldreamingofdistrustingtheirsincerity.
Accordingtothislittleplanoftheirs,theGuernsey-man,undercoverofaninterpreter’soffice,wastotelltheCaptainwhathepleased,butascomingfromStubb;andasforStubb,hewastoutteranynonsensethatshouldcomeuppermostinhimduringtheinterview.
Bythistimetheirdestinedvictimappearedfromhiscabin.
Hewasasmallanddark,butratherdelicatelookingmanforasea-captain,withlargewhiskersandmoustache,however;andworearedcottonvelvetvestwithwatch-sealsathisside.
Tothisgentleman,StubbwasnowpolitelyintroducedbytheGuernsey-man,whoatonceostentatiouslyputontheaspectofinterpretingbetweenthem.
“WhatshallIsaytohimfirst?”saidhe.
“Why,”saidStubb,eyeingthevelvetvestandthewatchandseals,“youmayaswellbeginbytellinghimthathelooksasortofbabyishtome,thoughIdon’tpretendtobeajudge.”
“Hesays,Monsieur,”saidtheGuernsey-man,inFrench,turningtohiscaptain,“thatonlyyesterdayhisshipspokeavessel,whosecaptainandchief-mate,withsixsailors,hadalldiedofafevercaughtfromablastedwhaletheyhadbroughtalongside.”
Uponthisthecaptainstarted,andeagerlydesiredtoknowmore.
“Whatnow?”saidtheGuernsey-mantoStubb.
“Why,sincehetakesitsoeasy,tellhimthatnowIhaveeyedhimcarefully,I’mcertainthathe’snomorefittocommandawhale-shipthanaSt.Jagomonkey.
Infact,tellhimfrommehe’sababoon.”
“Hevowsanddeclares,Monsieur,thattheotherwhale,thedriedone,isfarmoredeadlythantheblastedone;infine,Monsieur,heconjuresus,aswevalueourlives,tocutloosefromthesefish.”
Instantlythecaptainranforward,andinaloudvoicecommandedhiscrewtodesistfromhoistingthecutting-tackles,andatoncecastloosethecablesandchainsconfiningthewhalestotheship.
“Whatnow?”saidtheGuernsey-man,whentheCaptainhadreturnedtothem.
“Why,letmesee;yes,youmayaswelltellhimnowthat-that-infact,tellhimI’vediddledhim,and(asidetohimself)perhapssomebodyelse.”
“Hesays,Monsieur,thathe’sveryhappytohavebeenofanyservicetous.”
Hearingthis,thecaptainvowedthattheywerethegratefulparties(meaninghimselfandmate),andconcludedbyinvitingStubbdownintohiscabintodrinkabottleofBordeaux.
“Hewantsyoutotakeaglassofwinewithhim,”saidtheinterpreter.
“Thankhimheartily;buttellhimit’sagainstmyprinciplestodrinkwiththemanI’vediddled.Infact,tellhimImustgo.”
“Hesays,Monsieur,thathisprincipleswon’tadmitofhisdrinking;butthatifMonsieurwantstoliveanotherdaytodrink,thenMonsieurhadbestdropallfourboats,andpulltheshipawayfromthesewhales,forit’ssocalmtheywon’tdrift.”
BythistimeStubbwasovertheside,andgettingintohisboat,hailedtheGuernsey-mantothiseffect,-thathavingalongtow-lineinhisboat,hewoulddowhathecouldtohelpthem,bypullingoutthelighterwhaleofthetwofromtheship’sside.
WhiletheFrenchman’sboats,then,wereengagedintowingtheshiponeway,Stubbbenevolentlytowedawayathiswhaletheotherway,ostentatiouslyslackingoutamostunusuallylongtow-line.
Presentlyabreezesprangup;Stubbfeignedtocastofffromthewhale;hoistinghisboats,theFrenchmansoonincreasedhisdistance,whilethePequodslidinbetweenhimandStubb’swhale.
WhereuponStubbquicklypulledtothefloatingbody,andhailingthePequodtogivenoticeofhisintentions,atonceproceededtoreapthefruitofhisunrighteouscunning.
Seizinghissharpboat-spade,hecommencedanexcavationinthebody,alittlebehindthesidefin.
Youwouldalmosthavethoughthewasdiggingacellarthereinthesea;andwhenatlengthhisspadestruckagainstthegauntribs,itwasliketurningupoldRomantilesandpotteryburiedinfatEnglishloam.
Hisboat’screwwereallinhighexcitement,eagerlyhelpingtheirchief,andlookinganxiousasgold-hunters.
Andallthetimenumberlessfowlswerediving,andducking,andscreaming,andyelling,andfightingaroundthem.
Stubbwasbeginningtolookdisappointed,especiallyasthehorriblenosegayincreased,whensuddenlyfromouttheveryheartofthisplague,therestoleafaintstreamofperfume,whichflowedthroughthetideofbadsmellswithoutbeingabsorbedbyit,asoneriverwillflowintoandthenalongwithanother,withoutatallblendingwithitforatime.
“Ihaveit,Ihaveit,”criedStubb,withdelight,strikingsomethinginthesubterraneanregions,“apurse!apurse!”
Droppinghisspade,hethrustbothhandsin,anddrewouthandfulsofsomethingthatlookedlikeripeWindsorsoap,orrichmottledoldcheese;veryunctuousandsavorywithal.
Youmighteasilydentitwithyourthumb;itisofahuebetweenyellowandashcolor.
Andthis,goodfriends,isambergris,worthagoldguineaanouncetoanydruggist.
Somesixhandfullswereobtained;butmorewasunavoidablylostinthesea,andstillmore,perhaps,mighthavebeensecuredwereitnotforimpatientAhab’sloudcommandtoStubbtodesist,andcomeonboard,elsetheshipwouldbidthemgood-bye.
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