English
“Ship,ahoy!HastseentheWhiteWhale?”
SocriedAhab,oncemorehailingashipshowingEnglishcolors,bearingdownunderthestern.
Trumpettomouth,theoldmanwasstandinginhishoistedquarter-deck,hisivorylegplainlyrevealedtothestrangercaptain,whowascarelesslyreclininginhisownboat’sbow.
Hewasadarkly-tanned,burly,goodnatured,fine-lookingman,ofsixtyorthereabouts,dressedinaspaciousroundabout,thathungroundhiminfestoonsofbluepilot-cloth;andoneemptyarmofhisjacketstreamedbehindhimlikethebroideredarmofahuzzar’ssurcoat.
“HastseentheWhiteWhale!”
“Seeyouthis?”andwithdrawingitfromthefoldsthathadhiddenit,heheldupawhitearmofspermwhalebone,terminatinginawoodenheadlikeamallet.
“Manmyboat!”criedAhab,impetuously,andtossingabouttheoarsnearhim-“Standbytolower!”
Inlessthanaminute,withoutquittinghislittlecraft,heandhiscrewweredroppedtothewater,andweresoonalongsideofthestranger.
Buthereacuriousdifficultypresenteditself.
Intheexcitementofthemoment,Ahabhadforgottonthatsincethelossofhisleghehadneveroncesteppedonboardofanyvesselatseabuthisown,andthenitwasalwaysbyaningeniousandveryhandymechanicalcontrivancepeculiartothePequod,andathingnottoberiggedandshippedinanyothervesselatamoment’swarning.
Now,itisnoveryeasymatterforanybody-exceptthosewhoarealmosthourlyusedtoit,likewhalemen-toclamberupaship’ssidefromaboatontheopensea;forthegreatswellsnowlifttheboathighuptowardsthebulwarks,andtheninstantaneouslydropithalfwaydowntothekelson.
So,deprivedofoneleg,andthestrangeshipofcoursebeingaltogetherunsuppliedwiththekindlyinvention,Ahabnowfoundhimselfabjectlyreducedtoaclumsylandsmanagain;hopelesslyeyeingtheuncertainchangefulheighthecouldhardlyhoptetoattain.
Ithasbeforebeenhinted,perhaps,thateverylittleuntowardcircumstancethatbefellhim,andwhichindirectlysprangfromhislucklessmishap,almostinvariablyirritatedorexasperatedAhab.
Andinthepresentinstance,allthiswasheightenedbythesightofthetwoofficersofthestrangeship,leaningovertheside,bytheperpendicularladderofnailedcleetsthere,andswingingtowardshimapairoftastefully-ornamentedman-ropes;foratfirsttheydidnotseemtobethinkthemthataone-leggedmanmustbetoomuchofacrippletousetheirseabannisters.
Butthisawkwardnessonlylastedaminute,becausethestrangecaptain,observingataglancehowaffairsstood,criedout,“Isee,Isee!-avastheavingthere!
Jump,boys,andswingoverthecutting-tackle.”
Asgoodluckwouldhaveit,theyhadhadawhalealongsideadayortwoprevious,andthegreattackleswerestillaloft,andthemassivecurvedblubber-hook,nowcleananddry,wasstillattachedtotheend.
ThiswasquicklyloweredtoAhab,whoatoncecomprehendingitall,slidhissolitarythighintothecurveofthehook(itwaslikesittingintheflukeofananchor,orthecrotchofanappletree),andthengivingtheword,heldhimselffast,andatthesametimealsohelpedtohoisthisownweight,bypullinghand-over-handupononeoftherunningpartsofthetackle.
Soonhewascarefullyswunginsidethehighbulwarks,andgentlylandeduponthecapstanhead.
Withhisivoryarmfranklythrustforthinwelcome,theothercaptainadvanced,andAhab,puttingouthisivoryleg,andcrossingtheivoryarm(liketwosword-fishblades)criedoutinhiswalrusway,“Aye,aye,hearty!letusshakebonestogether!-anarmandaleg!
-anarmthatnevercanshrink,d’yesee;andalegthatnevercanrun.Wheredid’stthouseetheWhiteWhale?-howlongago?”
“TheWhiteWhale,”saidtheEnglishman,pointinghisivoryarmtowardstheEast,andtakingaruefulsightalongit,asifithadbeenatelescope;“thereIsawhim,ontheLine,lastseason.”
“Andhetookthatarmoff,didhe?”askedAhab,nowslidingdownfromthecapstan,andrestingontheEnglishman’sshoulder,ashedidso.
“Aye,hewasthecauseofit,atleast;andthatleg,too?”
“Spinmetheyarn,”saidAhab;“howwasit?”
“ItwasthefirsttimeinmylifethatIevercruisedontheLine,”begantheEnglishman.
“IwasignorantoftheWhiteWhaleatthattime.
Well,onedayweloweredforapodoffourorfivewhales,andmyboatfastenedtooneofthem;aregularcircushorsehewas,too,thatwentmillingandmillingroundsothatmyboat’screwcouldonlytrimdish,bysittingalltheirsternsontheoutergunwale.
Presentlyupbreachesfromthebottomoftheseaabouncinggreatwhale,withamilky-whiteheadandhump,allcrows’feetandwrinkles.”
“Itwashe,itwashe!”criedAhab,suddenlylettingouthissuspendedbreath.
“Andharpoonsstickinginnearhisstarboadfin.”
“Aye,aye-theyweremine-myirons,”criedAhab,exultingly-“buton!”
“Givemeachance,then,”saidtheEnglishman,good-humoredly.
“Well,thisoldgreat-grandfather,withthewhiteheadandhump,runsallafoamintothepod,andgoestosnappingfuriouslyatmyfast-line!
“Aye,Isee!-wantedtopartit;freethefast-fish-anoldtrick-Iknowhim.”
“Howitwasexactly,”continuedtheone-armedcommander,“Idonotknow;butinbitingtheline,itgotfoulofhisteeth,caughttheresomehow;butwedidn’tknowitthen;sothatwhenweafterwardspulledontheline,bouncewecameplumpontohishump!
insteadoftheotherwhale’s;thatwentofftowindward,allfluking.
Seeinghowmattersstood,andwhatanoblegreatwhaleitwas-thenoblestandbiggestIeversaw,sir,inmylife-Iresolvedtocapturehim,spiteoftheboilingrageheseemedtobein.
Andthinkingthehap-hazardlinewouldgetloose,orthetoothitwastangledtomightdraw(forIhaveadevilofaboat’screwforapullonawhale-line);seeingallthis,Isay,Ijumpedintomyfirstmate’sboat-Mr.Mounttop’shere(bytheway,Captain-Mounttop;Mounttop-thecaptain);-asIwassaying,IjumpedintoMounttop’sboat,which,d’yesee,wasgunwaleandgunwalewithmine,then;andsnatchingthefirstharpoon,letthisoldgreat-grandfatherhaveit.
But,Lord,lookyou,sir-heartsandsoulsalive,man-thenextinstant,inajiff,Iwasblindasabat-botheyesout-allbefoggedandbedeadenedwithblackfoam-thewhale’stailloomingstraightupoutofit,perpendicularintheair,likeamarblesteeple.
Nousesterningall,then;butasIwasgropingatmidday,withablindingsun,allcrown-jewels;asIwasgroping,Isay,afterthesecondiron,totossitoverboard-downcomesthetaillikeaLimatower,cuttingmyboatintwo,leavingeachhalfinsplinters;and,flukesfirst,thewhitehumpbackedthroughthewreck,asthoughitwasallchips.Weallstruckout.
Toescapehisterribleflailings,Iseizedholdofmyharpoon-polestickinginhim,andforamomentclungtothatlikeasuckingfish.
Butacombingseadashedmeoff,andatthesameinstant,thefish,takingonegooddartforwards,wentdownlikeaflash;andthebarbofthatcursedsecondirontowingalongnearmecaughtmehere”(clappinghishandjustbelowhisshoulder);“yes,caughtmejusthere,Isay,andboremedowntoHell’sflames,Iwasthinking;when,when,allofasudden,thankthegoodGod,thebarbriptitswayalongtheflesh-clearalongthewholelengthofmyarm-cameoutnighmywrist,andupIfloated;-andthatgentlemantherewilltellyoutherest(bytheway,captain-Dr.Bunger,ship’ssurgeon:Bunger,mylad,-thecaptain).
Now,Bungerboy,spinyourpartoftheyarn.”
Theprofessionalgentlemanthusfamiliarlypointedout,hadbeenallthetimestandingnearthem,withnothingspecificvisible,todenotehisgentlemanlyrankonboard.
Hisfacewasanexceedinglyroundbutsoberone;hewasdressedinafadedbluewoolenfrockorshirt,andpatchedtrowsers;andhadthusfarbeendividinghisattentionbetweenamarlingspikeheheldinonehand,andapill-boxheldintheother,occasionallycastingacriticalglanceattheivorylimbsofthetwocrippledcaptains.
But,athissuperior’sintroductionofhimtoAhab,hepolitelybowed,andstraightwaywentontodohiscaptain’sbidding.
“Itwasashockingbadwound,”beganthewhale-surgeon;“and,takingmyadvice,CaptainBoomerhere,stoodouroldSammy-”
“SamuelEnderbyisthenameofmyship,”interruptedtheone-armedcaptain,addressingAhab;“goon,boy.”
“StoodouroldSammyofftothenorthward,togetoutoftheblazinghotweatherthereontheLine.
Butitwasnouse-IdidallIcould;satupwithhimnights;wasveryseverewithhiminthematterofdiet-”
“Oh,verysevere!”chimedinthepatienthimself;thensuddenlyalteringhisvoice,“Drinkinghotrumtoddieswithmeeverynight,tillhecouldn’tseetoputonthebandages;andsendingmetobed,halfseasover,aboutthreeo’clockinthemorning.Oh,yestars!
hesatupwithmeindeed,andwasverysevereinmydiet.Oh!
agreatwatcher,andverydieteticallysevere,isDr.Bunger.(Bunger,youdog,laughout!whydon’tye?
Youknowyou’reapreciousjollyrascal.)
But,heaveahead,boy,I’dratherbekilledbyyouthankeptalivebyanyotherman.”
“Mycaptain,youmusthaveerethisperceived,respectedsir”-saidtheimperturbablegodly-lookingBunger,slightlybowingtoAhab-“isapttobefacetiousattimes;hespinsusmanycleverthingsofthatsort.
ButImayaswellsay-enpassant,astheFrenchremark-thatImyself-thatistosay,JackBunger,lateofthereverendclergy-amastricttotalabstinenceman;Ineverdrink-”
“Water!”criedthecaptain;“heneverdrinksit;it’sasortoffitstohim;freshwaterthrowshimintothehydrophobia;butgoon-goonwiththearmstory.”
“Yes,Imayaswell,”saidthesurgeon,coolly.
“Iwasaboutobserving,sir,beforeCaptainBoomer’sfacetiousinterruption,thatspiteofmybestandseverestendeavors,thewoundkeptgettingworseandworse;thetruthwas,sir,itwasasuglygapingwoundassurgeoneversaw;morethantwofeetandseveralincheslong.Imeasureditwiththeleadline.
Inshort,itgrewblack;Iknewwhatwasthreatened,andoffitcame.
ButIhadnohandinshippingthativoryarmthere;thatthingisagainstallrule”-pointingatitwiththemarlingspike-“thatisthecaptain’swork,notmine;heorderedthecarpentertomakeit;hehadthatclub-hammerthereputtotheend,toknocksomeone’sbrainsoutwith,Isuppose,ashetriedmineonce.
Hefliesintodiabolicalpassionssometimes.
Doyeseethisdent,sir”-removinghishat,andbrushingasidehishair,andexposingabowl-likecavityinhisskull,butwhichborenottheslightestscarrytrace,oranytokenofeverhavingbeenawound-“Well,thecaptaintherewilltellyouhowthatcamethere;heknows.”
“No,Idon’t,”saidthecaptain,“buthismotherdid;hewasbornwithit.Oh,yousolemnrogue,you-youBunger!
wasthereeversuchanotherBungerinthewateryworld?
Bunger,whenyoudie,yououghttodieinpickle,youdog;youshouldbepreservedtofutureages,yourascal.”
“WhatbecameoftheWhiteWhale?”nowcriedAhab,whothusfarhadbeenimpatientlylisteningtothisbyeplaybetweenthetwoEnglishmen.
“Oh!”criedtheone-armedcaptain,“oh,yes!
Well;afterhesounded,wedidn’tseehimagainforsometime;infact,asIbeforehinted,Ididn’tthenknowwhatwhaleitwasthathadservedmesuchatrick,tillsometimeafterwards,whencomingbacktotheLine,weheardaboutMobyDick-assomecallhim-andthenIknewitwashe.”
“Did’stthoucrosshiswakeagain?”
“Twice.”
“Butcouldnotfasten?”
“Didn’twanttotryto;ain’tonelimbenough?WhatshouldIdowithoutthisotherarm?AndI’mthinkingMobyDickdoesn’tbitesomuchasheswallows.”
“Well,then,”interruptedBunger,“givehimyourleftarmforbaittogettheright.
Doyouknow,gentlemen”-verygravelyandmathematicallybowingtoeachCaptaininsuccession-“Doyouknow,gentlemen,thatthedigestiveorgansofthewhalearesoinscrutablyconstructedbyDivineProvidence,thatitisquiteimpossibleforhimtocompletelydigestevenaman’sarm?Andheknowsittoo.
SothatwhatyoutakefortheWhiteWhale’smaliceisonlyhisawkwardness.
Forhenevermeanstoswallowasinglelimb;heonlythinkstoterrifybyfeints.
Butsometimesheisliketheoldjugglingfellow,formerlyapatientofmineinCeylon,thatmakingbelieveswallowjack-knives,onceuponatimeletonedropintohimingoodearnest,andthereitstayedforatwelvemonthormore;whenIgavehimanemetic,andheheaveditupinsmalltacks,d’yesee?
Nopossiblewayforhimtodigestthatjack-knife,andfullyincorporateitintohisgeneralbodilysystem.
Yes,CaptainBoomer,ifyouarequickenoughaboutit,andhaveamindtopawnonearmforthesakeoftheprivilegeofgivingdecentburialtotheother,why,inthatcasethearmisyours;onlyletthewhalehaveanotherchanceatyoushortly,that’sall.”
“No,thankyou,Bunger,”saidtheEnglishCaptain,“he’swelcometothearmhehas,sinceIcan’thelpit,anddidn’tknowhimthen;butnottoanotherone.
NomoreWhiteWhalesforme;I’veloweredforhimonce,andthathassatisfiedme.
Therewouldbegreatgloryinkillinghim,Iknowthat;andthereisaship-loadofprecioussperminhim,but,harkye,he’sbestletalone;don’tyouthinkso,Captain?”-glancingattheivoryleg.
“Heis.Buthewillstillbehunted,forallthat.
Whatisbestletalone,thataccursedthingisnotalwayswhatleastallures.He’sallamagnet!Howlongsincethousawisthimlast?Whichwayheading?”
“Blessmysoul,andcursethefoulfiend’s,”criedBunger,stoopinglywalkingroundAhab,andlikeadog,strangelysnuffing;“thisman’sblood-bringthethermometer!-it’sattheboilingpoint!-hispulsemakestheseplanksbeat!-sir!”
-takingalancetfromhispocket,anddrawingneartoAhab’sarm.
“Avast!”roaredAhab,dashinghimagainstthebulwarks-“Mantheboat!Whichwayheading?”
“GoodGod!”criedtheEnglishCaptain,towhomthequestionwasput.“What’sthematter?Hewasheadingeast,Ithink.-IsyourCaptaincrazy?”whisperingFedallah.
ButFedallah,puttingafingeronhislip,slidoverthebulwarkstotaketheboat’ssteeringoar,andAhab,swingingthecutting-tackletowardshimcommandedtheship’ssailorstostandbytolower.
Inamomenthewasstandingintheboat’sstern,andtheManillamenwerespringingtotheiroars.InvaintheEnglishCaptainhailedhim.
Withbacktothestrangership,andfacesetlikeaflinttohisown,AhabstooduprighttillalongsideofthePequod.
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