Andwhenaftergaininghisowndeck,andhisownpivot-holethere,hesovehementlywheeledroundwithanurgentcommandtothesteersman(itwas,asever,somethingabouthisnotsteeringinflexiblyenough);then,thealreadyshakenivoryreceivedsuchanadditionaltwistandwrench,thatthoughitstillremainedentire,andtoallappearanceslusty,yetAhabdidnotdeemitentirelytrustworthy.
And,indeed,itseemedsmallmatterforwonder,thatforallhispervading,madrecklessness,Ahab,didattimesgivecarefulheedtotheconditionofthatdeadboneuponwhichhepartlystood.
ForithadnotbeenverylongpriortothePequod’ssailingfromNantucket,thathehadbeenfoundonenightlyingproneupontheground,andinsensible;bysomeunknown,andseeminglyinexplicable,unimaginablecasualty,hisivorylimbhavingbeensoviolentlydisplaced,thatithadstake-wisesmitten,andallbutpiercedhisgroin;norwasitwithoutextremedifficultythattheagonizingwoundwasentirelycured.
Nor,atthetime,haditfailedtoenterhismonomaniacmind,thatalltheanguishofthatthenpresentsufferingwasbutthedirectissueofformerwoe;andhetooplainlyseemedtosee,thatasthemostpoisonousreptileofthemarshperpetuateshiskindasinevitablyasthesweetestsongsterofthegrove;so,equallywitheveryfelicity,allmiserableeventsdonaturallybegettheirlike.
Yea,morethanequally,thoughtAhab;sincebothtieancestryandposterityofGriefgofurtherthantheancestryandposterityofJoy.
For,nottohintofthis:thatitisaninferencefromcertaincanonicteachings,thatwhilesomenaturalenjoymentshereshallhavenochildrenborntothemfortheotherworld,but,onthecontrary,shallbefollowedbythejoy-childlessnessofallhell’sdespair;whereas,someguiltymortalmiseriesshallstillfertilelybegettothemselvesaneternallyprogressiveprogenyofgriefsbeyondthegrave;notatalltohintofthis,therestillseemsaninequalityinthedeeperanalysisofthething.
For,thoughtAhab,whileeventhehighestearthlyfelicitieseverhaveacertainunsignifyingpettinesslurkinginthem,but,atbottom,allheartwoes,amysticsignificance,and,insomemen,anarchangelicgrandeur;sodotheirdiligenttracings-outnotbelietheobviousdeduction.
Totrailthegenealogiesofthesehighmortalmiseries,carriesusatlastamongthesourcelessprimogenituresofthegods;sothat,inthefaceofalltheglad,hay-makingsuns,andsoftcymballing,roundharvest-moons,wemustneedsgiveintothis:thatthegodsthemselvesarenotforeverglad.
Unwittinglyhereasecrethasbeendivulged,whichperhapsmightmoreproperly,insetway,havebeendisclosedbefore.
WithmanyotherparticularsconcerningAhab,alwayshaditremainedamysterytosome,whyitwas,thatforacertainperiod,bothbeforeandafterthesailingofthePequod,hehadhiddenhimselfawaywithsuchGrand-Lama-likeexclusiveness;and,forthatoneinterval,soughtspeechlessrefuge,asitwere,amongthemarblesenateofthedead.
CaptainPeleg’sbruitedreasonforthisthingappearedbynomeansadequate;though,indeed,astouchingallAhab’sdeeperpart,everyrevelationpartookmoreofsignificantdarknessthanofexplanatorylight.
Andnotonlythis,buttothatever-contracting,droppingcircleashore,whoforanyreason,possessedtheprivilegeofalessbannedapproachtohim;tothattimidcircletheabovehintedcasualty-remaining,asitdid,moodilyunaccountedforbyAhab-investeditselfwithterrors,notentirelyunderivedfromthelandofspiritsandofwails.
Sothat,throughtheirzealforhim,theyhadallconspired,sofarasinthemlay,tomuffleuptheknowledgeofthisthingfromothers;andhenceitwas,thatnottillaconsiderableintervalhadelapsed,didittranspireuponthePequod’sdecks.
Butbeallthisasitmay;lettheunseen,ambiguoussynodintheair,orthevindictiveprincesandpotentatesoffire,havetodoornotwithearthlyAhab,yet,inthispresentmatterofhisleg,hetookplainpracticalprocedures;-hecalledthecarpenter.
Andwhenthatfunctionaryappearedbeforehim,hebadehimwithoutdelaysetaboutmakinganewleg,anddirectedthematestoseehimsuppliedwithallthestudsandjoistsofjaw-ivory(SpermWhale)whichhadthusfarbeenaccumulatedonthevoyage,inorderthatacarefulselectionofthestoutest,clearest-grainedstuffmightbesecured.
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