English
TheDeck–FirstNightWatch
(Carpenterstandingbeforevice-bench,andbythelightoftwolanternsbusilyfilingtheivoryjoistfortheleg,whichjoistisfirmlyfixedinthevice.
Slabsofivory,leatherstraps,pads,screws,andvarioustoolsofallsortslyingaboutthebench.
Forward,theredflameoftheforgeisseen,wheretheblacksmithisatwork.)
Dratthefile,anddratthebone!Thatishardwhichshouldbesoft,andthatissoftwhichshouldbehard.
Sowego,whofileoldjawsandshinbones.Let’stryanother.Aye,now,thisworksbetter(sneezes).
Halloa,thisbonedustis(sneezes)-whyit’s(sneezes)-yesit’s(sneezes)-blessmysoul,itwon’tletmespeak!
Thisiswhatanoldfellowgetsnowforworkingindeadlumber.
Sawalivetree,andyoudon’tgetthisdust;amputatealivebone,andyoudon’tgetit(sneezes).
Come,come,youoldSmut,there,bearahand,andlet’shavethatferruleandbuckle-screw;I’llbereadyforthempresently.
Luckynow(sneezes)there’snoknee-jointtomake;thatmightpuzzlealittle;butamereshin-bone-whyit’seasyasmakinghop-poles;onlyIshouldliketoputagoodfinishon.
Time,time;ifIbutonlyhadthetime,Icouldturnhimoutasneatalegnowasever(sneezes)scrapedtoaladyinaparlor.
ThosebuckskinlegsandcalvesoflegsI’veseeninshopwindowswouldn’tcompareatall.
Theysoakwater,theydo;andofcoursegetrheumatic,andhavetobedoctored(sneezes)withwashesandlotions,justlikelivelegs.
There;beforeIsawitoff,ImustcallhisoldMogulship,andseewhetherthelengthwillbeallright;tooshort,ifanything,Iguess.Ha!
that’stheheel;weareinluck;herehecomes,orit’ssomebodyelse,that’scertain.
AHAB(advancing)(Duringtheensuingscene,thecarpentercontinuessneezingattimes)
Well,manmaker!
Justintime,sir.Ifthecaptainpleases,Iwillnowmarkthelength.Letmemeasure,sir.
Measuredforaleg!good.Well,it’snotthefirsttime.Aboutit!There;keepthyfingeronit.Thisisacogentvicethouhasthere,carpenter;letmefeelitsgriponce.So,so;itdoespinchsome.
Oh,sir,itwillbreakbones-beware,beware!
Nofear;Ilikeagoodgrip;Iliketofeelsomethinginthisslipperyworldthatcanhold,man.What’sPrometheusaboutthere?-theblacksmith,Imean-what’sheabout?
Hemustbeforgingthebuckle-screw,sir,now.
Right.It’sapartnership;hesuppliesthemusclepart.Hemakesafierceredflamethere!
Aye,sir;hemusthavethewhiteheatforhiskindoffinework.
Um-m.Sohemust.
Idodeemitnowamostmeaningthing,thatthatoldGreek,Prometheus,whomademen,theysay,shouldhavebeenablacksmith,andanimatedthemwithfire;forwhat’smadeinfiremustproperlybelongtofire;andsohell’sprobable.Howthesootflies!
ThismustbetheremaindertheGreekmadetheAfricansof.
Carpenter,whenhe’sthroughwiththatbuckle,tellhimtoforgeapairofsteelshoulder-blades;there’sapedlaraboardwithacrushingpack.
Sir?
Hold;whilePrometheusisaboutit,I’llorderacompletemanafteradesirablepattern.
Imprimis,fiftyfeethighinhissocks;then,chestmodelledaftertheThamesTunnelthen,legswithrootsto‘em,tostayinoneplace;then,armsthreefeetthroughthewrist;noheartatall,brassforehead,andaboutaquarterofanacreoffinebrains;andletmesee-shallIordereyestoseeoutwards?
No,butputasky-lightontopofhisheadtoilluminateinwards.There,taketheorder,andaway.
Now,what’shespeakingabout,andwho’shespeakingto,Ishouldlikeknow?ShallIkeepstandinghere?(aside.)
‘Tisbutindifferentarchitecturetomakeablinddome;here’sone.No,no,no;Imusthavealantern.
Ho,ho!That’sit,hey?Herearetwo,sir;onewillservemyturn.
Whatartthouthrustingthatthief-catcherintomyfacefor,man?Thrustedlightisworsethanpresentedpistols.
Ithought,sir,thatyouspoketocarpenter.
Carpenter?whythat’s-butno;-averytidy,and,Imaysay,anextremelygentlemanlikesortofbusinessthouartinhere,carpenter;-orwould’stthouratherworkinclay?
Sir?-Clay?clay,sir?That’smud;weleaveclaytoditchers,sir.
Thefellow’simpious!Whatartthousneezingabout?
Boneisratherdusty,sir.
Takethehint,then;andwhenthouartdead,neverburythyselfunderlivingpeople’snoses.
Sir?-oh!ah!-Iguessso;-yes-dear!
Lookye,carpenter,Idaresaythoucallestthyselfarightgoodworkmanlikeworkman,eh?
Well,then,willitspeakthoroughlywellforthywork,if,whenIcometomountthislegthoumakest,Ishallneverthelessfeelanotherleginthesameidenticalplacewithit;thatis,carpenter,myoldlostleg;thefleshandbloodone,Imean.
CanstthounotdrivethatoldAdamaway?
Truly,sir,Ibegintounderstandsomewhatnow.
Yes,Ihaveheardsomethingcuriousonthatscore;howthatadismastedmanneverentirelylosesthefeelingofhisoldspar,butitwillbestillprickinghimattimes.
MayIhumblyaskifitbereallyso,sir?
Itis,man.Look,putthyliveleghereintheplacewhereminewas;so,now,hereisonlyonedistinctlegtotheeye,yettwotothesoul.
Wherethoufeelesttinglinglife;there,exactlythere,theretoahair,doI.Is’tariddle?
Ishouldhumblycallitaposer,sir.
Hist,then.Howdostthouknowthatsomeentire,living,thinkingthingmaynotbeinvisiblyanduninterpenetratinglystandingpreciselywherethounowstandest;aye,andstandingthereinthyspite?
Inthymostsolitaryhours,then,dostthounotfeareavesdroppers?Hold,don’tspeak!
AndifIstillfeelthesmartofmycrushedleg,thoughitbenowsolongdissolved;then,whymaystnotthou,carpenter,feelthefierypainsofhellforever,andwithoutabody?Hah!
GoodLord!Truly,sir,ifitcomestothat,Imustcalculateoveragain;IthinkIdidn’tcarryasmallfigure,sir.
Lookye,pudding-headsshouldnevergrantpremises.-Howlongbeforethelegisdone?
Perhapsanhour,sir.
Bungleawayatitthen,andbringittome(turnstogo).Oh,Life.
HereIam,proudasGreekgod,andyetstandingdebtortothisblockheadforabonetostandon!
Cursedbethatmortalinter-indebtednesswhichwillnotdoawaywithledgers.
Iwouldbefreeasair;andI’mdowninthewholeworld’sbooks.
Iamsorich,IcouldhavegivenbidforbidwiththewealthiestPraetoriansattheauctionoftheRomanempire(whichwastheworld’s);andyetIoweforthefleshinthetongueIbragwith.Byheavens!
I’llgetacrucible,andintoit,anddissolvemyselfdowntoonesmall,compendiousvertebra.So.
CARPENTER(resumingwork).
Well,well,well!Stubbknowshimbestofall,andStubbalwayssayshe’squeer;saysnothingbutthatonesufficientlittlewordqueer;he’squeer,saysStubb;he’squeer-queer,queer;andkeepsdinningitintoMr.Starbuckallthetime-queer-sir-queer,queer,veryqueer.Andhere’shisleg.
Yes,nowthatIthinkofit,here’shisbed-fellow!
hasastickofwhale’sjaw-boneforawife!
Andthisishisleg;he’llstandonthis.
Whatwasthatnowaboutonelegstandinginthreeplaces,andallthreeplacesstandinginonehell-howwasthat?Oh!
Idon’twonderhelookedsoscornfulatme!
I’masortofstrange-thoughtedsometimes,theysay;butthat’sonlyhaphazard-like.
Then,ashort,littleoldbodylikeme,shouldneverundertaketowadeoutintodeepwaterwithtall,heron-builtcaptains;thewaterchucksyouunderthechinprettyquick,andthere’sagreatcryforlife-boats.Andhere’stheheron’sleg!longandslim,sureenough!
Now,formostfolksonepairoflegslastsalifetime,andthatmustbebecausetheyusethemmercifully,asatender-heartedoldladyusesherroly-polyoldcoach-horses.ButAhab;ohhe’saharddriver.
Look,drivenonelegtodeath,andspavinedtheotherforlife,andnowwearsoutbonelegsbythecord.Halloa,there,youSmut!
bearahandtherewiththosescrews,andlet’sfinishitbeforetheresurrectionfellowcomesa-callingwithhishornforalllegs,trueorfalse,asbrewerymengoroundcollectingoldbeerbarrels,tofill‘emupagain.Whatalegthisis!
Itlookslikearealliveleg,fileddowntonothingbutthecore;he’llbestandingonthisto-morrow;he’llbetakingaltitudesonit.Halloa!
Ialmostforgotthelittleovalslate,smoothedivory,wherehefiguresupthelatitude.
So,so;chisel,file,andsand-paper,now!
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