English
Accordingtousagetheywerepumpingtheshipnextmorning;andlo!
noinconsiderableoilcameupwiththewater;thecasksbelowmusthavesprungabadleak.
Muchconcernwasshown;andStarbuckwentdownintothecabintoreportthisunfavorableaffair.
InSperm-whalemenwithanyconsiderablequantityofoilonboard,itisaregularsemiweeklydutytoconductahoseintothehold,anddrenchthecaskswithsea-water;whichafterwards,atvaryingintervals,isremovedbytheship’spumps.
Herebythecasksaresoughttobekeptdamplytight;whilebythechangedcharacterofthewithdrawnwater,themarinersreadilydetectanyseriousleakageinthepreciouscargo.
Now,fromtheSouthandWestthePequodwasdrawingnightoFormosaandtheBasheeIsles,betweenwhichliesoneofthetropicaloutletsfromtheChinawatersintothePacific.
AndsoStarbuckfoundAhabwithageneralchartoftheorientalarchipelagoesspreadbeforehim;andanotherseparateonerepresentingthelongeasterncoastsoftheJapaneseislands-Niphon,Matsmai,andSikoke.
Withhissnow-whitenewivorylegbracedagainstthescrewedlegofhistable,andwithalongpruning-hookofajack-knifeinhishand,thewondrousoldman,withhisbacktothegangwaydoor,waswrinklinghisbrow,andtracinghisoldcoursesagain.
“Who’sthere?”hearingthefootstepatthedoor,butnotturningroundtoit.“Ondeck!Begone!”
“CaptainAhabmistakes;itisI.Theoilintheholdisleaking,sir.WemustupBurtonsandbreakout.”
“UpBurtonsandbreakout?NowthatwearenearingJapan;heave-tohereforaweektotinkeraparcelofoldhoops?”
“Eitherdothat,sir,orwasteinonedaymoreoilthanwemaymakegoodinayear.Whatwecometwentythousandmilestogetisworthsaving,sir.”
“Soitis,soitis;ifwegetit.”
“Iwasspeakingoftheoilinthehold,sir.”
“AndIwasnotspeakingorthinkingofthatatall.Begone!Letitleak!I’mallaleakmyself.Aye!leaksinleaks!
notonlyfullofleakycasks,butthoseleakycasksareinaleakyship;andthat’safarworseplightthanthePequod’s,man.
YetIdon’tstoptoplugmyleak;forwhocanfinditinthedeep-loadedhull;orhowhopetoplugit,eveniffound,inthislife’showlingale?Starbuck!I’llnothavetheBurtonshoisted.”
“Whatwilltheownerssay,sir?”
“LettheownersstandonNantucketbeachandoutyelltheTyphoons.WhatcaresAhab?Owners,owners?
Thouartalwayspratingtome,Starbuck,aboutthosemiserlyowners,asiftheownersweremyconscience.
Butlookye,theonlyrealownerofanythingisitscommander;andharkye,myconscienceisinthisship’skeel.-Ondeck!”
“CaptainAhab,”saidthereddeningmate,movingfurtherintothecabin,withadaringsostrangelyrespectfulandcautiousthatitalmostseemednotonlyeverywayseekingtoavoidtheslightestoutwardmanifestationofitself,butwithinalsoseemedmorethanhalfdistrustfulofitself;“AbettermanthanImightwellpassoverintheewhathewouldquicklyenoughresentinayoungerman;aye,andinahappier,CaptainAhab.”
“Devils!Dostthouthensomuchasdaretocriticallythinkofme?-Ondeck!”
“Nay,sir,notyet;Idoentreat.AndIdodare,sir-tobeforbearing!Shallwenotunderstandeachotherbetterthanhitherto,CaptainAhab?”
Ahabseizedaloadedmusketfromtherack(formingpartofmostSouth-Sea-men’scabinfurniture),andpointingittowardsStarbuck,exclaimed:“ThereisoneGodthatisLordovertheearth,andoneCaptainthatislordoverthePequod.-Ondeck!”
Foraninstantintheflashingeyesofthemate,andhisfierycheeks,youwouldhavealmostthoughtthathehadreallyreceivedtheblazeofthelevelledtube.
But,masteringhisemotion,hehalfcalmlyrose,andashequittedthecabin,pausedforaninstantandsaid:“Thouhastoutraged,notinsultedme,sir;butforthatIasktheenottobewareofStarbuck;thouwouldstbutlaugh;butletAhabbewareofAhab;bewareofthyself,oldman.”
“Hewaxesbrave,butneverthelessobeys;mostcarefulbraverythat!”murmuredAhab,asStarbuckdisappeared.
“What’sthathesaid-AhabbewareofAhab-there’ssomethingthere!”
Thenunconsciouslyusingthemusketforastaff,withanironbrowhepacedtoandfrointhelittlecabin;butpresentlythethickplaitsofhisforeheadrelaxed,andreturningtheguntotherack,hewenttothedeck.
“Thouartbuttoogoodafellow,Starbuck,”hesaidlowlytothemate;thenraisinghisvoicetothecrew:“Furlthet’gallant-sails,andclose-reefthetop-sails,foreandaft;backthemain-yard;upBurtons,andbreakoutinthemain-hold.”
Itwereperhapsvaintosurmiseexactlywhyitwas,thatasrespectingStarbuck,Ahabthusacted.
Itmayhavebeenaflashofhonestyinhim;ormereprudentialpolicywhich,underthecircumstance,imperiouslyforbadetheslightestsymptomofopendisaffection,howevertransient,intheimportantchiefofficerofhisship.
Howeveritwas,hisorderswereexecuted;andtheBurtonswerehoisted.
Share this article to
FINISH