Availinghimselfofthemild,summer-coolweatherthatnowreignedintheselatitudes,andinpreparationforthepeculiarlyactivepursuitsshortlytobeanticipated,Perth,thebegrimed,blisteredoldblacksmith,hadnotremovedhisportableforgetotheholdagain,afterconcludinghiscontributoryworkforAhab’sleg,butstillretaineditondeck,fastlashedtoringboltsbytheforemast;beingnowalmostincessantlyinvokedbytheheadsmen,andharpooneers,andbowsmentodosomelittlejobforthem;altering,orrepairing,ornewshapingtheirvariousweaponsandboatfurniture.
Oftenhewouldbesurroundedbyaneagercircle,allwaitingtobeserved;holdingboat-spades,pikeheads,harpoons,andlances,andjealouslywatchinghiseverysootymovement,ashetoiled.
Silent,slow,andsolemn;bowingoverstillfurtherhischronicallybrokenback,hetoiledaway,asiftoilwerelifeitself,andtheheavybeatingofhishammertheheavybeatingofhisheart.Andsoitwas.-Mostmiserable!
Apeculiarwalkinthisoldman,acertainslightbutpainfulappearingyawinginhisgait,hadatanearlyperiodofthevoyageexcitedthecuriosityofthemariners.
Andtotheimportunityoftheirpersistedquestioningshehadfinallygivenin;andsoitcametopassthateveryonenowknewtheshamefulstoryofhiswretchedfate.
Belated,andnotinnocently,onebitterwinter’smidnight,ontheroadrunningbetweentwocountrytowns,theblacksmithhalf-stupidlyfeltthedeadlynumbnessstealingoverhim,andsoughtrefugeinaleaning,dilapidatedbarn.
Outofthisrevelation,partbypart,atlastcameoutthefouractsofthegladness,andtheonelong,andasyetuncatastrophiedfifthactofthegriefofhislife’sdrama.
Hewasanoldman,who,attheageofnearlysixty,hadpostponedlyencounteredthatthinginsorrow’stechnicalscalledruin.
Hehadbeenanartisanoffamedexcellence,andwithplentytodo;ownedahouseandgarden;embracedayouthful,daughter-like,lovingwife,andthreeblithe,ruddychildren;everySundaywenttoacheerful-lookingchurch,plantedinagrove.
Butonenight,undercoverofdarkness,andfurtherconcealedinamostcunningdisguisement,adesperateburglarslidintohishappyhome,androbbedthemallofeverything.
Anddarkeryettotell,theblacksmithhimselfdidignorantlyconductthisburglarintohisfamily’sheart.ItwastheBottleConjuror!
Now,forprudent,mostwise,andeconomicreasons,theblacksmith’sshopwasinthebasementofhisdwelling,butwithaseparateentrancetoit;sothatalwayshadtheyoungandlovinghealthywifelistenedwithnounhappynervousness,butwithvigorouspleasure,tothestoutringingofheryoung-armedoldhusband’shammer;whosereverberations,muffledbypassingthroughthefloorsandwalls,cameuptoher,notunsweetly,inhernursery;andso,tostoutLabor’sironlullaby,theblacksmith’sinfantswererockedtoslumber.
Hadstthoutakenthisoldblacksmithtothyselferehisfullruincameuponhim,thenhadtheyoungwidowhadadeliciousgrief,andherorphansatrulyvenerable,legendarysiretodreamofintheirafteryears;andallofthemacare-killingcompetency.
ButDeathpluckeddownsomevirtuouselderbrother,onwhosewhistlingdailytoilsolelyhungtheresponsibilitiesofsomeotherfamily,andlefttheworsethanuselessoldmanstanding,tillthehideousrotoflifeshouldmakehimeasiertoharvest.
Whytellthewhole?Theblowsofthebasementhammereverydaygrewmoreandmorebetween;andeachbloweverydaygrewfainterthanthelast;thewifesatfrozenatthewindow,withtearlesseyes,glitteringlygazingintotheweepingfacesofherchildren;thebellowsfell;theforgechokedupwithcinders;thehousewassold;themotherdiveddownintothelongchurch-yardgrass;herchildrentwicefollowedherthither;andthehouseless,familylessoldmanstaggeredoffavagabondincrape;hiseverywoeunreverenced;hisgreyheadascorntoflaxencurls!
Deathseemstheonlydesirablesequelforacareerlikethis;butDeathisonlyalaunchingintotheregionofthestrangeUntried;itisbutthefirstsalutationtothepossibilitiesoftheimmenseRemote,theWild,theWatery,theUnshored;therefore,tothedeath-longingeyesofsuchmen,whostillhaveleftinthemsomeinteriorcompunctionsagainstsuicide,doestheall-contributedandall-receptiveoceanalluringlyspreadforthhiswholeplainofunimaginable,takingterrors,andwonderful,new-lifeadventures;andfromtheheartsofinfinitePacifics,thethousandmermaidssingtothem-“Comehither,broken-hearted;hereisanotherlifewithouttheguiltofintermediatedeath;herearewonderssupernatural,withoutdyingforthem.
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