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PenetratingfurtherandfurtherintotheheartoftheJapanesecruisinggroundthePequodwassoonallastirinthefishery.
Often,inmild,pleasantweather,fortwelve,fifteen,eighteen,andtwentyhoursonthestretch,theywereengagedintheboats,steadilypulling,orsailing,orpaddlingafterthewhales,orforaninterludeofsixtyorseventyminutescalmlyawaitingtheiruprising;thoughwithbutsmallsuccessfortheirpains.
Atsuchtimes,underanabatedsun;afloatalldayuponsmooth,slowheavingswells;seatedinhisboat,lightasabirchcanoe;andsosociablymixingwiththesoftwavesthemselves,thatlikehearth-stonecatstheypurragainstthegunwale;thesearethetimesofdreamyquietude,whenbeholdingthetranquilbeautyandbrilliancyoftheocean’sskin,oneforgetsthetigerheartthatpantsbeneathit;andwouldnotwillinglyremember,thatthisvelvetpawbutconcealsaremorselessfang.
Thesearethetimes,wheninhiswhale-boattheroversoftlyfeelsacertainfilial,confident,land-likefeelingtowardsthesea;thatheregardsitassomuchfloweryearth;andthedistantshiprevealingonlythetopsofhermasts,seemsstrugglingforward,notthroughhighrollingwaves,butthroughthetallgrassofarollingprairie:aswhenthewesternemigrants’horsesonlyshowtheirerectedears,whiletheirhiddenbodieswidelywadethroughtheamazingverdure.
Thelong-drawnvirginvales;themildbluehill-sides;asoverthesetherestealsthehush,thehum;youalmostswearthatplay-weariedchildrenliesleepinginthesesolitudes,insomegladMay-time,whentheflowersofthewoodsareplucked.
Andallthismixeswithyourmostmysticmood;sothatfactandfancy,half-waymeeting,interpenetrate,andformoneseamlesswhole.
Nordidsuchsoothingscenes,howevertemporary,failofatleastastemporaryaneffectonAhab.
Butifthesesecretgoldenkeysdidseemtoopeninhimhisownsecretgoldentreasuries,yetdidhisbreathuponthemprovebuttarnishing.
Oh,grassyglades!oheververnalendlesslandscapesinthesoul;inye,-thoughlongparchedbythedeaddroughtoftheearthlylife,-inye,menyetmayroll,likeyounghorsesinnewmorningclover;andforsomefewfleetingmoments,feelthecooldewofthelifeimmortalonthem.
WouldtoGodtheseblessedcalmswouldlast.
Butthemingled,minglingthreadsoflifearewovenbywarpandwoof:calmscrossedbystorms,astormforeverycalm.
Thereisnosteadyunretracingprogressinthislife;wedonotadvancethroughfixedgradations,andatthelastonepause:-throughinfancy’sunconsciousspell,boyhood’sthoughtlessfaith,adolescence’doubt(thecommondoom),thenscepticism,thendisbelief,restingatlastinmanhood’sponderingreposeofIf.
Butoncegonethrough,wetracetheroundagain;andareinfants,boys,andmen,andIfseternally.
Whereliesthefinalharbor,whenceweunmoornomore?
Inwhatraptethersailstheworld,ofwhichtheweariestwillneverweary?Whereisthefoundling’sfatherhidden?
Oursoulsarelikethoseorphanswhoseunweddedmothersdieinbearingthem:thesecretofourpaternityliesintheirgrave,andwemusttheretolearnit.
Andthatsameday,too,gazingfardownfromhisboat’ssideintothatsamegoldensea,Starbucklowlymurmured:-
“Lovelinessunfathomable,aseverloversawinhisyoungbride’seyes!
-Tellmenotofthyteeth-tieredsharks,andthykidnappingcannibalways.
Letfaithoustfact;letfancyoustmemory;Ilookdeepdownanddobelieve.”
AndStubb,fish-like,withsparklingscale,leapedupinthatsamegoldenlight:-
“IamStubb,andStubbhashishistory;buthereStubbtakesoathsthathehasalwaysbeenjolly!”
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