English
Andjollyenoughwerethesightsandthesoundsthatcamebearingdownbeforethewind,somefewweeksafterAhab’sharpoonhadbeenwelded.
ItwasaNantucketship,theBachelor,whichhadjustwedgedinherlastcaskofoil,andbolteddownherburstinghatches;andnow,ingladholidayapparel,wasjoyously,thoughsomewhatvain-gloriously,sailingroundamongthewidely-separatedshipsontheground,previoustopointingherprowforhome.
Thethreemenathermast-headworelongstreamersofnarrowredbuntingattheirhats;fromthestern,awhale-boatwassuspended,bottomdown;andhangingcaptivefromthebowspritwasseenthelonglowerjawofthelastwhaletheyhadslain.
Signals,ensigns,andjacksofallcolorswereflyingfromherrigging,oneveryside.
Sidewayslashedineachofherthreebasketedtopsweretwobarrelsofsperm;abovewhich,inhertop-mastcross-trees,yousawslenderbreakersofthesamepreciousfluid;andnailedtohermaintruckwasabrazenlamp.
Aswasafterwardslearned,theBachelorhadmetwiththemostsurprisingsuccess;allthemorewonderful,forthatwhilecruisinginthesameseasnumerousothervesselshadgoneentiremonthswithoutsecuringasinglefish.
Notonlyhadbarrelsofbeefandbreadbeengivenawaytomakeroomforthefarmorevaluablesperm,butadditionalsupplementalcaskshadbeenbarteredfor,fromtheshipsshehadmet;andthesewerestowedalongthedeck,andinthecaptain’sandofficers’state-rooms.
Eventhecabintableitselfhadbeenknockedintokindling-wood;andthecabinmessdinedoffthebroadheadofanoil-butt,lasheddowntothefloorforacenterpiece.
Intheforecastle,thesailorshadactuallycaulkedandpitchedtheirchests,andfilledthem;itwashumorouslyadded,thatthecookhadclappedaheadonhislargestboiler,andfilledit;thatthestewardhadpluggedhissparecoffee-potandfilledit;thattheharpooneershadheadedthesocketsoftheirironsandfilledthem;thatindeedeverythingwasfilledwithsperm,exceptthecaptain’spantaloonspockets,andthosehereservedtothrusthishandsinto,inself-complacenttestimonyofhisentiresatisfaction.
AsthisgladshipofgoodluckboredownuponthemoodyPequod,thebarbariansoundofenormousdrumscamefromherforecastle;anddrawingstillnearer,acrowdofhermenwereseenstandingroundherhugetry-pots,which,coveredwiththeparchment-likepokeorstomachskinoftheblackfish,gaveforthaloudroartoeverystrokeoftheclenchedhandsofthecrew.
Onthequarter-deck,thematesandharpooneersweredancingwiththeolive-huedgirlswhohadelopedwiththemfromthePolynesianIsles;whilesuspendedinanornamentalboat,firmlysecuredaloftbetweentheforemastandmainmast,threeLongIslandnegroes,withglitteringfiddle-bowsofwhaleivory,werepresidingoverthehilariousjig.
Meanwhile,othersoftheship’scompanyweretumultuouslybusyatthemasonryofthetry-works,fromwhichthehugepotshadbeenremoved.
YouwouldhavealmostthoughttheywerepullingdownthecursedBastille,suchwildcriestheyraised,asthenowuselessbrickandmortarwerebeinghurledintothesea.
Lordandmasteroverallthisscene,thecaptainstooderectontheship’selevatedquarter-deck,sothatthewholerejoicingdramawasfullbeforehim,andseemedmerelycontrivedforhisownindividualdiversion.
AndAhab,hetoowasstandingonhisquarter-deck,shaggyandblack,withastubborngloom;andasthetwoshipscrossedeachother’swakes-onealljubilationsforthingspassed,theotherallforebodingsastothingstocome-theirtwocaptainsinthemselvesimpersonatedthewholestrikingcontrastofthescene.
“Comeaboard,comeaboard!”criedthegayBachelor’scommander,liftingaglassandabottleintheair.
“HastseentheWhiteWhale?”grittedAhabinreply.
“No;onlyheardofhim;butdon’tbelieveinhimatall,”saidtheothergood-humoredly.“Comeaboard!”
“Thouarttoodamnedjolly.Sailon.Hastlostanymen?”
“Notenoughtospeakof-twoislanders,that’sall;-butcomeaboard,oldhearty,comealong.
I’llsoontakethatblackfromyourbrow.
Comealong,willye(merry’stheplay);afullshipandhomeward-bound.”
“Howwondrousfamiliarisafool!”mutteredAhab;thenaloud,“Thouartafullshipandhomewardbound,thousayst;well,then,callmeanemptyship,andoutward-bound.Sogothyways,andIwillmine.Forwardthere!
Setallsail,andkeephertothewind!”
Andthus,whiletheoneshipwentcheerilybeforethebreeze,theotherstubbornlyfoughtagainstit;andsothetwovesselsparted;thecrewofthePequodlookingwithgrave,lingeringglancestowardstherecedingBachelor;buttheBachelor’smenneverheedingtheirgazeforthelivelyrevelrytheywerein.
AndasAhab,leaningoverthetaffrail,eyedthehomewardboundcraft,hetookfromhispocketasmallvialofsand,andthenlookingfromtheshiptothevial,seemedtherebybringingtworemoteassociationstogether,forthatvialwasfilledwithNantucketsoundings.
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