English
Warmestclimesbutnursethecruellestfangs:thetigerofBengalcrouchesinspacedgrovesofceaselessverdure.
Skiesthemosteffulgentbutbasketthedeadliestthunders:gorgeousCubaknowstornadoesthatneverswepttamenorthernlands.
So,too,itis,thatintheseresplendentJapaneseseasthemarinerencountersthedirestofallstorms,theTyphoon.
Itwillsometimesburstfromoutthatcloudlesssky,likeanexplodingbombuponadazedandsleepytown.
Towardseveningofthatday,thePequodwastornofhercanvas,andbare-poledwaslefttofightaTyphoonwhichhadstruckherdirectlyahead.
Whendarknesscameon,skyandsearoaredandsplitwiththethunder,andblazedwiththelightning,thatshowedthedisabledmastflutteringhereandtherewiththeragswhichthefirstfuryofthetempesthadleftforitsaftersport.
Holdingbyashroud,Starbuckwasstandingonthequarter-deck;ateveryflashofthelightningglancingaloft,toseewhatadditionaldisastermighthavebefallentheintricatehamperthere;whileStubbandFlaskweredirectingthemeninthehigherhoistingandfirmerlashingoftheboats.Butalltheirpainsseemednaught.
Thoughliftedtotheverytopofthecranes,thewindwardquarterboat(Ahab’s)didnotescape.
Agreatrollingsea,dashinghighupagainstthereelingship’shighteeteringside,stoveintheboat’sbottomatthestern,andleftitagain,alldrippingthroughlikeasieve.
“Badwork,badwork!Mr.Starbuck,”saidStubb,regardingthewreck,“buttheseawillhaveitsway.Stubb,forone,can’tfightit.
Yousee,Mr.Starbuck,awavehassuchagreatlongstartbeforeitleaps,allroundtheworlditruns,andthencomesthespring!
Butasforme,allthestartIhavetomeetit,isjustacrossthedeckhere.
Butnevermind;it’sallinfun:sotheoldsongsays;”-(sings.)
Oh!jollyisthegale,Andajokeristhewhale,A’flourishin’histail,-Suchafunny,sporty,gamy,jesty,joky,hoky-pokylad,istheOcean,oh!
Thescudallaflyin’,That’shisfliponlyfoamin’;Whenhestirsinthespicin’,-Suchafunny,sporty,gamy,jesty,joky,hoky-pokylad,istheOcean,oh!
Thundersplitstheships,Butheonlysmackshislips,Atastin’ofthisflip,-Suchafunny,sporty,gamy,jesty,joky,hoky-pokylad,istheOcean,oh!
“AvastStubb,”criedStarbuck,“lettheTyphoonsing,andstrikehisharphereinourrigging;butifthouartabravemanthouwiltholdthypeace.”
“ButIamnotabraveman;neversaidIwasabraveman;Iamacoward;andIsingtokeepupmyspirits.
AndItellyouwhatitis,Mr.Starbuck,there’snowaytostopmysinginginthisworldbuttocutmythroat.
Andwhenthat’sdone,tentooneIsingyethedoxologyforawind-up.”
“Madman!lookthroughmyeyesifthouhastnoneofthineown.”
“What!howcanyouseebetterofadarknightthananybodyelse,nevermindhowfoolish?”
“Here!”criedStarbuck,seizingStubbbytheshoulder,andpointinghishandtowardstheweatherbow,“markestthounotthatthegalecomesfromtheeastward,theverycourseAhabistorunforMobyDick?
theverycourseheswungtothisdaynoon?
nowmarkhisboatthere;whereisthatstove?
Inthestern-sheets,man;whereheiswonttostand-hisstand-pointisstove,man!
Nowjumpoverboard,andsingaway,ifthoumust!
“Idon’thalfunderstandye:what’sinthewind?”
“Yes,yes,roundtheCapeofGoodHopeistheshortestwaytoNantucket,”soliloquizedStarbucksuddenly,heedlessofStubb’squestion.
“Thegalethatnowhammersatustostaveus,wecanturnitintoafairwindthatwilldriveustowardshome.
Yonder,towindward,allisblacknessofdoom;buttoleeward,homeward-Iseeitlightensupthere;butnotwiththelightning.”
Atthatmomentinoneoftheintervalsofprofounddarkness,followingtheflashes,avoicewasheardathisside;andalmostatthesameinstantavolleyofthunderpealsrolledoverhead.
“Who’sthere?”
“OldThunder!”saidAhab,gropinghiswayalongthebulwarkstohispivot-hole;butsuddenlyfindinghispathmadeplaintohimbyelbowedlancesoffire.
Now,asthelightningrodtoaspireonshoreisintendedtocarryofftheperilousfluidintothesoil;sothekindredrodwhichatseasomeshipscarrytoeachmast,isintendedtoconductitintothewater.
Butasthisconductormustdescendtoconsiderabledepth,thatitsendmayavoidallcontactwiththehull;andasmoreover,ifkeptconstantlytowingthere,itwouldbeliabletomanymishaps,besidesinterferingnotalittlewithsomeoftherigging,andmoreorlessimpedingthevessel’swayinthewater;becauseofallthis,thelowerpartsofaship’slightning-rodsarenotalwaysoverboard;butaregenerallymadeinlongslenderlinks,soastobethemorereadilyhauledupintothechainsoutside,orthrowndownintothesea,asoccasionmayrequire.
“Therods!therods!”
criedStarbucktothecrew,suddenlyadmonishedtovigilancebythevividlightningthathadjustbeendartingflambeaux,tolightAhabtohispost.“Aretheyoverboard?dropthemover,foreandaft.Quick!”
“Avast!”criedAhab;“let’shavefairplayhere,thoughwebetheweakerside.
YetI’llcontributetoraiserodsontheHimmalehsandAndes,thatalltheworldmaybesecured;butoutonprivileges!Letthembe,sir.”
“Lookaloft!”criedStarbuck.“Thecorpusants!thecorpusants!
Alltheyard-armsweretippedwithapallidfire;andtouchedateachtri-pointedlightning-rod-endwiththreetaperingwhiteflames,eachofthethreetallmastswassilentlyburninginthatsulphurousair,likethreegiganticwaxtapersbeforeanaltar.
“Blasttheboat!letitgo!”
criedStubbatthisinstant,asaswashingseaheavedupunderhisownlittlecraftsothatitsgunwaleviolentlyjammedhishand,ashewaspassingalashing.“Blastit!”
-butslippingbackwardonthedeck,hisupliftedeyescaughttheflames;andimmediatelyshiftinghistonehecried-“Thecorpusantshavemercyonusall!”
Tosailors,oathsarehouseholdwords;theywillswearinthetranceofthecalm,andintheteethofthetempest;theywillimprecatecursesfromthetopsail-yard-arms,whenmosttheyteeterovertoaseethingsea;butinallmyvoyagings,seldomhaveIheardacommonoathwhenGod’sburningfingerhasbeenlaidontheship;whenHis“Mene,Mene,TekelUpharsin”hasbeenwovenintotheshroudsandthecordage.
Whilethispallidnesswasburningaloft,fewwordswereheardfromtheenchantedcrew;whoinonethickclusterstoodontheforecastle,alltheireyesgleaminginthatpalephosphorescence,likeafarawayconstellationofstars.
Relievedagainsttheghostlylight,thegiganticjetnegro,Daggoo,loomeduptothricehisrealstature,andseemedtheblackcloudfromwhichthethunderhadcome.
ThepartedmouthofTashtegorevealedhisshark-whiteteeth,whichstrangelygleamedasiftheytoohadbeentippedbycorpusants;whilelitupbythepreternaturallight,Queequeg’stattooingburnedlikeSatanicblueflamesonhisbody.
Thetableauallwanedatlastwiththepallidnessaloft;andoncemorethePequodandeverysoulonherdeckswerewrappedinapall.
Amomentortwopassed,whenStarbuck,goingforward,pushedagainstsomeone.ItwasStubb.
“Whatthinkestthounow,man;Iheardthycry;itwasnotthesameinthesong.”
“No,no,itwasn’t;Isaidthecorpusantshavemercyonusall;andIhopetheywill,still.
Butdotheyonlyhavemercyonlongfaces?-havetheynobowelsforalaugh?
Andlookye,Mr.Starbuck-butit’stoodarktolook.
Hearme,then;Itakethatmast-headflamewesawforasignofgoodluck;forthosemastsarerootedinaholdthatisgoingtobechocka’blockwithsperm-oil,d’yesee;andso,allthatspermwillworkupintothemasts,likesapinatree.
Yes,ourthreemastswillyetbeasthreespermaceticandles-that’sthegoodpromisewesaw.”
AtthatmomentStarbuckcaughtsightofStubb’sfaceslowlybeginningtoglimmerintosight.Glancingupwards,hecried:“See!see!”
andoncemorethehightaperingflameswerebeheldwithwhatseemedredoubledsupernaturalnessintheirpallor.
“Thecorpusantshavemercyonusall,”criedStubb,again.
Atthebaseofthemain-mast,fullbeneaththedoubloonandtheflame,theParseewaskneelinginAhab’sfront,butwithhisheadbowedawayfromhim;whilenearby,fromthearchedandoverhangingrigging,wheretheyhadjustbeenengagedsecuringaspar,anumberoftheseamen,arrestedbytheglare,nowcoheredtogether,andhungpendulous,likeaknotofnumbedwaspsfromadrooping,orchardtwig.
Invariousenchantedattitudeslikethestanding,orstepping,orrunningskeletonsinHerculaneum,othersremainedrootedtothedeck;butalltheireyesupcast.
“Aye,aye,men!”criedAhab.
“Lookupatit;markitwell;thewhiteflamebutlightsthewaytotheWhiteWhale!
Handmethosemainmastlinksthere;Iwouldfainfeelthispulse,andletminebeatagainstit;bloodagainstfire!So.”
Thenturning-thelastlinkheldfastinhislefthand,heputhisfootupontheParsee;andwithfixedupwardeve,andhigh-flungrightarm,hestooderectbeforetheloftytri-pointedtrinityofflames.
“Oh!thouclearspiritofclearfire,whomontheseseasIasPersianoncedidworship,tillinthesacramentalactsoburnedbythee,thattothishourIbearthescar;Inowknowthee,thouclearspirit,andInowknowthatthyrightworshipisdefiance.
Toneitherlovenorreverencewiltthoubekind;ande’enforhatethoucanstbutkill;andallarekilled.Nofearlessfoolnowfrontsthee.
Iownthyspeechless,placelesspower;buttothelastgaspofmyearthquakelifewilldisputeunconditional,unintegralmasteryinme.
Inthemidstofthepersonifiedimpersonal,apersonalitystandshere.
Thoughbutapointatbest;whenceso’erIcame;whereso’erIgo;yetwhileIearthlylive,thequeenlypersonalitylivesinme,andfeelsherroyalrights.Butwarispain,andhateiswoe.
Comeinthylowestformoflove,andIwillkneelandkissthee;butatthyhighest,comeasmeresupernalpower;andthoughthoulaunchestnaviesoffull-freightedworlds,there’sthatinherethatstillremainsindifferent.
Oh,thouclearspirit,ofthyfirethoumadestme,andlikeatruechildoffire,Ibreatheitbacktothee.”
[Sudden,repeatedflashesoflightning;thenineflamesleaplengthwisetothricetheirpreviousheight;Ahab,withtherest,closeshiseyes,hisrighthandpressedharduponthem.]
“Iownthyspeechless,placelesspower;saidInotso?
Norwasitwrungfromme;nordoInowdroptheselinks.Thoucanstblind;butIcanthengrope.
Thoucanstconsume;butIcanthenbeashes.
Takethehomageofthesepooreyes,andshutter-hands.Iwouldnottakeit.
Thelightningflashesthroughmyskull;mineeyeballsacheandache;mywholebeatenbrainseemsasbeheaded,androllinginsomestunningground.Oh,oh!Yetblindfold,yetwillItalktothee.
Lightthoughthoube,thouleapestoutofdarkness;butIamdarknessleapingoutoflight,leapingoutofthee!
Thejavelinscease;openeyes;see,ornot?Thereburntheflames!Oh,thoumagnanimous!nowIdogloryinmygenealogy.
Butthouartbutmyfieryfather;mysweetmother,Iknownot.Oh,cruel!whathastthoudonewithher?
Thereliesmypuzzle;butthineisgreater.
Thouknowestnothowcameye,hencecallestthyselfunbegotten;certainlyknowestnotthybeginning,hencecallestthyselfunbegun.
Iknowthatofme,whichthouknowestnotofthyself,oh,thouomnipotent.
Thereissomeunsuffusingthingbeyondthee,thouclearspirit,towhomallthyeternityisbuttime,allthycreativenessmechanical.
Throughthee,thyflamingself,myscorchedeyesdodimlyseeit.
Oh,thoufoundlingfire,thouhermitimmemorial,thoutoohastthyincommunicableriddle,thyunparticipatedgrief.
Hereagainwithhaughtyagony,Ireadmysire.Leap!leapup,andlickthesky!
Ileapwiththee;Iburnwiththee;wouldfainbeweldedwiththee;defyinglyIworshipthee!”
“Theboat!theboat!”criedStarbuck,“lookatthyboat,oldman!”
Ahab’sharpoon,theoneforgedatPerth’sfire,remainedfirmlylashedinitsconspicuouscrotch,sothatitprojectedbeyondhiswhale-boat’sbow;buttheseathathadstoveitsbottomhadcausedthelooseleathersheathtodropoff;andfromthekeensteelbarbtherenowcamealevelledflameofpale,forkedfire.
Asthesilentharpoonburnedtherelikeaserpent’stongue,StarbuckgraspedAhabbythearm-“God,Godisagainstthee,oldman;forbear!‘tisanillvoyage!
illbegun,illcontinued;letmesquaretheyards,whilewemay,oldman,andmakeafairwindofithomewards,togoonabettervoyagethanthis.”
OverhearingStarbuck,thepanic-strickencrewinstantlyrantothebraces-thoughnotasailwasleftaloft.
Forthemomentalltheaghastmate’sthoughtsseemedtheirs;theyraisedahalfmutinouscry.
Butdashingtherattlinglightninglinkstothedeck,andsnatchingtheburningharpoon,Ahabwaveditlikeatorchamongthem;swearingtotransfixwithitthefirstsailorthatbutcastloosearope’send.
Petrifiedbyhisaspect,andstillmoreshrinkingfromthefierydartthatheheld,themenfellbackindismay,andAhabagainspoke:-
“AllyouroathstohunttheWhiteWhaleareasbindingasmine;andheart,soul,andbody,lungsandlife,oldAhabisbound.
Andthatyemayknowtowhattunethisheartbeats:lookyehere;thusIblowoutthelastfear!”
Andwithoneblastofhisbreathheextinguishedtheflame.
Asinthehurricanethatsweepstheplain,menflytheneighborhoodofsomelone,giganticelm,whoseveryheightandstrengthbutrenderitsomuchthemoreunsafe,becausesomuchthemoreamarkforthunderbolts;soatthoselastwordsofAhab’smanyofthemarinersdidrunfromhiminaterrorofdismay.
Share this article to
FINISH