English
DuringthemostviolentshocksoftheTyphoon,themanatthePequod’sjaw-bonetillerhadseveraltimesbeenreelinglyhurledtothedeckbyitsspasmodicmotionseventhoughpreventertackleshadbeenattachedtoit-fortheywereslack-becausesomeplaytothetillerwasindispensable.
Inaseveregalelikethis,whiletheshipisbutatossedshuttlecocktotheblast,itisbynomeansuncommontoseetheneedlesinthecompasses,atintervals,goroundandround.
ItwasthuswiththePequod’s;atalmosteveryshockthehelmsmanhadnotfailedtonoticethewhirlingvelocitywithwhichtheyrevolveduponthecards;itisasightthathardlyanyonecanbeholdwithoutsomesortofunwontedemotion.
Somehoursaftermidnight,theTyphoonabatedsomuch,thatthroughthestrenuousexertionsofStarbuckandStubb-oneengagedforwardandtheotheraft-theshiveredremnantsofthejibandforeandmain-top-sailswerecutadriftfromthespars,andwenteddyingawaytoleeward,likethefeathersofanalbatross,whichsometimesarecasttothewindswhenthatstorm-tossedbirdisonthewing.
Thethreecorrespondingnewsailswerenowbentandreefed,andastorm-trysailwassetfurtheraft;sothattheshipsoonwentthroughthewaterwithsomeprecisionagain;andthecourse-forthepresent,East-south-east-whichhewastosteer,ifpracticable,wasoncemoregiventothehelmsman.
Forduringtheviolenceofthegale,hehadonlysteeredaccordingtoitsvicissitudes.
Butashewasnowbringingtheshipasnearhercourseaspossible,watchingthecompassmeanwhile,lo!agoodsign!
thewindseemedcomingroundastern;aye,thefoulbreezebecamefair!
Instantlytheyardsweresquared,tothelivelysongof“Ho!thefairwind!oh-ye-hocheerly,men!”
thecrewsingingforjoy,thatsopromisinganeventshouldsosoonhavefalsifiedtheevilportendsprecedingit.
Incompliancewiththestandingorderofhiscommander-toreportimmediately,andatanyoneofthetwenty-fourhours,anydecidedchangeintheaffairsofthedeck,-Starbuckhadnosoonertrimmedtheyardstothebreeze-howeverreluctantlyandgloomily,-thathemechanicallywentbelowtoappriseCaptainAhabofthecircumstance.
Ereknockingathisstate-room,heinvoluntarilypausedbeforeitamoment.
Thecabinlamp-takinglongswingsthiswayandthat-wasburningfitfully,andcastingfitfulshadowsupontheoldman’sbolteddoor,-athinone,withfixedblindsinserted,inplaceofupperpanels.
Theisolatedsubterraneousnessofthecabinmadeacertainhummingsilencetoreignthere,thoughitwashoopedroundbyalltheroaroftheelements.
Theloadedmusketsintherackwereshininglyrevealed,astheystooduprightagainsttheforwardbulkhead.
Starbuckwasanhonest,uprightman;butoutofStarbuck’sheart,atthatinstantwhenhesawthemuskets,therestrangelyevolvedanevilthought;butsoblentwithitsneutralorgoodaccompanimentsthatfortheinstanthehardlyknewitforitself.
“Hewouldhaveshotmeonce,”hemurmured,“yes,there’stheverymusketthathepointedatme;-thatonewiththestuddedlock;letmetouchit-liftit.
Strange,thatI,whohavehandledsomanydeadlylances,strange,thatIshouldshakesonow.Loaded?Imustsee.
Aye,aye;andpowderinthepan;-that’snotgood.Bestspillit?-wait.I’llcuremyselfofthis.
I’llholdthemusketboldlywhileIthink.-Icometoreportafairwindtohim.Buthowfair?
Fairfordeathanddoom,-that’sfairforMobyDick.
It’safairwindthat’sonlyfairforthataccursedfish.-Theverytubehepointedatme!
-theveryone;thisone-Iholdithere;hewouldhavekilledmewiththeverythingIhandlenow.
-Ayeandhewouldfainkillallhiscrew.
Doeshenotsayhewillnotstrikehissparstoanygale?
Hashenotdashedhisheavenlyquadrant?
andinthesesameperilousseas,gropeshenothiswaybymeredeadreckoningoftheerror-aboundinglog?
andinthisveryTyphoon,didhenotswearthathewouldhavenolightning-rods?
Butshallthiscrazedoldmanbetamelysufferedtodragawholeship’scompanydowntodoomwithhim?
-Yes,itwouldmakehimthewilfulmurdererofthirtymenandmore,ifthisshipcometoanydeadlyharm;andcometodeadlyharm,mysoulswearsthisshipwill,ifAhabhavehisway.
If,then,hewerethisinstant-putaside,thatcrimewouldnotbehis.Ha!ishemutteringinhissleep?
Yes,justthere,-inthere,he’ssleeping.Sleeping?
aye,butstillalive,andsoonawakeagain.Ican’twithstandthee,then,oldman.
Notreasoning;notremonstrance;notentreatywiltthouhearkento;allthisthouscornest.
Flatobediencetothyownflatcommands,thisisallthoubreathest.
Aye,andsay’stthemenhavevow’dthyvow;say’stallofusareAhabs.GreatGodforbid!-Butistherenootherway?nolawfulway?-Makehimaprisonertobetakenhome?What!
hopetowrestthisoldman’slivingpowerfromhisownlivinghands?Onlyafoolwouldtryit.
Sayhewerepinionedeven;knottedalloverwithropesandhawsers;chaineddowntoring-boltsonthiscabinfloor;hewouldbemorehideousthanacagedtiger,then.
Icouldnotendurethesight;couldnotpossiblyflyhishowlings;allcomfort,sleepitself,inestimablereasonwouldleavemeonthelongintolerablevoyage.What,then,remains?
Thelandishundredsofleaguesaway,andlockedJapanthenearest.
Istandalonehereuponanopensea,withtwooceansandawholecontinentbetweenmeandlaw.-Aye,aye,‘tisso.
-Isheavenamurdererwhenitslightningstrikesawould-bemurdererinhisbed,tinderingsheetsandskintogether?
-AndwouldIbeamurderer,then,if”-andslowly,stealthily,andhalfsidewayslooking,heplacedtheloadedmusket’sendagainstthedoor.
“Onthislevel,Ahab’shammockswingswithin;hisheadthisway.
Atouch,andStarbuckmaysurvivetohughiswifeandchildagain.-OhMary!Mary!-boy!boy!boy!
-ButifIwaketheenottodeath,oldman,whocantelltowhatunsoundeddeepsStarbuck’sbodythisdayweekmaysink,withallthecrew!GreatGod,whereartThou?ShallI?shallI?
-Thewindhasgonedownandshifted,sir;theforeandmaintopsailsarereefedandset!sheheadshercourse.”
“Sternall!OhMobyDick,Iclutchthyheartatlast!”
Suchwerethesoundsthatnowcamehurtlingfromouttheoldman’stormentedsleep,asifStarbuck’svoicehadcausedthelongdumbdreamtospeak.
Theyetlevelledmusketshooklikeadrunkard’sarmagainstthepanel;Starbuckseemedwrestlingwithanangel,butturningfromthedoor,heplacedthedeath-tubeinitsrack,andlefttheplace.
“He’stoosoundasleep,Mr.Stubb;gothoudown,andwakehim,andtellhim.Imustseetothedeckhere.Thouknow’stwhattosay.”
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