English
WhilenowthefatedPequodhadbeensolongafloatthisvoyage,thelogandlinehadbutveryseldombeeninuse.
Owingtoaconfidentrelianceuponothermeansofdeterminingthevessel’splace,somemerchantmen,andmanywhalemen,especiallywhencruising,whollyneglecttoheavethelog;thoughatthesametime,andfrequentlymoreforform’ssakethananythingelse,regularlyputtingdownuponthecustomaryslatethecoursesteeredbytheship,aswellasthepresumedaverageofprogressioneveryhour.IthadbeenthuswiththePequod.
Thewoodenreelandangularlogattachedhung,longuntouched,justbeneaththerailingoftheafterbulwarks.
Rainsandsprayhaddampedit;sunandwindhadwarpedit;alltheelementshadcombinedtorotathingthathungsoidly.
Butheedlessofallthis,hismoodseizedAhab,ashehappenedtoglanceuponthereel,notmanyhoursafterthemagnetscene,andherememberedhowhisquadrantwasnomore,andrecalledhisfranticoathaboutthelevellogandline.
Theshipwassailingplungingly;asternthebillowsrolledinriots.
“Forward,there!Heavethelog!”
Twoseamencame.Thegolden-huedTahitianandthegrizzlyManxman.“Takethereel,oneofye,I’llheave.”
Theywenttowardstheextremestern,ontheship’sleeside,wherethedeck,withtheobliqueenergyofthewind,wasnowalmostdippingintothecreamy,sidelong-rushingsea.
TheManxmantookthereel,andholdingithighup,bytheprojectinghandle-endsofthespindle,roundwhichthespooloflinerevolved,sostoodwiththeangularloghangingdownwards,tillAhabadvancedtohim.
Ahabstoodbeforehim,andwaslightlyunwindingsomethirtyorfortyturnstoformapreliminaryhand-coiltotossoverboard,whentheoldManxman,whowasintentlyeyeingbothhimandtheline,madeboldtospeak.
“Sir,Imistrustit;thislinelooksfargone,longheatandwethavespoiledit.”
”’Twillhold,oldgentleman.Longheatandwet,havetheyspoiledthee?Thouseem’sttohold.Oh,truerperhaps,lifeholdsthee;notthouit.”
“Iholdthespool,sir.Butjustasmycaptainsays.Withthesegreyhairsofmine‘tisnotworthwhiledisputing,‘speciallywithasuperior,who’llne’erconfess.”
“What’sthat?therenow’sapatchedprofessorinQueenNature’sgranite-foundedCollege;butmethinkshe’stoosubservient.Wherewertthouborn?”
“InthelittlerockyIsleofMan,sir.”
“Excellent!Thou’sthittheworldbythat.”
“Iknownot,sir,butIwasbornthere.”
“IntheIsleofMan,hey?Well,theotherway,it’sgood.
Here’samanfromMan;amanborninonceindependentMan,andnowunmannedofMan;whichissuckedin-bywhat?Upwiththereel!
Thedead,blindwallbuttsallinquiringheadsatlast.Upwithit!So.”
Thelogwasheaved.Theloosecoilsrapidlystraightenedoutinalongdragginglineastern,andthen,instantly,thereelbegantowhirl.
Inturn,jerkinglyraisedandloweredbytherollingbillows,thetowingresistanceofthelogcausedtheoldreelmantostaggerstrangely.
“Holdhard!”
Snap!theoverstrainedlinesaggeddowninonelongfestoon;thetugginglogwasgone.
“Icrushthequadrant,thethunderturnstheneedles,andnowthemadseapartsthelog-line.ButAhabcanmendall.
Haulinhere,Tahitian;reelup,Manxman.
Andlookye,letthecarpentermakeanotherlog,andmendthoutheline.Seetoit.”
“Therehegoesnow;tohimnothing’shappened;buttome,theskewerseemslooseningoutofthemiddleoftheworld.Haulin,haulin,Tahitian!
Theselinesrunwhole,andwhirlingout:comeinbroken,anddraggingslow.Ha,Pip?cometohelp;eh,Pip?”
“Pip?whomcallyePip?Pipjumpedfromthewhaleboat.Pip’smissing.
Let’sseenowifyehaven’tfishedhimuphere,fisherman.Itdragshard;Iguesshe’sholdingon.Jerkhim,Tahiti!
Jerkhimoffwehaulinnocowardshere.Ho!there’shisarmjustbreakingwater.Ahatchet!ahatchet!cutitoff-wehaulinnocowardshere.CaptainAhab!sir,sir!
here’sPip,tryingtogetonboardagain.”
“Peace,thoucrazyloon,”criedtheManxman,seizinghimbythearm.“Awayfromthequarter-deck!”
“Thegreateridioteverscoldsthelesser,”mutteredAhab,advancing.“Handsofffromthatholiness!WheresayestthouPipwas,boy?
“Asternthere,sir,astern!Lo!lo!”
“Andwhoartthou,boy?Iseenotmyreflectioninthevacantpupilsofthyeyes.OhGod!thatmanshouldbeathingforimmortalsoulstosievethrough!Whoartthou,boy?”
“Bell-boy,sir;ship’s-crier;ding,dong,ding!Pip!Pip!
OnehundredpoundsofclayrewardforPip;fivefeethigh-lookscowardly-quickestknownbythat!Ding,dong,ding!Who’sseenPipthecoward?”
“Therecanbenoheartsabovethesnow-line.Oh,yefrozenheavens!lookdownhere.
Yedidbegetthislucklesschild,andhaveabandonedhim,yecreativelibertines.
Here,boy;Ahab’scabinshallbePip’shomehenceforth,whileAhablives.
Thoutouchestmyinmostcentre,boy;thouarttiedtomebycordswovenbymyheart-strings.Come,let’sdown.”
“What’sthis?here’svelvetshark-skin,”intentlygazingatAhab’shand,andfeelingit.
“Ah,now,hadpoorPipbutfeltsokindathingasthis,perhapshehadne’erbeenlost!
Thisseemstome,sir,asaman-rope;somethingthatweaksoulsmayholdby.
Oh,sir,letoldPerthnowcomeandrivetthesetwohandstogether;theblackonewiththewhite,forIwillnotletthisgo.”
“Oh,boy,norwillIthee,unlessIshouldtherebydragtheetoworsehorrorsthanarehere.Come,then,tomycabin.Lo!
yebelieversingodsallgoodness,andinmanallill,loyou!
seetheomniscientgodsobliviousofsufferingman;andman,thoughidiotic,andknowingnotwhathedoes,yetfullofthesweetthingsofloveandgratitude.Come!
Ifeelprouderleadingtheebythyblackhand,thanthoughIgraspedanEmperor’s!”
“Theregotwodaftonesnow,”mutteredtheoldManxman.
“Onedaftwithstrength,theotherdaftwithweakness.
Buthere’stheendoftherottenline-alldripping,too.Mendit,eh?
Ithinkwehadbesthaveanewlinealtogether.I’llseeMr.Stubbaboutit.”
Share this article to
FINISH