Thecoffinlaidupontwoline-tubs,betweenthevice-benchandtheopenhatchway;theCarpentercaulkingitsseams;thestringoftwistedoakumslowlyunwindingfromalargerollofitplacedinthebosomofhisfrock. -Ahabcomesslowlyfromthecabin-gangway,andhearsPipfollowinghim. Backlad;Iwillbewithyeagainpresently.Hegoes!Notthishandcomplieswithmyhumormoregeniallythanthatboy.-Middleaisleofachurch!What’shere?” “Life-buoy,sir.Mr.Starbuck’sorders.Oh,look,sir!Bewarethehatchway!” “Thankye,man.Thycoffinlieshandytothevault.” “Sir?Thehatchway?oh!Soitdoes,sir,soitdoes.” “Artnotthoutheleg-maker?Look,didnotthisstumpcomefromthyshop?” “Ibelieveitdid,sir;doestheferrulestand,sir?” “Wellenough.Butartthounotalsotheundertaker?” “Aye,sir;IpatchedupthisthinghereasacoffinforQueequeg;butthey’vesetmenowtoturningitintosomethingelse.” “Thentellme;artthounotanarrant,all-grasping,intermeddling,monopolizing,heathenisholdscamp,tobeonedaymakinglegs,andthenextdaycoffinstoclapthemin,andyetagainlife-buoysoutofthosesamecoffins? Thouartasunprincipledasthegods,andasmuchofajack-of-all-trades.” “ButIdonotmeananything,sir.IdoasIdo.” “Thegodsagain.Harkye,dostthounoteversingworkingaboutacoffin? TheTitans,theysay,hummedsnatcheswhenchippingoutthecratersforvolcanoes;andthegrave-diggerintheplaysings,spadeinhand.Dostthounever?” Oh,I’mindifferentenough,sir,forthat;butthereasonwhythegrave-diggermademusicmusthavebeenbecausetherewasnoneinhisspade,sir.Butthecaulkingmalletisfullofit.Harktoit.” “Aye,andthat’sbecausethelidthere’sasounding-board;andwhatinallthingsmakesthesounding-boardisthis-there’snaughtbeneath. Andyet,acoffinwithabodyinitringsprettymuchthesame,Carpenter. Hastthoueverhelpedcarryabier,andheardthecoffinknockagainstthechurchyardgate,goingin? “Why,faith,sir,it’sonlyasortofexclamation-like-that’sall,sir.” “Iwasabouttosay,sir,that-” “Artthouasilk-worm?Dostthouspinthyownshroudoutofthyself?Lookatthybosom!Despatch!andgetthesetrapsoutofsight.” “Hegoesaft.Thatwassudden,now;butsquallscomesuddeninhotlatitudes. I’veheardthattheIsleofAlbermarle,oneoftheGallipagos,iscutbytheEquatorrightinthemiddle. SeemstomesomesortofEquatorcutsyonoldman,too,rightinhismiddle. He’salwaysundertheLine-fieryhot,Itellye! He’slookingthisway-come,oakum;quick.Herewegoagain. Thiswoodenmalletisthecork,andI’mtheprofessorofmusicalglasses-tap,tap!” “There’sasight!There’sasound! Thegreyheadedwood-peckertappingthehollowtree! Blindanddumbmightwellbeenviednow.See! thatthingrestsontwoline-tubs,fulloftow-lines.Amostmaliciouswag,thatfellow.Rat-tat!Soman’ssecondstick!Oh!howimmaterialareallmaterials! Whatthingsrealarethere,butimponderablethoughts? Herenow’stheverydreadedsymbolofgrimdeath,byamerehap,madetheexpressivesignofthehelpandhopeofmostendangeredlife.Alife-buoyofacoffin!Doesitgofurther? Canitbethatinsomespiritualsensethecoffinis,afterall,butanimmortality-preserver!I’llthinkofthat.Butno. SofargoneamIinthedarksideofearth,thatitsotherside,thetheoreticbrightone,seemsbutuncertaintwilighttome. Willyeneverhavedone,Carpenter,withthataccursedsound? Igobelow;letmenotseethatthingherewhenIreturnagain. Now,then,Pip,we’lltalkthisover;Idosuckmostwondrousphilosophiesfromthee! Someunknownworldsmustemptyintothee!” 
