English
TheintensePequodsailedon;therollingwavesanddayswentby;thelife-buoy-coffinstilllightlyswung;andanothership,mostmiserablymisnamedtheDelight,wasdescried.
Asshedrewnigh,alleyeswerefixeduponherbroadbeams,calledshears,which,insomewhaling-ships,crossthequarter-deckattheheightofeightorninefeet;servingtocarrythespare,unrigged,ordisabledboats.
Uponthestranger’sshearswerebeheldtheshattered,whiteribs,andsomefewsplinteredplanks,ofwhathadoncebeenawhale-boat;butyounowsawthroughthiswreck,asplainlyasyouseethroughthepeeled,half-unhinged,andbleachingskeletonofahorse.
“HastseentheWhiteWhale?”
“Look!”repliedthehollow-cheekedcaptainfromhistaffrail;andwithhistrumpethepointedtothewreck.
“Hastkilledhim?”
“Theharpoonisnotyetforgedthateverwilldothat,”answeredtheother,sadlyglancinguponaroundedhammockonthedeck,whosegatheredsidessomenoiselesssailorswerebusyinsewingtogether.
“Notforged!”andsnatchingPerth’slevelledironfromthecrotch,Ahabhelditout,exclaiming-“Lookye,Nantucketer;hereinthishandIholdhisdeath!
Temperedinblood,andtemperedbylightningarethesebarbs;andIsweartotemperthemtriplyinthathotplacebehindthefin,wheretheWhiteWhalemostfeelshisaccursedlife!”
“ThenGodkeepthee,oldman-see’stthouthat”-pointingtothehammock-“Iburybutoneoffivestoutmen,whowerealiveonlyyesterday;butweredeaderenight.
OnlythatoneIbury;therestwereburiedbeforetheydied;yousailupontheirtomb.”
Thenturningtohiscrew-“Areyereadythere?
placetheplankthenontherail,andliftthebody;so,then-Oh!
God”-advancingtowardsthehammockwithupliftedhands-“maytheresurrectionandthelife-”
“Braceforward!Uphelm!”criedAhablikelightningtohismen.
ButthesuddenlystartedPequodwasnotquickenoughtoescapethesoundofthesplashthatthecorpsesoonmadeasitstruckthesea;notsoquick,indeed,butthatsomeoftheflyingbubblesmighthavesprinkledherhullwiththeirghostlybaptism.
AsAhabnowglidedfromthedejectedDelight,thestrangelife-buoyhangingatthePequod’ssterncameintoconspicuousrelief.
“Ha!yonder!lookyonder,men!”criedaforebodingvoiceinherwake.“Invain,oh,yestrangers,yeflyoursadburial;yebutturnusyourtaffrailtoshowusyourcoffin!”
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