CHAPTER 23 The Lee Shore

Somechaptersback,oneBulkingtonwasspokenof,atall,newlandedmariner,encounteredinNewBedfordattheinn.

Whenonthatshiveringwinter'snight,thePequodthrusthervindictivebowsintothecoldmaliciouswaves,whoshouldIseestandingatherhelmbutBulkington!Ilookedwithsympatheticaweandfearfulnessupontheman,whoinmid-winterjustlandedfromafouryears'dangerousvoyage,couldsounrestinglypushoffagainforstillanothertempestuousterm.Thelandseemedscorchingtohisfeet.Wonderfullestthingsareevertheunmentionable;deepmemoriesyieldnoepitaphs;thissix-inchchapteristhestonelessgraveofBulkington.Letmeonlysaythatitfaredwithhimaswiththestorm-tossedship,thatmiserablydrivesalongtheleewardland.Theportwouldfaingivesuccor;theportispitiful;intheportissafety,comfort,hearthstone,supper,warmblankets,friends,allthat'skindtoourmortalities.Butinthatgale,theport,theland,isthatship'sdirestjeopardy;shemustflyallhospitality;onetouchofland,thoughitbutgrazethekeel,wouldmakehershudderthroughandthrough.Withallhermightshecrowdsallsailoffshore;insodoing,fights'gainsttheverywindsthatfainwouldblowherhomeward;seeksallthelashedsea'slandlessnessagain;forrefuge'ssakeforlornlyrushingintoperil;heronlyfriendherbitterestfoe!

Knowyenow,Bulkington?Glimpsesdoyeseemtoseeofthatmortallyintolerabletruth;thatalldeep,earnestthinkingisbuttheintrepideffortofthesoultokeeptheopenindependenceofhersea;whilethewildestwindsofheavenandearthconspiretocastheronthetreacherous,slavishshore?

Butasinlandlessnessaloneresideshighesttruth,shoreless,indefiniteasGod—so,betterisittoperishinthathowlinginfinite,thanbeingloriouslydasheduponthelee,evenifthatweresafety!Forworm-like,then,oh!whowouldcravencrawltoland!Terrorsoftheterrible!isallthisagonysovain?Takeheart,takeheart,OBulkington!Beartheegrimly,demigod!Upfromthesprayofthyocean-perishing—straightup,leapsthyapotheosis!