CHAPTER 28 Ahab

ForseveraldaysafterleavingNantucket,nothingabovehatcheswasseenofCaptainAhab.Thematesregularlyrelievedeachotheratthewatches,andforaughtthatcouldbeseentothecontrary,theyseemedtobetheonlycommandersoftheship;onlytheysometimesissuedfromthecabinwithorderssosuddenandperemptory,thatafterallitwasplaintheybutcommandedvicariously.Yes,theirsupremelordanddictatorwasthere,thoughhithertounseenbyanyeyesnotpermittedtopenetrateintothenowsacredretreatofthecabin.

EverytimeIascendedtothedeckfrommywatchesbelow,Iinstantlygazedafttomarkifanystrangefacewerevisible;formyfirstvaguedisquietudetouchingtheunknowncaptain,nowintheseclusionofthesea,becamealmostaperturbation.ThiswasstrangelyheightenedattimesbytheraggedElijah'sdiabolicalincoherencesuninvitedlyrecurringtome,withasubtleenergyIcouldnothavebeforeconceivedof.ButpoorlycouldIwithstandthem,muchasinothermoodsIwasalmostreadytosmileatthesolemnwhimsicalitiesofthatoutlandishprophetofthewharves.Butwhateveritwasofapprehensivenessoruneasiness—tocallitso—whichIfelt,yetwheneverIcametolookaboutmeintheship,itseemedagainstallwarrantrytocherishsuchemotions.Forthoughtheharpooneers,withthegreatbodyofthecrew,wereafarmorebarbaric,heathenish,andmotleysetthananyofthetamemerchant-shipcompanieswhichmypreviousexperienceshadmademeacquaintedwith,stillIascribedthis—andrightlyascribedit—tothefierceuniquenessoftheverynatureofthatwildScandinavianvocationinwhichIhadsoabandonedlyembarked.Butitwasespeciallytheaspectofthethreechiefofficersoftheship,themates,whichwasmostforciblycalculatedtoallaythesecolourlessmisgivings,andinduceconfidenceandcheerfulnessineverypresentmentofthevoyage.Threebetter,morelikelysea-officersandmen,eachinhisowndifferentway,couldnotreadilybefound,andtheywereeveryoneofthemAmericans;aNantucketer,aVineyarder,aCapeman.Now,itbeingChristmaswhentheshipshotfromoutherharbor,foraspacewehadbitingPolarweather,thoughallthetimerunningawayfromittothesouthward;andbyeverydegreeandminuteoflatitudewhichwesailed,graduallyleavingthatmercilesswinter,andallitsintolerableweatherbehindus.Itwasoneofthoselesslowering,butstillgreyandgloomyenoughmorningsofthetransition,whenwithafairwindtheshipwasrushingthroughthewaterwithavindictivesortofleapingandmelancholyrapidity,thatasImountedtothedeckatthecalloftheforenoonwatch,sosoonasIlevelledmyglancetowardsthetaffrail,forebodingshiversranoverme.Realityoutranapprehension;CaptainAhabstooduponhisquarter-deck.

Thereseemednosignofcommonbodilyillnessabouthim,noroftherecoveryfromany.Helookedlikeamancutawayfromthestake,whenthefirehasoverrunninglywastedallthelimbswithoutconsumingthem,ortakingawayoneparticlefromtheircompactedagedrobustness.Hiswholehigh,broadform,seemedmadeofsolidbronze,andshapedinanunalterablemould,likeCellini'scastPerseus.Threadingitswayoutfromamonghisgreyhairs,andcontinuingrightdownonesideofhistawnyscorchedfaceandneck,tillitdisappearedinhisclothing,yousawaslenderrod-likemark,lividlywhitish.Itresembledthatperpendicularseamsometimesmadeinthestraight,loftytrunkofagreattree,whentheupperlightningtearinglydartsdownit,andwithoutwrenchingasingletwig,peelsandgroovesoutthebarkfromtoptobottom,ererunningoffintothesoil,leavingthetreestillgreenlyalive,butbranded.Whetherthatmarkwasbornwithhim,orwhetheritwasthescarleftbysomedesperatewound,noonecouldcertainlysay.Bysometacitconsent,throughoutthevoyagelittleornoallusionwasmadetoit,especiallybythemates.ButonceTashtego'ssenior,anoldGay-HeadIndianamongthecrew,superstitiouslyassertedthatnottillhewasfullfortyyearsolddidAhabbecomethatwaybranded,andthenitcameuponhim,notinthefuryofanymortalfray,butinanelementalstrifeatsea.Yet,thiswildhintseemedinferentiallynegatived,bywhatagreyManxmaninsinuated,anoldsepulchralman,who,havingneverbeforesailedoutofNantucket,hadnevererethislaideyeuponwildAhab.Nevertheless,theoldseatraditions,theimmemorialcredulities,popularlyinvestedthisoldManxmanwithpreternaturalpowersofdiscernment.SothatnowhitesailorseriouslycontradictedhimwhenhesaidthatifeverCaptainAhabshouldbetranquillylaidout—whichmighthardlycometopass,sohemuttered—then,whoevershoulddothatlastofficeforthedead,wouldfindabirth-markonhimfromcrowntosole.

SopowerfullydidthewholegrimaspectofAhabaffectme,andthelividbrandwhichstreakedit,thatforthefirstfewmomentsIhardlynotedthatnotalittleofthisoverbearinggrimnesswasowingtothebarbaricwhiteleguponwhichhepartlystood.Ithadpreviouslycometomethatthisivoryleghadatseabeenfashionedfromthepolishedboneofthespermwhale'sjaw."Aye,hewasdismastedoffJapan,"saidtheoldGay-HeadIndianonce;"butlikehisdismastedcraft,heshippedanothermastwithoutcominghomeforit.Hehasaquiverof'em."

Iwasstruckwiththesingularposturehemaintained.UponeachsideofthePequod'squarterdeck,andprettyclosetothemizzenshrouds,therewasanaugerhole,boredabouthalfaninchorso,intotheplank.Hisbonelegsteadiedinthathole;onearmelevated,andholdingbyashroud;CaptainAhabstooderect,lookingstraightoutbeyondtheship'sever-pitchingprow.Therewasaninfinityoffirmestfortitude,adeterminate,unsurrenderablewilfulness,inthefixedandfearless,forwarddedicationofthatglance.Notawordhespoke;nordidhisofficerssayaughttohim;thoughbyalltheirminutestgesturesandexpressions,theyplainlyshowedtheuneasy,ifnotpainful,consciousnessofbeingunderatroubledmaster-eye.Andnotonlythat,butmoodystrickenAhabstoodbeforethemwithacrucifixioninhisface;inallthenamelessregaloverbearingdignityofsomemightywoe.

Erelong,fromhisfirstvisitintheair,hewithdrewintohiscabin.Butafterthatmorning,hewaseverydayvisibletothecrew;eitherstandinginhispivothole,orseateduponanivorystoolhehad;orheavilywalkingthedeck.Astheskygrewlessgloomy;indeed,begantogrowalittlegenial,hebecamestilllessandlessarecluse;asif,whentheshiphadsailedfromhome,nothingbutthedeadwintrybleaknessoftheseahadthenkepthimsosecluded.And,byandby,itcametopass,thathewasalmostcontinuallyintheair;but,asyet,forallthathesaid,orperceptiblydid,ontheatlastsunnydeck,heseemedasunnecessarythereasanothermast.ButthePequodwasonlymakingapassagenow;notregularlycruising;nearlyallwhalingpreparativesneedingsupervisionthemateswerefullycompetentto,sothattherewaslittleornothing,outofhimself,toemployorexciteAhab,now;andthuschaseaway,forthatoneinterval,thecloudsthatlayeruponlayerwerepileduponhisbrow,aseverallcloudschoosetheloftiestpeakstopilethemselvesupon.

Nevertheless,erelong,thewarm,warblingpersuasivenessofthepleasant,holidayweatherwecameto,seemedgraduallytocharmhimfromhismood.For,aswhenthered-cheeked,dancinggirls,AprilandMay,triphometothewintry,misanthropicwoods;eventhebarest,ruggedest,mostthunderclovenoldoakwillatleastsendforthsomefewgreensprouts,towelcomesuchglad-heartedvisitants;soAhabdid,intheend,alittlerespondtotheplayfulalluringsofthatgirlishair.Morethanoncedidheputforththefaintblossomofalook,which,inanyotherman,wouldhavesoonfloweredoutinasmile.