CHAPTER 29 Enter Ahab; to Him, Stubb

Somedayselapsed,andiceandicebergsallastern,thePequodnowwentrollingthroughthebrightQuitospring,which,atsea,almostperpetuallyreignsonthethresholdoftheeternalAugustoftheTropic.Thewarmlycool,clear,ringing,perfumed,overflowing,redundantdays,wereascrystalgobletsofPersiansherbet,heapedup—flakedup,withrosewatersnow.Thestarredandstatelynightsseemedhaughtydamesinjewelledvelvets,nursingathomeinlonelypride,thememoryoftheirabsentconqueringEarls,thegoldenhelmetedsuns!Forsleepingman,'twashardtochoosebetweensuchwinsomedaysandsuchseducingnights.Butallthewitcheriesofthatunwaningweatherdidnotmerelylendnewspellsandpotenciestotheoutwardworld.Inwardtheyturneduponthesoul,especiallywhenthestillmildhoursofevecameon;then,memoryshothercrystalsastheclearicemostformsofnoiselesstwilights.Andallthesesubtleagencies,moreandmoretheywroughtonAhab'stexture.

Oldageisalwayswakeful;asif,thelongerlinkedwithlife,thelessmanhastodowithaughtthatlookslikedeath.Amongsea-commanders,theoldgreybeardswilloftenestleavetheirberthstovisitthenight-cloakeddeck.ItwassowithAhab;onlythatnow,oflate,heseemedsomuchtoliveintheopenair,thattrulyspeaking,hisvisitsweremoretothecabin,thanfromthecabintotheplanks."Itfeelslikegoingdownintoone'stomb,"—hewouldmuttertohimself—"foranoldcaptainlikemetobedescendingthisnarrowscuttle,togotomygrave-dugberth."

So,almosteverytwenty-fourhours,whenthewatchesofthenightwereset,andthebandondecksentinelledtheslumbersofthebandbelow;andwhenifaropewastobehauledupontheforecastle,thesailorsflungitnotrudelydown,asbyday,butwithsomecautiousnessdroptittoitsplaceforfearofdisturbingtheirslumberingshipmates;whenthissortofsteadyquietudewouldbegintoprevail,habitually,thesilentsteersmanwouldwatchthecabin-scuttle;anderelongtheoldmanwouldemerge,grippingattheironbanister,tohelphiscrippledway.Someconsideringtouchofhumanitywasinhim;forattimeslikethese,heusuallyabstainedfrompatrollingthequarter-deck;becausetohisweariedmates,seekingreposewithinsixinchesofhisivoryheel,suchwouldhavebeenthereverberatingcrackanddinofthatbonystep,thattheirdreamswouldhavebeenonthecrunchingteethofsharks.Butonce,themoodwasonhimtoodeepforcommonregardings;andaswithheavy,lumber-likepacehewasmeasuringtheshipfromtaffrailtomainmast,Stubb,theoldsecondmate,cameupfrombelow,withacertainunassured,deprecatinghumorousness,hintedthatifCaptainAhabwaspleasedtowalktheplanks,then,noonecouldsaynay;buttheremightbesomewayofmufflingthenoise;hintingsomethingindistinctlyandhesitatinglyaboutaglobeoftow,andtheinsertionintoit,oftheivoryheel.Ah!Stubb,thoudidstnotknowAhabthen.

"AmIacannon-ball,Stubb,"saidAhab,"thatthouwouldstwadmethatfashion?Butgothyways;Ihadforgot.Belowtothynightlygrave;wheresuchasyesleepbetweenshrouds,touseyetothefillingoneatlast.—Down,dog,andkennel!"

Startingattheunforseenconcludingexclamationofthesosuddenlyscornfuloldman,Stubbwasspeechlessamoment;thensaidexcitedly,"Iamnotusedtobespokentothatway,sir;Idobutlessthanhalflikeit,sir."

"Avast!grittedAhabbetweenhissetteeth,andviolentlymovingaway,asiftoavoidsomepassionatetemptation.

"No,sir;notyet,"saidStubb,emboldened,"Iwillnottamelybecalledadog,sir."

"Thenbecalledtentimesadonkey,andamule,andanass,andbegone,orI'llcleartheworldofthee!"

Ashesaidthis,Ahabadvanceduponhimwithsuchoverbearingterrorsinhisaspect,thatStubbinvoluntarilyretreated.

"Iwasneverservedsobeforewithoutgivingahardblowforit,"mutteredStubb,ashefoundhimselfdescendingthecabin-scuttle."It'sveryqueer.Stop,Stubb;somehow,now,Idon'twellknowwhethertogobackandstrikehim,or—what'sthat?—downhereonmykneesandprayforhim?Yes,thatwasthethoughtcomingupinme;butitwouldbethefirsttimeIeverdidpray.It'squeer;veryqueer;andhe'squeertoo;aye,takehimforeandaft,he'saboutthequeerestoldmanStubbeversailedwith.Howheflashedatme!—hiseyeslikepowder-pans!ishemad?Anywaythere'ssomethingonhismind,assureastheremustbesomethingonadeckwhenitcracks.Heaintinhisbednow,either,morethanthreehoursoutofthetwentyfour;andhedon'tsleepthen.Didn'tthatDoughBoy,thesteward,tellmethatofamorninghealwaysfindstheoldman'shammockclothesallrumpledandtumbled,andthesheetsdownatthefoot,andthecoverlidalmosttiedintoknots,andthepillowasortoffrightfulhot,asthoughabakedbrickhadbeenonit?Ahotoldman!Iguesshe'sgotwhatsomefolksashorecallaconscience;it'sakindofTic-Dolly-rowtheysay—worsenoratoothache.Well,well;Idon'tknowwhatitis,buttheLordkeepmefromcatchingit.He'sfullofriddles;Iwonderwhathegoesintotheafterholdfor,everynight,asDough-Boytellsmehesuspects;what'sthatfor,Ishouldliketoknow?Who'smadeappointmentswithhiminthehold?Ain'tthatqueer,now?Butthere'snotelling,it'stheoldgame—Heregoesforasnooze.Damnme,it'sworthafellow'swhiletobebornintotheworld,ifonlytofallrightasleep.AndnowthatIthinkofit,that'saboutthefirstthingbabiesdo,andthat'sasortofqueer,too.Damnme,butallthingsarequeer,cometothinkof'em.Butthat'sagainstmyprinciples.Thinknot,ismyeleventhcommandment;andsleepwhenyoucan,ismytwelfth—Soheregoesagain.Buthow'sthat?didn'thecallmeadog?blazes!hecalledmetentimesadonkey,andpiledalotofjackassesontopofthat!Hemightaswellhavekickedme,anddonewithit.Maybehedidkickme,andIdidn'tobserveit,Iwassotakenallabackwithhisbrow,somehow.Itflashedlikeableachedbone.Whatthedevil'sthematterwithme?Idon'tstandrightonmylegs.Comingafoulofthatoldmanhasasortofturnedmewrongsideout.BytheLord,Imusthavebeendreaming,though—How?how?how?—buttheonlyway'stostashit;soheregoestohammockagain;andinthemorning,I'llseehowthisplagueyjugglingthinksoverbydaylight."