CHAPTER 129 The Cabin

Ahabmovingtogoondeck;Pipcatcheshimbythehandtofollow.

"Lad,lad,ItelltheethoumustnotfollowAhabnow.ThehouriscomingwhenAhabwouldnotscaretheefromhim,yetwouldnothavetheebyhim.Thereisthatinthee,poorlad,whichIfeeltoocuringtomymalady.Likecureslike;andforthishunt,mymaladybecomesmymostdesiredhealth.Dothouabidebelowhere,wheretheyshallservethee,asifthouwertthecaptain.Aye,lad,thoushaltsithereinmyownscrewedchair;anotherscrewtoit,thoumustbe."

"No,no,no!yehavenotawholebody,sir;doyebutusepoormeforyouronelostleg;onlytreaduponme,sir;Iasknomore,soIremainapartofye."

"Oh!spiteofmillionvillains,thismakesmeabigotinthefadelessfidelityofman!—andablack!andcrazy!—butmethinkslike-cures-likeappliestohimtoo;hegrowssosaneagain."

"Theytellme,sir,thatStubbdidoncedesertpoorlittlePip,whosedrownedbonesnowshowwhite,foralltheblacknessofhislivingskin.ButIwillneverdesertye,sir,asStubbdidhim.Sir,Imustgowithye."

"Ifthouspeakestthustomemuchmore,Ahab'spurposekeelsupinhim.Itelltheeno;itcannotbe."

"Ohgoodmaster,master,master!

"Weepso,andIwillmurderthee!haveacare,forAhabtooismad.Listen,andthouwiltoftenhearmyivoryfootuponthedeck,andstillknowthatIamthere.AndnowIquitthee.Thyhand!—Met!Trueartthou,lad,asthecircumferencetoitscentre.So:Godforeverblessthee;andifitcometothat,—Godforeversavethee,letwhatwillbefall."

(Ahabgoes;Pipstepsonestepforward.)

"Herehethisinstantstood;Istandinhisair,—butI'malone.NowwereevenpoorPiphereIcouldendureit,buthe'smissing.Pip!Pip!Ding,dong,ding!Who'sseenPip?Hemustbeuphere;let'strythedoor.What?neitherlock,norbolt,norbar;andyetthere'snoopeningit.Itmustbethespell;hetoldmetostayhere:Aye,andtoldmethisscrewedchairwasmine.Here,then,I'llseatme,againstthetransom,intheship'sfullmiddle,allherkeelandherthreemastsbeforeme.Here,ouroldsailorssay,intheirblackseventy-foursgreatadmiralssometimessitattable,andlorditoverrowsofcaptainsandlieutenants.Ha!what'sthis?epaulets!epaulets!theepauletsallcomecrowding!Passroundthedecanters;gladtoseeye;fillup,monsieurs!Whatanoddfeeling,now,whenablackboy'shosttowhitemenwithgoldlaceupontheircoats!—Monsieurs,haveyeseenonePip?—alittlenegrolad,fivefeethigh,hang-doglook,andcowardly!Jumpedfromawhale-boatonce;—seenhim?No!Wellthen,fillupagain,captains,andlet'sdrinkshameuponallcowards!Inamenonames.Shameuponthem!Putonefootuponthetable.Shameuponallcowards.—Hist!abovethere,Ihearivory—Oh,master!master!Iamindeeddown-heartedwhenyouwalkoverme.ButhereI'llstay,thoughthissternstrikesrocks;andtheybulgethrough;andoysterscometojoinme."