Returning to the Spouter-Inn from the Chapel1, I found Queequeg there quite alone; he having left the Chapel before the benediction2 some time. He was sitting on a bench before the fire, with his feet on the stove hearth3, and in one hand was holding close up to his face that little negro idol4 of his; peering hard into its face, and with a jack-knife gently whittling5 away at its nose, meanwhile humming to himself in his heathenish way.
But being now interrupted, he put up the image; and pretty soon, going to the table, took up a large book there, and placing it on his lap began counting the pages with deliberate regularity6; at every fiftieth page-- as I fancied--stopping for a moment, looking vacantly around him, and giving utterance7 to a long-drawn8 gurgling whistle of astonishment9. He would then begin again at the next fifty; seeming to commence at number one each time, as though he could not count more than fifty, and it was only by such a large number of fifties being found together, that his astonishment at the multitude of pages was excited.
With much interest I sat watching him. Savage10 though he was, and hideously11 marred12 about the face--at least to my taste-- his countenance13 yet had a something in it which was by no means disagreeable. You cannot hide the soul. Through all his unearthly tattooings, I thought I saw the traces of a simple honest heart; and in his large, deep eyes, fiery14 black and bold, there seemed tokens of a spirit that would dare a thousand devils. And besides all this, there was a certain lofty bearing about the Pagan, which even his uncouthness15 could not altogether maim16. He looked like a man who had never cringed and never had had a creditor17. Whether it was, too, that his head being shaved, his forehead was drawn out in freer and brighter relief, and looked more expansive than it otherwise would, this I will not venture to decide; but certain it was his head was phrenologically an excellent one. It may seem ridiculous, but it reminded me of General Washington's head, as seen in the popular busts18 of him. It had the same long regularly graded retreating slope from above the brows, which were likewise very projecting, like two long promontories19 thickly wooded on top. Queequeg was George Washington cannibalistically developed.
Whilst I was thus closely scanning him, half-pretending meanwhile to be looking out at the storm from the casement20, he never heeded21 my presence, never troubled himself with so much as a single glance; but appeared wholly occupied with counting the pages of the marvellous book. Considering how sociably22 we had been sleeping together the night previous, and especially considering the affectionate arm I had found thrown over me upon waking in the morning, I thought this indifference23 of his very strange. But savages24 are strange beings; at times you do not know exactly how to take them. At first they are overawing; their calm self-collectedness of simplicity25 seems as Socratic wisdom. I had noticed also that Queequeg never consorted26 at all, or but very little, with the other seamen27 in the inn. He made no advances whatever; appeared to have no desire to enlarge the circle of his acquaintances. All this struck me as mighty28 singular; yet, upon second thoughts, there was something almost sublime29 in it. Here was a man some twenty thousand miles from home, by the way of Cape30 Horn, that is-- which was the only way he could get there--thrown among people as strange to him as though he were in the planet Jupiter; and yet he seemed entirely31 at his ease; preserving the utmost serenity32; content with his own companionship; always equal to himself. Surely this was a touch of fine philosophy; though no doubt he had never heard there was such a thing as that. But, perhaps, to be true philosophers, we mortals should not be conscious of so living or so striving. So soon as I hear that such or such a man gives himself out for a philosopher, I conclude that, like the dyspeptic old woman, he must have "broken his digester."
As I sat there in that now lonely room; the fire burning low, in that mild stage when, after its first intensity33 has warmed the air, it then only glows to be looked at; the evening shades and phantoms34 gathering35 round the casements36, and peering in upon us silent, solitary37 twain; the storm booming without in solemn swells38; I began to be sensible of strange feelings. I felt a melting in me. No more my splintered heart and maddened hand were turned against the wolfish world. This soothing39 savage had redeemed40 it. There he sat, his very indifference speaking a nature in which there lurked41 no civilized42 hypocrisies43 and bland44 deceits. Wild he was; a very sight of sights to see; yet I began to feel myself mysteriously drawn towards him. And those same things that would have repelled45 most others, they were the very magnets that thus drew me. I'll try a pagan friend, thought I, since Christian46 kindness has proved but hollow courtesy. I drew my bench near him, and made some friendly signs and hints, doing my best to talk with him meanwhile. At first he little noticed these advances; but presently, upon my referring to his last night's hospitalities, he made out to ask me whether we were again to be bedfellows. I told him yes; whereat I thought he looked pleased, perhaps a little complimented.
We then turned over the book together, and I endeavored to explain to him the purpose of the printing, and the meaning of the few pictures that were in it. Thus I soon engaged his interest; and from that we went to jabbering47 the best we could about the various outer sights to be seen in this famous town. Soon I proposed a social smoke; and, producing his pouch49 and tomahawk, he quietly offered me a puff50. And then we sat exchanging puffs51 from that wild pipe of his, and keeping it regularly passing between us.
If there yet lurked any ice of indifference towards me in the Pagan's breast, this pleasant, genial52 smoke we had, soon thawed53 it out, and left us cronies. He seemed to take to me quite as naturally and unbiddenly as I to him; and when our smoke was over, he pressed his forehead against mine, clasped me round the waist, and said that henceforth we were married; meaning, in his country's phrase, that we were bosom54 friends; he would gladly die for me, if need should be. In a countryman, this sudden flame of friendship would have seemed far too premature55, a thing to be much distrusted; but in this simple savage those old rules would not apply.
After supper, and another social chat and smoke, we went to our room together. He made me a present of his embalmed56 head; took out his enormous tobacco wallet, and groping under the tobacco, drew out some thirty dollars in silver; then spreading them on the table, and mechanically dividing them into two equal portions, pushed one of them towards me, and said it was mine. I was going to remonstrate57; but he silenced me by pouring them into my trowsers' pockets. I let them stay. He then went about his evening prayers, took out his idol, and removed the paper firebrand. By certain signs and symptoms, I thought he seemed anxious for me to join him; but well knowing what was to follow, I deliberated a moment whether, in case he invited me, I would comply or otherwise.
I was a good Christian; born and bred in the bosom of the infallible Presbyterian Church. How then could I unite with this wild idolator in worshipping his piece of wood? But what is worship? thought I. Do you suppose now, Ishmael, that the magnanimous God of heaven and earth--pagans and all included--can possibly be jealous of an insignificant58 bit of black wood? Impossible! But what is worship?-- to do the will of God? that is worship. And what is the will of God?-- to do to my fellow man what I would have my fellow man to do to me-- that is the will of God. Now, Queequeg is my fellow man. And what do I wish that this Queequeg would do to me? Why, unite with me in my particular Presbyterian form of worship. Consequently, I must then unite with him in his; ergo, I must turn idolator. So I kindled59 the shavings; helped prop48 up the innocent little idol; offered him burnt biscuit with Queequeg; salamed before him twice or thrice; kissed his nose; and that done, we undressed and went to bed, at peace with our own consciences and all the world. But we did not go to sleep without some little chat.
How it is I know not; but there is no place like a bed for confidential60 disclosures between friends. Man and wife, they say, there open the very bottom of their souls to each other; and some old couples often lie and chat over old times till nearly morning. Thus, then, in our hearts' honeymoon61, lay I and Queequeg-- a cosy62, loving pair.
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1
chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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benediction
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| n.祝福；恩赐 | |
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hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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idol
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| n.偶像，红人，宠儿 | |
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whittling
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| v.切，削（木头），使逐渐变小( whittle的现在分词 ) | |
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regularity
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| n.规律性，规则性；匀称，整齐 | |
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utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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hideously
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| adv.可怕地，非常讨厌地 | |
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marred
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| adj. 被损毁, 污损的 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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uncouthness
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maim
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| v.使残废，使不能工作，使伤残 | |
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creditor
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| n.债仅人，债主，贷方 | |
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busts
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| 半身雕塑像( bust的名词复数 )； 妇女的胸部； 胸围； 突击搜捕 | |
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promontories
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| n.岬，隆起，海角( promontory的名词复数 ) | |
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casement
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| n.竖铰链窗；窗扉 | |
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heeded
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| v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 )；变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sociably
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| adv.成群地 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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consorted
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| v.结伴( consort的过去式和过去分词 )；交往；相称；调和 | |
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seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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serenity
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| n.宁静，沉着，晴朗 | |
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intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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phantoms
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| n.鬼怪，幽灵( phantom的名词复数 ) | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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casements
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| n.窗扉( casement的名词复数 ) | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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swells
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| 增强( swell的第三人称单数 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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redeemed
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| adj. 可赎回的，可救赎的 动词redeem的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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lurked
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| vi.潜伏，埋伏（lurk的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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hypocrisies
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| n.伪善，虚伪( hypocrisy的名词复数 ) | |
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bland
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| adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的 | |
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repelled
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| v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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jabbering
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| v.急切而含混不清地说( jabber的现在分词 )；急促兴奋地说话；结结巴巴 | |
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48
prop
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| vt.支撑；n.支柱，支撑物；支持者，靠山 | |
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49
pouch
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| n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件 | |
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50
puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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51
puffs
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| n.吸( puff的名词复数 )；（烟斗或香烟的）一吸；一缕（烟、蒸汽等）；（呼吸或风的）呼v.使喷出( puff的第三人称单数 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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52
genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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thawed
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| 解冻 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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premature
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| adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的 | |
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56
embalmed
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| adj.用防腐药物保存（尸体）的v.保存（尸体）不腐( embalm的过去式和过去分词 )；使不被遗忘；使充满香气 | |
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remonstrate
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| v.抗议，规劝 | |
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insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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honeymoon
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| n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月 | |
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cosy
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| adj.温暖而舒适的，安逸的 | |
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