As Queequeg's Ramadan, or Fasting and Humiliation1, was to continue all day, I did not choose to disturb him till towards night-fall; for I cherish the greatest respect towards everybody's religious obligations, never mind how comical, and could not find it in my heart to undervalue even a congregation of ants worshipping a toad-stool; or those other creatures in certain parts of our earth, who with a degree of footmanism quite unprecedented2 in other planets, bow down before the torso of a deceased landed proprietor3 merely on account of the inordinate5 possessions yet owned and rented in his name.
I say, we good Presbyterian Christians6 should be charitable in these things, and not fancy ourselves so vastly superior to other mortals, pagans and what not, because of their half-crazy conceits7 on these subjects. There was Queequeg, now, certainly entertaining the most absurd notions about Yojo and his Ramadan;-- but what of that? Queequeg thought he knew what he was about, I suppose; he seemed to be content; and there let him rest. All our arguing with him would not avail; let him be, I say: and Heaven have mercy on us all--Presbyterians and Pagans alike-- for we are all somehow dreadfully cracked about the head, and sadly need mending.
Towards evening, when I felt assured that all his performances and rituals must be over, I went up to his room and knocked at the door; but no answer. I tried to open it, but it was fastened inside. "Queequeg," said I softly through the key-hole:--all silent. "I say, Queequeg! why don't you speak? It's I--Ishmael." But all remained still as before. I began to grow alarmed. I had allowed him such abundant time; I thought he might have had an apoplectic8 fit. I looked through the key-hole; but the door opening into an odd corner of the room, the key-hole prospect9 was but a crooked10 and sinister11 one. I could only see part of the foot-board of the bed and a line of the wall, but nothing more. I was surprised to behold12 resting against the wall the wooden shaft13 of Queequeg's harpoon14, which the landlady15 the evening previous had taken from him, before our mounting to the chamber16. That's strange, thought I; but at any rate, since the harpoon stands yonder, and he seldom or never goes abroad without it, therefore he must be inside here, and no possible mistake.
"Queequeg!--Queequeg!"--all still. Something must have happened. Apoplexy! I tried to burst open the door; but it stubbornly resisted. Running down stairs, I quickly stated my suspicions to the first person I met--the chamber-maid. "La! la!" she cried, "I thought something must be the matter. I went to make the bed after breakfast, and the door was locked; and not a mouse to be heard; and it's been just so silent ever since. But I thought, may be, you had both gone off and locked your baggage in for safe keeping. La! La, ma'am!--Mistress! murder! Mrs. Hussey! apoplexy!"--and with these cries she ran towards the kitchen, I following.
Mrs. Hussey soon appeared, with a mustard-pot in one hand and a vinegar-cruet in the other, having just broken away from the occupation of attending to the castors, and scolding her little black boy meantime.
"Wood-house!" cried I, "which way to it? Run for God's sake, and fetch something to pry17 open the door--the axe18!--the axe! he's had a stroke; depend upon it!"--and so saying I was unmethodically rushing up stairs again empty-handed, when Mrs. Hussey interposed the mustard-pot and vinegar-cruet, and the entire castor of her countenance19.
"What's the matter with you, young man?"
"Get the axe! For God's sake, run for the doctor, some one, while I pry it open!"
"Look here," said the landlady, quickly putting down the vinegar-cruet, so as to have one hand free; "look here; are you talking about prying20 open any of my doors?"-- and with that she seized my arm. "What's the matter with you? What's the matter with you, shipmate?"
In as calm, but rapid a manner as possible, I gave her to understand the whole case. Unconsciously clapping the vinegar-cruet to one side of her nose, she ruminated21 for an instant; then exclaimed--"No! I haven't seen it since I put it there." Running to a little closet under the landing of the stairs, she glanced in, and returning, told me that Queequeg's harpoon was missing. "He's killed himself," she cried. "It's unfort'nate Stiggs done over again there goes another counterpane--God pity his poor mother!-- it will be the ruin of my house. Has the poor lad a sister? Where's that girl?--there, Betty, go to Snarles the Painter, and tell him to paint me a sign, with--"no suicides permitted here, and no smoking in the parlor;"--might as well kill both birds at once. Kill? The Lord be merciful to his ghost! What's that noise there? You, young man, avast there!"
And running up after me, she caught me as I was again trying to force open the door.
"I won't allow it; I won't have my premises22 spoiled. Go for the locksmith, there's one about a mile from here. But avast!" putting her hand in her side pocket, "here's a key that'll fit, I guess; let's see." And with that, she turned it in the lock; but alas23! Queequeg's supplemental bolt remained unwithdrawn within.
"Have to burst it open," said I, and was running down the entry a little, for a good start, when the landlady caught at me, again vowing24 I should not break down her premises; but I tore from her, and with a sudden bodily rush dashed myself full against the mark.
With a prodigious25 noise the door flew open, and the knob slamming against the wall, sent the plaster to the ceiling; and there, good heavens! there sat Queequeg, altogether cool and self-collected; right in the middle of the room; squatting26 on his hams, and holding Yojo on top of his head. He looked neither one way nor the other way but sat like a carved image with scarce a sign of active life.
"Queequeg," said I, going up to him, "Queequeg, what's the matter with you?"
"He hain't been a sittin' so all day, has he?" said the landlady.
But all we said, not a word could we drag out of him; I almost felt like pushing him over, so as to change his position, for it was almost intolerable, it seemed so painfully and unnaturally27 constrained28; especially, as in all probability he had been sitting so for upwards29 of eight or ten hours, going too without his regular meals.
"Mrs. Hussey," said I, "he's alive at all events; so leave us, if you please, and I will see to this strange affair myself."
Closing the door upon the landlady, I endeavored to prevail upon Queequeg to take a chair; but in vain. There he sat; and all he could do--for all my polite arts and blandishments-- he would not move a peg30, nor say a single word, nor even look at me, nor notice my presence in any the slightest way.
I wonder, thought I, if this can possibly be a part of his Ramadan; do they fast on their hams that way in his native island. It must be so; yes, it's a part of his creed31, I suppose; well, then, let him rest; he'll get up sooner or later, no doubt. It can't last for ever, thank God, and his Ramadan only comes once a year; and I don't believe it's very punctual then.
I went down to supper. After sitting a long time listening to the long stories of some sailors who had just come from a plum-pudding voyage, as they called it (that is, a short whaling-voyage in a schooner32 or brig, confined to the north of the line, in the Atlantic Ocean only); after listening to these plum-puddingers till nearly eleven o'clock, I went up stairs to go to bed, feeling quite sure by this time Queequeg must certainly have brought his Ramadan to a termination. But no; there he was just where I had left him; he had not stirred an inch. I began to grow vexed33 with him; it seemed so downright senseless and insane to be sitting there all day and half the night on his hams in a cold room, holding a piece of wood on his head.
"For heaven's sake, Queequeg, get up and shake yourself; get up and have some supper. You'll starve; you'll kill yourself, Queequeg." But not a word did he reply.
Despairing of him, therefore, I determined34 to go to bed and to sleep; and no doubt, before a great while, he would follow me. But previous to turning in, I took my heavy bearskin jacket, and threw it over him, as it promised to be a very cold night; and he had nothing but his ordinary round jacket on. For some time, do all I would, I could not get into the faintest doze35. I had blown out the candle; and the mere4 thought of Queequeg-- not four feet off--sitting there in that uneasy position, stark36 alone in the cold and dark; this made me really wretched. Think of it; sleeping all night in the same room with a wide awake pagan on his hams in this dreary37, unaccountable Ramadan!
But somehow I dropped off at last, and knew nothing more till break of day; when, looking over the bedside, there squatted38 Queequeg, as if he had been screwed down to the floor. But as soon as the first glimpse of sun entered the window, up he got, with stiff and grating joints39, but with a cheerful look; limped towards me where I lay; pressed his forehead again against mine; and said his Ramadan was over.
Now, as I before hinted, I have no objection to any person's religion, be it what it may, so long as that person does not kill or insult any other person, because that other person don't believe it also. But when a man's religion becomes really frantic40; when it is a positive torment41 to him; and, in fine, makes this earth of ours an uncomfortable inn to lodge42 in; then I think it high time to take that individual aside and argue the point with him.
And just so I now did with Queequeg. "Queequeg," said I, "get into bed now, and lie and listen to me." I then went on, beginning with the rise and progress of the primitive43 religions, and coming down to the various religions of the present time, during which time I labored44 to show Queequeg that all these Lents, Ramadans, and prolonged ham-squattings in cold, cheerless rooms were stark nonsense; bad for the health; useless for the soul; opposed, in short, to the obvious laws of Hygiene45 and common sense. I told him, too, that he being in other things such an extremely sensible and sagacious savage46, it pained me, very badly pained me, to see him now so deplorably foolish about this ridiculous Ramadan of his. Besides, argued I, fasting makes the body cave in; hence the spirit caves in; and all thoughts born of a fast must necessarily be half-starved. This is the reason why most dyspeptic religionists cherish such melancholy47 notions about their hereafters. In one word, Queequeg, said I, rather digressively; hell is an idea first born on an undigested apple-dumpling; and since then perpetuated48 through the hereditary49 dyspepsias nurtured50 by Ramadans.
I then asked Queequeg whether he himself was ever troubled with dyspepsia; expressing the idea very plainly, so that he could take it in. He said no; only upon one memorable51 occasion. It was after a great feast given by his father the king on the gaining of a great battle wherein fifty of the enemy had been killed by about two o'clock in the afternoon, and all cooked and eaten that very evening.
"No more, Queequeg," said I, shuddering52; "that will do;" for I knew the inferences without his further hinting them. I had seen a sailor who had visited that very island, and he told me that it was the custom, when a great battle had been gained there, to barbecue all the slain53 in the yard or garden of the victor; and then, one by one, they were placed in great wooden trenchers, and garnished54 round like a pilau, with breadfruit and cocoanuts; and with some parsley in their mouths, were sent round with the victor's compliments to all his friends, just as though these presents were so many Christmas turkeys.
After all, I do not think that my remarks about religion made much impression upon Queequeg. Because, in the first place, he somehow seemed dull of hearing on that important subject, unless considered from his own point of view; and, in the second place, he did not more than one third understand me, couch my ideas simply as I would; and, finally, he no doubt thought he knew a good deal more about the true religion than I did. He looked at me with a sort of condescending55 concern and compassion56, as though he thought it a great pity that such a sensible young man should be so hopelessly lost to evangelical pagan piety57.
At last we rose and dressed; and Queequeg, taking a prodigiously58 hearty59 breakfast of chowders of all sorts, so that the landlady should not make much profit by reason of his Ramadan, we sallied out to board the Pequod, sauntering along, and picking our teeth with halibut bones.
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1
humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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unprecedented
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| adj.无前例的，新奇的 | |
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proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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inordinate
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| adj.无节制的；过度的 | |
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Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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conceits
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| 高傲( conceit的名词复数 )； 自以为； 巧妙的词语； 别出心裁的比喻 | |
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apoplectic
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| adj.中风的；愤怒的；n.中风患者 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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harpoon
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| n.鱼叉；vt.用鱼叉叉，用鱼叉捕获 | |
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landlady
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| n.女房东，女地主 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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pry
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| vi.窥(刺)探，打听；vt.撬动(开，起) | |
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axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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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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prying
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| adj.爱打听的v.打听，刺探（他人的私事）( pry的现在分词 )；撬开 | |
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ruminated
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| v.沉思( ruminate的过去式和过去分词 )；反复考虑；反刍；倒嚼 | |
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premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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vowing
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式） | |
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prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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26
squatting
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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unnaturally
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| adv.违反习俗地；不自然地；勉强地；不近人情地 | |
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constrained
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| adj.束缚的,节制的 | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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peg
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| n.木栓，木钉；vt.用木钉钉，用短桩固定 | |
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creed
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| n.信条；信念，纲领 | |
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schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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doze
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| v.打瞌睡；n.打盹，假寐 | |
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stark
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| adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地 | |
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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squatted
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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39
joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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43
primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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labored
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| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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hygiene
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| n.健康法，卫生学 （a.hygienic） | |
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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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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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48
perpetuated
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| vt.使永存（perpetuate的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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49
hereditary
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| adj.遗传的，遗传性的，可继承的，世袭的 | |
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50
nurtured
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| 养育( nurture的过去式和过去分词 )； 培育； 滋长； 助长 | |
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51
memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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52
shuddering
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| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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53
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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54
garnished
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| v.给（上餐桌的食物）加装饰( garnish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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55
condescending
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| adj.谦逊的,故意屈尊的 | |
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56
compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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57
piety
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| n.虔诚，虔敬 | |
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prodigiously
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| adv.异常地，惊人地，巨大地 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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