In the tumultuous business of cutting-in and attending to a whale, there is much running backwards1 and forwards among the crew. Now hands are wanted here, and then again hands are wanted there. There is no staying in any one place; for at one and the same time everything has to be done everywhere. It is much the same with him who endeavors the description of the scene. We must now retrace2 our way a little. It was mentioned that upon first breaking ground in the whale's back, the blubber-hook was inserted into the original hole there cut by the spades of the mates. But how did so clumsy and weighty a mass as that same hook get fixed3 in that hole? It was inserted there by my particular friend Queequeg, whose duty it was, as harpooneer, to descend4 upon the monster's back for the special purpose referred to. But in very many cases, circumstances require that the harpooneer shall remain on the whale till the whole tensing or stripping operation is concluded. The whale, be it observed, lies almost entirely5 submerged, excepting the immediate7 parts operated upon. So down there, some ten feet below the level of the deck, the poor harpooneer flounders about, half on the whale and half in the water, as the vast mass revolves8 like a tread-mill beneath him. On the occasion in question, Queequeg figured in the Highland9 costume-- a shirt and socks--in which to my eyes, at least, he appeared to uncommon10 advantage; and no one had a better chance to observe him, as will presently be seen.
Being the savage11's bowsman, that is, the person who pulled the bow-oar in his boat (the second one from forward), it was my cheerful duty to attend upon him while taking that hard-scrabble scramble12 upon the dead whale's back. You have seen Italian organ-boys holding a dancing-ape by a long cord. Just so, from the ship's steep side, did I hold Queequeg down there in the sea, by what is technically13 called in the fishery a monkey-rope, attached to a strong strip of canvas belted round his waist.
It was a humorously perilous14 business for both of us. For, before we proceed further, it must be said that the monkey-rope was fast at both ends; fast to Queequeg's broad canvas belt, and fast to my narrow leather one. So that for better or for worse, we two, for the time, were wedded16; and should poor Queequeg sink to rise no more, then both usage and honor demanded, that instead of cutting the cord, it should drag me down in his wake. So, then, an elongated17 Siamese ligature united us. Queequeg was my own inseparable twin brother; nor could I any way get rid of the dangerous liabilities which the hempen18 bond entailed19.
So strongly and metaphysically did I conceive of my situation then, that while earnestly watching his motions, I seemed distinctly to perceive that my own individuality was now merged6 in a joint20 stock company of two; that my free will had received a mortal wound; and that another's mistake or misfortune might plunge21 innocent me into unmerited disaster and death. Therefore, I saw that here was a sort of interregnum in Providence22; for its even-handed equity23 never could have so gross an injustice24. And yet still further pondering--while I jerked him now and then from between the whale and ship, which would threaten to jam him--still further pondering, I say, I saw that this situation of mine was the precise situation of every mortal that breathes; only, in most cases, he, one way or other, has this Siamese connexion with a plurality of other mortals. If your banker breaks, you snap; if your apothecary25 by mistake sends you poison in your pills, you die. True, you may say that, by exceeding caution, you may possibly escape these and the multitudinous other evil chances of life. But handle Queequeg's monkey-rope heedfully as I would, sometimes he jerked it so, that I came very near sliding overboard. Nor could I possibly forget that, do what I would, I only had the management of one end of it.*
*The monkey-rope is found in all whalers; but it was only in the Pequod that the monkey and his holder26 were ever tied together. This improvement upon the original usage was introduced by no less a man than Stubb, in order to afford to the imperilled harpooneer the strongest possible guarantee for the faithfulness and vigilance of his monkey-rope holder.
I have hinted that I would often jerk poor Queequeg from between the whale and the ship--where he would occasionally fall, from the incessant27 rolling and swaying of both. But this was not the only jamming jeopardy28 he was exposed to. Unappalled by the massacre29 made upon them during the night, the sharks now freshly and more keenly allured30 by the before pent blood which began to flow from the carcass--the rabid creatures swarmed31 round it like bees in a beehive.
And right in among those sharks was Queequeg; who often pushed them aside with his floundering feet. A thing altogether incredible were it not that attracted by such prey32 as a dead whale, the otherwise miscellaneously carnivorous shark will seldom touch a man.
Nevertheless, it may well be believed that since they have such a ravenous33 finger in the pie, it is deemed but wise to look sharp to them. Accordingly, besides the monkey-rope, with which I now and then jerked the poor fellow from too close a vicinity to the maw of what seemed a peculiarly ferocious34 shark--he was provided with still another protection. Suspended over the side in one of the stages, Tashtego and Daggoo continually flourished over his head a couple of keen whale-spades, wherewith they slaughtered35 as many sharks as they could reach. This procedure of theirs, to be sure, was very disinterested36 and benevolent37 of them. They meant Queequeg's best happiness, I admit; but in their hasty zeal38 to befriend him, and from the circumstance that both he and the sharks were at times half hidden by the blood-muddled water, those indiscreet spades of theirs would come nearer amputating a leg than a tall. But poor Queequeg, I suppose, straining and gasping39 there with that great iron hook--poor Queequeg, I suppose, only prayed to his Yojo, and gave up his life into the hands of his gods.
Well, well, my dear comrade and twin-brother, thought I, as I drew in and then slacked off the rope to every swell41 of the sea-- what matters it, after all? Are you not the precious image of each and all of us men in this whaling world? That unsounded ocean you gasp40 in, is Life; those sharks, your foes42; those spades, your friends; and what between sharks and spades you are in a sad pickle43 and peril15, poor lad.
But courage! there is good cheer in store for you, Queequeg. For now, as with blue lips and blood-shot eyes the exhausted44 savage at last climbs up the chains and stands all dripping and involuntarily trembling over the side; the steward45 advances, and with a benevolent, consolatory46 glance hands him--what? Some hot Cognac? No! hands him, ye gods! hands him a cup of tepid47 ginger48 and water!
"Ginger? Do I smell ginger?" suspiciously asked Stubb, coming near. "Yes, this must be ginger," peering into the as yet untasted cup. Then standing49 as if incredulous for a while, he calmly walked towards the astonished steward slowly saying, "Ginger? ginger? and will you have the goodness to tell me, Mr. Dough-Boy, where lies the virtue50 of ginger? Ginger! is ginger the sort of fuel you use, Dough-boy, to kindle51 a fire in this shivering cannibal? Ginger!--what the devil is ginger?-- sea-coal? firewood?--lucifer matches?--tinder?--gunpowder?--what the devil is ginger, I say, that you offer this cup to our poor Queequeg here."
"There is some sneaking52 Temperance Society movement about this business," he suddenly added, now approaching Starbuck, who had just come from forward. "Will you look at that kannakin, sir; smell of it, if you please." Then watching the mate's countenance53, he added, "The steward, Mr. Starbuck, had the face to offer that calomel and jalap to Queequeg, there, this instant off the whale. Is the steward an apothecary, sir? and may I ask whether this is the sort of bitters by which he blows back the life into a half-drowned man?"
"I trust not," said Starbuck, "it is poor stuff enough."
"Aye, aye, steward," cried Stubb, "we'll teach you to drug it harpooneer; none of your apothecary's medicine here; you want to poison us, do ye? You have got out insurances on our lives and want to give way with their oars54, and pocket the proceeds, do ye?"
"It was not me," cried Dough-Boy, "it was Aunt Charity that brought the ginger on board; and bade me never give the harpooneers any spirits, but only this ginger-jub--so she called it."
"Ginger-jub! you gingerly rascal55! take that! and run along with ye to the lockers56, and get something better. I hope I do no wrong, Mr. Starbuck. It is the captain's orders-- grog for the harpooneer on a whale."
"Enough," replied Starbuck, "only don't hit him again, but-"
"Oh, I never hurt when I hit, except when I hit a whale or something of that sort; and this fellow's a weazel. What were you about saying, sir?"
"Only this: go down with him, and get what thou wantest thyself."
When Stubb reappeared, he came with a dark flask57 in one hand, and a sort of tea-caddy in the other. The first contained strong spirits, and was handed to Queequeg; the second was Aunt Charity's gift, and that was freely given to the waves.
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1
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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retrace
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| v.折回；追溯，探源 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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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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merged
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| （使）混合( merge的过去式和过去分词 )； 相融； 融入； 渐渐消失在某物中 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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revolves
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| v.（使）旋转( revolve的第三人称单数 )；细想 | |
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highland
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| n.(pl.)高地，山地 | |
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uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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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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scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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technically
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| adv.专门地，技术上地 | |
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perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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wedded
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| adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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elongated
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| v.延长，加长( elongate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hempen
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| adj. 大麻制的, 大麻的 | |
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entailed
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| 使…成为必要( entail的过去式和过去分词 )； 需要； 限定继承； 使必需 | |
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joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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equity
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| n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票 | |
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injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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apothecary
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| n.药剂师 | |
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holder
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| n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物 | |
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incessant
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| adj.不停的，连续的 | |
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jeopardy
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| n.危险；危难 | |
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massacre
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| n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀 | |
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allured
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| 诱引，吸引( allure的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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swarmed
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| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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ravenous
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| adj.极饿的，贪婪的 | |
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ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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slaughtered
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| v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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disinterested
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| adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的 | |
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benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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42
foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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43
pickle
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| n.腌汁，泡菜；v.腌，泡 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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consolatory
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| adj.慰问的，可藉慰的 | |
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tepid
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| adj.微温的，温热的，不太热心的 | |
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ginger
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| n.姜，精力，淡赤黄色；adj.淡赤黄色的；vt.使活泼，使有生气 | |
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49
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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51
kindle
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| v.点燃，着火 | |
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sneaking
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| a.秘密的，不公开的 | |
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53
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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54
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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55
rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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56
lockers
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| n.寄物柜( locker的名词复数 ) | |
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57
flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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