THE WHITE WHALE 158 
pictures life. Foremost through the sparkling sea shoots on the gay, 
embattled, bantering how, but only to drag dark Ahab after it, where 
he broods within his sternward cabin, builded over the dead water of 
the wake, and, further on, hunted by its wolfish gurglings. The long 
howl thrills me through ! Peace ! ye revellers, and set the watch ! Oh, 
life ! ’tis in an hour like this, with soul beat down and held to knowledge, 
as wild, untutored things are forced to feel — Oh, life! ’tis now that 
I do feel the latent horror in thee ! but ’tis not I ! that horror’s out of 
me ! and with the soft feeling of the human in me, yet will I try to 
fight ye, ye grim, phantom futures ! Stand by me, hold me, bind me, 
0 ye blessed influences! 
CHAPTEK XXXVIII 
FIRST NIGHT-WATCH 
FORETOP 
( Stubb solus , and mending a brace.) 
Ha ! ha ! ha ! hem ! clear my throat ! — I’ve been thinking over it ever 
since, and that ha-ha’s the final consequence. Why so ? Because a 
laugh’s the wisest, easiest answer to all that’s queer; and come what 
will, one comfort’s always left — that unfailing comfort is, it’s all pre- 
destinated. I heard not all his talk with Starbuck ; but to my poor eye 
Starbuck then looked something as I the other evening felt. Be sure 
the old Mogul has fixed him, too. I twigged it, knew it; had had the 
gift, might readily have prophesied it — for when I clapped my eye 
upon his skull I saw it. Well, Stubb, wise Stubb — that’s my title — 
well, Stubb, what of it, Stubb ? Here’s a carcase. I know not all that 
may be coming, hut be it what it will, I’ll go to it laughing. Such a 
waggish leering as lurks in all your horribles! I feel funny. Fa, 
la, lirra, skirra! What’s my juicy little pear at home doing now? 
Crying its eyes out? — Giving a party to the last arrived harpooneers, 
I dare say, gay as a frigate’s pennant, and so am I — fa, la! lirra, 
skirra ! Oh ! 
