CHAPTER 123

  The Musket

  During the most violent shocks of the Typhoon, the man at the

Pequod's jaw-bone tiller had several times been reelingly hurled to

the deck by its spasmodic motions even though preventer tackles had

been attached to it- for they were slack- because some play to the

tiller was indispensable.

  In a severe gale like this, while the ship is but a tossed

shuttlecock to the blast, it is by no means uncommon to see the

needles in the compasses, at intervals, go round and round. It was

thus with the Pequod's; at almost every shock the helmsman had not

failed to notice the whirling velocity with which they revolved upon

the cards; it is a sight that hardly anyone can behold without some

sort of unwonted emotion.

  Some hours after midnight, the Typhoon abated so much, that

through the strenuous exertions of Starbuck and Stubb- one engaged

forward and the other aft- the shivered remnants of the jib and fore

and main-top-sails were cut adrift from the spars, and went eddying

away to leeward, like the feathers of an albatross, which sometimes

are cast to the winds when that storm-tossed bird is on the wing.

  The three corresponding new sails were now bent and reefed, and a

storm-trysail was set further aft; so that the ship soon went

through the water with some precision again; and the course- for the

present, East-south-east- which he was to steer, if practicable, was

once more given to the helmsman. For during the violence of the

gale, he had only steered according to its vicissitudes. But as he was

now bringing the ship as near her course as possible, watching the

compass meanwhile, lo! a good sign! the wind seemed coming round

astern; aye, the foul breeze became fair!

  Instantly the yards were squared, to the lively song of "Ho! the

fair wind! oh-ye-ho cheerly, men!" the crew singing for joy, that so

promising an event should so soon have falsified the evil portends

preceding it.

  In compliance with the standing order of his commander- to report

immediately, and at any one of the twenty-four hours, any decided

change in the affairs of the deck,- Starbuck had no sooner trimmed the

yards to the breeze- however reluctantly and gloomily,- that he

mechanically went below to apprise Captain Ahab of the circumstance.

  Ere knocking at his state-room, he involuntarily paused before it

a moment. The cabin lamp- taking long swings this way and that- was

burning fitfully, and casting fitful shadows upon the old man's bolted

door,- a thin one, with fixed blinds inserted, in place of upper

panels. The isolated subterraneousness of the cabin made a certain

humming silence to reign there, though it was hooped round by all

the roar of the elements. The loaded muskets in the rack were

shiningly revealed, as they stood upright against the forward

bulkhead. Starbuck was an honest, upright man; but out of Starbuck's

heart, at that instant when he saw the muskets, there strangely

evolved an evil thought; but so blent with its neutral or good

accompaniments that for the instant he hardly knew it for itself.

  "He would have shot me once," he murmured, "yes, there's the very

musket that he pointed at me;- that one with the studded lock; let

me touch it- lift it. Strange, that I, who have handled so many deadly

lances, strange, that I should shake so now. Loaded? I must see.

Aye, aye; and powder in the pan;- that's not good. Best spill it?-

wait. I'll cure myself of this. I'll hold the musket boldly while I

think.- I come to report a fair wind to him. But how fair? Fair for

death and doom,- that's fair for Moby Dick. It's a fair wind that's

only fair for that accursed fish.- The very tube he pointed at me!-

the very one; this one- I hold it here; he would have killed me with

the very thing I handle now.- Aye and he would fain kill all his crew.

Does he not say he will not strike his spars to any gale? Has he not

dashed his heavenly quadrant? and in these same perilous seas,

gropes he not his way by mere dead reckoning of the error-abounding

log? and in this very Typhoon, did he not swear that he would have

no lightning-rods? But shall this crazed old man be tamely suffered to

drag a whole ship's company down to doom with him?- Yes, it would make

him the wilful murderer of thirty men and more, if this ship come to

any deadly harm; and come to deadly harm, my soul swears this ship

will, if Ahab have his way. If, then, he were this instant- put aside,

that crime would not be his. Ha! is he muttering in his sleep? Yes,

just there,- in there, he's sleeping. Sleeping? aye, but still

alive, and soon awake again. I can't withstand thee, then, old man.

Not reasoning; not remonstrance; not entreaty wilt thou hearken to;

all this thou scornest. Flat obedience to thy own flat commands,

this is all thou breathest. Aye, and say'st the men have vow'd thy

vow; say'st all of us are Ahabs. Great God forbid!- But is there no

other way? no lawful way?- Make him a prisoner to be taken home? What!

hope to wrest this old man's living power from his own living hands?

Only a fool would try it. Say he were pinioned even; knotted all

over with ropes and hawsers; chained down to ring-bolts on this

cabin floor; he would be more hideous than a caged tiger, then. I

could not endure the sight; could not possibly fly his howlings; all

comfort, sleep itself, inestimable reason would leave me on the long

intolerable voyage. What, then, remains? The land is hundreds of

leagues away, and locked Japan the nearest. I stand alone here upon an

open sea, with two oceans and a whole continent between me and law.-

Aye, aye, 'tis so.- Is heaven a murderer when its lightning strikes

a would-be murderer in his bed, tindering sheets and skin together?-

And would I be a murderer, then, if"- and slowly, stealthily, and half

sideways looking, he placed the loaded musket's end against the door.

  "On this level, Ahab's hammock swings within; his head this way. A

touch, and Starbuck may survive to hug his wife and child again.- Oh

Mary! Mary!- boy! boy! boy!- But if I wake thee not to death, old man,

who can tell to what unsounded deeps Starbuck's body this day week may

sink, with all the crew! Great God, where art Thou? Shall I? shall I?-

The wind has gone down and shifted, sir; the fore and main topsails

are reefed and set! she heads her course."

  "Stern all! Oh Moby Dick, I clutch thy heart at last!"

  Such were the sounds that now came hurtling from out the old man's

tormented sleep, as if Starbuck's voice had caused the long dumb dream

to speak.

  The yet levelled musket shook like a drunkard's arm against the

panel; Starbuck seemed wrestling with an angel, but turning from the

door, he placed the death-tube in its rack, and left the place.

  "He's too sound asleep, Mr. Stubb; go thou down, and wake him, and

tell him. I must see to the deck here. Thou know'st what to say."