CHAPTER 26 Knights and Squires

ThechiefmateofthePequodwasStarbuck,anativeofNantucket,andaQuakerbydescent.Hewasalong,earnestman,andthoughbornonanicycoast,seemedwelladaptedtoendurehotlatitudes,hisfleshbeinghardastwice-bakedbiscuit.TransportedtotheIndies,hislivebloodwouldnotspoillikebottledale.Hemusthavebeenborninsometimeofgeneraldroughtandfamine,orupononeofthosefastdaysforwhichhisstateisfamous.Onlysomethirtyaridsummershadheseen;thosesummershaddriedupallhisphysicalsuperfluousness.Butthis,histhinness,sotospeak,seemednomorethetokenofwastinganxietiesandcares,thanitseemedtheindicationofanybodilyblight.Itwasmerelythecondensationoftheman.Hewasbynomeansill-looking;quitethecontrary.Hispuretightskinwasanexcellentfit;andcloselywrappedupinit,andembalmedwithinnerhealthandstrength,likearevivifiedEgyptian,thisStarbuckseemedpreparedtoendureforlongagestocome,andtoendurealways,asnow;forbeitPolarsnowortorridsun,likeapatentchronometer,hisinteriorvitalitywaswarrantedtodowellinallclimates.Lookingintohiseyes,youseemedtoseetheretheyetlingeringimagesofthosethousandfoldperilshehadcalmlyconfrontedthroughlife.Astaid,steadfastman,whoselifeforthemostpartwasatellingpantomimeofaction,andnotatamechapterofsounds.Yet,forallhishardysobrietyandfortitude,therewerecertainqualitiesinhimwhichattimesaffected,andinsomecasesseemedwellnightooverbalancealltherest.Uncommonlyconscientiousforaseaman,andenduedwithadeepnaturalreverence,thewildwaterylonelinessofhislifedidthereforestronglyinclinehimtosuperstition;buttothatsortofsuperstition,whichinsomeorganizationsseemsrathertospring,somehow,fromintelligencethanfromignorance.Outwardportentsandinwardpresentimentswerehis.Andifattimesthesethingsbenttheweldedironofhissoul,muchmoredidhisfar-awaydomesticmemoriesofhisyoungCapewifeandchild,tendtobendhimstillmorefromtheoriginalruggednessofhisnature,andopenhimstillfurthertothoselatentinfluenceswhich,insomehonest-heartedmen,restrainthegushofdare-devildaring,sooftenevincedbyothersinthemoreperilousvicissitudesofthefishery."Iwillhavenomaninmyboat,"saidStarbuck,"whoisnotafraidofawhale."Bythis,heseemedtomean,notonlythatthemostreliableandusefulcouragewasthatwhicharisesfromthefairestimationoftheencounteredperil,butthatanutterlyfearlessmanisafarmoredangerouscomradethanacoward.

"Aye,aye,"saidStubb,thesecondmate,"Starbuck,there,isascarefulamanasyou'llfindanywhereinthisfishery."Butweshallerelongseewhatthatword"careful"preciselymeanswhenusedbyamanlikeStubb,oralmostanyotherwhalehunter.

Starbuckwasnocrusaderafterperils;inhimcouragewasnotasentiment;butathingsimplyusefultohim,andalwaysathanduponallmortallypracticaloccasions.Besides,hethought,perhaps,thatinthisbusinessofwhaling,couragewasoneofthegreatstapleoutfitsoftheship,likeherbeefandherbread,andnottobefoolishlywasted.Whereforehehadnofancyforloweringforwhalesaftersun-down;norforpersistinginfightingafishthattoomuchpersistedifightinghim.For,thoughtStarbuck,Iamhereinthiscriticaloceantokillwhalesformyliving,andnottobekilledbythemfortheirs;andthathundredsofmenhadbeensokilledStarbuckwellknew.Whatdoomwashisownfather's?Where,inthebottomlessdeeps,couldhefindthetornlimbsofhisbrother?

Withmemoriesliketheseinhim,and,moreover,giventoacertainsuperstitiousness,ashasbeensaid;thecourageofthisStarbuckwhichcould,nevertheless,stillflourish,mustindeedhavebeenextreme.Butitwasnotinreasonablenaturethatamansoorganized,andwithsuchterribleexperiencesandremembrancesashehad;itwasnotinnaturethatthesethingsshouldfailinlatentlyengenderinganelementinhim,which,undersuitablecircumstances,wouldbreakoutfromitsconfinement,andburnallhiscourageup.Andbraveashemightbe,itwasthatsortofbraverychiefly,visibleinsomeintrepidmen,which,whilegenerallyabidingfirmintheconflictwithseas,orwinds,orwhales,oanyoftheordinaryirrationalhorrorsoftheworld,yetcannotwithstandthosemoreterrific,becausemorespiritualterrors,whichsometimesmenaceyoufromtheconcentratingbrowofanenragedandmightyman.

Butwerethecomingnarrativetorevealinanyinstance,thecompleteabasementofpoorStarbuck'sfortitude,scarcemightIhavethehearttowriteit;foritisathingmostsorrowful,nayshocking,toexposethefallofvalourinthesoul.Menmayseemdetestableasjointstock-companiesandnations;knaves,fools,andmurdererstheremaybe;menmayhavemeanandmeagrefaces;butman,intheideal,issonobleandsosparkling,suchagrandandglowingcreature,thatoveranyignominiousblemishinhimallhisfellowsshouldruntothrowtheircostliestrobes.Thatimmaculatemanlinesswefeelwithinourselves,sofarwithinus,thatitremainsintactthoughalltheoutercharacterseemgone;bleedswithkeenestanguishattheundrapedspectacleofavalor-ruinedman.Norcanpietyitself,atsuchashamefulsight,completelystifleherupbraidingsagainstthepermittingstars.ButthisaugustdignityItreatof,isnotthedignityofkingsandrobes,butthataboundingdignitywhichhasnorobedinvestiture.Thoushaltseeitshininginthearmthatwieldsapickordrivesaspike;thatdemocraticdignitywhich,onallhands,radiateswithoutendfromGod;Himself!ThegreatGodabsolute!Thecentreandcircumferenceofalldemocracy!Hisomnipresence,ourdivineequality!

If,then,tomeanestmariners,andrenegadesandcastaways,Ishallhereafterascribehighqualities,thoughdark;weaveroundthemtragicgraces;ifeventhemostmournful,perchancethemostabased,amongthemall,shallattimeslifthimselftotheexaltedmounts;ifIshalltouchthatworkman'sarmwithsomeethereallight;ifIshallspreadarainbowoverhisdisastroussetofsun;thenagainstallmortalcriticsbearmeoutinit,thoujustSpiritofEquality,whichhastspreadoneroyalmantleofhumanityoverallmykind!Bearmeoutinit,thougreatdemocraticGod!whodidstnotrefusetotheswartconvict,Bunyan,thepale,poeticpearl;Thouwhodidstclothewithdoublyhammeredleavesoffinestgold,thestumpedandpauperedarmofoldCervantes;ThouwhodidstpickupAndrewJacksonfromthepebbles;whodidsthurlhimuponawar-horse;whodidstthunderhimhigherthanathrone!Thouwho,inallThymighty,earthlymarchings,evercullestThyselectestchampionsfromthekinglycommons;bearmeoutinit,OGod!