Мобі Дік

Stubb Kills a Whale

           Asthelinepassedroundandroundtheloggerhead;soalso,justbeforereachingthatpoint,itblisteringlypassedthroughandthroughbothofStubb’shands,fromwhichthehand-cloths,orsquaresofquiltedcanvassometimeswornatthesetimes,hadaccidentallydropped.Itwaslikeholdinganenemy’ssharptwo-edgedswordbytheblade,andthatenemyallthetimestrivingtowrestitoutofyourclutch.

           "Wettheline!wettheline!"criedStubbtothetuboarsman(himseatedbythetub)who,snatchingoffhishat,dashedsea-waterintoit.Moreturnsweretaken,sothatthelinebeganholdingitsplace.Theboatnowflewthroughtheboilingwaterlikeasharkallfins.StubbandTashtegoherechangedplaces—stemforstern—astaggeringbusinesstrulyinthatrockingcommotion.

           Fromthevibratinglineextendingtheentirelengthoftheupperpartoftheboat,andfromitsnowbeingmoretightthanaharpstring,youwouldhavethoughtthecrafthadtwokeels—onecleavingthewater,theothertheair—astheboatchurnedonthroughbothopposingelementsatonce.Acontinualcascadeplayedatthebows;aceaselesswhirlingeddyinherwake;and,attheslightestmotionfromwithin,evenbutofalittlefinger,thevibrating,crackingcraftcantedoverherspasmodicgunwaleintothesea.Thustheyrushed;eachmanwithmightandmainclingingtohisseat,topreventbeingtossedtothefoam;andthetallformofTashtegoatthesteeringoarcrouchingalmostdouble,inordertobringdownhiscentreofgravity.

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