CHAPTER FOUR The Gold Coin
CHAPTER FOUR
The Gold Coin
The days and nights passed and we went about our business. One of my duties was to stay at the masthead and look out for whales. Our masthead was not closed like a nest; it was open, and in bad weather it was difficult to stay there. One night while I was on the masthead I could see Ahab walking back and forth on the deck. He never seemed to sleep - he just walked, and that night his peg leg made an awful noise. He seemed to be nervous and angry, and I wondered why.
The next morning I found out why. I heard Starbuck call, "All hands on deck!" and the crew rushed onto the deck wondering what had happened.
The moment I saw the captain I knew something was wrong. The pain and anger in Ahab's heart were slowly coming out.
He put his peg leg into the hole in the deck and when he was perfectly balanced he cried out, "Tell me, men! What do you do when you see a whale? " "Shout out, sir!" cried the crew, looking up at the captain.
"Good!" he cried. "Then what? " "We lower the boats and go after him. " Ahab looked at us with fierce satisfaction and suddenly pulled out a large gold coin. "Here is a Spanish gold coin! A sixteen- dollar piece! Do you see it? Mr. Starbuck, give me the hammer!" He placed the shiny gold coin on the main mast and put a nail through it. The big gold coin was now on the mast and shone in the sun.
"Whoever sees the white whale first will get the gold coin," cried Ahab.
"Hurrah!" cried the men.
"Now listen to me! This is not an ordinary white whale. The whale I'm looking for is a white-headed sperm whale with a wrinkled brow and a crooked jaw. There are three holes in its tail and a twisted harpoon in its hump - that's my harpoon!" He paused and looked at our excited faces.
"Remember, it's a white whale I want - white! I must have it! Look carefully for it. Even if you see a bubble of water, shout out! And if it is the whale I'm looking for, the gold coin is yours! " The crew cheered again and stared at the shiny gold coin. "Captain Ahab," said Tashtego, "is that white whale called Moby Dick? " "Yes!" shouted Ahab fiercely. "Do you know the white whale then, Tash? " "Yes," replied Tashtego. "He has a strange way of diving. " "I know him too," said Daggoo. "His spout is big and looks like a fountain. " "I saw him," said Queequeg. "He has many harpoons in his body. " A strange smile crossed Ahab's face, a crazy, evil smile that scared me. "Yes, you've seen him. You've seen Moby Dick! " "Captain Ahab," said Starbuck looking at the captain cautiously, "Wasn't this the whale that took off your leg? " "Who told you that?" asked Ahab, his smile disappearing. "Yes, Starbuck, it was Moby Dick who took off my leg. It was that horrid white whale!" And he let out a cry like a hurt animal.
He lifted his long arms, looked up at the sky and cried, 'I'll chase him around the Cape of Good Hope to Cape Horn - I'll follow him all over the seas of the world, until he spouts black blood!" Fire burned in his eyes and he stared at each one of us.
"This is why you men are here - to chase Moby Dick all over the world and hunt him until he dies. Are you brave enough to do this? Are you with me? " "Yes, we are!" shouted the harpooners and the sailors, who were excited and ready to hunt the terrible beast. "We'll keep a sharp eye and a sharp harpoon as well!" said one of the harpooners.
"God bless you, men!" said Ahab, his voice shaking.
The men cheered but Starbuck did not - his face was grim.
"Why such a sad face, Mr Starbuck? Aren't you brave enough to chase the white whale?" asked Ahab suspiciously.
"Oh," replied Starbuck, "I'm brave enough to face his crooked jaw and the jaws of death, too. But I came on board this ship to hunt all whales, not just one whale. I didn't come here to satisfy my captain's revenge. I came here to hunt whales for their oil. That's my business - whale oil. And I'm here to make money on it. How many barrels of whale oil can we make on only one white whale? " "Money? Is that what's worrying you - money? Oh, my revenge will make me richer here," cried Ahab hitting his chest.
"That whale attacked you because it was his animal instinct, but you want him out of cruelty and revenge. That is madness!" cried Starbuck.
"Madness!" roared Ahab. "Listen to me, man! Moby Dick looks like a stupid animal, but he's not, he's evil - and that is what I hate. " "God help us!" murmured Starbuck.
"Moby Dick is in my mind every moment of the day. He's in my dreams - his existence insults me. I'd strike the sun if it insulted me! White is the color of evil. Ghosts, skeletons, masks - they're all white. Moby Dick's white and he's evil! I'm like a man in prison and he's the wall - the wall that I have to destroy to be free! " The two men stood face to face, and Ahab knew he was stronger. He stepped back slowly and said, "God help us all. " The men of the Pequod were excited and enthusiastic, and felt that Ahab's mission was now their mission. "Mates!" Ahab cried out. "Bring your harpoons to me and cross them. " Starbuck, Stubb and Flask brought their harpoons to cross them in front of Ahab. "Now swear this: Death to Moby Dick! God hunt us all if we don't kill Moby Dick! " Ahab then turned to the harpooners and said, "Now, harpooners, use the heads of your harpoons as cups and drink to the death of Moby Dick. " Before going to his cabin Ahab turned back and said to all of us, "Remember that you have all made a promise. " I trembled at the thought of what had happened. Captain Ahab was madness itself. And we had sworn to his madness.
I, Ishmael, was one of that crew and my shouts had gone up with the rest. I had sworn too.
