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Melville, Herman, 1819-1891

"Moby Dick: or, the White Whale"

--
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."

CHAPTER 124
The Needle

Next morning the not-yet-subsided sea rolled in long slow
billows of mighty bulk, and striving in the Pequod's
gurgling track, pushed her on like giants' palms outspread.
The strong unstaggering breeze abounded so, that sky and air
seemed vast outbellying sails; the whole world boomed before
the wind.


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