Ahab's Adventure's In Wonderland; or The Rabbit

Chapter Twenty-Three

By the Oak Tree; Starbuck leaning against it.

'My soul is more than matched; she's over-manned; and by a madman! Insufferable sting, that sanity should ground arms on such a field! But he drilled deep down, and blasted all my reason out of me! I think I see his impious end; but feel that I must help him to it. Will I, nill I, the ineffable thing has tied me to him; tows me with a cable I have no knife to cut. Horrible old man! Who's over him, he cries;--aye, he would be a democrat to all above; look, how he lords it over all below! Oh! I plainly see my miserable office,-- to obey, rebelling; and worse yet, to hate with touch of pity! For in his eyes I read some lurid woe would shrivel me up, had I it. Yet is there hope. The hated rabbit has the round green forest to hop in, as the small gold-fish has its glassy globe. His heaven-insulting purpose, God may wedge aside. I would up heart, were it not like lead. But my whole clock's run down; my heart the all-controlling weight, I have no key to lift again.'

[A burst of revelry from the yard.]

'Oh, God! to farm with such aheathen crew that have small touch of human mothers in them! Whelped somewhereby the sharkish sea. The white rabbit is their demigorgon. Hark! the infernalorgies! that revelry is forward! mark the unfaltering silence! Methinks itpictures life. Peace! ye revellers, and set the watch! Oh, life! 'tis in anhour like this, with soul beat down and held to knowledge,-- as wild, untutoredthings are forced to feed--Oh, life! 'tis now that I do feel the latent horrorin thee! but 'tis not me! that horror's out of me, and with the soft feeling ofthe human in me, yet will I try to fight ye, ye grim, phantom futures! Stand byme, hold me, bind me, O ye blessed influences!