Suspicion of Being Followed by Elijah
As the pair walk away, the narrator notices Elijah following them at a distance, which sparks vague unease and half-formed apprehensions tied to the Pequod, Ahab, his missing leg, the Cape Horn incident, the silver calabash, Captain Peleg’s prior remarks about Ahab, the squaw Tistig’s prophecy, and their upcoming voyage. The narrator tests whether Elijah is truly following them by retracing their steps, and when Elijah passes without acknowledging them, the narrator concludes he is just a humbug.
第二十章 All Astir.
The chapter opens with intense preparations aboard the Pequod as the ship hurries toward departure, with Captain Peleg keeping watch while Bildad handles all purchasing and provisioning. Workers labor late into the night mending sails, coiling rigging, and loading supplies, while the narrative draws an extended comparison between domestic housekeeping and the far more complex preparations required for a three-year whaling voyage, emphasizing how whaling vessels must carry spare equipment for everything since they cannot resupply at remote harbors. Aunt Charity, Bildad’s indefatigable sister, bustles about the ship ensuring nothing is wanting, appearing with pickles, quills, flannel, and eventually the ominous oil-ladle and lance—provisions for the dangerous work ahead. Throughout these final days, Ishmael and Queequeg visit the ship repeatedly asking after Captain Ahab, receiving assurances that he is recovering and expected daily, yet Ishmael harbors growing unease about committing to a years-long voyage without meeting the man who will hold absolute command, a suspicion he covers up even from himself.
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