The Chart

           HadyoufollowedCaptainAhabdownintohiscabinafterthesquallthattookplaceonthenightsucceedingthatwildratificationofhispurposewithhiscrew,youwouldhaveseenhimgotoalockerinthetransom,andbringingoutalargewrinkledrollofyellowishseacharts,spreadthembeforehimonhisscrewed-downtable.Thenseatinghimselfbeforeit,youwouldhaveseenhimintentlystudythevariouslinesandshadingswhichtheremethiseye;andwithslowbutsteadypenciltraceadditionalcoursesoverspacesthatbeforewereblank.Atintervals,hewouldrefertopilesofoldlog-booksbesidehim,whereinweresetdowntheseasonsandplacesinwhich,onvariousformervoyagesofvariousships,spermwhaleshadbeencapturedorseen.

           Whilethusemployed,theheavypewterlampsuspendedinchainsoverhishead,continuallyrockedwiththemotionoftheship,andforeverthrewshiftinggleamsandshadowsoflinesuponhiswrinkledbrow,tillitalmostseemedthatwhilehehimselfwasmarkingoutlinesandcoursesonthewrinkledcharts,someinvisiblepencilwasalsotracinglinesandcoursesuponthedeeplymarkedchartofhisforehead.

           Butitwasnotthisnightinparticularthat,inthesolitudeofhiscabin,Ahabthusponderedoverhischarts.Almosteverynighttheywerebroughtout;almosteverynightsomepencilmarkswereeffaced,andothersweresubstituted.Forwiththechartsofallfouroceansbeforehim,Ahabwasthreadingamazeofcurrentsandeddies,withaviewtothemorecertainaccomplishmentofthatmonomaniacthoughtofhissoul.

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