CHAPTER 5 Breakfast

Iquicklyfollowedsuit,anddescendingintothebar-roomaccostedthegrinninglandlordverypleasantly.Icherishednomalicetowardshim,thoughhehadbeenskylarkingwithmenotalittleinthematterofmybedfellow.

However,agoodlaughisamightygoodthing,andrathertooscarceagoodthing;themore'sthepity.So,ifanyoneman,inhisownproperperson,affordstuffforagoodjoketoanybody,lethimnotbebackward,butlethimcheerfullyallowhimselftospendandbespentinthatway.Andthemanthathasanythingbountifullylaughableabouthim,besurethereismoreinthatmanthanyouperhapsthinkfor.

Thebar-roomwasnowfulloftheboarderswhohadbeendroppinginthenightprevious,andwhomIhadnotasyethadagoodlookat.Theywerenearlyallwhalemen;chiefmates,andsecondmates,andthirdmates,andseacarpenters,andseacoopers,andseablacksmiths,andharpooneers,andshipkeepers;abrownandbrawnycompany,withboskybeards;anunshorn,shaggyset,allwearingmonkeyjacketsformorninggowns.

Youcouldprettyplainlytellhowlongeachonehadbeenashore.Thisyoungfellow'shealthycheekislikeasun-toastedpearinhue,andwouldseemtosmellalmostasmusky;hecannothavebeenthreedayslandedfromhisIndianvoyage.Thatmannexthimlooksafewshadeslighter;youmightsayatouchofsatinwoodisinhim.Inthecomplexionofathirdstilllingersatropictawn,butslightlybleachedwithal;hedoubtlesshastarriedwholeweeksashore.ButwhocouldshowacheeklikeQueequeg?which,barredwithvarioustints,seemedliketheAndes'westernslope,toshowforthinonearray,contrastingclimates,zonebyzone.

"Grub,ho!"nowcriedthelandlord,flingingopenadoor,andinwewenttobreakfast.

Theysaythatmenwhohaveseentheworld,therebybecomequiteateaseinmanner,quiteself-possessedincompany.Notalways,though:Ledyard,thegreatNewEnglandtraveller,andMungoPark,theScotchone;ofallmen,theypossessedtheleastassuranceintheparlor.ButperhapsthemerecrossingofSiberiainasledgedrawnbydogsasLedyarddid,orthetakingalongsolitarywalkonanemptystomach,inthenegroheartofAfrica,whichwasthesumofpoorMungo'sperformances—thiskindoftravel,Isay,maynotbetheverybestmodeofattainingahighsocialpolish.Still,forthemostpart,thatsortofthingistobehadanywhere.

Thesereflectionsjusthereareoccasionedbythecircumstancethatafterwewereallseatedatthetable,andIwaspreparingtohearsomegoodstoriesaboutwhaling;tomynosmallsurprise,nearlyeverymanmaintainedaprofoundsilence.Andnotonlythat,buttheylookedembarrassed.Yes,herewereasetofseadogs,manyofwhomwithouttheslightestbashfulnesshadboardedgreatwhalesonthehighseas—entirestrangerstothem—andduelledthemdeadwithoutwinking;andyet,heretheysatatasocialbreakfasttable—allofthesamecalling,allofkindredtastes—lookingroundassheepishlyateachotherasthoughtheyhadneverbeenoutofsightofsomesheepfoldamongtheGreenMountains.Acurioussight;thesebashfulbears,thesetimidwarriorwhalemen!

ButasforQueequeg—why,Queequegsatthereamongthem—attheheadofthetable,too,itsochanced;ascoolasanicicle.TobesureIcannotsaymuchforhisbreeding.Hisgreatestadmirercouldnothavecordiallyjustifiedhisbringinghisharpoonintobreakfastwithhim,andusingittherewithoutceremony;reachingoverthetablewithit,totheimminentjeopardyofmanyheads,andgrapplingthebeefsteakstowardshim.Butthatwascertainlyverycoollydonebyhim,andeveryoneknowsthatinmostpeople'sestimation,todoanythingcoollyistodoitgenteelly.

WewillnotspeakofallQueequeg'speculiaritieshere;howheeschewedcoffeeandhotrolls,andappliedhisundividedattentiontobeefsteaks,donerare.Enough,thatwhenbreakfastwasoverhewithdrewliketherestintothepublicroom,lightedhistomahawk-pipe,andwassittingtherequietlydigestingandsmokingwithhisinseparablehaton,whenIsalliedoutforastroll.