 such times are evanescent. The permanent
constitutional condition of the manufactured man, thought Ahab, is sordidness.
Granting that the White Whale fully incites the hearts of this my savage crew,
and playing round their savageness even breeds a certain generous
knight-errantism in them, still, while for the love of it they give chase to
Moby-Dick, they must also have food for their more common, daily appetites. For
even the high lifted and chivalric Crusaders of old times were not content to
traverse two thousand miles of land to fight for their holy sepulchre, without
committing burglaries, picking pockets, and gaining other pious perquisites by
the way. Had they been strictly held to their one final and romantic object -
that final and romantic object, too many would have turned from in disgust. I
will not strip these men, thought Ahab, of all hopes of cash - ay, cash. They
may scorn cash now; but let some months go by, and no perspective promise of it
to them, and then this same quiescent cash all at once mutinying in them, this
same cash would soon cashier Ahab.
    Nor was there wanting still another precautionary motive more related to
Ahab personally. Having impulsively, it is probable, and perhaps somewhat
prematurely revealed the prime but private purpose of the Pequod's voyage, Ahab
was now entirely conscious that, in so doing, he had indirectly laid himself
open to the unanswerable charge of usurpation; and with perfect impunity, both
moral and legal, his crew if so disposed, and to that end competent, could
refuse all further obedience to him, and even violently wrest from him the
command. From even the barely hinted imputation of usurpation, and the possible
consequences of such a suppressed impression gaining ground, Ahab must of course
have been most anxious to protect himself. That protection could only consist in
his own predominating brain and heart and hand, backed by a heedful, closely
calculating attention to every minute atmospheric influence which it was
possible for his crew to be subjected to.
    For all these reasons then, and others perhaps too analytic to be verbally
developed here, Ahab plainly saw that he must still in a good degree continue
true to the natural, nominal purpose of the Pequod's voyage; observe all
customary usages; and not only that, but force himself to evince all his
well-known passionate interest in the general pursuit of his profession.
    Be all this as it may, his voice was now often heard hailing the three
mast-heads and admonishing them to keep a bright look-out, and not omit
reporting even a porpoise.
