英语听书《白鲸记》第68期

 The prospect¹ was unlimited², but exceedingly monotonous³ and forbidding; not the slightest variety that I could see.  船泊在一片浪涛之中，有规律地摇晃着，远处是一望无际的海洋，辽阔而单调，神秘而恐怖。 

Well, what's the report? said Peleg when I came back; what did ye see?  说吧，看见什么？我刚回过身来，他便这样问我。 

Not much, I replied—nothing but water; considerable horizon though, and there's a squall coming up, I think.  大海，辽阔的大海，仅此而已。似乎要起大风了。

Well, what does thou think then of seeing the world? Do ye wish to go round Cape⁴ Horn to see any more of it, eh? Can't ye see the world where you stand?  好了，你现在关于那种见见世面的想法还依旧吗？你刚才看见的不是一种世面吗？

I was a little staggered, but go a-whaling I must, and I would; and the Pequod was as good a ship as any, 我一时竟不知如何回答了。但是我内心中去捕鲸、去随着裴廓德号一起去捕鲸的观念依然十分坚定。 

I thought the best,and all this I now repeated to Peleg. Seeing me so determined⁵, he expressed his willingness to ship me.  法勒船长看出了我的心思，他点了点头。 那好吧，跟我来签约。

And thou mayest as well sign the papers right off, he added,come along with ye. And so saying, he led the way below deck into the cabin.  我跟着他离开甲板，走下了船舱。

Seated on the transom was what seemed to me a most uncommon⁶ and surprising figure.  这时候，我看见了船尾的横木上坐着一个人，他就是比勒达。 使人一见之下，便会留下永不磨灭的印象。 

1 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

2 unlimited   

adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的

参考例句：

• They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
• There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。

3 monotonous   

adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的

参考例句：

• She thought life in the small town was monotonous.她觉得小镇上的生活单调而乏味。
• His articles are fixed in form and monotonous in content.他的文章千篇一律，一个调调儿。

4 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

5 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

6 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。