英语听书《白鲸记》第175期

 What of it, if some old hunks of a sea-captain orders me to get a broom and sweep down the decks?  倘若有个大块头的船长命令我去拿把扫帚来打扫甲板,那又算得什么呢?

What does that indignity¹ amount to, weighed, I mean, in the scales of the New Testament²?  我说,这种羞辱,要是拿到《新约》的天平上去称一称的话,究竟能有多少分量呀?

Do you think the archangel Gabriel thinks anything the less of me, because I promptly³ and respectfully obey that old hunks in that particular instance?  难道说,因为我在这件事情上迅速而尊敬地听从了那个大块头的命令,你就以为迦伯列天使长会瞧不起我吗?

Who ain't a slave?  谁不是奴隶?

Tell me that.  你倒说说看。

Well, then, however the old sea-captains may order me about--however they may thump⁴ and punch me about, I have the satisfaction of knowing that it is all right;  唔,那么,不管那些个老船长怎样把我呼来喝去...不管他们会怎样的捶打我,我还是认为很对,感到心满意足;

that everybody else is one way or other served in much the same way-either in a physical or metaphysical point of view, that is;  反正人人都是这样那样受人奴役的...就是说,从形而下或者形而上的观点上都是受人奴役的;

and so the universal thump is passed round, and all hands should rub each other's shoulder-blades, and be content. 所以,普遍的重击打了一转后,大家又相互拿手摩摩对方的肩胛骨,还是安份些吧。

Again, I always go to sea as a sailor, because they make a point of paying me for my trouble, whereas they never pay passengers a single penny that I ever heard of.  再说,我所以总是出海去当水手,是因为他们必须给我钱来酬劳我的辛苦,我可从来没有听说过他们给船客一个子儿过.

1 indignity   

n.侮辱，伤害尊严，轻蔑

参考例句：

• For more than a year we have suffered the indignity.在一年多的时间里,我们丢尽了丑。
• She was subjected to indignity and humiliation.她受到侮辱和羞辱。

2 testament   

n.遗嘱；证明

参考例句：

• This is his last will and testament.这是他的遗愿和遗嘱。
• It is a testament to the power of political mythology.这说明，编造政治神话可以产生多大的威力。

3 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

4 thump   

v.重击，砰然地响；n.重击，重击声

参考例句：

• The thief hit him a thump on the head.贼在他的头上重击一下。
• The excitement made her heart thump.她兴奋得心怦怦地跳。