英语听书《白鲸记》第240期

 Frighted Jonah trembles. and summoning all his boldness to his face, only looks so much the more a coward.  胆战心惊的约拿发抖了,他虽然脸上拼命装得很大胆,却更显得他是个胆小鬼。

He will not confess himself suspected; but that itself is strong suspicion.  虽然他还不肯承认人家怀疑他了,但是,他那副样子就是叫人怀疑的充分证据。

So he makes the best of it; and when the sailors find him not to be the man that is advertised, they let him pass, and he descends¹ into the cabin. 他就这样拼命装模作样;等到水手们认为他并不是那张告示上要捉拿的人时,他们也就让他走过去,下到舱里去了。

Who's there?cries the Captain at his busy desk, hurriedly making out his papers for the Customs-Who's there? 谁呀?,那个正在写字台边忙着的船长嚷道,他正在匆忙填写关单...谁呀?

Oh! how that harmless question mangles² Jonah! For the instant he almost turns to flee again. But he rallies. 啊,这句毫无恶意的问话可把约拿吓得多厉害!当时他几乎就要转身溜了。但是,他总算鼓足了勇气。

I seek a passage in this ship to Tarshish; how soon sail ye, sir? 我想乘这只船到他施去,请问多久才开船,先生?

Thus far the busy Captain had not looked up to Jonah, though the man now stands before him; but no sooner does he hear that hollow voice, than he darts³ a scrutinizing⁴ glance. 直到那时,那个忙得团团转的船长还没有抬起头来看他,虽然约拿就正站在他面前;但是,他一听到那种虚伪的声音,就连忙抬起头来仔细一看。

We sail with the next coming tide,at last he slowly answered, still intently eyeing him.  潮水一涨我们就开船,最后他慢吞吞地答道,眼睛还是盯着他看。

No sooner, sir?Soon enough for any honest man that goes a passenger.Ha!Jonah, that's another stab.  不能再早些开么,先生?对于任何一个正当的旅客说来,这已经是够早的了。哈!约拿呀,这又是暗箭一支。

But he swiftly calls away the Captain from that scent⁵.I'll sail with ye,he says,the passage money how much is that? 但是,他赶紧引开船长的嗅觉。我就乘你的船吧...他说...票价,要多少钱?

I'll pay now.For it is particularly written, shipmates, as if it were a thing not to be overlooked in this history, that he paid the fare thereof' ere the craft did sail.  我现在就付。因为这是特别写在《圣经》上的,船友们,仿佛它是这个故事所不能忽略的东西,在开船前,他就给了船钱,上了船。

1 descends   

v.下来( descend的第三人称单数 )；下去；下降；下斜

参考例句：

• This festival descends from a religious rite. 这个节日起源于宗教仪式。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The path descends steeply to the village. 小路陡直而下直到村子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 mangles   

n.轧布机，轧板机，碾压机（mangle的复数形式）vt.乱砍（mangle的第三人称单数形式）

参考例句：

• This mangles their bones and sends these defenseless creatures into convulsions, but rarely causes immediate death. 这些会弄断动物的骨头或神经，导致他们抽搐，但并不会导致他们立即死亡。 来自互联网

3 darts   

n.掷飞镖游戏；飞镖( dart的名词复数 )；急驰，飞奔v.投掷，投射( dart的第三人称单数 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• His darts trophy takes pride of place on the mantelpiece. 他将掷镖奖杯放在壁炉顶上最显著的地方。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I never saw so many darts in a bodice! 我从没见过紧身胸衣上纳了这么多的缝褶！ 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 scrutinizing   

v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• His grandfather's stern eyes were scrutinizing him, and Chueh-hui felt his face reddening. 祖父的严厉的眼光射在他的脸上。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
• The machine hushed, extraction and injection nozzles poised, scrutinizing its targets. 机器“嘘”地一声静了下来，输入输出管道各就各位，检查着它的目标。 来自互联网

5 scent   

n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉

参考例句：

• The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
• The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。