英语听书《白鲸记》第302期

 I won't allow it; I won't have my premises¹ spoiled. Go for the locksmith, there's one about a mile from here.  我不许这样做;我不愿意人家糟蹋我的房子。去找个锁匠来,隔开这里一英里来地有个锁匠。

But avast! putting her hand in her side pocket, here's a key that'll fit, I guess; let's see.  不过,慢着!她把手探进她的插袋里,我想,这里会有一把合适的钥匙,我们来试一试。

And with that, she turned it in the lock; but alas²! Queequeg's supplemental bolt remained unwithdrawn within. 说着,她把钥匙插进锁孔转着;可是,天呀!魁魁格打里边把附加的门闩也闩住了。

Have to burst it open, said I, and was running down the entry a little, for a good start, when the landlady³ caught at me,  只有把它撞开了,我说,可是,正当我后退几步,以便着手往前冲的时候,老板娘却一把拉住了我,

again vowing⁴ I should not break down her premises; but I tore from her, and with a sudden bodily rush dashed myself full against the mark. 又赌咒发誓地不许我打烂她的房屋;但是,我甩掉了她,整个身子猛地一冲,对准目标撞去。

With a prodigious⁵ noise the door flew open, and the knob slamming against the wall, sent the plaster to the ceiling;  一阵巨大的声响,那扇门哗啦地开开来了,门把手砰地撞到墙壁,泥灰弹到顶棚上;

and there, good heavens! there sat Queequeg, altogether cool and self-collected;  啊,天啊!魁魁格非常冷静而泰然自若,盘着腿,

right in the middle of the room; squatting⁶ on his hams, and holding Yojo on top of his head.  坐在房间的正中央;双手把约约捧在头顶心上。

He looked neither one way nor the other way but sat like a carved image with scarce a sign of active life. 他既不看这边,也不望那边,坐得象尊雕像,一点生气也没有。

Queequeg, said I, going up to him, Queequeg, what's the matter with you? 魁魁格,我走到他跟前说,魁魁格,你怎么啦?

He hain't been a sittin' so all day, has he? said the landlady. 他不见得这么坐上一整天吧,是吗?老板娘说。

But all we said, not a word could we drag out of him;  但是,随我们说千说万,都套不出他一句话来;

I almost felt like pushing him over, so as to change his position, for it was almost intolerable,  我简直就想把他掀翻在地,好叫他换个姿势,因为这种做法简直是受不了的,

it seemed so painfully and unnaturally⁷ constrained⁸;  看来就是很苦痛而勉强地做出来的;尤其是他已尽了全力这么坐了九。

especially, as in all probability he had been sitting so for upwards⁹ of eight or ten hours, going too without his regular meals. 十个钟头以上,一顿饭也没有吃过。

Mrs. Hussey, said I, he's alive at all events; so leave us, if you please, and I will see to this strange affair myself. 胡赛太太,我说,他总算还活着;因此,你请便吧,让我自己来料理这桩奇事。

1 premises   

n.建筑物，房屋

参考例句：

• According to the rules,no alcohol can be consumed on the premises.按照规定，场内不准饮酒。
• All repairs are done on the premises and not put out.全部修缮都在家里进行，不用送到外面去做。

2 alas   

int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等)

参考例句：

• Alas!The window is broken!哎呀！窗子破了！
• Alas,the truth is less romantic.然而，真理很少带有浪漫色彩。

3 landlady   

n.女房东，女地主

参考例句：

• I heard my landlady creeping stealthily up to my door.我听到我的女房东偷偷地来到我的门前。
• The landlady came over to serve me.女店主过来接待我。

4 vowing   

起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。

5 prodigious   

adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的

参考例句：

• This business generates cash in prodigious amounts.这种业务收益丰厚。
• He impressed all who met him with his prodigious memory.他惊人的记忆力让所有见过他的人都印象深刻。

6 squatting   

v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。

参考例句：

• They ended up squatting in the empty houses on Oxford Road. 他们落得在牛津路偷住空房的境地。
• They've been squatting in an apartment for the past two years. 他们过去两年来一直擅自占用一套公寓。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 unnaturally   

adv.违反习俗地；不自然地；勉强地；不近人情地

参考例句：

• Her voice sounded unnaturally loud. 她的嗓音很响亮，但是有点反常。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her eyes were unnaturally bright. 她的眼睛亮得不自然。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 constrained   

adj.束缚的,节制的

参考例句：

• The evidence was so compelling that he felt constrained to accept it. 证据是那样的令人折服，他觉得不得不接受。
• I feel constrained to write and ask for your forgiveness. 我不得不写信请你原谅。

9 upwards   

adv.向上，在更高处...以上

参考例句：

• The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
• The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。