英语听书《白鲸记》第340期

 In behalf of the dignity of whaling, I would fain advance naught¹ but substantiated² facts.  为维护捕鲸业的威严起见,我很愿意再提出一些具体的事实来。

But after embattling his facts, an advocate who should wholly suppress a not unreasonable³ surmise⁴, which might tell eloquently⁵ upon his cause 不过把这些事实罗列出来后,辩护者就应该完全不作并非无理的臆测,因为,这对他的事业有很大的影响。

such an advocate, would he not be blame-worthy? 这样一个辩护者,他总不该受责备吧?

It is well known that at the coronation of kings and queens, even modern ones, a certain curious process of seasoning⁶ them for their functions is gone through.  如所周知,国王和女王在加冕的时候(现代也是如此),必须为他们的仪式进行一番奇特的梳妆手续。

There is a saltcellar of state, so called, and there may be a caster of state. How they use the salt, precisely-who knows?  有一种所谓盐缸式的仪式,也可以称之为调味式的仪式。至于他们究竟怎样用盐。谁知道呢?

Certain I am, however, that a king's head is solemnly oiled at his coronation, even as a head of salad.  不过,我可以肯定的是,在国王举行加冕典礼的时候,他的脑袋瓜子,是郑重其事地抹了油,抹得那只脑袋瓜子如同一盆色拉。

Can it be, though, that they anoint it with a view of making its interior run well, as they anoint machinery⁷?  不过,人们是不是可以采用擦机器的办法,把那只脑袋瓜子也抹得它内部可以灵活运转呢?

Much might be ruminated⁸ here, concerning the essential dignity of this regal process,  这里,关于这种庄严的操作法的实在情形,倒是深值玩味的,

because in common life we esteem⁹ but meanly and contemptibly¹⁰ a fellow who anoints his hair, and palpably smells of that anointing.  因为在我们的日常生活中,我们总是把头发抹油,抹得芬香扑鼻的人,看成是一种下贱和无聊的人。

In truth, a mature man who uses hairoil, unless medicinally, that man has probably got a quoggy spot in him somewhere.  事实上,一个使用发油的成年人,除了是医学上的需要外,那个人大概是在头上什么地方长有一块癞疤。

As a general rule, he can't amount to much in his totality. 一般说来,人是不可能十全十美的。

1 naught   

n.无，零 [=nought]

参考例句：

• He sets at naught every convention of society.他轻视所有的社会习俗。
• I hope that all your efforts won't go for naught.我希望你的努力不会毫无结果。

2 substantiated   

v.用事实支持（某主张、说法等），证明，证实( substantiate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The results of the tests substantiated his claims. 这些检验的结果证实了他的说法。
• The statement has never been substantiated. 这一陈述从未得到证实。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 unreasonable   

adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的

参考例句：

• I know that they made the most unreasonable demands on you.我知道他们对你提出了最不合理的要求。
• They spend an unreasonable amount of money on clothes.他们花在衣服上的钱太多了。

4 surmise   

v./n.猜想，推测

参考例句：

• It turned out that my surmise was correct.结果表明我的推测没有错。
• I surmise that he will take the job.我推测他会接受这份工作。

5 eloquently   

adv. 雄辩地(有口才地, 富于表情地)

参考例句：

• I was toasted by him most eloquently at the dinner. 进餐时他口若悬河地向我祝酒。
• The poet eloquently expresses the sense of lost innocence. 诗人动人地表达了失去天真的感觉。

6 seasoning   

n.调味；调味料；增添趣味之物

参考例句：

• Salt is the most common seasoning.盐是最常用的调味品。
• This sauce uses mushroom as its seasoning.这酱油用蘑菇作调料。

7 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

8 ruminated   

v.沉思( ruminate的过去式和过去分词 )；反复考虑；反刍；倒嚼

参考例句：

• In the article she ruminated about what recreations she would have. 她在文章里认真考虑了她应做些什么消遣活动。 来自辞典例句
• He ruminated on his defenses before he should accost her father. 他在与她父亲搭话前，仔细地考虑着他的防范措施。 来自辞典例句

9 esteem   

n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• The veteran worker ranks high in public love and esteem.那位老工人深受大伙的爱戴。

10 contemptibly   

adv.卑鄙地，下贱地

参考例句：

• He isolated himself till the space he filled in the public eye was contemptibly small. 他独来独往，至使他的存在在大伙儿的眼里变得无足轻重。 来自辞典例句