英语听书《白鲸记》第396期

 Another thing. Flask¹ was the last person down at the dinner, and Flask is the first man up. Consider!  还有一桩事情。弗拉斯克是个最后坐下来吃饭,又是最先立起来的人。请想一想吧!

For hereby Flask's dinner was badly jammed in point of time. Starbuck and Stubb both had the start of him; and yet they also have the privilege of lounging in the rear.  这样,弗拉斯克的吃饭,在时间上说来,真是卡得多紧呀。斯达巴克和斯塔布两个都比他先就坐;然而,他们也有懒洋洋地拉在他后面离开饭桌的特权。

If Stubb even, who is but a peg² higher than Flask, happens to have but a small appetite, and soon shows symptoms of concluding his repast, then Flask must bestir himself, he will not get more than three mouthfuls that day;  如果碰上斯塔布那天胃口不佳(可他不过比弗拉斯克高一级而已),马上就要吃好饭的模样,那么,弗拉斯克就得拚命吃得快,那天他就吃不上三大口饭了,

for it is against holy usage for Stubb to precede Flask to the deck.  因为要斯塔布比弗拉斯克先走上甲板,那是有违神圣不可侵犯的常规的。

Therefore it was that Flask once admitted in private, that ever since he had arisen to the dignity of an officer, from that moment he had never known what it was to be otherwise than hungry, more or less.  因此,有一回,弗拉斯克不得不私下承认,说是自从他升上了头目的尊职后,他除了多少觉得有点饿外,从来不知道那尊职有什么意思。

For what he ate did not so much relieve his hunger, as keep it immortal³ in him.  因为他所吃的东西并不很能解决他的饥饿,好象要让饥饿在他肚皮里永垂不朽似的。

Peace and satisfaction, thought Flask, have for ever departed from my stomach.  弗拉斯克心里想,安宁跟满足已经就此跟我的肚皮永别了。

I am an officer; but, how I wish I could fist a bit of old-fashioned beef in the fore-castle, as I used to when I was before the mast.  我是个头目;但是,我可多希望能够在船头楼里,手里捏着一块老牛肉,象我当普通水手时所惯做的那样。

There's the fruits of promotion⁴ now; there's the vanity of glory: there's the insanity⁵ of life!  这就是高升的结果;原来就是一场虚荣;原来就是生的疯狂!

Besides, if it were so that any mere⁶ sailor of the Pequod had a grudge⁷ against Flask in Flask's official capacity, all that sailor had to do,  再说,如果因此而有任何一个"裴廓德号"的水手因弗拉斯克升了官而对他怀恨,

in order to obtain ample vengeance⁸, was to go aft at dinnertime, and get a peep at Flask through the cabin sky-light, sitting silly and dumfoundered before awful Ahab. 要想获得适当的报复的话,那么,那个水手只须在吃饭时候,跑到船尾,朝船长室的天窗偷偷地瞧一下弗拉斯克,看他在令人肃然起敬的亚哈面前,木楞楞地坐在那里的那副神气也就够了。

1 flask   

n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱

参考例句：

• There is some deposit in the bottom of the flask.这只烧杯的底部有些沉淀物。
• He took out a metal flask from a canvas bag.他从帆布包里拿出一个金属瓶子。

2 peg   

n.木栓，木钉；vt.用木钉钉，用短桩固定

参考例句：

• Hang your overcoat on the peg in the hall.把你的大衣挂在门厅的挂衣钩上。
• He hit the peg mightily on the top with a mallet.他用木槌猛敲木栓顶。

3 immortal   

adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的

参考例句：

• The wild cocoa tree is effectively immortal.野生可可树实际上是不会死的。
• The heroes of the people are immortal!人民英雄永垂不朽！

4 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

5 insanity   

n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐

参考例句：

• In his defense he alleged temporary insanity.他伪称一时精神错乱，为自己辩解。
• He remained in his cell,and this visit only increased the belief in his insanity.他依旧还是住在他的地牢里，这次视察只是更加使人相信他是个疯子了。

6 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

7 grudge   

n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做

参考例句：

• I grudge paying so much for such inferior goods.我不愿花这么多钱买次品。
• I do not grudge him his success.我不嫉妒他的成功。

8 vengeance   

n.报复，报仇，复仇

参考例句：

• He swore vengeance against the men who murdered his father.他发誓要向那些杀害他父亲的人报仇。
• For years he brooded vengeance.多年来他一直在盘算报仇。