英语听书《白鲸记》第452期

 And though directly from the Latin word for white, all Christian¹ priests derive² the name of one part of their sacred vesture, the alb or tunic³, worn beneath the cassock;  虽则白色这个词儿是直接从拉丁语来的,一切的基督教神甫僧圣们也把他们那穿在法衣下面的一些圣衣都加上白色的称呼,如白麻布僧衣,白色长紧身衣;

and though among the holy pomps of the Romish faith, white is specially⁴ employed in the celebration of the Passion of our Lord;  虽则在神圣。浮夸的罗马教的教条中,白色是特别用以纪念"我主的受难日"的;

though in the Vision of St. John, white robes are given to the redeemed⁵, and the four-and-twenty elders stand clothed in white before the great-white throne, and the Holy One that sitteth there white like wool;  虽则在圣徒约翰的《启示录》中,白袍是专给赎罪的人,专给二十四个穿着白衣。站在伟大的白色宝座前的长老穿的,而且坐在那里的上帝也象羊毛一样白;

yet for all these accumulated associations, with whatever is sweet, and honorable, and sublime⁶, there yet lurks⁷ an elusive⁸ something in the innermost idea of this hue⁹, which strikes more of panic to the soul than that redness which affrights in blood. 然而,尽管有这些累积起来的。不管是快乐的。体面的。还是庄严的联想,但是,在这种颜色的最深切的意想中,却隐藏有一种无从捉摸的东西,这种东西,其令人惊恐的程度,实在远超于赛似鲜血的猩红色。

This elusive quality it is, which causes the thought of whiteness, when divorced from more kindly¹⁰ associations, and coupled with any object terrible in itself, to heighten that terror to the furthest bounds.  正是由于这种无从捉摸的性质,使得人们一旦丢弃那些比较善良的联想,与任何一种可怖的东西联想起来的时候,便会教人一想到白色,不禁越发加深恐怖的程度。

Witness the white bear of the poles, and the white shark of the tropics;  以南北两极的白熊和热带的白鲨鱼为证来说;

what but their smooth, flaky whiteness makes them the transcendent horrors they are?  不正是它们那光滑的。片片的白色,才使得它们比原来格外可怖么?

That ghastly whiteness it is which imparts such an abhorrent¹¹ mildness, even more loathsome¹² than terrific, to the dumb gloating of their aspect.  正是那种如此恶俗的冷冷的苍白色,加上它们那种笨头笨脑。臃臃肿肿的相貌,才不仅令人感到可怕,甚至还更令人嫌恶。

So that not the fierce-fanged tiger in his heraldic coat can so stagger courage as the white-shrouded bear or shark. 所以,象那种全身雪白的熊或者鲨鱼。

1 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

2 derive   

v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自

参考例句：

• We derive our sustenance from the land.我们从土地获取食物。
• We shall derive much benefit from reading good novels.我们将从优秀小说中获得很大好处。

3 tunic   

n.束腰外衣

参考例句：

• The light loose mantle was thrown over his tunic.一件轻质宽大的斗蓬披在上衣外面。
• Your tunic and hose match ill with that jewel,young man.你的外套和裤子跟你那首饰可不相称呢，年轻人。

4 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

5 redeemed   

adj. 可赎回的，可救赎的 动词redeem的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• She has redeemed her pawned jewellery. 她赎回了当掉的珠宝。
• He redeemed his watch from the pawnbroker's. 他从当铺赎回手表。

6 sublime   

adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的

参考例句：

• We should take some time to enjoy the sublime beauty of nature.我们应该花些时间去欣赏大自然的壮丽景象。
• Olympic games play as an important arena to exhibit the sublime idea.奥运会，就是展示此崇高理念的重要舞台。

7 lurks   

n.潜在，潜伏；（lurk的复数形式）vi.潜伏，埋伏（lurk的第三人称单数形式）

参考例句：

• Behind his cool exterior lurks a reckless and frustrated person. 在冷酷的外表背后，他是一个鲁莽又不得志的人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Good fortune lies within Bad, Bad fortune lurks within good. 福兮祸所倚，祸兮福所伏。 来自互联网

8 elusive   

adj.难以表达(捉摸)的；令人困惑的；逃避的

参考例句：

• Try to catch the elusive charm of the original in translation.翻译时设法把握住原文中难以捉摸的风韵。
• Interpol have searched all the corners of the earth for the elusive hijackers.国际刑警组织已在世界各地搜查在逃的飞机劫持者。

9 hue   

n.色度；色调；样子

参考例句：

• The diamond shone with every hue under the sun.金刚石在阳光下放出五颜六色的光芒。
• The same hue will look different in different light.同一颜色在不同的光线下看起来会有所不同。

10 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

11 abhorrent   

adj.可恶的，可恨的，讨厌的

参考例句：

• He is so abhorrent,saying such bullshit to confuse people.他这样乱说，妖言惑众，真是太可恶了。
• The idea of killing animals for food is abhorrent to many people.许多人想到杀生取食就感到憎恶。

12 loathsome   

adj.讨厌的，令人厌恶的

参考例句：

• The witch hid her loathsome face with her hands.巫婆用手掩住她那张令人恶心的脸。
• Some people think that snakes are loathsome creatures.有些人觉得蛇是令人憎恶的动物。