英语听书《白鲸记》第472期

 But all these seemed only his casual stopping-places and ocean-inns, so to speak, not his places of prolonged abode¹.  不过,所有这种地方,仿佛都不过是它的偶然的歇脚处或者海洋客店,而不处它的久居之地。

And where Ahab's chances of accomplishing his object have hitherto been spoken of, allusion² has only been made to whatever way-side, antecedent, extra prospects³ were his,  到这里,关于亚哈想到什么地方去完成他那目的已是交代清楚了,还隐约指出,在达到一个特定的时间和地点之前,他有什么碰巧的。

ere a particular set time or place were attained⁴, when all possibilities would become probabilities, and, as Ahab fondly thought, every possibility the next thing to a certainty.  已有先例可循的。额外的前景。亚哈总喜欢认为,如果一切的可能性都可以成为盖然性,那么每一个可能性就几乎是等于必然性了。

That particular set time and place were conjoined in the one technical phrase-the Season-on-the-Line.  所谓特定的时间和地点,是跟那句术语"赤道线上的当令季节"相结合的。

For there and then, for several consecutive⁵ years, Moby Dick had been periodically descried⁶, lingering in those waters for awhile, as the sun, in its annual round, loiters for a predicted interval⁷ in any one sign of the Zodiac.  因为在当时当地,连续好几年来,人们都定期发现莫比－迪克在这种海面上留连一阵,如象一年一转的太阳,总预先在黄道带上耽搁一会儿那样。

There it was, too, that most of the deadly encounters with the white whale had taken place;  这种地方,也大多是白鲸跟追击者进行生死搏斗的地方;

there the waves were storied with his deeds; there also was that tragic⁸ spot where the monomaniac old man had found the awful motive⁹ to his vengeance¹⁰.  在这种地方,波涛都刻记了它的许多业绩;这种地方,也就是这个害偏热症的老人产生了他那怕人的报仇动机的悲剧地点。

But in the cautious comprehensiveness and unloitering vigilance with which Ahab threw his brooding soul into this unfaltering hunt, he would not permit himself to rest all his hopes upon the one crowning fact above mentioned, however flattering it might be to those hopes;  但是,亚哈虽然具有慎重的理解力和警惕不懈的精神,处心积虑地想干这种专心一意的猎击,他却还是不会把一切希望都寄托在上述的主要事实上,不论这种事实对那些希望说来,具有多大成功的可能;

nor in the sleeplessness¹¹ of his vow¹² could he so tranquillize his unquiet heart as to postpone¹³ all intervening quest. 他的信誓旦旦也无法教他那不安的心灵会镇定得把一切幸遇的搜索都耽延了的。

1 abode   

n.住处，住所

参考例句：

• It was ten months before my father discovered his abode.父亲花了十个月的功夫，才好不容易打听到他的住处。
• Welcome to our humble abode!欢迎光临寒舍！

2 allusion   

n.暗示，间接提示

参考例句：

• He made an allusion to a secret plan in his speech.在讲话中他暗示有一项秘密计划。
• She made no allusion to the incident.她没有提及那个事件。

3 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

4 attained   

（通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况）

参考例句：

• She has attained the degree of Master of Arts. 她已获得文学硕士学位。
• Lu Hsun attained a high position in the republic of letters. 鲁迅在文坛上获得崇高的地位。

5 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

6 descried   

adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的

参考例句：

• He descried an island far away on the horizon. 他看到遥远的地平线上有个岛屿。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• At length we descried a light and a roof. 终于，我们远远看见了一点灯光，一所孤舍。 来自辞典例句

7 interval   

n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息

参考例句：

• The interval between the two trees measures 40 feet.这两棵树的间隔是40英尺。
• There was a long interval before he anwsered the telephone.隔了好久他才回了电话。

8 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

9 motive   

n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的

参考例句：

• The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
• He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

10 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。

11 sleeplessness   

n.失眠，警觉

参考例句：

• Modern pharmacy has solved the problem of sleeplessness. 现代制药学已经解决了失眠问题。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The doctors were puzzled by this strange continuous sleeplessness. 医生们对他的奇异的不眠感到疑惑。 来自英语晨读30分（高三）

12 vow   

n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓

参考例句：

• My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
• I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

13 postpone   

v.延期，推迟

参考例句：

• I shall postpone making a decision till I learn full particulars.在未获悉详情之前我得从缓作出决定。
• She decided to postpone the converastion for that evening.她决定当天晚上把谈话搁一搁。