英语听书《白鲸记》第503期

 　　"Certain. I've lowered for whales from a leaking ship in a gale¹ off Cape² Horn." “当然是，在合恩角海面上，我就曾经在大风里，打一只漏船上放下小艇去捕大鲸。”

　　"Mr. Flask³," said I, turning to little King-Post, who was standing⁴ close by; “弗拉斯克先生，”我又转过头问这个小中柱，他正好站在我旁边；

　　"you are experienced in these things, and I am not. “你对这些事情经验多，我可没有经验。

　　Will you tell me whether it is an unalterable law in this fishery, Mr. Flask,  你可不可以告诉我，这究竟是不是捕鲸业的不变的法律，弗拉斯克先生，

　　for an oarsman to break his own back pulling himself back-foremost into death's jaws⁵?" 竟要一个桨手拚着性命、偷偷摸摸地把自己划到鬼门关里去呢？”

　　"Can't you twist that smaller?" said Flask. "Yes, that's the law. “你不能少乱扯些吗？”弗拉斯克说。“不错，这就是法律。

　　I should like to see a boat's crew backing water up to a whale face foremost. 我倒真想看到整只小艇的水手都把他们自己划到大鲸面前去。

　　Ha, ha! the whale would give them squint⁶ for squint, mind that!" 哈，哈！那么，大鲸就会对他们另眼相看了，一定是这样的！”

　　Here then, from three impartial⁷ witnesses, I had a deliberate statement of the entire case. 那么，从这三个不偏不倚的证人的话里，我对全盘事件已经获得一个慎重的说明了。

　　Considering, therefore, that squalls and capsizings in the water and consequent bivouacks on the deep, 因此，鉴于在海里会碰上刮狂风和翻船以及结果还得在海上露宿的这种生活，

　　were matters of common occurrence in this kind of life; 都不过是家常便饭；

　　considering that at the superlatively critical instant of going on to the whale 鉴于在捕鲸的最紧要关头，

　　I must resign my life into the hands of him who steered the boat--  我必须把我的生命交在那个指挥小艇的人的手里——

　　oftentimes a fellow who at that very moment is in his impetuousness upon the point of scuttling the craft with his own frantic stampings; 而这家伙在这种千钧一发的时分，往往都是脾气很急躁，狂跺着脚拚命催逼船只向前；

　　considering that the particular disaster to our own particular boat was chiefly to be imputed to Starbuck's driving on to his whale almost in the teeth of a squall, 鉴于我们这条小艇的不幸，主要得归之于斯达巴克那种几乎是不顾狂风而猛追大鲸的行动，

　　and considering that Starbuck, notwithstanding, was famous for his great heedfulness in the fishery; 又鉴于斯达巴克，不管怎样，却是在捕鱼界中以极其小心谨慎见称的；

1 gale   

n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等）

参考例句：

• We got our roof blown off in the gale last night.昨夜的大风把我们的房顶给掀掉了。
• According to the weather forecast,there will be a gale tomorrow.据气象台预报，明天有大风。

2 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

3 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。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 jaws   

n.口部；嘴

参考例句：

• The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。
• The scored jaws of a vise help it bite the work. 台钳上有刻痕的虎钳牙帮助它紧咬住工件。

6 squint   

v. 使变斜视眼, 斜视, 眯眼看, 偏移, 窥视; n. 斜视, 斜孔小窗; adj. 斜视的, 斜的

参考例句：

• A squint can sometimes be corrected by an eyepatch. 斜视有时候可以通过戴眼罩来纠正。
• The sun was shinning straight in her eyes which made her squint. 太阳直射着她的眼睛,使她眯起了眼睛。

7 impartial   

adj.(in,to)公正的，无偏见的

参考例句：

• He gave an impartial view of the state of affairs in Ireland.他对爱尔兰的事态发表了公正的看法。
• Careers officers offer impartial advice to all pupils.就业指导员向所有学生提供公正无私的建议。