英语听书《白鲸记》第506期

 

　　Ahab well knew that although his friends at home would think little of his entering a boat in certain comparatively harmless vicissitudes¹ of the chase, 亚哈心里很清楚，在一种情况比较稳妥的追击中，

　　for the sake of being near the scene of action and giving his orders in person, 他为了接近现场，便于亲自指挥而下小艇，他家乡的亲友们是不会把它当做一回事的，

　　yet for Captain Ahab to have a boat actually apportioned² to him as a regular headsman in the hunt-- 不过，让亚哈船长有一只实际上为他作经常指挥猎击之用的小艇——

　　above all for Captain Ahab to be supplied with five extra men, 尤其是另外配备五个水手给亚哈船长，

　　as that same boat's crew, he well knew that such generous conceits³ never entered the heads of the owners of the Pequod. 象现在这只小艇的五个水手那样，那他心里也很清楚，这样慷慨的想法，却是“裴廓德号”的老板们从来想都没有想到的。

　　Therefore he had not solicited⁴ a boat's crew from them, nor had he in any way hinted his desires on that head. 因此，他并没有向他们要求过增加五个水手，也没有以任何方式在这方面暗示过他的要求。

　　Nevertheless he had taken private measures of his own touching⁵ all that matter. 然而，他却私自把这些事情都料理好了。

　　Until Cabaco's published discovery, the sailors had little foreseen it, 在卡巴科把他的发现公开出来之前，水手们事先简直没有人料到会有这一着，

　　though to be sure when, after being a little while out of port, 虽然事实上，在船只离开了港埠不久，

　　all hands had concluded the customary business of fitting the whaleboats for service; 大家都把装备小艇的例常工作弄停当后，

　　when some time after this Ahab was now and then found bestirring himself in the matter of making thole-pins with his own hands for what was thought to be one of the spare boats, 隔不多久，人们就不时看到这个亚哈忙着为那只被认为是备用艇的小艇做桨脚，

　　and even solicitously⁶ cutting the small wooden skewers⁷, which when the line is running out are pinned over the groove⁸ in the bow: 甚至还热心地砍着木头小扣针(这是在把捕鲸索撒出去后，用它来把捕鲸索扣在船头的槽沟里的)。

　　when all this was observed in him, and particularly his solicitude⁹ in having an extra coat of sheathing¹⁰ in the bottom of the boat, 大家都看到他在这样忙着，尤其是看到他急于要另搞一副放在艇肚的船底包板，

　　as if to make it better withstand the pointed¹¹ pressure of his ivory limb; 仿佛要使艇肚更经得起他那骨腿的尖端的压力。 

1 vicissitudes   

n.变迁，世事变化；变迁兴衰( vicissitude的名词复数 )；盛衰兴废

参考例句：

• He experienced several great social vicissitudes in his life. 他一生中经历了几次大的社会变迁。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A man used to vicissitudes is not easily dejected. 饱经沧桑，不易沮丧。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 apportioned   

vt.分摊，分配（apportion的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• They apportioned the land among members of the family. 他们把土地分给了家中各人。
• The group leader apportioned them the duties for the week. 组长给他们分派了这星期的任务。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 conceits   

高傲( conceit的名词复数 )； 自以为； 巧妙的词语； 别出心裁的比喻

参考例句：

• He jotted down the conceits of his idle hours. 他记下了闲暇时想到的一些看法。
• The most grotesque fantastic conceits haunted him in his bed at night. 夜晚躺在床上的时候，各种离奇怪诞的幻想纷至沓来。

4 solicited   

v.恳求( solicit的过去式和过去分词 )；（指娼妇）拉客；索求；征求

参考例句：

• He's already solicited their support on health care reform. 他已就医疗改革问题请求他们的支持。 来自辞典例句
• We solicited ideas from Princeton University graduates and under graduates. 我们从普林斯顿大学的毕业生与大学生中征求意见。 来自辞典例句

5 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

6 solicitously   

adv.热心地，热切地

参考例句：

• Eyeing Hung-chien he said solicitously, "Hung-chien, you've lost a lot of weight." 他看了鸿渐一眼，关切的说：“鸿渐兄，你瘦得多了。” 来自汉英文学 - 围城
• To their surprise Hung-chien merely asked Jou-chia solicitously, "Can the wine stains be washed out? 谁知道鸿渐只关切地问柔嘉：“酒渍洗得掉么？ 来自汉英文学 - 围城

7 skewers   

n.串肉扦( skewer的名词复数 )；烤肉扦；棒v.（用串肉扦或类似物）串起，刺穿( skewer的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Damaged skewers and clogged bobbin holder. 木锭子破损，纱管支架底座阻塞。 来自互联网
• I heard you really like mutton skewers and that you can eat 50 at one time. 听说你特别爱吃羊肉串儿，一次能吃五十串儿。 来自互联网

8 groove   

n.沟，槽；凹线，（刻出的）线条，习惯

参考例句：

• They're happy to stay in the same old groove.他们乐于墨守成规。
• The cupboard door slides open along the groove.食橱门沿槽移开。

9 solicitude   

n.焦虑

参考例句：

• Your solicitude was a great consolation to me.你对我的关怀给了我莫大的安慰。
• He is full of tender solicitude towards my sister.他对我妹妹满心牵挂。

10 sheathing   

n.覆盖物，罩子v.将（刀、剑等）插入鞘( sheathe的现在分词 )；包，覆盖

参考例句：

• The effect of nitrogen can be overcome by sheathing the flame in argon. 氮的影响则可以通过用氩气包覆火焰而予以克服。 来自辞典例句
• Sheathing layer: PVC extruded polyethylene or in the form of weaving. 护套层：用聚乙烯或聚氯乙烯挤塑在编织层上而成的。 来自互联网

11 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。