英语听书《白鲸记》第521期

 　　Besides, the English whalers sometimes affect a kind of metropolitan¹ superiority over the American whalers; 此外，英国的捕鲸者往往要装出一副比美国捕鲸者优越的大都市气派，

　　regarding the long, lean Nantucketer, with his nondescript provincialisms, as a sort of sea-peasant. 把那种带着形容不出的乡土气的瘦长的南塔开特人，看做是一种水上农民。

　　But where this superiority in the English whaleman does really consist, it would be hard to say, 但是，究竟英国的捕鲸者有些什么可称优越的地方，也很难说，

　　seeing that the Yankees in one day, collectively, kill more whales than all the English, collectively, in ten years.  因为扬基们一天里总共所打的鲸，可就超过英国人十年所打的总数。

　　But this is a harmless little foible in the English whale-hunters, which the Nantucketer does not take much to heart; 不过，英国捕鲸者这种关系不大的小缺点，南塔开特人倒也不很计较；

　　probably, because he knows that he has a few foibles himself. 大概是因为南塔开特人也知道他们自己有些缺点吧。

　　So, then, we see that of all ships separately sailing the sea, the whalers have most reason to be sociable--and they are so.  那么，我们就此可以看到，在一切航行于海洋上的各种船只中，捕鲸船应该算是最讲交情的了——事实上，它们也是这样。

　　Whereas, some merchant ships crossing each other's wake in the mid-Atlantic, will oftentimes pass on without so much as a single word of recognition, 反之，那些在大西洋中彼此相值的商船，却往往是连一声招呼也不打就擦身而过，

　　mutually cutting each other on the high seas, like a brace² of dandies in Broadway;  在公海上彼此装着没有看见，就跟两个花花公子在百老汇大街上擦身而过一样，

　　and all the time indulging, perhaps, in finical criticism upon each other's rig.  而且也许还始终爱对彼此的船式装备作番吹毛求疵的评头品足呢。

　　As for Men-of-War, when they chance to meet at sea, they first go through such a string of silly bowings and scrapings, such a ducking of ensigns, 至于说到兵舰，当他们偶尔在海上相遇的时候，他们首先得做完那么一连串边鞠躬边将脚往后一退的傻里傻气的动作，又得那么略微降旗，

　　that there does not seem to be much right-down hearty³ good-will and brotherly love about it at all. 根本就叫人看不出有什么坦率真诚的亲善友爱。

　　As touching⁴ Slave-ships meeting, why, they are in such a prodigious⁵ hurry, they run away from each other as soon as possible. 谈到贩卖奴隶船的相遇吧，哼，他们可才慌张呢，他们巴不得彼此能快些逃开。

1 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

2 brace   

n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备

参考例句：

• My daughter has to wear a brace on her teeth. 我的女儿得戴牙套以矫正牙齿。
• You had better brace yourself for some bad news. 有些坏消息,你最好做好准备。

3 hearty   

adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的

参考例句：

• After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了，他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
• We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。

4 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。

5 prodigious   

adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的

参考例句：

• This business generates cash in prodigious amounts.这种业务收益丰厚。
• He impressed all who met him with his prodigious memory.他惊人的记忆力让所有见过他的人都印象深刻。