英语听书《白鲸记》第528期

 　　he was somewhere to the northward¹ of the Line.  它是要驶到赤道以北的什么地方去的。

　　One morning upon handling the pumps according to daily usage, it was observed that she made more water in her hold than common. 有一天早晨，按照日常老规矩，正在使用帮浦抽水的时候，发现从舱里抽出来的水比平常多。

　　They supposed a sword-fish had stabbed her, gentlemen. 各位先生，他们以为船让剑鱼给戳穿了。

　　But the captain, having some unusual reason for believing that rare good luck awaited him in those latitudes²; 可是，那个船长却有一种异乎寻常的看法，认为在这一带难得有好运道在等着他，

　　and therefore being very averse³ to quit them, and the leak not being then considered at all dangerous, 因此由于不愿意离开这地方，而且当时根本不认为那个漏洞很危险，

　　though, indeed, they could not find it after searching the hold as low down as was possible in rather heavy weather, 在那种相当坏的天气里，他们虽然尽量摸到船底里，确实也找不到漏洞，

　　the ship still continued her cruisings, the mariners⁴ working at the pumps at wide and easy intervals⁵; 于是，那艘船还是继续它的巡游，水手们也隔了好久才去随便地抽一下水。

　　but no good luck came; more days went by and not only was the leak yet undiscovered, but it sensibly increased. 可是，好运道并没有到来，过了好几天，不但漏洞还没有发现，而且漏洞显然越来越大了。

　　So much so, that now taking some alarm, the captain, making all sail, 这时连那个船长也惊惶起来了，他叫人加帆急驶，

　　stood away for the nearest harbor among the islands, there to have his hull⁶ hove out and repaired. 赶快驶到群岛中最近的一个港口去，以便到那里把船壳翻过来修理一番。

　　"Though no small passage was before her, yet, if the commonest chance favoured, ”虽然前面还有不少航程，然而，如果天赐最平常的机运，

　　he did not at all fear that his ship would founder⁷ by the way, because his pumps were of the best, and being periodically relieved at them, 他根本也不用担心他那艘船会在半途中沉下去，因为船上的帮浦都是最好的，又是定期换班抽水，

　　those six-and-thirty men of his could easily keep the ship free; never mind if the leak should double on her.  就算漏洞再大一倍也无所谓，船上三十六个人手尽可以轻而易举地把船救住。

1 northward   

adv.向北；n.北方的地区

参考例句：

• He pointed his boat northward.他将船驶向北方。
• I would have a chance to head northward quickly.我就很快有机会去北方了。

2 latitudes   

纬度

参考例句：

• Latitudes are the lines that go from east to west. 纬线是从东到西的线。
• It was the brief Indian Summer of the high latitudes. 这是高纬度地方的那种短暂的晚秋。

3 averse   

adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的

参考例句：

• I don't smoke cigarettes,but I'm not averse to the occasional cigar.我不吸烟，但我不反对偶尔抽一支雪茄。
• We are averse to such noisy surroundings.我们不喜欢这么吵闹的环境。

4 mariners   

海员，水手（mariner的复数形式）

参考例句：

• Mariners were also able to fix their latitude by using an instrument called astrolabe. 海员们还可使用星盘这种仪器确定纬度。
• The ancient mariners traversed the sea. 古代的海员漂洋过海。

5 intervals   

n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息

参考例句：

• The forecast said there would be sunny intervals and showers. 预报间晴，有阵雨。
• Meetings take place at fortnightly intervals. 每两周开一次会。

6 hull   

n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳

参考例句：

• The outer surface of ship's hull is very hard.船体的外表面非常坚硬。
• The boat's hull has been staved in by the tremendous seas.小船壳让巨浪打穿了。

7 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。