英语听书《白鲸记》第586期

 　　It seemed not a whale; and yet is this Moby Dick? thought Daggoo.  这似乎不是鲸，然而，难道是莫比－迪克么？大个儿心里想。

　　Again the phantom¹ went down, but on re-appearing once more, with a stiletto-like cry that startled every man from his nod, the negro yelled out" 那妖物又沉下去了，可是，等它又再度出现的时候，这个黑人不禁高声大叫起来，声音之尖，直象小剑，一下子把大家都从打盹中吓醒过来：

　　There! there again! there she breaches²! right ahead! The White Whale, the White Whale!" "看啊，又来啦！它跳起来啦！就在正前方！白鲸啊，白鲸！"

　　Upon this, the seamen³ rushed to the yard-arms, as in swarming-time the bees rush to the boughs⁴.  水手们一听到这叫声，都连忙冲到桁臂那边去，好象成群出窝的蜜蜂冲到嫩枝上去那样。

　　Bare-headed in the sultry sun, Ahab stood on the bowsprit, and with one hand pushed far behind in readiness to wave his orders to the helmsman,   亚哈在烈阳下，光着脑袋，站在船头斜桅上，一只手撒得老后，准备随时对掌舵人挥手发令，

　　cast his eager glance in the direction indicated aloft by the outstretched motionless arm of Daggoo. 眼色热切地望着上边大个儿那只伸得挺直不动的手所指的方向。

　　Whether the flitting attendance of the one still and solitary⁵ jet had gradually worked upon Ahab, 究竟是不是这种孤寂的喷水的突然出现逐渐打动了亚哈的心，

　　so that he was now prepared to connect the ideas of mildness and repose⁶ with the first sight of the particular whale he pursued; 这才使他现在要把这个文静的怪物跟那乍一看就是他要追捕的大鲸给联系起来，

　　however this was, or whether his eagerness betrayed him; 还是他身不由己地把他那份热切的心情给泄露了出来；

　　whichever way it might have been, no sooner did he distinctly perceive the white mass, than with a quick intensity⁷ he instantly gave orders for lowering. 总之，不管是不是这样，他一清晰地看到那团白色的东西，就非常紧张地立刻下令放下小艇。

　　The four boats were soon on the water; Ahab's in advance, and all swiftly pulling towards their prey⁸. 不一会儿，四只小艇就在海面上，由亚哈那只小艇打头，全都迅疾地向着他们的猎物划去。

　　Soon it went down, and while, with oars⁹ suspended, we were awaiting its reappearance, lo! in the same spot where it sank, once more it slowly rose. 那团东西不久就下沉了，可是，就在我们把桨搁起，想等它再度出现的时候，嗳哟！在它刚才下沉的地方，它又慢慢地升了起来。

1 phantom   

n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的

参考例句：

• I found myself staring at her as if she were a phantom.我发现自己瞪大眼睛看着她，好像她是一个幽灵。
• He is only a phantom of a king.他只是有名无实的国王。

2 breaches   

破坏( breach的名词复数 )； 破裂； 缺口； 违背

参考例句：

• He imposed heavy penalties for breaches of oath or pledges. 他对违反誓言和保证的行为给予严厉的惩罚。
• This renders all breaches of morality before marriage very uncommon. 这样一来，婚前败坏道德的事就少见了。

3 seamen   

n.海员

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather. 有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• In the storm, many seamen wished they were on shore. 在暴风雨中，许多海员想，要是他们在陆地上就好了。

4 boughs   

大树枝( bough的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The green boughs glittered with all their pearls of dew. 绿枝上闪烁着露珠的光彩。
• A breeze sighed in the higher boughs. 微风在高高的树枝上叹息着。

5 solitary   

adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士

参考例句：

• I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
• The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。

6 repose   

v.(使)休息；n.安息

参考例句：

• Don't disturb her repose.不要打扰她休息。
• Her mouth seemed always to be smiling,even in repose.她的嘴角似乎总是挂着微笑，即使在睡眠时也是这样。

7 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

8 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

9 oars   

n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He pulled as hard as he could on the oars. 他拼命地划桨。
• The sailors are bending to the oars. 水手们在拼命地划桨。 来自《简明英汉词典》