英语听书《白鲸记》第657期

 　　Suspended over the side in one of the stages, Tashtego and Daggoo continually flourished over his head a couple of keen whale-spades,  塔斯蒂哥和大个儿在船边一只吊梯上，抡起两只锐利的鲸铲，不断地在魁魁格头顶挥舞，

　　wherewith they slaughtered¹ as many sharks as they could reach. 在他们够得到的地方大肆屠杀鲨鱼。

　　This procedure of theirs, to be sure, was very disinterested² and benevolent³ of them. 他们这种做法，自然是毫无私心而且慈善为怀的。

　　They meant Queequeg's best happiness, I admit; 我虽然认为，他们是存心为了魁魁格的安全；

　　but in their hasty zeal⁴ to befriend him, and from the circumstance that both he and the sharks were at times half hidden by the blood-muddled water, 不过，在他们急想庇护他的热情中，再从魁魁格和鲨鱼群时常是半隐在血腥糊涂的海水里的情形说来，

　　those indiscreet spades of theirs would come nearer amputating a leg than a tall. 他们这两支不很慎重的铲子，就差不多更有砍到一条腿而不是砍到鱼的可能了。

　　But poor Queequeg, I suppose, straining and gasping⁶ there with that great iron hook, 可是我想，可怜的魁魁格在那里煞费气力气喘吁吁地摆弄那只大铁钩，

　　poor Queequeg, I suppose, only prayed to his Yojo, and gave up his life into the hands of his gods. 我想可怜的魁魁格只有恳求他的约约，把他的生命交给他的天神了。

　　Well, well, my dear comrade and twin-brother, thought I, as I drew in and then slacked off the rope to every swell⁷ of the sea—what matters it, after all? 当我合着海浪的起伏，把那根索子一会儿拉紧，一会儿放松的时候，我心里想，好吧，好吧，我亲爱的伙伴和孪生弟兄，说到底，这算得了什么呢？

　　Are you not the precious image of each and all of us men in this whaling world? 你可不就是我们这个捕鲸界里大家的宝贝么？

　　That unsounded ocean you gasp⁵ in, is Life; those sharks, your foes⁸; those spades, your friends; 你所渴望的那个深不可测的海洋就是生命；那些鲨鱼就是你的仇敌；那些铲子就是你的朋友；

　　and what between sharks and spades you are in a sad pickle⁹ and peril¹⁰, poor lad. 在你这样左右为难的险境中，鲨鱼跟铲子又有什么区别呢，可怜的伙伴呀。

　　But courage! there is good cheer in store for you, Queequeg. 可是，拿出勇气来呀！欢欣鼓舞正在等着你呢，魁魁格。

　　For now, as with blue lips and blood-shot eyes the exhausted¹¹ savage¹² at last climbs up the chains and stands all dripping and involuntarily trembling over the side; 现在这个精疲力竭、嘴唇发青、眼睛充血的野人，终于攀上了锚链，不由自主地抖抖索索翻过船舷，全身湿淋淌滴地站在那里了；

　　the steward¹³ advances, and with a benevolent, consolatory¹⁴ glance hands him—what? Some hot Cognac? No! 那个茶房带着一种仁慈、安慰的眼色走上前去，拿给他——什么呀？热的白兰地么？不！

　　hands him, ye gods! hands him a cup of tepid¹⁵ ginger¹⁶ and water! 给他，天呀！给他一杯不冷不热的姜汤！

1 slaughtered   

v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The invading army slaughtered a lot of people. 侵略军杀了许多人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Hundreds of innocent civilians were cruelly slaughtered. 数百名无辜平民遭残杀。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 disinterested   

adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的

参考例句：

• He is impartial and disinterested.他公正无私。
• He's always on the make,I have never known him do a disinterested action.他这个人一贯都是唯利是图，我从来不知道他有什么无私的行动。

3 benevolent   

adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的

参考例句：

• His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him.他乐善好施的本性使他不会拒绝走上前向他行乞的任何一个乞丐。
• He was a benevolent old man and he wouldn't hurt a fly.他是一个仁慈的老人，连只苍蝇都不愿伤害。

4 zeal   

n.热心，热情，热忱

参考例句：

• Revolutionary zeal caught them up,and they joined the army.革命热情激励他们，于是他们从军了。
• They worked with great zeal to finish the project.他们热情高涨地工作，以期完成这个项目。

5 gasp   

n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说

参考例句：

• She gave a gasp of surprise.她吃惊得大口喘气。
• The enemy are at their last gasp.敌人在做垂死的挣扎。

6 gasping   

adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was gasping for breath. 他在喘气。
• "Did you need a drink?""Yes, I'm gasping!” “你要喝点什么吗？”“我巴不得能喝点！”

7 swell   

vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强

参考例句：

• The waves had taken on a deep swell.海浪汹涌。
• His injured wrist began to swell.他那受伤的手腕开始肿了。

8 foes   

敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They steadily pushed their foes before them. 他们不停地追击敌人。
• She had fought many battles, vanquished many foes. 她身经百战，挫败过很多对手。

9 pickle   

n.腌汁，泡菜；v.腌，泡

参考例句：

• Mother used to pickle onions.妈妈过去常腌制洋葱。
• Meat can be preserved in pickle.肉可以保存在卤水里。

10 peril   

n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物

参考例句：

• The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
• The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

11 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

12 savage   

adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人

参考例句：

• The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
• He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

13 steward   

n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员

参考例句：

• He's the steward of the club.他是这家俱乐部的管理员。
• He went around the world as a ship's steward.他当客船服务员，到过世界各地。

14 consolatory   

adj.慰问的，可藉慰的

参考例句：

• Action is consolatory. It is the enemy of thought and the friend of flattering illusions. 行动是可以慰藉的。它是思想的敌人，是幻想的朋友。 来自互联网
• Action is consolatory. It is the enemy of thought and the friend of glittering illusions. 行动是令人安慰的，它是思想的敌人，是美好幻想的朋友。 来自互联网

15 tepid   

adj.微温的，温热的，不太热心的

参考例句：

• She bent her mouth to the tap and drank the tepid water.她把嘴伸到水龙头底下去喝那微温的水。
• Her feet firmly planted on the tepid rough brick of the floor.她一双脚稳固地立在微温而粗糙的砖地上。

16 ginger   

n.姜，精力，淡赤黄色；adj.淡赤黄色的；vt.使活泼，使有生气

参考例句：

• There is no ginger in the young man.这个年轻人没有精神。
• Ginger shall be hot in the mouth.生姜吃到嘴里总是辣的。