英语听书《白鲸记》第667期

 As before, the Pequod steeply leaned over towards the sperm¹ whale's head,  裴廓德号的船身本来偏在抹香鲸头的那一边，

now, by the counterpoise of both heads, she regained² her even keel; though sorely strained, you may well believe. 现在，由于两只头两相平衡，船身重新获得均衡了；当然喽，这是很吃力的负担。

So, when on one side you hoist³ in Locke's head, you go over that way; 这样，你这边挂着洛克的头，你就倾向于这一边，

but now, on the other side, hoist in Kant's and you come back again; but in very poor plight⁴. 可是，现在，因为另一边又挂起康德的头，你就回归正常了；不过，境况却很可怜，

Thus, some minds for ever keep trimming boat. 有些人就是这样永远要使船只均衡。

Oh, ye foolish! throw all these thunder-heads overboard, and then you will float light and right. 你们这些傻瓜呀！把这两只大头都给甩到海里去，不就可以轻松顺当地航驶嘛。

In disposing of the body of a right whale, when brought alongside the ship, 人们把露脊鲸拖到了船边，在处理它的身躯的时候，

the same preliminary proceedings⁵ commonly take place as in the case of a sperm whale; 开头一些手续都跟处理抹香鲸一样；

only, in the latter instance, the head is cut off whole, but in the former the lips and tongue are separately removed and hoisted⁶ on deck, 不过，在处理抹香鲸时，是把它的头整个砍下来，而在处理露脊鲸时，却是把它的嘴唇和舌头分别拿下来后，

with all the well known black bone attached to what is called the crown-piece. 连同那块紧贴在那叫做"脑瓜儿"里的著名的黑骨头一起拖上甲板来，

But nothing like this, in the present case, had been done. 可是，这回却根本不是这么做法。

The carcases of both whales had dropped astern;  两条大鲸的尸身都给丢在后边；

and the head-laden ship not a little resembled a mule⁷ carrying a pair of overburdening panniers. 于是，这艘载着头颅的船，就活象一只背着一对不胜负担的驮篮的驴子。

Meantime, Fedallah was calmly eyeing the right whale's head,  这时，费达拉神色泰然地望着那条露脊鲸的头，

and ever and anon glancing from the deep wrinkles there to the lines in his own hand. 而且总是望望那只头上的皱纹后，又望望他自己手上的纹路。

And Ahab chanced so to stand, that the Parsee occupied his shadow; 恰巧亚哈也站在那里，那个祆教徒把他的身影也给遮住了，

while, if the Parsee's shadow was there at all it seemed only to blend with, and lengthen⁸ Ahab's. 好象这个祆教徒的身影根本就是用来掺和与放长亚哈的身影似的。

As the crew toiled⁹ on, Laplandish speculations¹⁰ were bandied among them, concerning all these passing things. 那些水手一边在忙着干活，一边七嘴八舌地议论起所有这些经过情况来。 

1 sperm   

n.精子，精液

参考例句：

• Only one sperm fertilises an egg.只有一个精子使卵子受精。
• In human reproduction,one female egg is usually fertilized by one sperm.在人体生殖过程中，一个精子使一个卵子受精。

2 regained   

复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地

参考例句：

• The majority of the people in the world have regained their liberty. 世界上大多数人已重获自由。
• She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise. 她犹豫片刻，但很快恢复了镇静。

3 hoist   

n.升高，起重机，推动；v.升起，升高，举起

参考例句：

• By using a hoist the movers were able to sling the piano to the third floor.搬运工人用吊车才把钢琴吊到3楼。
• Hoist the Chinese flag on the flagpole,please!请在旗杆上升起中国国旗！

4 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

5 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

6 hoisted   

把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He hoisted himself onto a high stool. 他抬身坐上了一张高凳子。
• The sailors hoisted the cargo onto the deck. 水手们把货物吊到甲板上。

7 mule   

n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人

参考例句：

• A mule is a cross between a mare and a donkey.骡子是母马和公驴的杂交后代。
• He is an old mule.他是个老顽固。

8 lengthen   

vt.使伸长，延长

参考例句：

• He asked the tailor to lengthen his coat.他请裁缝把他的外衣放长些。
• The teacher told her to lengthen her paper out.老师让她把论文加长。

9 toiled   

长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉

参考例句：

• They toiled up the hill in the blazing sun. 他们冒着炎炎烈日艰难地一步一步爬上山冈。
• He toiled all day long but earned very little. 他整天劳碌但挣得很少。

10 speculations   

n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断

参考例句：

• Your speculations were all quite close to the truth. 你的揣测都很接近于事实。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• This possibility gives rise to interesting speculations. 这种可能性引起了有趣的推测。 来自《用法词典》