英语听书《白鲸记》第711期

 yet it is this "holding on," as it is called; this hooking up by the sharp barbs¹ of his live flesh from the back; 然而，正是这种所谓"拉住"，这种用锐利的倒钩钩住了鲸背的肉体的方法，

this it is that often torments² the Leviathan into soon rising again to meet the sharp lance of his foes³. 这种往往教大鲸吃足了苦头的方法，才能够迫使它不得不又立刻冒出水来，来尝尝它的敌人的尖枪。

Yet not to speak of the peril⁴ of the thing, it is to be doubted whether this course is always the best; 这样做法，有没有危险且不去说它，倒是不免令人发生怀疑：这种做法是不是始终都是极可靠的。

for it is but reasonable to presume, that the longer the stricken whale stays under water, the more he is exhausted⁵. 因为，只消合理的推想一下，这条负伤的鲸越在水里停得久，它就会越加精疲力竭。

Because, owing to the enormous surface of him— in a full grown sperm⁶ whale something less than 2000 square feet— the pressure of the water is immense. 因为，它的体积这么大——一只茁壮的抹香鲸，总在二千平方英尺左右——水的压力当然也很大。

We all know what an astonishing atmospheric⁷ weight we ourselves stand up under; even here, above-ground, in the air; 我们大家都知道，我们本身所处的气压具有多么惊人的力量，甚至在这里，在地上，在空中也都如此；

how vast, then, the burden of a whale, bearing on his back a column of two hundred fathoms⁸ of ocean! 那么，这么一条大鲸，沉在一千二百英尺的海洋里，可背负着多大的压力呀！

It must at least equal the weight of fifty atmospheres. 它至少相等于五十倍的气压。

One whaleman has estimated it at the weight of twenty line-of-battle ships, with all their guns, and stores, and men on board. 有个捕鲸人曾经估计过，它的重量可等于二十艘装足枪炮、物资、战士的战船。

As the three boats lay there on that gently rolling sea, gazing down into its eternal blue noon; 当这三只小艇这样搁在微波细浪的海面上，直瞪着下面那个在午刻时分始终是蔚蓝的水面的时候；

and as not a single groan⁹ or cry of any sort, nay¹⁰, not so much as a ripple¹¹ or a bubble came up from its depths; 这时，既没有一声呻吟，又没有任何的叫声，而且连海底激起的涟漪，泡泡也不多；

what landsman would have thought, that beneath all that silence and placidity¹², the utmost monster of the seas was writhing¹³ and wrenching¹⁴ in agony! 可是，在这种全然静寂和穆的水面之下，那只最厉害的大海兽正在苦痛地扭绞，这情况，陆地人会有什么想法呀！

1 barbs   

n.（箭头、鱼钩等的）倒钩( barb的名词复数 )；带刺的话；毕露的锋芒；钩状毛

参考例句：

• She slung barbs at me. 她说了些讥刺我的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I would no longer uncomplainingly accept their barbs or allow their unaccountable power to go unchallenged. 我不会再毫无怨言地洗耳恭听他们带刺的话，或让他们的不负责任的权力不受到挑战。 来自辞典例句

2 torments   

（肉体或精神上的）折磨，痛苦( torment的名词复数 )； 造成痛苦的事物[人]

参考例句：

• He released me from my torments. 他解除了我的痛苦。
• He suffered torments from his aching teeth. 他牙痛得难受。

3 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。

4 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。

5 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。

6 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。

7 atmospheric   

adj.大气的，空气的；大气层的；大气所引起的

参考例句：

• Sea surface temperatures and atmospheric circulation are strongly coupled.海洋表面温度与大气环流是密切相关的。
• Clouds return radiant energy to the surface primarily via the atmospheric window.云主要通过大气窗区向地表辐射能量。

8 fathoms   

英寻( fathom的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The harbour is four fathoms deep. 港深为四英寻。
• One bait was down forty fathoms. 有个鱼饵下沉到四十英寻的深处。

9 groan   

vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音

参考例句：

• The wounded man uttered a groan.那个受伤的人发出呻吟。
• The people groan under the burden of taxes.人民在重税下痛苦呻吟。

10 nay   

adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者

参考例句：

• He was grateful for and proud of his son's remarkable,nay,unique performance.他为儿子出色的，不，应该是独一无二的表演心怀感激和骄傲。
• Long essays,nay,whole books have been written on this.许多长篇大论的文章，不，应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。

11 ripple   

n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进

参考例句：

• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。
• The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来，碎在沙滩上。

12 placidity   

n.平静，安静，温和

参考例句：

• Miss Pross inquired,with placidity.普洛丝小姐不动声色地问。
• The swift and indifferent placidity of that look troubled me.那一扫而过的冷漠沉静的目光使我深感不安。

13 writhing   

（因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• She was writhing around on the floor in agony. 她痛得在地板上直打滚。
• He was writhing on the ground in agony. 他痛苦地在地上打滚。

14 wrenching   

n.修截苗根，苗木铲根（铲根时苗木不起土或部分起土）v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的现在分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛

参考例句：

• China has been through a wrenching series of changes and experiments. 中国经历了一系列艰苦的变革和试验。 来自辞典例句
• A cold gust swept across her exposed breast, wrenching her back to reality. 一股寒气打击她的敞开的胸膛，把她从梦幻的境地中带了回来。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）