英语听书《白鲸记》第744期

 If it be made in the unobstructed air, especially if it descend¹ to its mark, the stroke is then simply irresistible². 如果容它自由发挥一下，尤其是在它袭击它的目的物时，那么，那种打击简直是叫人吃不消的。

No ribs⁴ of man or boat can withstand it. 不论是人的肋骨还是小艇的肋材都抵挡不住。

Your only salvation⁵ lies in eluding⁶ it; 唯一的自救之道就是赶快回避。

but if it comes sideways through the opposing water, then partly owing to the light buoyancy of the whale-boat, and the elasticity⁷ of its materials, 不过，如果它从对面斜穿过来，这时一半由于捕鲸小艇轻巧易浮，一半由于艇材富有弹力，

a cracked rib³ or a dashed plank⁸ or two, a sort of stitch in the side, is generally the most serious result. 于是艇肋就喀啦一响，或者船板给哗啦啦地冲一两下，好比针脚朝腰际一戳，一般说来，这就是最严重的结局。

These submerged side blows are so often received in the fishery, that they are accounted mere⁹ child's play. 这种水里的侧击，捕鲸业是经常遭受到的，所以他们都只当它是儿戏。

Some one strips off a frock, and the hole is stopped. 谁个打外衣上撕下一条布片，那只洞孔就给堵住了。

Third: I cannot demonstrate it, but it seems to me, that in the whale the sense of touch is concentrated in the tail; 第三，这一点我真说不清楚，不过，据我看来，大鲸的触感似乎都集中在尾巴上；

for in this respect there is a delicacy¹⁰ in it only equalled by the daintiness of the elephant's trunk. 因为，在这方面，尾巴本身所具有的灵巧，只有雍容华贵的象鼻才能跟它媲美。

This delicacy is chiefly evinced in the action of sweeping¹¹, 这种灵巧主要表现在它的摇尾的动作上，

when in maidenly¹² gentleness the whale with a certain soft slowness moves his immense flukes from side to side upon the surface of the sea; 当大鲸象少女那么娇柔，以一种柔顺、迟慢的动作，挥动它那巨大的裂片，在海面上摆来摆去的时候；

and if he feel but a sailor's whisker, woe¹³ to that sailor, whiskers and all. 如果它刚好碰上一个水手的腮帮子，那么那个水手可就惨了，络腮胡子和所有一切都完了蛋。

What tenderness there is in that preliminary touch! 这么轻轻一碰，可多么温柔！

Had this tail any prehensile¹⁴ power, I should straightway bethink me of Darmonodes' elephant that so frequented the flower-market, 如果这条尾巴具有一些抓握力的话，那我立刻就会想到达蒙诺克斯（这是作者虚构的地名。）的大象，它常常要跑到花市里，

and with low salutations presented nosegays to damsels, and then caressed¹⁵ their zones.  向那些闺秀们低语寒暄，献赠花束，然后又摩弄着她们的带子。

1 descend   

vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降

参考例句：

• I hope the grace of God would descend on me.我期望上帝的恩惠。
• We're not going to descend to such methods.我们不会沦落到使用这种手段。

2 irresistible   

adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的

参考例句：

• The wheel of history rolls forward with an irresistible force.历史车轮滚滚向前，势不可挡。
• She saw an irresistible skirt in the store window.她看见商店的橱窗里有一条叫人着迷的裙子。

3 rib   

n.肋骨，肋状物

参考例句：

• He broke a rib when he fell off his horse.他从马上摔下来折断了一根肋骨。
• He has broken a rib and the doctor has strapped it up.他断了一根肋骨，医生已包扎好了。

4 ribs   

n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹

参考例句：

• He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。
• Make a small incision below the ribs. 在肋骨下方切开一个小口。

5 salvation   

n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困

参考例句：

• Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。
• Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。

6 eluding   

v.（尤指机敏地）避开( elude的现在分词 )；逃避；躲避；使达不到

参考例句：

• He saw no way of eluding Featherstone's stupid demand. 费瑟斯通的愚蠢要求使他走投无路。 来自辞典例句
• The fox succeeded in eluding the hunters. 这狐狸成功地避过了猎手。 来自辞典例句

7 elasticity   

n.弹性，伸缩力

参考例句：

• The skin eventually loses its elasticity.皮肤最终会失去弹性。
• Every sort of spring has a definite elasticity.每一种弹簧都有一定的弹性。

8 plank   

n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目

参考例句：

• The plank was set against the wall.木板靠着墙壁。
• They intend to win the next election on the plank of developing trade.他们想以发展贸易的纲领来赢得下次选举。

9 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

10 delicacy   

n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴

参考例句：

• We admired the delicacy of the craftsmanship.我们佩服工艺师精巧的手艺。
• He sensed the delicacy of the situation.他感觉到了形势的微妙。

11 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

12 maidenly   

adj. 像处女的, 谨慎的, 稳静的

参考例句：

• The new dancer smiled with a charming air of maidenly timidity and artlessness. 新舞蹈演员带著少女般的羞怯和单纯迷人地微笑了。

13 woe   

n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌

参考例句：

• Our two peoples are brothers sharing weal and woe.我们两国人民是患难与共的兄弟。
• A man is well or woe as he thinks himself so.自认祸是祸，自认福是福。

14 prehensile   

adj.（足等）适于抓握的

参考例句：

• Poets are those strangely prehensile men.诗人是那些具有深刻洞察力的人们。
• A monkey has a prehensile tail.猴子有能盘卷住东西的尾巴。

15 caressed   

爱抚或抚摸…( caress的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His fingers caressed the back of her neck. 他的手指抚摩着她的后颈。
• He caressed his wife lovingly. 他怜爱万分地抚摸着妻子。