英语听书《白鲸记》第757期

 This was still more strangely evinced by those of their number, who, 更为奇特的是，其中有些鲸仿佛完全瘫痪了，

completely paralysed as it were, helplessly floated like water-logged dismantled¹ ships on the sea. 象是进了水、失去航驶能力的船只一般，毫无办法地漂在海里。

Had these Leviathans been but a flock of simple sheep, 即使这些大鲸是一群普通的羊群，

pursued over the pasture by three fierce wolves, they could not possibly have evinced such excessive dismay. 被三只凶狠的豺狼在牧草地上追逐着，它们也不至于会显得如此恐怖。

But this occasional timidity is characteristic of almost all herding³ creatures. 不过，这种暂时的胆怯倒几乎是一切群居动物的特征。

Though banding together in tens of thousands, the lion-maned buffaloes⁴ of the West have fled before a solitary⁵ horseman. 如果西部的狮鬃大野牛在成千成万地伙在一起时，碰上单身匹马的骑手，也同样是要逃走的。

Witness, too, all human beings, how when herded⁶ together in the sheepfold of a theatre's pit, they will, at the slightest alarm of fire, 再看看人类，当他们群集在一个羊栏似的剧院里的时候，只消一声火警，

rush helter-skelter for the outlets⁷, crowding, trampling⁸, jamming, and remorselessly dashing each other to death. 他们会多么慌张地狂奔到出口处，拥呀、践呀、轧呀，彼此残忍地冲撞得要死。

Best, therefore, withhold⁹ any amazement¹⁰ at the strangely gallied whales before us, 因此，看到我们面前这些古怪的"吓怕了"的大鲸，就毋须大惊小怪，

for there is no folly¹¹ of the beasts of the earth which is not infinitely¹² outdone by the madness of men. 因为普天之下的野兽决不会痴心妄想，认为人类在疯性大发的时候，不会把它们大批杀害。

Though many of the whales, as has been said, were in violent motion, 上面已经说过，有许多鲸在猛冲猛撞，

yet it is to be observed that as a whole the herd² neither advanced nor retreated, but collectively remained in one place. 然而必须指出，就整个鲸群来说，都是既不前进，也不后退，而是大家停在一块儿。

As is customary in those cases, the boats at once separated, each making for some one lone¹³ whale on the outskirts¹⁴ of the shoal. 碰到这种情况，通常总是立刻把小艇散开，各去寻找一只落在鲸群外围的单身鲸。

In about three minutes' time, Queequeg's harpoon¹⁵ was flung; the stricken fish darted¹⁶ blinding spray in our faces, 所以，大约不到三分钟，魁魁格的标枪就飞了出去；那条被击中的大鲸，没头没脑地迸射出了泡沫，直溅到我们脸上，

and then running away with us like light, steered¹⁷ straight for the heart of the herd.  然后又象一道光似的离开我们，奔了开去，直冲到鲸群的中心里去。

1 dismantled   

拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消

参考例句：

• The plant was dismantled of all its equipment and furniture. 这家工厂的设备和家具全被拆除了。
• The Japanese empire was quickly dismantled. 日本帝国很快被打垮了。

2 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

3 herding   

中畜群

参考例句：

• The little boy is herding the cattle. 这个小男孩在放牛。
• They have been herding cattle on the tableland for generations. 他们世世代代在这高原上放牧。

4 buffaloes   

n.水牛（分非洲水牛和亚洲水牛两种）( buffalo的名词复数 )；（南非或北美的）野牛；威胁；恐吓

参考例句：

• Some medieval towns raced donkeys or buffaloes. 有些中世纪的城市用驴子或水牛竞赛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Water buffaloes supply Egypt with more meat than any other domestic animal. 水牛提供给埃及的肉比任何其它动物都要多。 来自辞典例句

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 herded   

群集，纠结( herd的过去式和过去分词 )； 放牧； （使）向…移动

参考例句：

• He herded up his goats. 他把山羊赶拢在一起。
• They herded into the corner. 他们往角落里聚集。

7 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 trampling   

踩( trample的现在分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯

参考例句：

• Diplomats denounced the leaders for trampling their citizens' civil rights. 外交官谴责这些领导人践踏其公民的公民权。
• They don't want people trampling the grass, pitching tents or building fires. 他们不希望人们踩踏草坪、支帐篷或生火。

9 withhold   

v.拒绝，不给；使停止，阻挡

参考例句：

• It was unscrupulous of their lawyer to withhold evidence.他们的律师隐瞒证据是不道德的。
• I couldn't withhold giving some loose to my indignation.我忍不住要发泄一点我的愤怒。

10 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

11 folly   

n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话

参考例句：

• Learn wisdom by the folly of others.从别人的愚蠢行动中学到智慧。
• Events proved the folly of such calculations.事情的进展证明了这种估计是愚蠢的。

12 infinitely   

adv.无限地，无穷地

参考例句：

• There is an infinitely bright future ahead of us.我们有无限光明的前途。
• The universe is infinitely large.宇宙是无限大的。

13 lone   

adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的

参考例句：

• A lone sea gull flew across the sky.一只孤独的海鸥在空中飞过。
• She could see a lone figure on the deserted beach.她在空旷的海滩上能看到一个孤独的身影。

14 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

15 harpoon   

n.鱼叉；vt.用鱼叉叉，用鱼叉捕获

参考例句：

• The harpoon drove deep into the body of the whale.渔叉深深地扎进鲸鱼体内。
• The fisherman transfixed the shark with a harpoon.渔夫用鱼叉刺住鲨鱼。

16 darted   

v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 steered   

v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导

参考例句：

• He steered the boat into the harbour. 他把船开进港。
• The freighter steered out of Santiago Bay that evening. 那天晚上货轮驶出了圣地亚哥湾。 来自《简明英汉词典》