英语听书《白鲸记》第762期

 I mention this circumstance, because, as if the cows and calves¹ had been purposely locked up in this innermost fold; 我所以要提到这种情况，是因为那些母牛、小犊，仿佛是被故意扣在这极里圈；

and as if the wide extent of the herd² had hitherto prevented them from learning the precise cause of its stopping; 仿佛直到这时，还不让浩大的鲸群知道这种停下来的真正的原因；

or, possibly, being so young, unsophisticated, and every way innocent and inexperienced; 这也许可能因为它们都还年纪太轻，不懂世故，各方面都很天真，缺乏经验的缘故；

however it may have been, these smaller whales— now and then visiting our becalmed boat from the margin³ of the lake, 总之，不管怎样，这些小鲸——不时地从湖边来到我们这只无法前进的小艇旁边探望一番，

evinced a wondrous⁴ fearlessness and confidence, or else a still becharmed panic which it was impossible not to marvel⁵ at. 可以说都显出了一种出奇的无所畏惧和自信心，也可以说，是因为这种失魂落魄的惶恐使它们不能不感到惊奇。

Like household dogs they came snuffling round us, right up to our gunwales, and touching⁶ them; 它们象一群家狗，在我们周围嗅来嗅去，把鼻子直伸到我们的舷壁，碰碰我们的舷壁，

till it almost seemed that some spell had suddenly domesticated⁷ them. 简直象有什么符咒突然把它们弄驯服了。

Queequeg patted their foreheads; Starbuck scratched their backs with his lance; 魁魁格轻拍着它们的前额；斯达巴克用他的捕鲸枪搔搔它们的背脊；

but fearful of the consequences, for the time refrained from darting⁸ it. 只因怕会出什么事，才暂时不去戳它们。

But far beneath this wondrous world upon the surface, another and still stranger world met our eyes as we gazed over the side. 但是，当我们伏在船舷边往下凝视时，远处在上面这个希奇的世界的下边，却另有一个更为奇特的天地映入了我们的眼帘。

For, suspended in those watery⁹ vaults¹⁰, floated the forms of the nursing mothers of the whales, 因为贴在这种水晶宫里的苍穹中，漂泛有许多在哺小鲸的母鲸的形体，

and those that by their enormous girth seemed shortly to become mothers. 还有一些从它们那粗大的腰围看来，似乎不久就将做母亲的母鲸。

The lake, as I have hinted, was to a considerable depth exceedingly transparent; 这个大湖，我已说过了，虽然很深，却非常明澈；

and as human infants while suckling will calmly and fixedly gaze away from the breast, as if leading two different lives at the time; 一如小孩在吃奶时，安静而定睛地撇开一下母亲的胸脯，望一望别的地方，仿佛同时在过着两种不同的生活：

1 calves   

n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解

参考例句：

• a cow suckling her calves 给小牛吃奶的母牛
• The calves are grazed intensively during their first season. 小牛在生长的第一季里集中喂养。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

4 wondrous   

adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地

参考例句：

• The internal structure of the Department is wondrous to behold.看一下国务院的内部结构是很有意思的。
• We were driven across this wondrous vast land of lakes and forests.我们乘车穿越这片有着湖泊及森林的广袤而神奇的土地。

5 marvel   

vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事

参考例句：

• The robot is a marvel of modern engineering.机器人是现代工程技术的奇迹。
• The operation was a marvel of medical skill.这次手术是医术上的一个奇迹。

6 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

7 domesticated   

adj.喜欢家庭生活的；（指动物）被驯养了的v.驯化( domesticate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He is thoroughly domesticated and cooks a delicious chicken casserole. 他精于家务，烹制的砂锅炖小鸡非常可口。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The donkey is a domesticated form of the African wild ass. 驴是非洲野驴的一种已驯化的品种。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 darting   

v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• Swallows were darting through the clouds. 燕子穿云急飞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Swallows were darting through the air. 燕子在空中掠过。 来自辞典例句

9 watery   

adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的

参考例句：

• In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust.他那含泪的眼睛流露出惊惶失措的神情。
• Her eyes became watery because of the smoke.因为烟熏，她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。

10 vaults   

n.拱顶( vault的名词复数 )；地下室；撑物跳高；墓穴

参考例句：

• It was deposited in the vaults of a bank. 它存在一家银行的保险库里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They think of viruses that infect an organization from the outside.They envision hackers breaking into their information vaults. 他们考虑来自外部的感染公司的病毒，他们设想黑客侵入到信息宝库中。 来自《简明英汉词典》