英语听书《白鲸记》第807期

 　　Chapter 94 A Squeeze of the Hand 第九十四章 手的揉捏

　　That whale of Stubb's, so dearly purchased, was duly brought to the Pequod's side, 斯塔布那只花了很大的代价才换来的鲸，被及时拖到"裴廓德号"的船侧，

　　where all those cutting and hoisting¹ operations previously² detailed³, were regularly gone through, even to the baling of the Heidelburgh Tun, or Case. 在那里，先前已经详述过的一切斩割、吊拉的操作，甚至连汲海德堡大桶，或者叫做汲鲸脑的工作都循例做好了。

　　While some were occupied with this latter duty, others were employed in dragging away the larger tubs, so soon as filled with the sperm⁴; 一些人在忙着汲鲸脑，另一些人却在那些大桶一灌满了鲸脂后，便一桶桶地把它拖走。

　　and when the proper time arrived, this same sperm was carefully manipulated ere going to the try-works, of which anon. 到了适当时分，这种鲸脂在经过仔细而巧妙的处理后，就立刻送到炼油间去。

　　It had cooled and crystallized to such a degree, 这种东西已经冷却与冻结到这样一种程度，

　　that when, with several others, I sat down before a large Constantine's bath of it, 即当我跟其他几个人挨着这个康斯坦丁的大浴池坐下来的时候，

　　I found it strangely concreted into lumps, here and there rolling about in the liquid part. 我发现这些东西都很奇异地凝成一大块一大块，在尚未凝结的液体中晃来荡去。

　　It was our business to squeeze these lumps back into fluid. 我们的任务就是把这些块块给再捏成液体。

　　A sweet and unctuous⁵ duty! No wonder that in old times this sperm was such a favorite cosmetic⁶. 这真是一桩又香又滑的差使！难怪在古代，抹香鲸油是如此讨人欢喜的一种化妆品。

　　Such a clearer! such a sweetener! such a softener⁷; such a delicious mollifier! 这真是一种了不起的清凉剂！一种了不起的润滑剂！一种了不起的溶解剂！真是一种了不起的镇静剂！

　　After having my hands in it for only a few minutes, my fingers felt like eels⁸, and began, as it were, to serpentine⁹ and spiralize. 我双手在那里头只放了几分钟，就觉得手指象一条条黄膳，而且开始象蛇一般卷曲起来了。

　　As I sat there at my ease, cross-legged on the deck; after the bitter exertion at the windlass; 我在绞车那儿出过大力气后，舒舒畅畅地坐在这里，双脚交叉搁在甲板上，

　　under a blue tranquil sky; the ship under indolent sail, and gliding so serenely along; 头顶是静谧的苍穹，船在懒洋洋地、非常平稳地向前滑去，

1 hoisting   

起重，提升

参考例句：

• The hoisting capacity of that gin pole (girder pole, guy derrick) is sixty tons. 那个起重抱杆（格状抱杆、转盘抱杆）的起重能力为60吨。 来自口语例句
• We must use mechanical hoisting to load the goods. 我们必须用起重机来装载货物。

2 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

3 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

4 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。

5 unctuous   

adj.油腔滑调的，大胆的

参考例句：

• He speaks in unctuous tones.他说话油腔滑调。
• He made an unctuous assurance.他做了个虚请假意的承诺。

6 cosmetic   

n.化妆品；adj.化妆用的；装门面的；装饰性的

参考例句：

• These changes are purely cosmetic.这些改变纯粹是装饰门面。
• Laughter is the best cosmetic,so grin and wear it!微笑是最好的化妆品，所以请尽情微笑吧！

7 softener   

n.起软化作用的东西，软化剂，柔软剂

参考例句：

• This is a good fabric softener for woolens. 这是一种很好的羊毛织物柔软剂。
• Ion exchange softening Series: If Mobile-bed tower, Combined softener and Automatic softener. 离子交换软化系列：如三塔流动床、组合式软水器和全自动软水器。

8 eels   

abbr. 电子发射器定位系统（=electronic emitter location system）

参考例句：

• Eels have been on the feed in the Lower Thames. 鳗鱼在泰晤士河下游寻食。
• She bought some eels for dinner. 她买回一些鳗鱼做晚餐。

9 serpentine   

adj.蜿蜒的，弯曲的

参考例句：

• One part of the Serpentine is kept for swimmers.蜿蜒河的一段划为游泳区。
• Tremolite laths and serpentine minerals are present in places.有的地方出现透闪石板条及蛇纹石。