英语听书《白鲸记》第878期

 And as upon the invasion of their valleys, the frosty Swiss have retreated to their mountains; 正如冷淡的瑞士人，一遇外族入侵他们的河谷，便都撤到他们的大山上去一般，

so, hunted from the savannas¹ and glades² of the middle seas, the whale-bone whales can at last resort to their Polar citadels³, 因此，这些须鲸在那如大草原、林间开阔地带的洋面上被猎击后，它们最后也能够这样前往它们那些北极的城堡，

and diving under the ultimate glassy barriers and walls there, come up among icy fields and floes! 而潜入到最后的草木茂盛的壁垒和城墙下去，又在冰地和浮冰块中冒了出来；

and in a charmed circle of everlasting⁴ December, bid defiance⁵ to all pursuit from man. 它们处在无尽的十二月天的美妙的小天地里，根本不把人类一切追逐放在眼里。

But as perhaps fifty of these whale-bone whales are harpooned⁶ for one cachalot, 但是，也许是因为往往要打到五十条这样的须鲸，才能够打到一条抹香鲸的缘故，

some philosophers of the forecastle have concluded that this positive havoc⁷ has already very seriously diminished their battalions⁸. 因此，船头楼上一些哲学家才断定说，这种具有决定意义的打击早已使得鲸这支队伍大大地减少了。

But though for some time past a number of these whales, not less than 13,000, have been annually⁹ slain¹⁰ on the nor'west coast by the Americans alone; 虽则不久前，光是美国的捕鲸者，每年在西北线上所捕杀的这种鲸，其数目可就不下于一万三千条；

yet there are considerations which render even this circumstance of little or no account as an opposing argument in this matter. 然而，还是有人甚至把它当作一种微不足道的情况，视为不值一驳的。

Natural as it is to be somewhat incredulous concerning the populousness¹¹ of the more enormous creatures of the globe, 世界上那些身躯比较硕大的动物的稠密情况，当然免不了会多少引起怀疑，

yet what shall we say to Harto, the historian of Goa, when he tells us that at one hunting the King of Siam took 4,000 elephants; 然而，我们对于那个果阿的历史家哈托的言论又将怎样看法呢？他说暹罗国王一次行猎就可以打到四千只象；

that in those regions elephants are numerous as droves of cattle in the temperate¹² climes. 而且还说在那些地方，象只之多，有如温带地方的畜群。

1 savannas   

n.（美国东南部的）无树平原( savanna的名词复数 )；（亚）热带的稀树大草原

参考例句：

• Therefore the jungles and the savannas know of no juvenile delinquency! 因此，丛林和荒原里没有“少年犯罪。” 来自辞典例句
• My soul flits away into the virgin forests and to the savannas. 我的灵魂飞向森林中的处女地和广漠的平原。 来自互联网

2 glades   

n.林中空地( glade的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Maggie and Philip had been meeting secretly in the glades near the mill. 玛吉和菲利曾经常在磨坊附近的林中空地幽会。 来自辞典例句
• Still the outlaw band throve in Sherwood, and hunted the deer in its glades. 当他在沉思中变老了，世界还是照样走它的路，亡命之徒仍然在修武德日渐壮大，在空地里猎鹿。 来自互联网

3 citadels   

n.城堡，堡垒( citadel的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• citadels of private economic power 私人经济力量的堡垒
• They once were icons of integrity, citadels of civilization, bastions of benevolence. 大学曾经是正直的象征，文明的堡垒，仁爱的捍卫者阵地。 来自互联网

4 everlasting   

adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的

参考例句：

• These tyres are advertised as being everlasting.广告上说轮胎持久耐用。
• He believes in everlasting life after death.他相信死后有不朽的生命。

5 defiance   

n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗

参考例句：

• He climbed the ladder in defiance of the warning.他无视警告爬上了那架梯子。
• He slammed the door in a spirit of defiance.他以挑衅性的态度把门砰地一下关上。

6 harpooned   

v.鱼镖，鱼叉( harpoon的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He said he once harpooned a 2, 000-pound shark off the coast of New York. 他称，他曾经在纽约海面上，用鱼叉捕获过一条重达2.000磅的鲨鱼。 来自互联网

7 havoc   

n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱

参考例句：

• The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city.地震对这个城市造成了大破坏。
• This concentration of airborne firepower wrought havoc with the enemy forces.这次机载火力的集中攻击给敌军造成很大破坏。

8 battalions   

n.（陆军的）一营（大约有一千兵士）( battalion的名词复数 )；协同作战的部队；军队；（组织在一起工作的）队伍

参考例句：

• God is always on the side of the strongest battalions. 上帝总是帮助强者。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Two battalions were disposed for an attack on the air base. 配置两个营的兵力进攻空军基地。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

10 slain   

杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词)

参考例句：

• The soldiers slain in the battle were burried that night. 在那天夜晚埋葬了在战斗中牺牲了的战士。
• His boy was dead, slain by the hand of the false Amulius. 他的儿子被奸诈的阿缪利乌斯杀死了。

11 populousness   

人口稠密

参考例句：

12 temperate   

adj.温和的，温带的，自我克制的，不过分的

参考例句：

• Asia extends across the frigid,temperate and tropical zones.亚洲地跨寒、温、热三带。
• Great Britain has a temperate climate.英国气候温和。