英语听书《白鲸记》第890期

 　　Lucky now (sneezes) there's no knee-joint to make; that might puzzle a little; 这会儿，真运气，（打喷嚏）用不着做膝节骨；那才使人伤脑筋；

　　but a mere¹ shin-bone—why it's easy as making hop-poles; only I should like to put a good finish on. 只不过是做块胫骨——这就跟做根跳杆一样省事喽；但愿能把它顺顺当当的干完。

　　Time, time; if I but only had the time, I could turn him out as neat a leg now as ever (sneezes) scraped to a lady in a parlor². 时间呀，时间，我只要有时间就行啦，那我就可以给他做出一条挺齐整的腿，（打喷嚏）让他能够把右脚往后一退，向客厅里的太太好好地行个礼。

　　Those buckskin legs and calves³ of legs I've seen in shop windows wouldn't compare at all. 我在店铺橱窗里看到的那种鹿皮腿和小牛腿，根本就甭跟这个比。

　　They soak water, they do; and of course get rheumatic, and have to be doctored (sneezes) with washes and lotions⁴, just like live legs. 那些都是泡过水的，的确是泡过水的；自然就要闹风湿症喽，闹风湿症就得去看大夫，（打喷嚏）洗洗擦擦，象张罗活腿一样。

　　There; before I saw it off, now, I must call his old Mogulship, and see whether the length will be all right; too short, if anything, I guess. 唔，那么，在我把它锯开以前，我得去找那个老蒙兀儿，看看长短是不是正好；我猜想，要是有点不对头的话，准是太短了。

　　Ha! that's the heel; we are in luck; here he comes, or it's somebody else, that's certain. AHAB (advancing) 哈哈！后跟也做好了，我们真运气；啊他来了，要不是他，就一定是有什么人来了。亚哈（逐渐走过来）

　　(During the ensuing scene, the carpenter continues sneezing at times). （在下一场里，木匠仍不时地打喷嚏。）

　　Well, manmaker! 弄好啦，老师傅！

　　Just in time, sir. If the captain pleases, I will now mark the length. Let me measure, sir. 不迟不早，来得刚好，先生。如果船长答应的话，我现在就来做个长短的记号。让我量一量，先生。

　　Measured for a leg! good. Well, it's not the first time. About it! There; keep thy finger on it. 量一只腿！好极啦。唔，这倒不是头一遭。量吧！喂，把手指揿上去。

　　This is a cogent⁵ vice⁶ thou hast here, carpenter; let me feel its grip once. So, so; it does pinch some. 噫，你这里倒有一把中用的虎钳，木匠；让我来试一试它的钳力。唔，唔；倒可以钳些什么。

1 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。

2 parlor   

n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅

参考例句：

• She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
• Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店？

3 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》

4 lotions   

n.洗液，洗剂，护肤液( lotion的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Do not use lotions or oils to lubricate the skin. 不要用润肤剂或油类来润滑皮肤。 来自辞典例句
• They were experts at preserving the bodies of the dead by embalming them with special lotions. 他们具有采用特种药物洗剂防止尸体腐烂的专门知识。 来自辞典例句

5 cogent   

adj.强有力的，有说服力的

参考例句：

• The result is a cogent explanation of inflation.结果令人信服地解释了通货膨胀问题。
• He produced cogent reasons for the change of policy.他对改变政策提出了充分的理由。

6 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。