英语听书《白鲸记》第954期

 The isolated¹ subterraneousness of the cabin made a certain humming silence to reign² there, 这个孤寂得象地穴般的舱室，叫人觉得那里面有一种静寂得象是嗡嗡作响的声息，

though it was hooped³ round by all the roar of the elements. 而且这种声息是给各种噪音包围住的。

The loaded muskets⁵ in the rack were shiningly revealed, as they stood upright against the forward bulkhead. 网架上几支装着火药的滑膛枪闪闪发光，这些枪都竖靠在前边的隔舱。

Starbuck was an honest, upright man; 斯达巴克虽是个诚实、正直的人；

but out of Starbuck's heart, at that instant when he saw the muskets, there strangely evolved an evil thought; 可是，这时，他一看到这些滑膛枪，心底里却奇特地产生一股邪念；

but so blent with its neutral or good accompaniments that for the instant he hardly knew it for itself. 不过，这种邪念又让它那可好可坏或者不如说是好的念头同时混在一起，以致一时间教他也闹不清是好是坏了。

He would have shot me once, he murmured, "yes, there's the very musket⁴ that he pointed⁶ at me; 他上次本来是要用枪打我的，他喃喃道，"是呀，那边就是他曾经瞄准着我的那支滑膛枪；

that one with the studded stock; let me touch it — lift it. 就是那有螺栓的枪支；让我来摸它一摸，把它提起来。

Strange, that I, who have handled so many deadly lances, strange, that I should shake so now. 真怪，我这个拿过许许多多致人死命的刀枪的人，这回竟会抖得这么厉害，真怪。

Loaded? I must see. Aye, aye; and powder in the pan; — that's not good. Best spill it? — wait. 装上了火药么？我得看一看。是呀，是呀；药池里有火药；——这就不妙了。还是把它倒掉？——且慢。

I'll cure myself of this. I'll hold the musket boldly while I think. — I come to report a fair wind to him. 我要用这支东西来解救我自己。我要一边仔细想一想，一边勇敢地抓住这支枪——我是来向他报告顺风的消息的。

But how fair? Fair for death and doom⁷, — that's fair for Moby Dick. 可是怎么个顺法呢？是顺向死亡跟毁灭吧，——那是顺向莫比－迪克的。

It's a fair wind that's only fair for that accursed fish. 这只是顺向那条该死的鱼的顺风——。

 

1 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

2 reign   

n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势

参考例句：

• The reign of Queen Elizabeth lapped over into the seventeenth century.伊丽莎白王朝延至17世纪。
• The reign of Zhu Yuanzhang lasted about 31 years.朱元璋统治了大约三十一年。

3 hooped   

adj.以环作装饰的；带横纹的；带有环的

参考例句：

• Will the joint area with dense hooped reinforcement enhance the bearing capacity of the frame column? 节点区箍筋加密是否有利于框架柱承载能力的提高？ 来自互联网

4 musket   

n.滑膛枪

参考例句：

• I hunted with a musket two years ago.两年前我用滑膛枪打猎。
• So some seconds passed,till suddenly Joyce whipped up his musket and fired.又过了几秒钟，突然，乔伊斯端起枪来开了火。

5 muskets   

n.火枪，（尤指）滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The watch below, all hands to load muskets. 另一组人都来帮着给枪装火药。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
• Deep ditch, single drawbridge, massive stone walls, eight at towers, cannon, muskets, fire and smoke. 深深的壕堑，单吊桥，厚重的石壁，八座巨大的塔楼。大炮、毛瑟枪、火焰与烟雾。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

6 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

7 doom   

n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定

参考例句：

• The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。
• The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。