英语听书《白鲸记》第961期

 As for the men, though some of them lowly rumbled¹, their fear of Ahab was greater than their fear of Fate. 至于那些水手，虽然其中有些人在低声嘀咕，可是；他们害怕亚哈远远超过于害怕他们自己的命运。

But as ever before, the pagan harpooneers remained almost wholly unimpressed; 但是，那些异教徒标枪手，却还象从前一样，几乎毫无所动；

or if impressed, it was only with a certain magnetism² shot into their congenial hearts from inflexible³ Ahab's. 如果说是有所动的话，那就是他们那意气相投的心，中了顽强的亚哈一发富有磁力的子弹了。

For a space the old man walked the deck in rolling reveries. 这个老人摇摇晃晃地在甲板上踱了一番。

But chancing to slip with his ivory heel, he saw the crushed copper⁴ sight-tubes of the quadrant he had the day before dashed to the deck. 他那只牙骨脚的后跟突然滑了一下，不想看到他昨天摔在甲板上那只象限仪的破碎了的瞭望铜管子。

Thou poor, proud heaven-gazer and sun's pilot! yesterday I wrecked⁵ thee, and to-day the compasses would fain have wrecked me. 你这可怜而高傲的望天的家伙兼太阳的引港人呵！昨天我毁了你，今天罗盘竟会装模作样来毁我。

So, so. But Ahab is lord over the level loadstone yet. 唔，唔。不过，亚哈还是这种平面的天然磁石的主宰者。

Mr. Starbuck — a lance without the pole; a top-maul, and the smallest of the sail-maker's needles. Quick! 斯达巴克先生——给我拿支没有棒的鱼枪头，一只大锤子，和一根最小的缝帆针来，快！

Accessory, perhaps, to the impulse dictating⁶ the thing he was now about to do, 他准备要用的这些东西，所以要这么冲动地一一口述出来，

were certain prudential motives⁷, whose object might have been to revive the spirits of his crew by a stroke of his subtile skill, 也许还有某种深谋远虑的动机，其目的也许是想靠他一记巧妙的技巧，

in a matter so wondrous⁸ as that of the inverted⁹ compasses. 振作一下他那些船员的精神。

Besides, the old man well knew that to steer¹⁰ by transpointed needles, 再说，这个老人心里十分有数，靠那转了向的罗盘针来把舵，

though clumsily practicable, was not a thing to be passed over by superstitious¹¹ sailors, without some shudderings and evil portents¹². 尽管可以勉强对付，终究会使那些迷信的水手耿耿于怀，他们不免要心惊胆战，觉得凶兆重重。

 

1 rumbled   

发出隆隆声，发出辘辘声( rumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 轰鸣着缓慢行进； 发现…的真相； 看穿（阴谋）

参考例句：

• The machine rumbled as it started up. 机器轰鸣着发动起来。
• Things rapidly became calm, though beneath the surface the argument rumbled on. 事情迅速平静下来了，然而，在这种平静的表面背后争论如隆隆雷声，持续不断。

2 magnetism   

n.磁性，吸引力，磁学

参考例句：

• We know about magnetism by the way magnets act.我们通过磁铁的作用知道磁性是怎么一回事。
• His success showed his magnetism of courage and devotion.他的成功表现了他的胆量和热诚的魅力。

3 inflexible   

adj.不可改变的，不受影响的，不屈服的

参考例句：

• Charles was a man of settled habits and inflexible routine.查尔斯是一个恪守习惯、生活规律不容打乱的人。
• The new plastic is completely inflexible.这种新塑料是完全不可弯曲的。

4 copper   

n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的

参考例句：

• The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。
• Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。

5 wrecked   

adj.失事的，遇难的

参考例句：

• the hulk of a wrecked ship 遇难轮船的残骸
• the salvage of the wrecked tanker 对失事油轮的打捞

6 dictating   

v.大声讲或读( dictate的现在分词 )；口授；支配；摆布

参考例句：

• The manager was dictating a letter to the secretary. 经理在向秘书口授信稿。 来自辞典例句
• Her face is impassive as she listens to Miller dictating the warrant for her arrest. 她毫无表情地在听米勒口述拘留她的证书。 来自辞典例句

7 motives   

n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机
• His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。

8 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。

9 inverted   

adj.反向的，倒转的v.使倒置，使反转( invert的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Only direct speech should go inside inverted commas. 只有直接引语应放在引号内。
• Inverted flight is an acrobatic manoeuvre of the plane. 倒飞是飞机的一种特技动作。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

11 superstitious   

adj.迷信的

参考例句：

• They aim to deliver the people who are in bondage to superstitious belief.他们的目的在于解脱那些受迷信束缚的人。
• These superstitious practices should be abolished as soon as possible.这些迷信做法应尽早取消。

12 portents   

n.预兆( portent的名词复数 )；征兆；怪事；奇物

参考例句：

• But even with this extra support, labour-market portents still look grim. 但是即使采取了额外支持措施，劳动力市场依然阴霾密布。 来自互联网
• So the hiccups are worth noting as portents. 因此这些问题作为不好的征兆而值得关注。 来自互联网