It must be borne in mind that all this time we have a Sperm Whale's prodigious head hanging to the Pequod's side. 必须谨记在心里的是，这一向，我们已经有一个抹香鲸的大头挂在"裴廓德号"的船侧了。

　　But we must let it continue hanging there a while till we can get a chance to attend to it. 可是，我们还得让它继续在那里挂上一阵，等我们有工夫再去料理它。

　　For the present other matters press, and the best we can do now for the head, is to pray heaven the tackles may hold. 目前，其它事情忙迫，现在我们对那只头所能做的，就是祈求上天，使那架复滑车能够顶用。

　　Now, during the past night and forenoon, the Pequod had gradually drifted into a sea, 且说经过了一个夜晚和一个上午后，（"裴廓德号"已经逐渐漂向海里去了，

　　which, by its occasional patches of yellow brit, gave unusual tokens of the vicinity of Right Whales, 这时的海上，由于偶尔出现有片片黄色的小鱼群，非常明显地表明附近有露脊鲸群，

　　a species of the Leviathan that but few supposed to be at this particular time lurking anywhere near. 这种大海兽，会在此时潜伏在这一带，倒是一般所意想不到的。

　　And though all hands commonly disdained the capture of those inferior creatures; 虽则大家一般都不屑去捕捉这种窝囊废，

　　and though the Pequod was not commissioned to cruise for them at all, 虽则"裴廓德号"根本就不是为它们而巡游的，

　　and though she had passed numbers of them near the Crozetts without lowering a boat; 虽则在我们经过克罗泽斯附近的时候，已经看到了无数的这种东西，都没有放下过一只小艇；

　　yet now that a Sperm Whale had been brought alongside and beheaded, 然而，这时，想不到已经拖来了一条抹香鲸，而且砍了头，

　　to the surprise of all, the announcement was made that a Right Whale should be captured that day, if opportunity offered. 却突然使大家一楞地又来了命令，说是如有机会，要在当天捕到一条露脊鲸。）

　　Nor was this long wanting. Tall spouts were seen to leeward; and two boats, Stubb's and Flask's, were detached in pursuit. 这个有的是呢。在下风的地方，就已经看到了高高的喷水；斯塔布和弗拉斯克的两只小艇，也已经放下去追逐了。

　　Pulling further and further away, they at last became almost invisible to the men at the masthead.  他们划呀划的，越划越远，最后差不多连桅顶上的人也看不见他们了。