英语听书《白鲸记》第44期

 Shifting the barrow from my hand to his, he told me a funny story about the first wheelbarrow he had ever seen.  独轮车由我手里转到他手里时，魁魁格给我讲了一个关于他第一次见到独轮车的故事。 

It was in Sag¹ Harbor. The owners of his ship, it seems, had lent him one, in which to carry his heavy chest to his boarding house.  在萨格港，船主借给他一辆独轮车，让他装行李。此前，对于独轮车，他是闻所未闻见所未见的，

Not to seem ignorant about the thing—though in truth he was entirely² so, concerning the precise way in which to manage the barrow—Queequeg puts his chest upon it;lashes it fast; and then shoulders the barrow and marches up the wharf³.   但为了不让别人看出他是个生手，他就把行李结结实实地捆在小车上，然后运足力气一下子就把小车扛到了肩上，大步流星地走上了码头。 

"Why," said I, "Queequeg, you might have known better than that, one would think. Didn't the people laugh?"  “啊，魁魁格，你就这么走到的客店？” 我几乎笑出声来。 

Upon this, he told me another story.  他又给我讲了一个故事。

The people of his island of Rokovoko, it seems, at their wedding feasts express the fragrant⁴ water of young cocoanuts into a large stained calabash like a punchbowl;  说的是他们那个岛上的事。岛上的人，在结婚时，要把从嫩椰子里挤出来的椰汁，滴到一个大葫芦里，

and this punchbowl always forms the great central ornament⁵ on the braided mat where the feast is held.  然后把这个大葫芦放在桌子上最显眼的位置上。 

Now a certain grand merchant ship once touched at Rokovoko, and its commanderfrom all accounts, a very stately punctilious⁶ gentleman, at least for a sea captain—this commander was invited to the wedding feast of Queequeg's sister, a pretty young princess just turned of ten.  一次，一条大船靠了岸。一位绅士派头的船长被邀请参加魁魁格妹妹的婚礼，他的妹妹当时刚满十周岁。 

Well; when all the wedding guests were assembled at the bride's bamboo cottage, this Captain marches in, and being assigned the post of honour, placed himself over against the punchbowl, and between the High Priest and his majesty⁷ the King, Queequeg's father.  船长被请到了上席，面前正摆着那只大葫芦，两旁分别坐着魁魁格的父亲和叔叔。 

Grace being said,—for those people have their grace as well as we—though Queequeg told me that unlike us, who at such times look downwards⁸ to our platters, they, on the contrary, copying the ducks, glance upwards⁹ to the great Giver of all feasts—Grace,  做过饭前祷告—岛上的人做饭前祷告不像我们俯对杯盘，而是仰起脸来， 

I say, being said, the High Priest opens the banquet by the immemorial ceremony of the island;  但做祷告则有共同点—祭司长便宣布婚筵开始了。

that is, dipping his consecrated¹⁰ and consecrating¹¹ fingers into the bowl before the blessed beverage¹² circulates.  按照这个岛国的习俗，祭司长要把他的神圣的手指往那还未向客人敬酒的喜酒壶里浸一浸。 

1 sag   

v.下垂，下跌，消沉；n.下垂，下跌，凹陷，[航海]随风漂流

参考例句：

• The shelf was beginning to sag beneath the weight of the books upon it.书架在书的重压下渐渐下弯。
• We need to do something about the sag.我们须把下沉的地方修整一下。

2 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

3 wharf   

n.码头，停泊处

参考例句：

• We fetch up at the wharf exactly on time.我们准时到达码头。
• We reached the wharf gasping for breath.我们气喘吁吁地抵达了码头。

4 fragrant   

adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的

参考例句：

• The Fragrant Hills are exceptionally beautiful in late autumn.深秋的香山格外美丽。
• The air was fragrant with lavender.空气中弥漫薰衣草香。

5 ornament   

v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物

参考例句：

• The flowers were put on the table for ornament.花放在桌子上做装饰用。
• She wears a crystal ornament on her chest.她的前胸戴了一个水晶饰品。

6 punctilious   

adj.谨慎的，谨小慎微的

参考例句：

• He was a punctilious young man.他是个非常拘礼的年轻人。
• Billy is punctilious in the performance of his duties.毕利执行任务总是一丝不苟的。

7 majesty   

n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权

参考例句：

• The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。
• Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下，您必须赶快做出决定！

8 downwards   

adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地）

参考例句：

• He lay face downwards on his bed.他脸向下伏在床上。
• As the river flows downwards,it widens.这条河愈到下游愈宽。

9 upwards   

adv.向上，在更高处...以上

参考例句：

• The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
• The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。

10 consecrated   

adj.神圣的，被视为神圣的v.把…奉为神圣，给…祝圣( consecrate的过去式和过去分词 )；奉献

参考例句：

• The church was consecrated in 1853. 这座教堂于1853年祝圣。
• They consecrated a temple to their god. 他们把庙奉献给神。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 consecrating   

v.把…奉为神圣，给…祝圣( consecrate的现在分词 )；奉献

参考例句：

• Participant of Consecrating Wat Ling Khob Amulet. WLK佛牌（光辉之佛）加持的参与者。 来自互联网

12 beverage   

n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料

参考例句：

• The beverage is often colored with caramel.这种饮料常用焦糖染色。
• Beer is a beverage of the remotest time.啤酒是一种最古老的饮料。