英语听书《白鲸记》第71期

 Nor will it at all detract from him, dramatically regarded, if either by birth or other circumstances,  他身上有与大自然相谐的宁和与恬美，

he have what seems a half wilful¹ overruling morbidness² at the bottom of his nature.  也有自然斗士的桀骜不驯。

For all men tragically³ great are made so through a certain morbidness.  他是悲剧中的伟人，支配别人成了他人格的一种病态表现。 

Be sure of this, O young ambition, all mortal greatness is but disease.  啊，年轻人，你们可要牢记啊，人类的伟大是常与人类的病态相伴相生的，你们可要警惕！ 

But, as yet we have not to do with such an one, but with quite another;  比勒达船长与法勒船长一样，是个退了休的捕鲸者；

and still a man, who, if indeed peculiar⁴, it only results again from another phase of the Quaker, modified by individual circumstances.  仍然只是一个男人,如果确实特殊，情况会依据局势做出改变。

Like Captain Peleg, Captain Bildad was a well-to-do, retired⁵ whaleman.  与法勒船长不一样的是，他有处变不惊、遇事不乱的品格。

But unlike Captain Peleg—who cared not a rush for what are called serious things, and indeed deemed those self-same serious things the veriest of all trifles. 他在大洋大海中进行过无数次航行。

Captain Bildad had not only been originally educated according to the strictest sect⁶ of Nantucket Quakerism,  他在南塔开特受过最严格的桂克教派的训练，

but all his subsequent ocean life, and the sight of many unclad, lovely island creatures, round the Horn. 他到过合恩角，见过一丝不挂的土著们田园味儿十足的劳作。 

all that had not moved this native born Quaker one single jot⁷, had not so much as altered one angle of his vest.  他反对人类自身的互相残杀，却可以穿上紧身衣，挥舞标枪，让大鲸鱼流出一大桶一大桶的血来。 

1 wilful   

adj.任性的，故意的

参考例句：

• A wilful fault has no excuse and deserves no pardon.不能宽恕故意犯下的错误。
• He later accused reporters of wilful distortion and bias.他后来指责记者有意歪曲事实并带有偏见。

2 morbidness   

（精神的）病态

参考例句：

• Too much self-inspection leads to morbidness; too little conducts to careless and hasty action. 不过过度的自我检讨会成为病态，检讨不足则又导致行事粗心草率。 来自互联网

3 tragically   

adv. 悲剧地，悲惨地

参考例句：

• Their daughter was tragically killed in a road accident. 他们的女儿不幸死于车祸。
• Her father died tragically in a car crash. 她父亲在一场车祸中惨死。

4 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

5 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

6 sect   

n.派别，宗教，学派，派系

参考例句：

• When he was sixteen he joined a religious sect.他16岁的时候加入了一个宗教教派。
• Each religious sect in the town had its own church.该城每一个宗教教派都有自己的教堂。

7 jot   

n.少量；vi.草草记下；vt.匆匆写下

参考例句：

• I'll jot down their address before I forget it.我得赶快把他们的地址写下来，免得忘了。
• There is not a jot of evidence to say it does them any good.没有丝毫的证据显示这对他们有任何好处。