英语听书《白鲸记》第176期

 On the contrary, passengers themselves must pay. And there is all the difference in the world between paying and being paid.  相应地,船客却必须自己掏钱.因此,这世界上,掏钱和拿钱是完全不同的。

The act of paying is perhaps the most uncomfortable infliction¹ that the two orchard² thieves entailed³ upon us.  掏钱这种行为恐怕就是那两个偷果树园的贼给我们招来的最不受用的痛苦了。

But being paid,what will compare with it?  至于人家付钱给你,...那还有什么比得上这个?

The urbane⁴ activity with which a man receives money is really marvellous, considering that we so earnestly believe money to be the root of all earthly ills, and that on no account can a monied man enter heaven.  一个人接受钱时的那种彬彬有礼的态度,倒确实是不可思议的,因为我们都那么诚心相信钱是尘世上一切罪恶的根源,有钱人是决计进不了天堂的啊!

Ah! how cheerfully we consign⁵ ourselves to perdition! 我们是多么欢欢喜喜地使自己沦于万劫不复的境地啊!

Finally, I always go to sea as a sailor, because of the wholesome⁶ exercise and pure air of the fore-castle deck.  最后,我所以总是出海去当水手,是为了那种有益身心的操劳和船头楼甲板上的纯净空气。

For as in this world, head winds are far more prevalent than winds from astern,  就象这个世界一样,顶风远比顺风来得多，

so for the most part the Commodore on the quarter-deck gets his atmosphere at second hand from the sailors on the forecastle. 因此,在多数情况下,空气总是先让船头楼上的水手呼吸,然后才轮到后甲板的司令。

1 infliction   

n.（强加于人身的）痛苦，刑罚

参考例句：

• Don't immerse yourself in the infliction too long.不要长时间沉浸在痛苦经历中。
• Instead of rivets there came an invasion,an infliction,and a visitation.但是铆钉并没有运来，来的却是骚扰、混乱和视察。

2 orchard   

n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场

参考例句：

• My orchard is bearing well this year.今年我的果园果实累累。
• Each bamboo house was surrounded by a thriving orchard.每座竹楼周围都是茂密的果园。

3 entailed   

使…成为必要( entail的过去式和过去分词 )； 需要； 限定继承； 使必需

参考例句：

• The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son. 城堡和土地限定由长子继承。
• The house and estate are entailed on the eldest daughter. 这所房子和地产限定由长女继承。

4 urbane   

adj.温文尔雅的，懂礼的

参考例句：

• He tried hard to be urbane.他极力作出彬彬有礼的神态。
• Despite the crisis,the chairman's voice was urbane as usual.尽管处于危机之中，董事长的声音还象通常一样温文尔雅。

5 consign   

vt.寄售（货品），托运，交托，委托

参考例句：

• We cannot agree to consign the goods.我们不同意寄售此货。
• We will consign the goods to him by express.我们将以快递把货物寄给他。

6 wholesome   

adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的

参考例句：

• In actual fact the things I like doing are mostly wholesome.实际上我喜欢做的事大都是有助于增进身体健康的。
• It is not wholesome to eat without washing your hands.不洗手吃饭是不卫生的。