英语听书《白鲸记》第180期

 I stuffed a shirt or two into my old carpet-bag, tucked it under my arm, and started for Cape¹ Horn and the Pacific.  我把一两件衬衫塞进我那只旧旅行袋里,往腋了一挟,便动身到合恩角和太平洋去。

Quitting the good city of old Manhatto, I duly arrived in New Bedford. It was on a Saturday night in December.  离开了古老的曼哈托城,我及时抵达新贝德福。这是十二月的一个星期六晚上。

Much was I disappointed upon learning that the little packet for Nantucket had already sailed, and that no way of reaching that place would offer, till the following Monday. 听说那只驶往南塔开特的小邮船已经开出,要到那地方,得一直等到下星期一,此外别无他法,我真大失所望。

As most young candidates for the pains and penalties of whaling stop at this same New Bedford, thence to embark² on their voyage, it may as well be related that I,  大部分新手在奔赴苦刑似的捕鲸航行时,总先停在新贝德福这地方,然后再从这里出发,开始航行,

for one, had no idea of so doing.  可是,拿我来说,我却一点也没有这样的打算。

For my mind was made up to sail in no other than a Nantucket craft,  因为我已经打定主意,出航就得坐上一只南塔开特的船,

because there was a fine, boisterous³ something about everything connected with that famous old island, which amazingly pleased me.  因为那个著名的古岛,样样东西都那么好,又那么热闹,非常惹我喜欢。

Besides though New Bedford has of late been gradually monopolizing⁴ the business of whaling, and though in this matter poor old Nantucket is now much behind her,  再说,虽然新贝德福最近已逐渐独霸着捕鲸这行业,虽然在这方面,可怜的.古老的南塔开特现在已是大大地落在它的后面,

yet Nantucket was her great original-the Tyre of this Carthage;--the place where the first dead American whale was stranded⁵.  然而,南塔开特终究是它的伟大的发源地...是这个迦太基的泰雅是人们把第一只美洲的死鲸拖上岸来的地方。

1 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

2 embark   

vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机

参考例句：

• He is about to embark on a new business venture.他就要开始新的商业冒险活动。
• Many people embark for Europe at New York harbor.许多人在纽约港乘船去欧洲。

3 boisterous   

adj.喧闹的，欢闹的

参考例句：

• I don't condescend to boisterous displays of it.我并不屈就于它热热闹闹的外表。
• The children tended to gather together quietly for a while before they broke into boisterous play.孩子们经常是先静静地聚集在一起，不一会就开始吵吵嚷嚷戏耍开了。

4 monopolizing   

v.垄断( monopolize的现在分词 )；独占；专卖；专营

参考例句：

• United States antitrust legislation prohibits corporations from dominating or monopolizing an industry. 美国反托拉斯法禁止公司控制或垄断一项工业。 来自辞典例句
• Only nobody else must be kind to him: I'm jealous of monopolizing his affection. 可就是用不着别人对他慈爱：我一心要独占他的感情。 来自辞典例句

5 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。