英语听书《白鲸记》第214期

 It was now quite plain that he must be some abominable¹ savage² or other shipped aboard of a whaleman in the South Seas, and so landed in this Christian³ country.  现在已经很明显了,他一定是哪儿的一个讨厌的野人,搭上一条南海的捕鲸船,就这样来到这个文明的国家。

I quaked to think of it. A peddler of heads too--perhaps the heads of his own brothers. He might take a fancy to mine-heavens! look at that tomahawk! 一想到这里,我不由浑身打战.而且还是个人头贩子...说不定贩的就是他的亲弟兄的头呢。他也许会看中我的脑袋...天呀!瞧他那支烟斗斧!

But there was no time for shuddering⁴, for now the savage went about something that completely fascinated my attention, and convinced me that he must indeed be a heathen.  但是,已经没有时间发抖了,因为这时候那野人又在搞什么鬼了,把我的全部注意力都吸引住,这一来更教我肯定他是个异教徒。

Going to his heavy grego, or wrapall, or dreadnaught, which he had previously⁵ hung on a chair,  他走到他先前挂在椅子上那件又象大氅,又象斗篷,又象厚外套的衣服眼前,

he fumbled⁶ in the pockets, and produced at length a curious little deformed⁷ image with a hunch⁸ on its back, and exactly the color of a three days' old Congo baby.  在口袋里摸了一阵,结果摸出一个稀奇古怪的畸形小偶像来,它的背上还有个驼峰,颜色就跟一个生下来三天的刚果婴孩一般无二。

Remembering the embalmed⁹ head, at first I almost thought that this black manikin was a real baby preserved in some similar manner.  一想起那只香料制的头,我起先几乎把这个小黑人当成一个也是用同样方法制的真婴孩。

But seeing that it was not at all limber, and that it glistened¹⁰ a good deal like polished ebony,  但是,看到它根本是硬绷绷的,而且亮得颇象磨光的乌木,

I concluded that it must be nothing but a wooden idol¹¹, which indeed it proved to be.  因此我断定它不过是个木制的偶像,事实证明也是这样。

For now the savage goes up to the empty fire-place, and removing the papered fire-board, sets up this little hunch-backed image, like a tenpin, between the andirons.  因为这时候,那野人走到空壁炉跟前,拿开那块纸隔板,把那只驼背的小偶像,象只球钉一样竖在壁炉的两个柴架中间。

The chimney jambs and all the bricks inside were very sooty, so that I thought this fire-place made a very appropriate little shrine¹² or chapel¹³ for his Congo idol. 里面的烟囱石壁和砖头本来全都熏得漆黑,因此,我心里想,这只壁炉做他的刚果偶像的神龛或者小教堂,倒真是十分适宜。

I now screwed my eyes hard towards the half hidden image, feeling but ill at ease meantime--to see what was next to follow.  这时,我竭力眯起双眼望着那只半遮半掩的偶像,虽然觉得很不好受,却同时又想看看他还要干些什么。

First he takes about a double handful of shavings out of his grego pocket, and places them carefully before the idol;  他先从斗篷口袋里双手捧了一把刨花出来,小心翼翼地放在偶像面前;

then laying a bit of ship biscuit on top and applying the flame from the lamp, he kindled¹⁴ the shavings into a sacrificial blaze.  然后把一小块硬面包放在刨花上,用蜡烛引了火,把刨花烧成一簇祭火。

1 abominable   

adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的

参考例句：

• Their cruel treatment of prisoners was abominable.他们虐待犯人的做法令人厌恶。
• The sanitary conditions in this restaurant are abominable.这家饭馆的卫生状况糟透了。

2 savage   

adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人

参考例句：

• The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
• He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

3 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

4 shuddering   

v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动

参考例句：

• 'I am afraid of it,'she answered, shuddering. “我害怕，”她发着抖，说。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
• She drew a deep shuddering breath. 她不由得打了个寒噤，深深吸了口气。 来自飘（部分）

5 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

6 fumbled   

（笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下

参考例句：

• She fumbled in her pocket for a handkerchief. 她在她口袋里胡乱摸找手帕。
• He fumbled about in his pockets for the ticket. 他（瞎）摸着衣兜找票。

7 deformed   

adj.畸形的；变形的；丑的，破相了的

参考例句：

• He was born with a deformed right leg.他出生时右腿畸形。
• His body was deformed by leprosy.他的身体因为麻风病变形了。

8 hunch   

n.预感，直觉

参考例句：

• I have a hunch that he didn't really want to go.我有这么一种感觉，他并不真正想去。
• I had a hunch that Susan and I would work well together.我有预感和苏珊共事会很融洽。

9 embalmed   

adj.用防腐药物保存（尸体）的v.保存（尸体）不腐( embalm的过去式和过去分词 )；使不被遗忘；使充满香气

参考例句：

• Many fine sentiments are embalmed in poetry. 许多微妙的情感保存于诗歌中。 来自辞典例句
• In books, are embalmed the greatest thoughts of all ages. 伟大思想古今有，载入书中成不朽。 来自互联网

10 glistened   

v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Pearls of dew glistened on the grass. 草地上珠露晶莹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Her eyes glistened with tears. 她的眼里闪着泪花。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

11 idol   

n.偶像，红人，宠儿

参考例句：

• As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子，他是父母的宠儿。
• Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。

12 shrine   

n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣

参考例句：

• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
• They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。

13 chapel   

n.小教堂，殡仪馆

参考例句：

• The nimble hero,skipped into a chapel that stood near.敏捷的英雄跳进近旁的一座小教堂里。
• She was on the peak that Sunday afternoon when she played in chapel.那个星期天的下午，她在小教堂的演出，可以说是登峰造极。

14 kindled   

（使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光

参考例句：

• We watched as the fire slowly kindled. 我们看着火慢慢地燃烧起来。
• The teacher's praise kindled a spark of hope inside her. 老师的赞扬激起了她内心的希望。