英语听书《白鲸记》第215期

 Presently, after many hasty snatches into the fire, and still hastier withdrawals¹ of his fingers (whereby he seemed to be scorching² them badly), 隔了一会,他急急地伸手向火里去抓硬面包,又赶快缩回来(好象把手烫得很痛似的),这样有好几次,

he at last succeeded in drawing out the biscuit; then blowing off the heat and ashes a little, he made a polite offer of it to the little negro.  总算把硬面包从火里拿了出来;于是他把那块硬面包吹吹凉,吹掉一些灰,便把它作为一种祭品,恭恭敬敬地献给那小黑人。

But the little devil did not seem to fancy such dry sort of fare at all; he never moved his lips.  但是,那个小魔鬼好象对这样干巴巴的食物完全不发生兴趣似的,嘴巴动都不动。

All these strange antics were accompanied by still stranger guttural noises from the devotee,  就在做出这些希奇古怪的动作的同时,这位信男的喉咙里还发出种种更加古怪的声音,

who seemed to be praying in a sing-song or else singing some pagan psalmody or other, during which his face twitched³ about in the most unnatural⁴ manner.  象是哼祈祷歌,或者是在唱什么异教的赞美诗,唱的时候,脸上还七歪八扭地做出种种怪相。

At last extinguishing the fire, he took the idol⁵ up very unceremoniously,  最后,他把火吹熄,随随便便地抓起那只小偶像,

and bagged it again in his grego pocket as carelessly as if he were a sportsman bagging a dead woodcock. 往斗篷口袋里一塞,就象个猎人把一只死山鸡放进袋里一样的漫不经心。

All these queer proceedings⁶ increased my uncomfortableness, and seeing him now exhibiting strong symptoms of concluding his business operations, and jumping into bed with me,  所有这些古怪的行动使我越来越感到不安。看来他的公事已告结束,就要跳上床来跟我睡在一起了。

I thought it was high time, now or never, before the light was put out, to break the spell in which I had so long been bound. 我象碰到鬼似的,这半天都呆在这里不开口;我认为,时机不可再失,要末现在,要末就来不及,我得在他熄灯之前,挣扎出一句话来。

But the interval⁷ I spent in deliberating what to say, was a fatal one.  我心里在盘算该说些什么好的这段时间,真是个性命交关的时分。

Taking up his tomahawk from the table, he examined the head of it for an instant, and then holding it to the light, with his mouth at the handle,  他打桌子上拿起那支烟斗斧,检视一下头子,就拿来对着火,嘴衔着柄子,

he puffed⁸ out great clouds of tobacco smoke. The next moment the light was extinguished, and this wild cannibal, tomahawk between his teeth, sprang into bed with me.  喷出一大口烟来。一转眼间,灯已经熄掉,这个嘴里咬着烟斗斧的野人,就跳上床来跟我睡在一起。

I sang out, I could not help it now; and giving a sudden grunt⁹ of astonishment¹⁰ he began feeling me. 我大声叫了出来,我现在再也禁不住自己了;他发出一声嗥叫,诧异之极,就动手来摸我。

Stammering¹¹ out something, I knew not what, I rolled away from him against the wall,  我嘴里结结巴巴地说了些话,什么话连我自己也不知道,身子滚到墙边躲他,后来又跟他讲了许多好话,

and then conjured¹² him, whoever or whatever he might be, to keep quiet, and let me get up and light the lamp again.  说不管他是何等样人,请他不要闹,先放我起来,把灯重新点亮。

But his guttural responses satisfied me at once that he but ill comprehended my meaning. 他喉咙里咕噜着回答,我听了立刻明白他原来误解了我的意思。

1 withdrawals   

n.收回，取回，撤回( withdrawal的名词复数 )；撤退，撤走；收回[取回，撤回，撤退，撤走]的实例；推出（组织），提走（存款），戒除毒瘾，对说过的话收回，孤僻

参考例句：

• He has made several withdrawals from his bank account. 他从银行账户上提了几次款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It is not the bank's policy to deduct interest on withdrawals. 提款需扣除利息这并非是本银行的政策。 来自辞典例句

2 scorching   

adj. 灼热的

参考例句：

• a scorching, pitiless sun 灼热的骄阳
• a scorching critique of the government's economic policy 对政府经济政策的严厉批评

3 twitched   

vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Her lips twitched with amusement. 她忍俊不禁地颤动着嘴唇。
• The child's mouth twitched as if she were about to cry. 这小孩的嘴抽动着，像是要哭。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 unnatural   

adj.不自然的；反常的

参考例句：

• Did her behaviour seem unnatural in any way?她有任何反常表现吗？
• She has an unnatural smile on her face.她脸上挂着做作的微笑。

5 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。

6 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

7 interval   

n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息

参考例句：

• The interval between the two trees measures 40 feet.这两棵树的间隔是40英尺。
• There was a long interval before he anwsered the telephone.隔了好久他才回了电话。

8 puffed   

adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧

参考例句：

• He lit a cigarette and puffed at it furiously. 他点燃了一支香烟，狂吸了几口。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He felt grown-up, puffed up with self-importance. 他觉得长大了，便自以为了不起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 grunt   

v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝

参考例句：

• He lifted the heavy suitcase with a grunt.他咕噜着把沉重的提箱拎了起来。
• I ask him what he think,but he just grunt.我问他在想什麽，他只哼了一声。

10 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

11 stammering   

v.结巴地说出( stammer的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He betrayed nervousness by stammering. 他说话结结巴巴说明他胆子小。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• \"Why,\" he said, actually stammering, \"how do you do?\" “哎呀，\"他说，真的有些结结巴巴，\"你好啊？” 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

12 conjured   

用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现

参考例句：

• He conjured them with his dying breath to look after his children. 他临终时恳求他们照顾他的孩子。
• His very funny joke soon conjured my anger away. 他讲了个十分有趣的笑话，使得我的怒气顿消。