英语听书《白鲸记》第325期

 At length, towards noon, upon the final dismissal of the ship's riggers, and after the Pequod had been hauled out from the wharf¹,  最后,在晌午时分,终于在把船上的索匠们都辞退后,裴廓德号起锚,离开码头,

and after the ever-thoughtful Charity had come off in a whale-boat, with her last gift-a nightcap for Stubb, the second mate,  那个始终是思虑周到的慈善姑妈带来了她最后的礼物给二副,

her brother-in-law, and a spare Bible for the steward-after all this, the two Captains, Peleg and Bildad, issued from the cabin, and turning to the chief mate, Peleg said: 她的妹夫斯塔布带来了一顶睡帽,给管事带来一本备用的《圣经》又坐着一只捕鲸小艇走了,在这一切之后,那两个船长,法勒和比勒达,就从船长室里走了出来,法勒对着那个大副说:

Now, Mr. Starbuck, are you sure everything is right? Captain Ahab is all ready-just spoke² to him-nothing more to be got from shore, eh? Well, call all hands, then.  现在,斯达巴克先生,你肯定一切都弄停当了吗?亚哈船长全都准备好了。刚才跟他说过了。用不着再从岸上送什么东西来吧?

Muster³ 'em aft here-blast 'em! 好,那么把大家集合起来,叫他们集中在这船梢。该死!

No need of profane⁴ words, however great the hurry, Peleg, said Bildad, but away with thee, friend Starbuck, and do our bidding. 不管怎样急,都不该说脏话,法勒,比勒达说,你去吧,斯达巴克老兄,照我们的命令行事。

How now! Here upon the very point of starting for the voyage, Captain Peleg and Captain Bildad were going it with a high hand on the quarter-deck,  嗳哟!已经到了开航的时分啦,法勒船长和比勒达船长就要在后甲板上大显威风了,

just as if they were to be joint-commanders at sea, as well as to all appearances in port.  他们俩仿佛就象是海上共同作战的司令官,也完全象是岸上的司令官。

And, as for Captain Ahab, no sign of him was yet to be seen; Only, they said he was in the cabin.  至于亚哈船长,还是连个影子也没见到;人们只是说,他在船长室里。

But then, the idea was, that his presence was by no means necessary in getting the ship under weigh, and steering⁵ her well out to sea.  但是,当时的想法是,船要开航,决不是非他出来不可,也决不需要他来掌舵,把船开出海去。

Indeed, as that was not at all his proper business, but the pilot's; and as he was not yet completely recovered-so they said-therefore, Captain Ahab stayed below.  说实在,那根本就不是他份内的事,而是领港人的事;况且他身体还没有完全复原。他们这样说。因此,亚哈尽可以留在下边。

1 wharf   

n.码头，停泊处

参考例句：

• We fetch up at the wharf exactly on time.我们准时到达码头。
• We reached the wharf gasping for breath.我们气喘吁吁地抵达了码头。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 muster   

v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册

参考例句：

• Go and muster all the men you can find.去集合所有你能找到的人。
• I had to muster my courage up to ask him that question.我必须鼓起勇气向他问那个问题。

4 profane   

adj.亵神的，亵渎的；vt.亵渎，玷污

参考例句：

• He doesn't dare to profane the name of God.他不敢亵渎上帝之名。
• His profane language annoyed us.他亵渎的言语激怒了我们。

5 steering   

n.操舵装置

参考例句：

• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration. 他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
• Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵，口吻也马上变得温和了。