英语听书《白鲸记》第353期

 For several days after leaving Nantucket, nothing above hatches was seen of Captain Ahab.  离开南塔开特好几天后,甲板上仍然不见亚哈船长的影踪。

The mates regularly relieved each other at the watches, and for aught that could be seen to the contrary, they seemed to be the only commanders of the ship;  大二三副定时地轮流值班,一点也看不出有其他什么人在指挥,他们似乎就是这条船的仅有几个指挥者;

only they sometimes issued from the cabin with orders so sudden and peremptory¹, that after all it was plain they but commanded vicariously.  不过,他们常常带着那么突如其来的紧急命令从舱房里出来,终究教人看得清清楚楚,他们不过是代人指挥而已。

Yes, their supreme² lord and dictator was there, though hitherto unseen by any eyes not permitted to penetrate³ into the now sacred retreat of the cabin. 不错,他们的顶头上司和独裁者就在那边,只是到目前为止,谁都没有见到,谁都不准随便走进那个神圣不可侵犯的避难所似的舱房。

Every time I ascended⁴ to the deck from my watches below, I instantly gazed aft to mark if any strange face were visible;  我每回在舱里休息后,一登上甲板,就立刻注视一下船尾,看看是不是可以看到什么陌生的脸;

for my first vague disquietude touching⁵ the unknown captain, now in the seclusion⁶ of the sea became almost a perturbation.  因为我原先对这位未蒙一面的船长的那股微感不安的心情,如今在这恍如隔世的海洋中,简直已经变成一种焦虑了。

This was strangely heightened at times by the ragged⁷ Elijah's diabolical⁸ incoherences uninvitedly recurring⁹ to me, with a subtle energy I could not have before conceived of.  而且,由于那个褴褛的以利亚那番恶魔似的前言不搭后语的说话,老是不期而然地以一种先前没有想到的微妙的力量,在我心头翻腾着,而更时时加强了我这种焦虑。

But poorly could I withstand them, much as in other moods I was almost ready to smile at the solemn whimsicalities of that outlandish prophet of the wharves¹⁰.  那番说话,我可实在受不了,正如在另一种心情下,我对码头上那个外方人的预言者那番貌似正经的怪话,几乎随时都要发笑一般。

But whatever it was of apprehensiveness¹¹ or uneasiness-to call it so-which I felt, yet whenever I came to look about me in the ship, it seemed against all warranty¹² to cherish such emotions.  但是,不管我所觉得的究竟是焦虑还是不安...就算它是这样吧...可每当我在船里张来张去的时候,却又觉得怀着这种感情是毫无根据的。

For though the harpooneers, with the great body of the crew, were a far more barbaric, heathenish, and motley set than any of the tame merchant-ship companies which my previous experiences had made me acquainted with,  因为,尽管那些标枪手,那一大群水手都远比我以前所熟悉的任何一些驯良的商船人员更为野蛮,

still I ascribed this-and rightly ascribed it-to the fierce uniqueness of the very nature of that wild Scandinavian vocation¹³ in which I had so abandonedly embarked¹⁴.  更具有异教色彩,更为良莠不齐,我还是认为这种情形是...并且很恰当地认为是...那种我已不顾一切地参加了的野蛮的斯堪的纳维亚职业的可怕的特点。

1 peremptory   

adj.紧急的，专横的，断然的

参考例句：

• The officer issued peremptory commands.军官发出了不容许辩驳的命令。
• There was a peremptory note in his voice.他说话的声音里有一种不容置辩的口气。

2 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

3 penetrate   

v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解

参考例句：

• Western ideas penetrate slowly through the East.西方观念逐渐传入东方。
• The sunshine could not penetrate where the trees were thickest.阳光不能透入树木最浓密的地方。

4 ascended   

v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He has ascended into heaven. 他已经升入了天堂。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The climbers slowly ascended the mountain. 爬山运动员慢慢地登上了这座山。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

6 seclusion   

n.隐遁，隔离

参考例句：

• She liked to sunbathe in the seclusion of her own garden.她喜欢在自己僻静的花园里晒日光浴。
• I live very much in seclusion these days.这些天我过着几乎与世隔绝的生活。

7 ragged   

adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的

参考例句：

• A ragged shout went up from the small crowd.这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。
• Ragged clothing infers poverty.破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。

8 diabolical   

adj.恶魔似的，凶暴的

参考例句：

• This maneuver of his is a diabolical conspiracy.他这一手是一个居心叵测的大阴谋。
• One speaker today called the plan diabolical and sinister.今天一名发言人称该计划阴险恶毒。

9 recurring   

adj.往复的，再次发生的

参考例句：

• This kind of problem is recurring often. 这类问题经常发生。
• For our own country, it has been a time for recurring trial. 就我们国家而言，它经过了一个反复考验的时期。

10 wharves   

n.码头，停泊处( wharf的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They are seaworthy and can stand rough handling on the wharves? 适用于海运并能经受在码头上的粗暴装卸。 来自外贸英语口语25天快训
• Widely used in factories and mines, warehouses, wharves, and other industries. 广泛用于厂矿、仓库、码头、等各种行业。 来自互联网

11 apprehensiveness   

忧虑感，领悟力

参考例句：

• Our passenger gave no signs of nerves or apprehensiveness, as well she might have done. 我们的乘客本来会出现紧张和恐惧感的，但是实际上却没有。 来自互联网
• Results Patients nervousness, apprehensiveness were eliminated and good cooperation to the treatment was obtained. 结果消除了病人的紧张、恐惧心理，更好地配合治疗。 来自互联网

12 warranty   

n.担保书，证书，保单

参考例句：

• This warranty is good for one year after the date of the purchase of the product.本保证书自购置此产品之日起有效期为一年。
• As your guarantor,we have signed a warranty to the bank.作为你们的担保人，我们已经向银行开出了担保书。

13 vocation   

n.职业，行业

参考例句：

• She struggled for years to find her true vocation.她多年来苦苦寻找真正适合自己的职业。
• She felt it was her vocation to minister to the sick.她觉得照料病人是她的天职。

14 embarked   

乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• We stood on the pier and watched as they embarked. 我们站在突码头上目送他们登船。
• She embarked on a discourse about the town's origins. 她开始讲本市的起源。