英语听书《白鲸记》第394期

 But he who in the rightly regal and intelligent spirit presides over his own private dinner-table of invited guests, that man's unchallenged power and dominion¹ of individual influence for the time;  不过,凡是请人吃饭而摆出一副帝王的。凛然不可侵犯的架势的,那种人就暂时具有一种稳如磐石的权力和威信;

that man's royalty² of state transcends³ Belshazzar's, for Belshazzar was not the greatest.  那种人的王相一定超过了伯沙撒,因为伯沙撒也并不是最了不起的。

Who has but once dined his friends, has tasted what it is to be Caesar. It is a witchery of social czarship which there is no withstanding.  谁只要曾经请朋友吃过一次饭,谁就体会到做恺撒大帝的味道。这就是一种无可抗拒的社交的王权的魔法。

Now, if to this consideration you super-add the official supremacy⁴ of a ship-master, then, by inference, you will derive⁵ the cause of that peculiarity⁶ of sea-life just mentioned. 现在,如果再把一个船长的正式的霸权加在这种理由上,那么,一加推断,人们就可以追索出刚才所说的海上生活的特点的道理了。

Over his ivory-inlaid table, Ahab presided like a mute, maned sea-lion on the white coral beach, surrounded by his war-like but still deferential⁷ cubs⁸.  亚哈坐在他那只镶着牙骨的饭桌上首,有如一只坐在雪白的珊瑚坝上的默默的。

In his own proper turn, each officer waited to be served. They were as little children before Ahab; and yet, in Ahab, there seemed not to lurk⁹ the smallest social arrogance¹⁰.  有鬃毛的海狮,被他那些尚武而颇谦让的小狮团团围着。每个头目都等着亚哈分给自己的菜。他们在亚哈面前都象小孩一般;然而,亚哈却好象一点也没有社交上的妄自尊大的气态。

With one mind, their intent eyes all fastened upon the old man's knife, as he carved the chief dish before him.  亚哈在切着他面前那道主菜的时候,他们几双紧张的眼睛都一致凝神不动地盯着那老头的刀子。

I do not suppose that for the world they would have profaned¹¹ that moment with the slightest observation, even upon so neutral a topic as the weather.  我认为,无论如何,他们当时是一点也不敢随意说话,哪怕连天气这样无关紧要的话题都不敢谈。

No! And when reaching out his knife and fork, between which the slice of beef was locked, Ahab thereby¹² motioned Starbuck's plate towards him, the mate received his meat as though receiving alms; and cut it tenderly;  不错!当亚哈伸出他的刀叉,中间夹着一片牛肉,并对斯达巴克示意,要他把盆子递过来的时候,这个大副就象接受施舍物般把那块肉接了过来,轻轻地切着;

and a little started if, perchance, the knife grazed against the plate; and chewed it noiselessly; and swallowed it, not without circumspection¹³.  如果偶然刀子跟盆子稍微一碰,就不免要吓了一跳;无声无息地咀嚼着,小心翼翼地把它咽下去。

1 dominion   

n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图

参考例句：

• Alexander held dominion over a vast area.亚历山大曾统治过辽阔的地域。
• In the affluent society,the authorities are hardly forced to justify their dominion.在富裕社会里，当局几乎无需证明其统治之合理。

2 royalty   

n.皇家，皇族

参考例句：

• She claims to be descended from royalty.她声称她是皇室后裔。
• I waited on tables，and even catered to royalty at the Royal Albert Hall.我做过服务生， 甚至在皇家阿伯特大厅侍奉过皇室的人。

3 transcends   

超出或超越（经验、信念、描写能力等）的范围( transcend的第三人称单数 )； 优于或胜过…

参考例句：

• The chemical dilution technique transcends most of the difficulties. 化学稀释法能克服大部分困难。
• The genius of Shakespeare transcends that of all other English poets. 莎士比亚的才华胜过所有的其他英国诗人。

4 supremacy   

n.至上；至高权力

参考例句：

• No one could challenge her supremacy in gymnastics.她是最优秀的体操运动员，无人能胜过她。
• Theoretically,she holds supremacy as the head of the state.从理论上说，她作为国家的最高元首拥有至高无上的权力。

5 derive   

v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自

参考例句：

• We derive our sustenance from the land.我们从土地获取食物。
• We shall derive much benefit from reading good novels.我们将从优秀小说中获得很大好处。

6 peculiarity   

n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖

参考例句：

• Each country has its own peculiarity.每个国家都有自己的独特之处。
• The peculiarity of this shop is its day and nigth service.这家商店的特点是昼夜服务。

7 deferential   

adj. 敬意的，恭敬的

参考例句：

• They like five-star hotels and deferential treatment.他们喜欢五星级的宾馆和毕恭毕敬的接待。
• I am deferential and respectful in the presence of artists.我一向恭敬、尊重艺术家。

8 cubs   

n.幼小的兽，不懂规矩的年轻人( cub的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a lioness guarding her cubs 守护幼崽的母狮
• Lion cubs depend on their mother to feed them. 狮子的幼仔依靠母狮喂养。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 lurk   

n.潜伏，潜行；v.潜藏，潜伏，埋伏

参考例句：

• Dangers lurk in the path of wilderness.在这条荒野的小路上隐伏着危险。
• He thought he saw someone lurking above the chamber during the address.他觉得自己看见有人在演讲时潜藏在会议厅顶上。

10 arrogance   

n.傲慢，自大

参考例句：

• His arrogance comes out in every speech he makes.他每次讲话都表现得骄傲自大。
• Arrogance arrested his progress.骄傲阻碍了他的进步。

11 profaned   

v.不敬( profane的过去式和过去分词 )；亵渎，玷污

参考例句：

• They have profaned the long upheld traditions of the church. 他们亵渎了教会长期沿袭的传统。 来自辞典例句
• Their behaviour profaned the holy place. 他们的行为玷污了这处圣地。 来自辞典例句

12 thereby   

adv.因此，从而

参考例句：

• I have never been to that city,,ereby I don't know much about it.我从未去过那座城市，因此对它不怎么熟悉。
• He became a British citizen,thereby gaining the right to vote.他成了英国公民，因而得到了投票权。

13 circumspection   

n.细心，慎重

参考例句：

• The quality of being circumspection is essential for a secretary. 作为一个秘书，我想细致周到是十分必要的。 来自互联网
• Circumspection: beware the way of communication, always say good to peoples. 慎言：要说于人于己有利的话，注意沟通方式。 来自互联网