英语听书《白鲸记》第476期

 Secondly: It is well known in the Sperm¹ Whale Fishery, 第二，在捕抹香鲸业中，

however ignorant the world ashore² may be of it, (尽管这可能是岸上人一无所知的)

that there have been several memorable³ historical instances where a particular whale in the ocean has been at distant times and places popularly cognisable. 有过几次颇为著名而难忘的历史实例，那就是:大海里有一条特殊的鲸，一向不拘时地之久远，都是一看就教人认出来的。

Why such a whale became thus marked was not altogether and originally owing to his bodily peculiarities⁵ as distinguished⁶ from other whales; 这条鲸之所以这样教人一看就识，倒并不完全是因为它身体上本来具有什么跟其它大鲸不同的特点；

for however peculiar⁴ in that respect any chance whale may be, 因为任何一条鲸不论在这方面具有什么特点，

they soon put an end to his peculiarities by killing⁷ him, 人们还是会针对它这种特点立刻把它杀了，

and boiling him down into a peculiarly valuable oil. 把它熬成特别贵重的油。

No: the reason was this: 不，理由是这样的:

that from the fatal experiences of the fishery there hung a terrible prestige of perilousness⁸ about such a whale as there did about Rinaldo Rinaldini, 根据捕鱼界的出生入死的经验，这种大鲸跟里纳尔多里.纳尔第尼(里纳尔多.里纳尔第尼————基督圣军一个勇士，"他不要财，不要势，只要出名"，十五岁参加圣军，杀了人后，自动去流放了。)一般，天生有一种可怕而危险的名声，

insomuch that most fishermen were content to recognise him by merely touching⁹ their tarpaulins¹⁰ when he would be discovered lounging by them on the sea, 因此，大多数捕鱼人一发现它在海上，在他们旁边游荡的时候，只要轻轻地招呼一声他们的伙伴来见识见识它，就已是心满意足。

without seeking to cultivate a more intimate acquaintance. 他们无须跟它多打交道。

Like some poor devils ashore that happen to known an irascible great man, 他们象岸上一些穷鬼那样，偶尔在街上认识一个脾气急躁的大人物，

they make distant unobtrusive salutations to him in the street, 他们都敬而远之，对他遥致敬意，

lest if they pursued the acquaintance further, 因为如果他们想要更亲近些，

they might receive a summary thump¹¹ for their presumption¹². 就难免要因为冒昧而当场挨到一拳。

But not only did each of these famous whales enjoy great individual celebrity¹³, 不过，这种著名的鲸不但条条都拥有鼎鼎大名的殊誉，

nay¹⁴, you may call it an oceanwide renown¹⁵; 而且，你还可以说是具有一种四海闻名的声望呢，

not only was he famous in life and now is immortal¹⁶ in forecastle stories after death, 它不但生前著名，死后也是现在船头楼的传说中的不朽角色，

but he was admitted into all the rights, privileges, and distinctions of a name; 而且还被认为是个天公地道，理所当然的大显贵；

had as much a name indeed as Cambyses or Caesar. 其名望足以与坎拜栖兹(坎拜栖兹————古波斯国王，在位期为公元前５２９—５２２年。)或者恺撒大帝相媲美。

Was it not so, O Timor Tom! thou famed leviathan, scarred like an iceberg¹⁷, 蒂摩尔.汤姆(蒂摩尔.汤姆......指马来亚蒂摩尔群岛一带的大鲸。)，你这著名的大海兽呵! 满身伤痕如象一座冰山，

who so long did'st lurk¹⁸ in the Oriental straits of that name, 它并不是长期隐存在以它命名的东方海峡，

whose spout¹⁹ was oft seen from the palmy beach of Ombay? 它那喷水不是常常从奥姆湾(奥姆湾......在蒂摩尔群岛北面的小岛。)的长满棕榈的海滩上就望得见吗?

Was it not so, O New Zealand Jack²⁰! 新西兰的杰克(新西兰的杰克————新西兰的大鲸的意思。)呵!

thou terror of all cruisers that crossed their wakes in the vicinity of the Tattoo²¹ Land? 那些驶近这个"文身的国土"("文身的国土"————新西兰的土人都在面上。身上文着图形人像，故称。)附近的巡洋舰不也都是怕你吗?

Was it not so, O Morquan! King of Japan, whose lofty jet they say at times assumed the semblance²² of a snow-white cross against the sky? 号称日本皇帝的魔冠(日本皇帝的魔冠......即日本的大鲸。)呵!它那高耸的喷水，不是据说有时象顶天矗立的白十字架吗?

Was it not so, O Don Miguel! thou Chilian whale, marked like an old tortoise with mystic hieroglyphics²³ upon the back! 唐.米格尔呵!你这智利的大鲸呀!背上象一只乌龟似的刻了神秘的象形文字!

In plain prose, 简单明白地说，

here are four whales as well known to the students of Cetacean History as Marius or Sylla to the classic scholar. 这里所说的四种大鲸，对于鲸类学的研究者说来，就跟古典学者之于马留或者西拉(马留(公元前１５６—８６年)————罗马将军。西拉(公元前１３８—７８年)————公元前一0七年隶属于马留麾下，因功绩超过马留，两人互相倾轧，终将马留打败，掌握大权，成为独裁者。)一样的著名。

1 sperm   

n.精子，精液

参考例句：

• Only one sperm fertilises an egg.只有一个精子使卵子受精。
• In human reproduction,one female egg is usually fertilized by one sperm.在人体生殖过程中，一个精子使一个卵子受精。

2 ashore   

adv.在(向)岸上，上岸

参考例句：

• The children got ashore before the tide came in.涨潮前，孩子们就上岸了。
• He laid hold of the rope and pulled the boat ashore.他抓住绳子拉船靠岸。

3 memorable   

adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的

参考例句：

• This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
• The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。

4 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

5 peculiarities   

n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪

参考例句：

• the cultural peculiarities of the English 英国人的文化特点
• He used to mimic speech peculiarities of another. 他过去总是模仿别人讲话的特点。

6 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

7 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

8 perilousness   

参考例句：

9 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。

10 tarpaulins   

n.防水帆布，防水帆布罩( tarpaulin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Main wood to aluminum and plexiglass, PC, tarpaulins, toughened glass. 主材以铝型材与进口有机玻璃、PC、防水布、钢化玻璃。 来自互联网
• That means providing tents or other materials, including plastic sheeting, tarpaulins and wood. 这意味着需要帐篷和其他物资，包括塑料布、放水油布和木材。 来自互联网

11 thump   

v.重击，砰然地响；n.重击，重击声

参考例句：

• The thief hit him a thump on the head.贼在他的头上重击一下。
• The excitement made her heart thump.她兴奋得心怦怦地跳。

12 presumption   

n.推测，可能性，冒昧，放肆，[法律]推定

参考例句：

• Please pardon my presumption in writing to you.请原谅我很冒昧地写信给你。
• I don't think that's a false presumption.我认为那并不是错误的推测。

13 celebrity   

n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望

参考例句：

• Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
• He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。

14 nay   

adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者

参考例句：

• He was grateful for and proud of his son's remarkable,nay,unique performance.他为儿子出色的，不，应该是独一无二的表演心怀感激和骄傲。
• Long essays,nay,whole books have been written on this.许多长篇大论的文章，不，应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。

15 renown   

n.声誉，名望

参考例句：

• His renown has spread throughout the country.他的名声已传遍全国。
• She used to be a singer of some renown.她曾是位小有名气的歌手。

16 immortal   

adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的

参考例句：

• The wild cocoa tree is effectively immortal.野生可可树实际上是不会死的。
• The heroes of the people are immortal!人民英雄永垂不朽！

17 iceberg   

n.冰山，流冰，冷冰冰的人

参考例句：

• The ship hit an iceberg and went under.船撞上一座冰山而沉没了。
• The glacier calved a large iceberg.冰河崩解而形成一个大冰山。

18 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。

19 spout   

v.喷出，涌出；滔滔不绝地讲；n.喷管；水柱

参考例句：

• Implication in folk wealth creativity and undertaking vigor spout.蕴藏于民间的财富创造力和创业活力喷涌而出。
• This acts as a spout to drain off water during a rainstorm.在暴风雨季，这东西被用作喷管来排水。

20 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

21 tattoo   

n.纹身，(皮肤上的)刺花纹；vt.刺花纹于

参考例句：

• I've decided to get my tattoo removed.我已经决定去掉我身上的纹身。
• He had a tattoo on the back of his hand.他手背上刺有花纹。

22 semblance   

n.外貌，外表

参考例句：

• Her semblance of anger frightened the children.她生气的样子使孩子们感到害怕。
• Those clouds have the semblance of a large head.那些云的形状像一个巨大的人头。

23 hieroglyphics   

n.pl.象形文字

参考例句：

• Hieroglyphics are carved into the walls of the temple. 寺庙的墙壁上刻着象形文字。
• His writing is so bad it just looks like hieroglyphics to me. 他写的糟透了，对我来说就像天书一样。