英语听书《白鲸记》第484期

 Not only that, but the subtle insanity¹ of Ahab respecting Moby Dick was noways more significantly manifested than in his superlative sense and shrewdness in foreseeing that, 不仅如此，这个又机灵又癫狂的亚哈对于莫比－迪克的看法也决不会明显地表现出来，而是运用他那最高的判断力和机灵性预先看出了，

for the present, the hunt should in some way be stripped of that strange imaginative impiousness which naturally invested it; 在目前，应该设法除去那层本来蒙在猎击上的奇特。

that the full terror of the voyage must be kept withdrawn³ into the obscure background 不可思议的邪恶性的外衣，应该把航行的恐怖性给掩盖起来

(for few men's courage is proof against protracted⁴ meditation⁵ unrelieved by action); (因为人的勇气抵挡不住为行动所无法解决的长期胡思乱想)，

that when they stood their long night watches, his officers and men must have some nearer things to think of than Moby Dick. 他也看出了当那些大小船员在漫漫长夜中值班的时候，心里所想的一定都是一些私人的事情，决不会想到莫比－迪克。

For however eagerly and impetuously the savage⁶ crew had hailed the announcement of his quest; 因为，不管这些野蛮的水手对他所宣布的搜捕鲸鱼计划，报以多么热烈和激动的欢呼；

yet all sailors of all sorts are more or less capricious and unreliable-- they live in the varying outer weather, 这些包括各式人等的水手，总不免有点反复无常、不可靠——他们生活在变化无常的海洋上，

and they inhale⁷ its fickleness-- and when retained for any object remote and blank in the pursuit, 吸到的又是海洋那种变幻无定的气息——既然是雇他们来追击一种缥缈的东西，

however promissory of life and passion in the end, 不论到头来需要付出怎样的生命和热情，

it is above all things requisite⁸ that temporary interests and employments should intervene and hold them healthily suspended for the final dash. 那么，目前最需要做的就是公私兼顾，使他们养精蓄锐，以便用于最后一击了。

Nor was Ahab unmindful of another thing. 亚哈也注意到另外一件事情。

In times of strong emotion mankind disdain⁹ all base considerations; but such times are evanescent. 人在情绪激动的时候，虽然不作种种卑劣的打算；可是，这种时分却是倏忽而逝的。

The permanent constitutional condition of the manufactured man, thought Ahab, is sordidness¹⁰. 亚哈认为，生来矫揉造作的人始终是卑鄙的。

Granting that the White Whale fully¹¹ incites¹² the hearts of this my savage crew, 就算白鲸的确已使我这些野蛮的水手的心都跳动起来了，

and playing round their savageness¹³ even breeds a certain generous knight-errantism in them,  甚至使他们的野心滋长出一种慷慨好义的侠义行为来；

still, while for the love of it they give chase to Moby Dick, they must also have food for their more common, daily appetites. 然而，为了使他们心甘情愿地去追击莫比－迪克，也还必须满足他们那日常的口腹之需。

For even the high lifted and chivalric¹⁴ Crusaders of old times 因为，哪怕是古代那些情绪激昂，富有骑士风的十字军，

were not content to traverse two thousand miles of land to fight for their holy sepulchre, 他们也不见得会心甘情愿，跋涉二千多英里去为他们那圣墓作战。

without committing burglaries, picking pockets, and gaining other pious² perquisites¹⁵ by the way.  要是不让他们顺便干些偷盗，摸摸口袋的勾当，顺便捞到其它一些以宗教为口实的油水的话，

1 insanity   

n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐

参考例句：

• In his defense he alleged temporary insanity.他伪称一时精神错乱，为自己辩解。
• He remained in his cell,and this visit only increased the belief in his insanity.他依旧还是住在他的地牢里，这次视察只是更加使人相信他是个疯子了。

2 pious   

adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的

参考例句：

• Alexander is a pious follower of the faith.亚历山大是个虔诚的信徒。
• Her mother was a pious Christian.她母亲是一个虔诚的基督教徒。

3 withdrawn   

vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出

参考例句：

• Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
• All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。

4 protracted   

adj.拖延的；延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The war was protracted for four years. 战争拖延了四年。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We won victory through protracted struggle. 经过长期的斗争，我们取得了胜利。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 meditation   

n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录

参考例句：

• This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
• I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

6 savage   

adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人

参考例句：

• The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
• He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

7 inhale   

v.吸入(气体等)，吸(烟)

参考例句：

• Don't inhale dust into your lung.别把灰尘吸进肺里。
• They are pleased to not inhale second hand smoke.他们很高兴他们再也不会吸到二手烟了。

8 requisite   

adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品

参考例句：

• He hasn't got the requisite qualifications for the job.他不具备这工作所需的资格。
• Food and air are requisite for life.食物和空气是生命的必需品。

9 disdain   

n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑

参考例句：

• Some people disdain labour.有些人轻视劳动。
• A great man should disdain flatterers.伟大的人物应鄙视献媚者。

10 sordidness   

n.肮脏；污秽；卑鄙；可耻

参考例句：

11 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

12 incites   

刺激，激励，煽动( incite的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• In all countries any person who incites others to insurrection is guilty of treason. 在任何国家里，煽动他人谋反者，都属犯叛国罪。
• The success of the handicapped man incites us to pursue our dreams. 这位残疾人的成功激励我们追求自己的梦想。

13 savageness   

天然，野蛮

参考例句：

• Judy: That was a time of savageness and chauvinism. 那是个充斥着野蛮和沙文主义的年代。
• The coastline is littered with testaments to the savageness of the waters. 海岸线上充满了海水肆虐过后的杂乱东西。

14 chivalric   

有武士气概的，有武士风范的

参考例句：

15 perquisites   

n.（工资以外的）财务补贴( perquisite的名词复数 )；额外收入；（随职位而得到的）好处；利益

参考例句：

• She gets various perquisites in addition to her wages. 她工资以外，还有各种津贴。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They are rewarded in pay,power and perquisites. 作为报偿，他们得到了钱、权力和额外收益。 来自《简明英汉词典》