英语听书《白鲸记》第485期

 Had they been strictly¹ held to their one final and romantic object--  如果硬要他们坚守他们那个最后的罗曼蒂克的目标——

that final and romantic object, too many would have turned from in disgust.  那个最后的罗曼蒂克的目标的话，那么，因嫌恶而转身便跑的人可真是数不胜数了。

I will not strip these men, thought Ahab, of all hopes of cash--aye, cash. 亚哈心里想，我决不能剥夺这些人对于金钱——是呀，就是金钱的一切希望。

They may scorn cash now; 他们现在也许会瞧不起钱；

but let some months go by, and no perspective promise of it to them,  可是，再过几个月，等到他们认为没有拿到钱的希望时，

and then this same quiescent² cash all at once mutinying in them, this same cash would soon cashier Ahab. 那么，这种无声无息的钱就会立刻教他们造反，马上把亚哈逼死的就正是这种钱。

Nor was there wanting still another precautionary motive³ more related to Ahab personally. 就亚哈本人来说，他并不是没有另外一种预防性的动机。

Having impulsively⁴, it is probable, and perhaps somewhat prematurely⁵ revealed the prime but private purpose of the Pequod's voyage, 亚哈可能是由于一时冲动，也许有点过早地泄露了“裴廓德号”的航程的主要而秘密的目的，

Ahab was now entirely⁶ conscious that, in so doing, he had indirectly⁷ laid himself open to the unanswerable charge of usurpation⁸; 他现在已经完全理会到，他这样做，是间接地把他那种不可置辩的假公济私的罪状给公开出来了。

and with perfect impunity⁹, both moral and legal, his crew if so disposed, and to that end competent, 他也估计到，万一他的水手们会大起胆子来(不顾道义和法理)，

could refuse all further obedience¹⁰ to him, and even violently wrest¹¹ from him the command. 会因此而不再听他的一切命令，甚至更厉害地夺了他的指挥权。

From even the barely hinted imputation¹² of usurpation,  因此，即使仅仅从暗示到的假公济私的污名，

and the possible consequences of such a suppressed impression gaining ground, 以及这样一种日见增强的潜在的影响的可能后果说来，

Ahab must of course have been most anxious to protect himself. 亚哈自然也一定急于要保卫他自己了。

That protection could only consist in his own predominating brain and heart and hand,   不过，这种保卫只能放在他自己心里，脑里和手里，

backed by a heedful, closely calculating attention to every minute atmospheric¹³ influence which it was possible for his crew to be subjected to. 再加上随时小心提防，密切注意，估计他的水手们可能受到的各种细微的影响。

For all these reasons then, and others perhaps too analytic¹⁴ to be verbally developed here, 于是，由于所有这些理由，也许还有其它一些在这里不是三言两语所能分析得了的理由，

Ahab plainly saw that he must still in a good degree continue true to the natural, nominal¹⁵ purpose of the Pequod's voyage; 亚哈明晰地看出了，他必须继续相当忠实于“裴廓德号”航程的。名义上的目的；

observe all customary usages;  必须遵守一切例常旧规；

and not only that, but force himself to evince all his well known passionate¹⁶ interest in the general pursuit of his profession. 而且不仅如此，还得尽量显出他在从事于他的职业方面，一般都是具有非常热烈的兴趣。

Be all this as it may, his voice was now often heard hailing the three mastheads 总之，这就时常听到他的声音，在招呼那三个站在桅顶上的人，

and admonishing¹⁷ them to keep a bright look-out, and not omit reporting even a porpoise¹⁸. 劝戒他们要小心瞭望，甚至发现一只海豚也不要忘记报告。

This vigilance was not long without reward. 这种警惕并非一直是徒劳的。

1 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

2 quiescent   

adj.静止的，不活动的，寂静的

参考例句：

• It is unlikely that such an extremist organization will remain quiescent for long.这种过激的组织是不太可能长期沉默的。
• Great distance in either time or space has wonderful power to lull and render quiescent the human mind.时间和空间上的远距离有一种奇妙的力量，可以使人的心灵平静。

3 motive   

n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的

参考例句：

• The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
• He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

4 impulsively   

adv.冲动地

参考例句：

• She leant forward and kissed him impulsively. 她倾身向前，感情冲动地吻了他。
• Every good, true, vigorous feeling I had gathered came impulsively round him. 我的一切良好、真诚而又强烈的感情都紧紧围绕着他涌现出来。

5 prematurely   

adv.过早地，贸然地

参考例句：

• She was born prematurely with poorly developed lungs. 她早产，肺部未发育健全。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His hair was prematurely white, but his busy eyebrows were still jet-black. 他的头发已经白了，不过两道浓眉还是乌黑乌黑的。 来自辞典例句

6 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

7 indirectly   

adv.间接地，不直接了当地

参考例句：

• I heard the news indirectly.这消息我是间接听来的。
• They were approached indirectly through an intermediary.通过一位中间人，他们进行了间接接触。

8 usurpation   

n.篡位；霸占

参考例句：

• The struggle during this transitional stage is to oppose Chiang Kai-shek's usurpation of the fruits of victory in the War of Resistance.过渡阶段的斗争，就是反对蒋介石篡夺抗战胜利果实的斗争。
• This is an unjustified usurpation of my authority.你是在非法纂夺我的权力。

9 impunity   

n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除

参考例句：

• You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
• The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。

10 obedience   

n.服从，顺从

参考例句：

• Society has a right to expect obedience of the law.社会有权要求人人遵守法律。
• Soldiers act in obedience to the orders of their superior officers.士兵们遵照上级军官的命令行动。

11 wrest   

n.扭，拧，猛夺；v.夺取，猛扭，歪曲

参考例句：

• The officer managed to wrest the gun from his grasp.警官最终把枪从他手中夺走了。
• You wrest my words out of their real meaning.你曲解了我话里的真正含义。

12 imputation   

n.归罪，责难

参考例句：

• I could not rest under the imputation.我受到诋毁，无法平静。
• He resented the imputation that he had any responsibility for what she did.把她所作的事情要他承担，这一责难，使他非常恼火。

13 atmospheric   

adj.大气的，空气的；大气层的；大气所引起的

参考例句：

• Sea surface temperatures and atmospheric circulation are strongly coupled.海洋表面温度与大气环流是密切相关的。
• Clouds return radiant energy to the surface primarily via the atmospheric window.云主要通过大气窗区向地表辐射能量。

14 analytic   

adj.分析的，用分析方法的

参考例句：

• The boy has an analytic mind. 这男孩有分析的头脑。
• Latin is a synthetic language,while English is analytic.拉丁文是一种综合性语言，而英语是一种分析性语言。

15 nominal   

adj.名义上的；(金额、租金)微不足道的

参考例句：

• The king was only the nominal head of the state. 国王只是这个国家名义上的元首。
• The charge of the box lunch was nominal.午餐盒饭收费很少。

16 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

17 admonishing   

v.劝告( admonish的现在分词 )；训诫；（温和地）责备；轻责

参考例句：

• It is waste of time, admonishing you. 劝告你简直是浪费工夫。 来自辞典例句
• To date, the Doctrine of Cheng Fu still exerts its admonishing effect. 时至今日，承负说仍具有警示作用。 来自互联网

18 porpoise   

n.鼠海豚

参考例句：

• What is the difference between a dolphin and porpoise?海豚和和鼠海豚有什么区别？
• Mexico strives to save endangered porpoise.墨西哥努力拯救濒危的鼠海豚。