英语听书《白鲸记》第492期

 Not at all; and therein consisted his chief peculiarity¹. 完全不是这样，这就是他的主要的特色。

He would say the most terrific things to his crew, 他会对他的水手说出最可怕的话来，

in a tone so strangely compounded of fun and fury, 腔调非常奇特，其中既含有开玩笑又象冒火，

and the fury seemed so calculated merely as a spice to the fun, 而且那种冒火也冒得象是完全只给开玩笑添加情趣那般，

that no oarsman could hear such queer invocations without pulling for dear life, 所以任何一个桨手听到这样奇怪的咒语，无不拚着性命划起来

and yet pulling for the mere² joke of the thing. ，好象只是为了这种笑料才在划桨。

Besides he all the time looked so easy and indolent himself,  再说，他始终显得这样随便，

so loungingly managed his steering-oar, 这样懒散，撑着他的舵桨也是这样吊儿郎当，

and so broadly gaped-- open-mouthed at times--that the mere sight of such a yawning commander, 嘴巴张得那么大，时常张开嘴巴，教人一看到这样一个尽打呵欠的指挥人，

by sheer force of contrast, acted like a charm upon the crew. 就好象他是完全借对比的力量，对他的水手施了魔术。

Then again, Stubb was one of those odd sort of humorists, 再说一遍，斯塔布是属于罕见的幽默家一类的，

whose jollity is sometimes so curiously³ ambiguous, 他的嘻嘻哈哈的态度有时竟是这样出奇地含含糊糊，

as to put all inferiors on their guard in the matter of obeying them. 好象要使他所有的下属都得小心听从他的命令似的。

In obedience⁴ to a sign from Ahab, Starbuck was now pulling obliquely⁵ across Stubb's bow; 听从了亚哈的手势，斯达巴克现在正打斜地掠过斯塔布的船头；

and when for a minute or so the two boats were pretty near to each other, Stubb hailed the mate. 当两只小艇在分把钟里彼此靠得很拢的时候，斯塔布向这个大副招呼了。

"Mr. Starbuck! larboard boat there, ahoy! “斯达巴克先生！喂，左边的小艇呀！

a word with ye, sir, if ye please!" 跟你说一句话，你可要听呀？”

"Halloa!" returned Starbuck, turning round not a single inch as he spoke⁶; “好呀！”斯达巴克回答道，他答话的时候，连头也不回过来；

still earnestly but whisperingly urging his crew; 他还在用心而悄悄地催促着他的水手；

his face set like a flint from Stubb's. 他的脸色显得比斯塔布还要坚决。

"What think ye of those yellow boys, sir! “你对那些个黄汉子是怎么看法，先生！”

"Smuggled⁷ on board, somehow, before the ship sailed.(Strong, strong, boys!)" “走私上来的，大概是在船要开的时候。（用力呀，用力呀，伙伴们！）”

in a whisper to his crew, then speaking out loud again: "A sad business, Mr. Stubb! 他悄悄地对他的水手说后，又大声地说话了：“这是一件令人忧愁的行当呀，斯塔布先生！

(seethe⁸ her, seethe her, my lads!) （冲过去，冲过去，我的孩子们！）

but never mind, Mr. Stubb, all for the best. 不过，不打紧，斯塔布先生，一切都是天意呀。

Let all your crew pull strong, come what will. 叫你那些水手加劲划呀，随它怎样吧。

(Spring, my men, spring!) （拚命划呀，大家，拚命划呀！）

There's hogsheads of sperm⁹ ahead, Mr. Stubb, and that's what ye came for. 前边就是大量的鲸油，斯塔布先生，你就是为这个来的呀。

(Pull, my boys!) Sperm, sperm's the play! This at least is duty; 划呀，我的伙伴们！）鲸油，鲸油才是正经活儿啊！这至少也是本份呀；

duty and profit hand in hand." （本份可跟利益分不开的。”

1 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。

2 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

3 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

4 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。

5 obliquely   

adv.斜； 倾斜； 间接； 不光明正大

参考例句：

• From the gateway two paths led obliquely across the court. 从门口那儿，有两条小路斜越过院子。 来自辞典例句
• He was receding obliquely with a curious hurrying gait. 他歪着身子，古怪而急促地迈着步子，往后退去。 来自辞典例句

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 smuggled   

水货

参考例句：

• The customs officer confiscated the smuggled goods. 海关官员没收了走私品。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Those smuggled goods have been detained by the port office. 那些走私货物被港务局扣押了。 来自互联网

8 seethe   

vi.拥挤，云集；发怒，激动，骚动

参考例句：

• Many Indians continue to seethe and some are calling for military action against their riotous neighbour.很多印度人都处于热血沸腾的状态，很多都呼吁针对印度这个恶邻采取军事行动。
• She seethed with indignation.她由于愤怒而不能平静。

9 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。