英语听书《白鲸记》第562期

 　　Chapter 55 Of the Monstrous¹ Pictures of Whales 第五十五章 关于鲸的大画像

　　I shall ere long paint to you as well as one can without canvas,  再一会儿，我不必用画布，就可以象那些名家一样，

　　something like the true form of the whale as he actually appears to the eye of the whaleman  给你们各位画出一种真正的鲸来，画得它在捕鲸者看来，

　　when in his own absolute body the whale is moored² alongside the whaleship so that he can be fairly stepped upon there. 实际上就是一只拉到捕鲸船边来的纯真的鲸，好教他一脚就跨上它的身体。

　　It may be worth while, therefore, previously³ to advert⁴ to those curious imaginary portraits of him 因此，先来谈谈它那种想象上的古怪的画像，倒是值得一做的，

　　which even down to the present day confidently challenge the faith of the landsman.  因为那些画像，甚至时至今日，还能赢得陆地人的深切的信任。

　　It is time to set the world right in this matter, by proving such pictures of the whale all wrong. 现在正是证明这些鲸的画像是完全错误的，从而在这个问题上纠正世人的观感的时候了。

　　It may be that the primal⁵ source of all those pictorial⁶ delusions⁷ will be found among the oldest Hindoo, Egyptian, and Grecian sculptures. 在最古老的印度，埃及和希腊的雕刻品中，也许还可以找到所有这些自欺欺人的图画的原始来源。

　　For ever since those inventive but unscrupulous times when on the marble panellings of temples,  因为自从那个巧计百出而肆无忌惮的时期以来，不论在庙宇的大理石嵌板细工上，

　　the pedestals of statues, and on shields, medallions, cups, and coins,  在雕像架上，在盾牌上，大奖章上，杯子和钱币上，

　　the dolphin was drawn⁸ in scales of chain-armor like Saladin's, and a helmeted head like St. George's;  海豚都被画得跟萨拉丁(萨拉丁(1138—1193)——叙利亚和埃及皇帝，以反抗十字军侵略著名，一一九二年迫使十字军结束第三次东征。)的锁子甲一般大小，那只戴了钢盔的脑袋则象圣乔治(圣乔治(？—303？)——英国的守护神。)的戴了钢盔的脑袋一样；

　　ever since then has something of the same sort of license⁹ prevailed,  自从那时以来，就流行这样一种风气，

　　not only in most popular pictures of the whale, but in many scientific presentations of him. 它不但表现在最通行的鲸画像上，还表现在许多有关鲸的科学论著上。

1 monstrous   

adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的

参考例句：

• The smoke began to whirl and grew into a monstrous column.浓烟开始盘旋上升，形成了一个巨大的烟柱。
• Your behaviour in class is monstrous!你在课堂上的行为真是丢人！

2 moored   

adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London. 该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。
• We shipped (the) oars and moored alongside the bank. 我们收起桨，把船泊在岸边。

3 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

4 advert   

vi.注意，留意，言及；n.广告

参考例句：

• The advert featured a dolphin swimming around a goldfish bowl.该广告的內容为一条在金鱼缸里游动的海豚。
• Please advert to the contents below.I believe you won't be disappointed.敬请留意后面的内容。相信您一定不会失望的。

5 primal   

adj.原始的；最重要的

参考例句：

• Jealousy is a primal emotion.嫉妒是最原始的情感。
• Money was a primal necessity to them.对于他们，钱是主要的需要。

6 pictorial   

adj.绘画的；图片的；n．画报

参考例句：

• The had insisted on a full pictorial coverage of the event.他们坚持要对那一事件做详尽的图片报道。
• China Pictorial usually sells out soon after it hits the stands.《人民画报》往往一到报摊就销售一空。

7 delusions   

n.欺骗( delusion的名词复数 )；谬见；错觉；妄想

参考例句：

• the delusions of the mentally ill 精神病患者的妄想
• She wants to travel first-class: she must have delusions of grandeur. 她想坐头等舱旅行，她一定自以为很了不起。 来自辞典例句

8 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

9 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。