英语听书《白鲸记》第613期

 　　How at such an apparently¹ unassailable surface, they contrive² to gouge³ out such symmetrical mouthfuls,  在这样一种显然是没谁争夺的海面上，它们为什么偏偏要挖出如此匀称的一大口，

　　remains⁴ a part of the universal problem of all things. 却仍然是一个宇宙间具有普遍性的问题的一部分。

　　The mark they thus leave on the whale, may best be likened to the hollow made by a carpenter in countersinking for a screw. 它们这样在鲸身上留下的印记，可以说，真象木匠为了要装螺丝钉而先打下的孔眼。

　　Though amid all the smoking horror and diabolism of a sea-fight, sharks will be seen longingly⁵ gazing up to the ship's decks,  虽然在这么一片乌烟瘴气的恐怖和穷凶极恶的大海战中，可以看到那些鲨鱼在渴切地仰望着船上的甲板，

　　like hungry dogs round a table where red meat is being carved, ready to bolt down every killed man that is tossed to them; 象一群饿狗围着一张摆有切好的血淋淋的肉块的桌子，随时准备吞下抛给它们的每一个死人。

　　and though, while the valiant butchers over the deck-table are thus cannibally carving each other's live meat with carving-knives all gilded and tasselled, 虽然那些在甲板饭桌旁的勇敢的屠夫们，正这样操着各种镶边和带有缨络的小刀，在同类相残地切着彼此的鲜肉，

　　the sharks, also, with their jewel-hilted mouths, are quarrelsomely carving away under the table at the dead meat; 这些鲨鱼也正在用它们那镶嵌珠宝似的嘴巴，在饭桌底下吵吵闹闹地撕抢着死人肉，

　　and though, were you to turn the whole affair upside down, it would still be pretty much the same thing,  虽然你把整个事情都颠倒过来看一看，它还是几乎毫无不同之处，

　　that is to say, a shocking sharkish business enough for all parties;  也就是说，大家彼此干的都是足以令人惊骇的鲨鱼式勾当；

　　and though sharks also are the invariable outriders of all slave ships crossing the Atlantic,  虽然鲨鱼也是一切横渡大西洋的贩卖奴隶船只的不变的跟班，

　　systematically trotting alongside, to be handy in case a parcel is to be carried anywhere, or a dead slave to be decently buried;  总是跟在旁边，万一有个包包需要带到什么地方去，或者有个死奴隶需要加以隆重地埋葬，它就可以随时效劳；

　　and though one or two other like instances might be set down, 虽然还可以举出一两个其它类似的例子来，

　　touching the set terms, places, and occasions, when sharks do most socially congregate, and most hilariously feast; 比如有关鲨鱼在赴最有社交礼节的集会和最为闹闹热热的筵席时的固定期限、地方和场合，

1 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

2 contrive   

vt.谋划，策划；设法做到；设计，想出

参考例句：

• Can you contrive to be here a little earlier?你能不能早一点来？
• How could you contrive to make such a mess of things?你怎么把事情弄得一团糟呢？

3 gouge   

v.凿；挖出；n.半圆凿；凿孔；欺诈

参考例句：

• To make a Halloween lantern,you first have to gouge out the inside of the pumpkin.要做一个万圣节灯笼，你先得挖空这个南瓜。
• In the Middle Ages,a favourite punishment was to gouge out a prisoner's eyes.在中世纪，惩罚犯人最常用的办法是剜眼睛。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 longingly   

adv. 渴望地 热望地

参考例句：

• He looked longingly at the food on the table. 他眼巴巴地盯着桌上的食物。
• Over drinks,he speaks longingly of his trip to Latin America. 他带着留恋的心情，一边喝酒一边叙述他的拉丁美洲之行。