英语听书《白鲸记》第624期

 　　In the long try watches of the night it is a common thing for the seamen¹ to dip their ship-biscuit into the huge oil-pots and let them fry there awhile. 在漫长难熬的值夜期间，水手们就时常把他们的硬面包浸在那只大油锅里炸一炸。

　　Many a good supper have I thus made. 我也曾经这样吃过多次美味的晚餐。

　　In the case of a small Sperm² Whale the brains are accounted a fine dish. 说到小抹香鲸，人们都把它的脑髓当成一样上等菜。

　　The casket of the skull³ is broken into with an axe⁴, 用一把斧头，将这种精巧的脑壳敲开后，

　　and the two plump,  whitish lobes⁵ being withdrawn⁶ (precisely resembling two large puddings),  肥肥白白的两大爿就坼裂开来（真象两只大布丁），

　　they are then mixed with flour, and cooked into a most delectable⁷ mess, in flavor somewhat resembling calves⁸' head, 然后把它们和着面粉，煮成一种最惹人喜欢的食品，味道之芬芳，有点象似小牛脑，

　　which is quite a dish among some epicures⁹; 这在一些老饕看来，确是一道好菜。

　　and every one knows that some young bucks¹¹ among the epicures, by continually dining upon calves' brains,  大家也都知道，在老饕中有一些年轻纨绔子，由于不断地吃了小牛脑，

　　by and by get to have a little brains of their own, 就慢慢地自己也有了一点脑筋，

　　so as to be able to tell a calf's head from their own heads;  能够辨别小牛头脑和他们自己的头脑了，

　　which, indeed, requires uncommon¹² discrimination. 这倒确实需要有一番不同凡响的辨别力才办得到。

　　And that is the reason why a young buck¹⁰ with an intelligent looking calf's head before him, is somehow one of the saddest sights you can see.  这也就是为什么一个相貌教人一看就看出有牛头牛脑气的年轻花花公子，总有一种最不舒服的模样的道理。

　　The head looks a sort of reproachfully at him, with an "Et tu Brute¹³!" expression. 那个脑瓜就有一种教人应该对他加以斥责的样子，有着一种"勃鲁脱斯，你也在内吗？"的表情。

　　It is not, perhaps, entirely¹⁴ because the whale is so excessively unctuous¹⁵ that landsmen seem to regard the eating of him with abhorrence¹⁶; 陆地人所以不大喜欢吃鲸，也许不完全是由于它的过分油腻吧，

　　that appears to result, in some way, from the consideration before mentioned: 好象多少还是由于上述理由的缘故，

　　i.e. that a man should eat a newly murdered thing of the sea, and eat it too by its own light.  就是说：一个人竟会吃一件刚刚杀死的海里的东西，而且还要借它的光来吃它的肉。

1 seamen   

n.海员

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather. 有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• In the storm, many seamen wished they were on shore. 在暴风雨中，许多海员想，要是他们在陆地上就好了。

2 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。

3 skull   

n.头骨；颅骨

参考例句：

• The skull bones fuse between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five.头骨在15至25岁之间长合。
• He fell out of the window and cracked his skull.他从窗子摔了出去，跌裂了颅骨。

4 axe   

n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减

参考例句：

• Be careful with that sharp axe.那把斧子很锋利，你要当心。
• The edge of this axe has turned.这把斧子卷了刃了。

5 lobes   

n.耳垂( lobe的名词复数 )；（器官的）叶；肺叶；脑叶

参考例句：

• The rotor has recesses in its three faces between the lobes. 转子在其凸角之间的三个面上有凹槽。 来自辞典例句
• The chalazal parts of the endosperm containing free nuclei forms several lobes. 包含游离核的合点端胚乳部分形成几个裂片。 来自辞典例句

6 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。

7 delectable   

adj.使人愉快的；美味的

参考例句：

• What delectable food you cook!你做的食品真好吃！
• But today the delectable seafood is no longer available in abundance.但是今天这种可口的海味已不再大量存在。

8 calves   

n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解

参考例句：

• a cow suckling her calves 给小牛吃奶的母牛
• The calves are grazed intensively during their first season. 小牛在生长的第一季里集中喂养。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 epicures   

n.讲究饮食的人( epicure的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Military men have produced, or diverged in, noteworthy epicures. 军人中已经产生了，或者说分化出了引人注目的享乐主义者。 来自辞典例句

10 buck   

n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃

参考例句：

• The boy bent curiously to the skeleton of the buck.这个男孩好奇地弯下身去看鹿的骸骨。
• The female deer attracts the buck with high-pitched sounds.雌鹿以尖声吸引雄鹿。

11 bucks   

n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃

参考例句：

• They cost ten bucks. 这些值十元钱。
• They are hunting for bucks. 他们正在猎雄兔。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。

13 brute   

n.野兽，兽性

参考例句：

• The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
• That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。

14 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。

15 unctuous   

adj.油腔滑调的，大胆的

参考例句：

• He speaks in unctuous tones.他说话油腔滑调。
• He made an unctuous assurance.他做了个虚请假意的承诺。

16 abhorrence   

n.憎恶；可憎恶的事

参考例句：

• This nation has an abhorrence of terrrorism.这个民族憎恶恐怖主义。
• It is an abhorrence to his feeling.这是他深恶痛绝的事。