英语听书《白鲸记》第625期

 　　But no doubt the first man that ever murdered an ox was regarded as a murderer; perhaps he was hung;  不过，毫无疑问，第一个把牛杀死的人，总是被人家看做是个谋杀犯；说不定还要送他上绞架；

　　and if he had been put on his trial by oxen, he certainly would have been; and he certainly deserved it if any murderer does.  而且如果把他送到牛群里去审判的话，他准会给绞死；也一定会象任何一个谋杀犯一样罪有应得。

　　Go to the meat-market of a Saturday night and see the crowds of live bipeds staring up at the long rows of dead quadrupeds. 请你在礼拜六晚上到肉市场上去走一趟，去看看一群群的两脚动物，在瞪眼紧瞅着一长排一长排的被杀死了的四脚动物吧。

　　Does not that sight take a tooth out of the cannibal's jaw¹? Cannibals? who is not a cannibal? 那景致可不象是从吃人生番的嘴里拔掉一只牙齿一般么？吃人生番么？谁不是吃人生番？

　　I tell you it will be more tolerable for the Fejee that salted down a lean missionary² in his cellar against a coming famine;  不过，我告诉你，如果一个斐济人，为了防备那即将到来的饥荒，把一个瘦骨嶙峋的传道师拿去腌在他的地窖里，那倒是比较情有可原的；

　　it will be more tolerable for that provident³ Fejee, I say, in the day of judgment⁴, than for thee, civilized⁵ and enlightened gourmand⁶,  我说，在末日审判的时候，那一个有先见之明的斐济人将比你，比你这个开通文明的老饕，

　　who nailest geese to the ground and feastest on their bloated livers in thy pate-de-foie-gras. 把一些活鹅钉死在地上，拿它们的肝去做你的肥鹅肝饼而大嚼一顿的，更会获得宽恕呢。

　　But Stubb, he eats the whale by its own light, does he? 但是，斯塔布不是借着大鲸自己的光在吃鲸的吗？

　　and that is adding insult to injury, is it? 这不是叫它又受伤又受辱么？

　　Look at your knife-handle, there, my civilized and enlightened gourmand, dining off that roast beef, what is that handle made of? 可是，请你看一看你的刀柄，我的开通文明的正在吃烤牛排的老饕，你瞧，你那刀柄是用什么东西做的？

　　what but the bones of the brother of the very ox you are eating? 还不是你正在吃的那只牛的弟兄们的骨头么？

　　And what do you pick your teeth with, after devouring⁷ that fat goose? 还有，你在狂啖了肥鹅之后，是用什么东西剔牙齿呀？

　　With a feather of the same fowl⁸. 用的正是这种家禽的羽毛呀。

　　And with what quill⁹ did the Secretary of the Society for the Suppression of Cruelty to Ganders formally indite¹⁰ his circulars? "禁止虐待雄鹅协会"的秘书是用什么画笔撰写他那冠冕堂皇的传单呀？

　　It is only within the last month or two that that society passed a resolution to patronize nothing but steel pens. 那个协会还不过在一两个月前才通过一项提倡使用钢笔的决议咧。

1 jaw   

n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训

参考例句：

• He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。
• A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。

2 missionary   

adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士

参考例句：

• She taught in a missionary school for a couple of years.她在一所教会学校教了两年书。
• I hope every member understands the value of missionary work. 我希望教友都了解传教工作的价值。

3 provident   

adj.为将来做准备的，有先见之明的

参考例句：

• A provident father plans for his children's education.有远见的父亲为自己孩子的教育做长远打算。
• They are provident statesmen.他们是有远见的政治家。

4 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

5 civilized   

a.有教养的，文雅的

参考例句：

• Racism is abhorrent to a civilized society. 文明社会憎恶种族主义。
• rising crime in our so-called civilized societies 在我们所谓文明社会中日益增多的犯罪行为

6 gourmand   

n.嗜食者

参考例句：

• He was long famed as a gourmand and heavy smoker and drinker.长期以来，他一直以嗜好美食和烟酒闻名。
• The food here satisfies gourmands rather than gourmets.这里的食物可以管饱却不讲究品质。

7 devouring   

吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光

参考例句：

• The hungry boy was devouring his dinner. 那饥饿的孩子狼吞虎咽地吃饭。
• He is devouring novel after novel. 他一味贪看小说。

8 fowl   

n.家禽，鸡，禽肉

参考例句：

• Fowl is not part of a traditional brunch.禽肉不是传统的早午餐的一部分。
• Since my heart attack,I've eaten more fish and fowl and less red meat.自从我患了心脏病后，我就多吃鱼肉和禽肉，少吃红色肉类。

9 quill   

n.羽毛管；v.给（织物或衣服）作皱褶

参考例句：

• He wrote with a quill.他用羽毛笔写字。
• She dipped a quill in ink,and then began to write.她将羽毛笔在墨水里蘸了一下，随后开始书写。

10 indite   

v.写（文章，信等）创作

参考例句：

• This essay is written just for trying to indite article in English.此散文仅仅是为了尝试用英文写文章。
• I indite a poem.我写了一首诗。