英语听书《白鲸记》第639期

 　　Chapter 70 The Sphynx 第七十章 狮身人头怪物

　　It should not have been omitted that previous to completely stripping the body of the leviathan, he was beheaded. 这里必须一提的是，那条大海兽是被砍了头后，才把它的身体剥得活脱精光的。

　　Now, the beheading of the Sperm¹ Whale is a scientific anatomical feat², 且说砍抹香鲸头，倒是一种具有科学方法的解剖术，

　　upon which experienced whale surgeons very much pride themselves: and not without reason. 许多富有经验的大鲸外科医生所以深深以此自傲，并不是毫无理由的。

　　Consider that the whale has nothing that can properly be called a neck; 请想一想，鲸本来就没有一个可以适当称之为颈脖子的东西，

　　on the contrary, where his head and body seem to join, there, in that very place, is the thickest part of him. 相反地，似乎在它的头身相连的那个地方，却就是它身体的最粗的部分。

　　Remember, also, that the surgeon must operate from above, some eight or ten feet intervening between him and his subject, 同时，请不要忘记，外科医生必须由上而下地动手术，他跟他那解剖对象的距离约有八英尺到十英尺，

　　and that subject almost hidden in a discolored, rolling, and oftentimes tumultuous and bursting sea. 而那对象又差不多是沉在污浊的、滚滚的，而且时常是迸射汹涌的海里。

　　Bear in mind, too, that under these untoward³ circumstances he has to cut many feet deep in the flesh; 又得请你谨记在心的是，在这种不很顺手的情况下，他还得在它肉里砍个几英尺深；

　　and in that subterraneous manner, without so much as getting one single peep into the ever-contracting gash⁴ thus made, 而且在那种隐秘的情况下，就是要看一看砍过了后的、却又始终在收缩着的裂口也不大容易，

　　he must skilfully⁵ steer⁶ clear of all adjacent, interdicted⁷ parts, and exactly divide the spine⁸ at a critical point hard by its insertion into the skull⁹. 因此，他必须又熟练又灵敏地避开那些附近的不应该砍下去的部分，应该朝那衔接着头颅与脊柱的分界点准确地砍将下去。

　　Do you not marvel¹⁰, then, at Stubb's boast, that he demanded but ten minutes to behead a sperm whale? 所以，你对于斯塔布自吹自擂，说是他只消十分钟就可把抹香鲸的头砍下来，可不觉得惊奇么？

　　When first severed¹¹, the head is dropped astern and held there by a cable till the body is stripped. 头一砍下来后，人们就把它丢在船尾，用一条大缆把它缚住，等到身体剥皮完毕再作处理。

1 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。

2 feat   

n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的

参考例句：

• Man's first landing on the moon was a feat of great daring.人类首次登月是一个勇敢的壮举。
• He received a medal for his heroic feat.他因其英雄业绩而获得一枚勋章。

3 untoward   

adj.不利的，不幸的，困难重重的

参考例句：

• Untoward circumstances prevent me from being with you on this festive occasion.有些不幸的事件使我不能在这欢庆的时刻和你在一起。
• I'll come if nothing untoward happens.我要是没有特殊情况一定来。

4 gash   

v.深切，划开；n.(深长的)切(伤)口；裂缝

参考例句：

• The deep gash in his arm would take weeks to heal over.他胳膊上的割伤很深，需要几个星期的时间才能痊愈。
• After the collision,the body of the ship had a big gash.船被撞后，船身裂开了一个大口子。

5 skilfully   

adv. (美skillfully)熟练地

参考例句：

• Hall skilfully weaves the historical research into a gripping narrative. 霍尔巧妙地把历史研究揉进了扣人心弦的故事叙述。
• Enthusiasm alone won't do. You've got to work skilfully. 不能光靠傻劲儿，得找窍门。

6 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

7 interdicted   

v.禁止（行动）( interdict的过去式和过去分词 )；禁用；限制

参考例句：

• He was interdicted from acting. 他的行为受到限制。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• It is interdicted by law. 这是法律禁止的。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

8 spine   

n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊

参考例句：

• He broke his spine in a fall from a horse.他从马上跌下摔断了脊梁骨。
• His spine developed a slight curve.他的脊柱有点弯曲。

9 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。

10 marvel   

vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事

参考例句：

• The robot is a marvel of modern engineering.机器人是现代工程技术的奇迹。
• The operation was a marvel of medical skill.这次手术是医术上的一个奇迹。

11 severed   

v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂

参考例句：

• The doctor said I'd severed a vessel in my leg. 医生说我割断了腿上的一根血管。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We have severed diplomatic relations with that country. 我们与那个国家断绝了外交关系。 来自《简明英汉词典》