英语听书《白鲸记》第664期

 Why, do ye see, the old man is hard bent¹ after that White Whale, 怎么，你可知道，老头儿一心一意要捉到那条白鲸，

and the devil there is trying to come round him, and get him to swap² away his silver watch,  那个恶魔就专想诱骗他，想拐走他的银表，

or his soul, or something of that sort, and then he'll surrender Moby Dick. 或者是他的灵魂，还是类似的什么东西，然后，他就去投降莫比－迪克去。

Pooh! Stubb, you are skylarking; how can Fedallah do that? 嘘！斯塔布，你在开大玩笑啦，费达拉怎么干得了这等事情？

I don't know, Flask³, but the devil is a curious chap, and a wicked one, I tell ye. 那我不知道，弗拉斯克，不过，这个恶魔就是个怪家伙，而且我告诉你，是个坏家伙。

Why, they say as how he went a sauntering into the old flag-ship once, 哼，听说，有一回，他还溜上一艘老旗舰，

switching his tail about devilish easy and gentlemanlike, and inquiring if the old governor was at home. 他把那根辫子飒地一摇，装得象个绅士，问老司令官可在家。

Well, he was at home, and asked the devil what he wanted. 唔，他正在家里，人们就问这个恶魔要干什么。

The devil, switching his hoofs⁴, up and says, 'I want John.' 'What for?' says the old governor. 这个恶魔晃晃他那两只脚爪儿说，'我要找约翰。'找他干什么？老司令官说。

'What business is that of yours,' says the devil, getting mad,—'I want to use him.' '干你什么事，'那个恶魔顿时发狂似的，说道，'我要派他的用场。

'Take him,' says the governor— and by the Lord, Flask, '把他带走吧，'司令官说——老天在上，弗拉斯克，

if the devil didn't give John the Asiatic cholera⁵ before he got through with him, I'll eat this whale in one mouthful. 要是那个恶魔不是先给约翰一点亚洲的霍乱这才跟他打好了交道，我就一口把这条鲸给吞下去。

But look sharp—ain't you all ready there? 可是，注意——你都准备好啦？

Well, then, pull ahead, and let's get the whale alongside. 唔，那么，向前划，把鲸拖着走吧。

I think I remember some such story as you were telling, said Flask, 我倒记起你刚才说的这种故事来了，弗拉斯克说，

when at last the two boats were slowly advancing with their burden towards the ship, "but I can't remember where." 这时，两只小艇已经拖着那条鲸慢慢地朝大船进发，"不过，我记不起是在什么地方。"

Three Spaniards? Adventures of those three bloody-minded soldadoes? 三个西班牙人吧？是那三个杀气腾腾的丘八的险遇吗？

Did ye read it there, Flask? I guess ye did? 你可看过这书么，弗拉斯克？我想你是看过的吧？

No: never saw such a book; heard of it, though.  不，我从来没有看到这样一本书，不过，听倒是听过的。

1 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

2 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

3 flask   

n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱

参考例句：

• There is some deposit in the bottom of the flask.这只烧杯的底部有些沉淀物。
• He took out a metal flask from a canvas bag.他从帆布包里拿出一个金属瓶子。

4 hoofs   

n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The stamp of the horse's hoofs on the wooden floor was loud. 马蹄踏在木头地板上的声音很响。 来自辞典例句
• The noise of hoofs called him back to the other window. 马蹄声把他又唤回那扇窗子口。 来自辞典例句

5 cholera   

n.霍乱

参考例句：

• The cholera outbreak has been contained.霍乱的发生已被控制住了。
• Cholera spread like wildfire through the camps.霍乱在营地里迅速传播。