英语听书《白鲸记》第800期

 　　Chapter 93 The Castaway 第九十三章 被摒弃者

　　It was but some few days after encountering the Frenchman, 大约是在遇到那艘法国船的几天后，

　　that a most significant event befell the most insignificant¹ of the Pequod's crew; "裴廓德号"上有一件极其重大的事情落到一个最不足道的水手的头上，

　　an event most lamentable²; and which ended in providing the sometimes madly merry and predestinated craft 这是一件最可悲的事情，到头来，这件事情还给这艘始终是嘻嘻哈哈而命运却已注定的船，

　　with a living and ever accompanying prophecy of whatever shattered sequel might prove her own. 提供了一种生动而始终摆脱不了的预言：它自己总要遭到任何一种粉身碎骨的结局。

　　Now, in the whale ship, it is not every one that goes in the boats. 且说在捕鲸船上，并不是人人都要下小艇的。

　　Some few hands are reserved called shipkeepers, whose province it is to work the vessel³ while the boats are pursuing the whale. 它总要留几个叫做看船人的人，他们的职份就是在小艇追击大鲸时，由他们航驶大船。

　　As a general thing, these shipkeepers are as hardy⁴ fellows as the men comprising the boats' crews. 这些看船人的身体通常都是跟艇上的水手一样壮健。

　　But if there happen to be an unduly⁵ slender, clumsy, or timorous⁶ wight in the ship, that wight is certain to be made a ship-keeper. 不过，如果船上恰巧有个非常细弱。笨拙或者是胆小的家伙，那肯定要叫那个家伙来做看船人。

　　It was so in the Pequod with the little negro Pippin by nick-name, Pip by abbreviation. "裴廓德号"上那个外号叫比平，简称比普的小黑人，就正是这等人物。

　　Poor Pip! ye have heard of him before; ye must remember his tambourine⁷ on that dramatic midnight, so gloomy-jolly. 可怜的比普！你们以前已经听到过他这个名字了；你们一定还记得在那个富有戏剧情调的午夜中，他那只敲得那么乐中透愁的小手鼓吧。

　　In outer aspect, Pip and Dough-Boy made a match, like a black pony⁸ and a white one, 在外表上，比普和汤团倒是活宝一对，有如一匹黑马和一匹白马，

　　of equal developments, though of dissimilar color, driven in one eccentric span. 种色虽然不同，大小却很相称，是一对志不同道不合的双轭马。

　　But while hapless Dough-Boy was by nature dull and torpid⁹ in his intellects, 那个倒霉的汤团，生性愚笨，又兼智力鲁钝，

　　Pip, though over tender-hearted, was at bottom very bright, with that pleasant, genial¹⁰, jolly brightness peculiar¹¹ to his tribe; 至于比普呢，虽然心地过于温厚，内里却十分聪明伶俐，有着他的种族那种可爱、亲切、快活开朗的特点；

　　a tribe, which ever enjoy all holidays and festivities with finer, freer relish¹² than any other race. 这个种族，逢到大小节日，总是比任何其它民族过得更快活、更放纵。

1 insignificant   

adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的

参考例句：

• In winter the effect was found to be insignificant.在冬季，这种作用是不明显的。
• This problem was insignificant compared to others she faced.这一问题与她面临的其他问题比较起来算不得什么。

2 lamentable   

adj.令人惋惜的，悔恨的

参考例句：

• This lamentable state of affairs lasted until 1947.这一令人遗憾的事态一直持续至1947年。
• His practice of inebriation was lamentable.他的酗酒常闹得别人束手无策。

3 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

4 hardy   

adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的

参考例句：

• The kind of plant is a hardy annual.这种植物是耐寒的一年生植物。
• He is a hardy person.他是一个能吃苦耐劳的人。

5 unduly   

adv.过度地，不适当地

参考例句：

• He did not sound unduly worried at the prospect.他的口气听上去对前景并不十分担忧。
• He argued that the law was unduly restrictive.他辩称法律的约束性有些过分了。

6 timorous   

adj.胆怯的，胆小的

参考例句：

• She is as timorous as a rabbit.她胆小得像只兔子。
• The timorous rabbit ran away.那只胆小的兔子跑开了。

7 tambourine   

n.铃鼓，手鼓

参考例句：

• A stew without an onion is like a dance without a tambourine.烧菜没有洋葱就像跳舞没有手鼓。
• He is really good at playing tambourine.他很擅长演奏铃鼓。

8 pony   

adj.小型的；n.小马

参考例句：

• His father gave him a pony as a Christmas present.他父亲给了他一匹小马驹作为圣诞礼物。
• They made him pony up the money he owed.他们逼他还债。

9 torpid   

adj.麻痹的，麻木的，迟钝的

参考例句：

• He just walked and his mind drifted slowly like a torpid stream.他只是埋头走，脑袋里思想都凝滞了，有如一汪流不动的溪水。
• Even when he was awake he was completely torpid.他醒着的时候也完全麻木不动。

10 genial   

adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的

参考例句：

• Orlando is a genial man.奥兰多是一位和蔼可亲的人。
• He was a warm-hearted friend and genial host.他是个热心的朋友，也是友善待客的主人。

11 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

12 relish   

n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味

参考例句：

• I have no relish for pop music.我对流行音乐不感兴趣。
• I relish the challenge of doing jobs that others turn down.我喜欢挑战别人拒绝做的工作。