英语听书《白鲸记》第964期

 Forward, there! Heave the log! 前边的人，注意，抛测程仪喽！

Two seamen¹ came. The golden-hued Tahitian and the grizzly² Manxman. "Take the reel, one of ye, I'll heave." 两个水手走过来了，一个是金黄色的塔希提人，一个是满头白发的人岛人。"你们哪一个来绕线轮，我来抛。"

They went towards the extreme stern, on the ship's lee side, 他们走到船梢的边上，站在船的下风一边，

where the deck, with the oblique³ energy of the wind, was now almost dipping into the creamy, sidelong-rushing sea. 那地方因为斜风的吹刮，甲板都差不多浸在那打斜冲过来的、奶油般的浪潮里了。

The Manxman took the reel, and holding it high up, by the projecting handle-ends of the spindle, 那个人岛人拿着绕线轮的突出的卷轴柄尾，把它擎得高高的，

round which the spool⁴ of line revolved⁵, so stood with the angular log hanging downwards⁶, till Ahab advanced to him. 那上面绕有一卷线，他手里拿着那只挂在下面的棱形的测程仪，站在那里，等候亚哈走过来。

Ahab stood before him, and was lightly unwinding some thirty or forty turns to form a preliminary hand-coil to toss overboard, 亚哈站在他面前，轻轻地撒开了三四十圈，以便绕在手里，准备把它抛到海里去，

when the old Manxman, who was intently eyeing both him and the line, made bold to speak. 这时，那个全神贯注地紧瞪着亚哈和测量绳的人岛老汉，冒昧地开口了。

Sir, I mistrust it; this line looks far gone, long heat and wet have spoiled it. 先生，我不相信这东西，这些绳子，样子早就不中用啦，一直让日晒水溅，早就把它糟蹋了。

Twill hold, old gentleman. Long heat and wet, have they spoiled thee? Thou seem'st to hold. 顶用的，老先生。你一直让日晒水溅，可把你糟蹋了嘛？看来你都撑下来了。

Or, truer perhaps, life holds thee; not thou it. 啊，也许应该这么说，是生命撑住了你，不是你撑住了生命。

I hold the spool, sir. But just as my captain says. 我撑住的是线圈呀，先生。不过，我的船长说的总没错。

With these grey hairs of mine 'tis not worth while disputing, 'specially⁷ with a superior, who'll ne'er confess. 象我这一大把年纪，是不配争辩的，尤其是不该跟个上司争辩，上司是决不会认错的。

What's that? There now's a patched professor in Queen Nature's granite-founded College; but methinks he's too subservient⁸. 怎么？这会儿倒来了个自然大学的饭桶教授，不过，我想，他未免太会拍马屁了。

Where wert thou born? 你是哪里人？

 

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 grizzly   

adj.略为灰色的，呈灰色的；n.灰色大熊

参考例句：

• This grizzly liked people.这只灰熊却喜欢人。
• Grizzly bears are not generally social creatures.一般说来，灰熊不是社交型动物。

3 oblique   

adj.斜的，倾斜的，无诚意的，不坦率的

参考例句：

• He made oblique references to her lack of experience.他拐弯抹角地说她缺乏经验。
• She gave an oblique look to one side.她向旁边斜看了一眼。

4 spool   

n.（缠录音带等的）卷盘（轴）；v.把…绕在卷轴上

参考例句：

• Can you wind this film back on to its spool?你能把这胶卷卷回到卷轴上去吗？
• Thomas squatted on the forward deck,whistling tunelessly,polishing the broze spool of the anchor winch.托马斯蹲在前甲板上擦起锚绞车的黄铜轴，边擦边胡乱吹着口哨。

5 revolved   

v.（使）旋转( revolve的过去式和过去分词 )；细想

参考例句：

• The fan revolved slowly. 电扇缓慢地转动着。
• The wheel revolved on its centre. 轮子绕中心转动。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 downwards   

adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地）

参考例句：

• He lay face downwards on his bed.他脸向下伏在床上。
• As the river flows downwards,it widens.这条河愈到下游愈宽。

7 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

8 subservient   

adj.卑屈的，阿谀的

参考例句：

• He was subservient and servile.他低声下气、卑躬屈膝。
• It was horrible to have to be affable and subservient.不得不强作欢颜卖弄风骚，真是太可怕了。