英语听书《白鲸记》第980期

 But though when she had thus sailed a sufficient distance to gain the presumed place of the absent ones when last seen; 可是，大船虽则已经这样继续驶了相当远，到达了他们认为是最后看到那只失落的小艇的所在洋面，

though she then paused to lower her spare boats to pull all around her; 虽则大船当时也停下来，放下小艇，在大船四周划来划去，

and not finding anything, had again dashed on; again paused, and lowered her boats; 可是，却什么也没有找到，只得又向前驶去，又停下来，又放下小艇；

and though she had thus continued doing till daylight; yet not the least glimpse of the missing keel had been seen. 虽则大船这样继续驶了又停，停了又驶，直至天亮；依然一点也看不到那只失落的小艇的踪影。

The story told, the stranger Captain immediately went on to reveal his object in boarding the Pequod. 陌生船的船长把经过情况讲过后，立刻接下去表露他之所以上"裴廓德号"来的目的。

He desired that ship to unite with his own in the search; 他希望"裴廓德号"能跟他自己那艘船一起去寻找那只小艇；

by sailing over the sea some four or five miles apart, on parallel lines, and so sweeping¹ a double horizon, as it were. 两艘大船相隔四五英里，平行地驶去，这样就可说是把左右两侧都一览无遗了。

I will wager² something now, whispered Stubb to Flask³, "that some one in that missing boat wore off that Captain's best coat; 这下我可要打点什么赌了，斯塔布悄悄地对弗拉斯克说，"那只失落的小艇上，一定有人把那船长的最好的上衣穿走了；

mayhap, his watch — he's so cursed anxious to get it back. 说不定还有他的表哪——看他急得要死，巴不得马上就去给找回来。

Who ever heard of two pious⁴ whale-ships cruising after one missing whale-boat in the height of the whaling season? 在这种捕鲸的旺季里，谁曾听到过有两只善心善意的捕鲸船，去为一只失落的艇子巡游来着？

See, Flask, only see how pale he looks — pale in the very buttons of his eyes — look — it wasn't the coat — it must have been the-" 你瞧，弗拉斯克，你只消看他那脸色多潦白——眼瞳里也都发白了——你瞧——恐怕还不只是上衣——一定还有——"

My boy, my own boy is among them. 那只小艇里有我的儿子，我自己的儿子。

For God's sake — I beg, I conjure⁵ — here exclaimed the stranger Captain to Ahab, who thus far had but icily received his petition. 看在上帝的份上——我请求你，恳求你。——说到这里，陌生船的船长对亚哈大声叫喊起来了，亚哈则直到此时只是冷冰冰地听他说下去。

"For eight-and-forty hours let me charter your ship — I will gladly pay for it, and roundly pay for it, if there be no other way, "请把你的船租给我四十八小时——我情愿付给船租，付高额的船租，如果没有发生其它情形，

for eight-and-forty hours only — only that — you must, oh, you must, and you shall do this thing." 我只要租四十八个小时就够了——就够了——你呀，你一定，一定要答应我，你得这样做。"

 

1 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

2 wager   

n.赌注；vt.押注，打赌

参考例句：

• They laid a wager on the result of the race.他们以竞赛的结果打赌。
• I made a wager that our team would win.我打赌我们的队会赢。

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 pious   

adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的

参考例句：

• Alexander is a pious follower of the faith.亚历山大是个虔诚的信徒。
• Her mother was a pious Christian.她母亲是一个虔诚的基督教徒。

5 conjure   

v.恳求，祈求；变魔术，变戏法

参考例句：

• I conjure you not to betray me.我恳求你不要背弃我。
• I can't simply conjure up the money out of thin air.我是不能像变魔术似的把钱变来。