in order to prepare for what follows. 以便人们作进一步的处理。

　　Whereupon, this accomplished swordsman, warning all hands to stand off, once more makes a scientific dash at the mass, 这时候，这个娴熟的剑客，一边警告大家赶快站开，一边又对那团大东西巧妙地一截，

　　and with a few sidelong, desperate, lunging, slicings, severs it completely in twain;  再加上打斜里拼命的刺削几下，就把它切成了两爿；

　　so that while the short lower part is still fast, the long upper strip, called a blanket-piece, swings clear, and is all ready for lowering. 所以，那短短的下半段虽然还是贴牢着，可是，上半边那块叫做"绒毡子"的长条子已经是孤零零的晃来晃去，随时可以卸下来了。

　　The heavers forward now resume their song, 那些管绞车的人，又重新一面唱起歌来，一面走上前去。

　　and while the one tackle is peeling and hoisting a second strip from the whale, the other is slowly slackened away,  当那只正在剥皮的复滑车，又从鲸身上扯起第二片鲸脂时，另一只复滑车就慢慢地松开来，落下来，

　　and down goes the first strip through the main hatchway right beneath, into an unfurnished parlor called the blubber-room. 把第一片鲸脂穿过大舱口直旋到下面去，旋进了那间叫做鲸脂房的毫无设备的会客室里去。

　　Into this twilight apartment sundry nimble hands keep coiling away the long blanket-piece as if it were a great live mass of plaited serpents. 在这间昏蒙的屋子里，许多敏捷的手不停地把那些长长的"绒毡"卷起来，仿佛它是一团大蟒蛇。

　　And thus the work proceeds; the two tackles hoisting and lowering simultaneously; 工作就这样进行下去：那两架复滑车同时一起一落，

　　both whale and windlass heaving, the heavers singing, the blubber-room gentlemen coiling,  大鲸和绞车则旋来旋去，管绞车的人唱个不停，鲸油房里的先生们在不断卷着鲸脂，

　　the mates scarfing, the ship straining, and all hands swearing occasionally, by way of assuaging the general friction. 大二三副在剥皮，船身在用力气，大家偶尔咒骂一声，借以减轻一下紧张情绪。