Yes, yes, round the Cape of Good Hope is the shortest way to Nantucket, soliloquized Starbuck suddenly, heedless of Stubb's question. 是呀，不错，绕过好望角就是到南塔开特的最简捷的航线，斯达巴克不理会斯塔布的问题，突然自言自语起来。

"The gale that now hammers at us to stave us, we can turn it into a fair wind that will drive us towards home. "现在在锤击我们的大风是想叫我们完蛋的呀，我们可以把逆风变顺风，顺风就会把我们赶向回家的方向喽。

Yonder, to windward, all is blackness of doom; but to leeward, homeward — I see it lightens up there; but not with the lightning." 向那边，向上风的地方，全是凶险的劫数；可是，向下风呢，向回家的方向呢——我就看到那边有一片亮光；而且不是闪电的炫光。"

At that moment in one of the intervals of profound darkness, following the flashes, a voice was heard at his side; 就在这时，在紧接着一阵闪电后的乌漆墨黑中，斯达巴克听到身边有个声音；

and almost at the same instant a volley of thunder peals rolled overhead. 而差不多与此同时，轰隆的一串雷鸣直打头顶滚过。

Who's there? 谁呀？

Old Thunder! said Ahab, groping his way along the bulwarks to his pivot-hole; 老雷公！亚哈说道，他正循着舷侧摸索着，要到他那镟洞的地方去，

but suddenly finding his path made plain to him by elbowed lances of fire. 可是，突然射来了一弯捕鲸枪似的火光，使他看得一清二楚，不用摸索。

Now, as the lightning rod to a spire on shore is intended to carry off the perilous fluid into the soil; 且说陆上的塔尖都安有避雷针，可以把那种可怕的气流给引到地里去；

so the kindred rod which at sea some ships carry to each mast, is intended to conduct it into the water. 在海上，有些船只也在每根桅杆上，各装有一支想把气流引进水里的避雷针。

But as this conductor must descend to considerable depth, that its end may avoid all contact with the hull; 但是，这种避雷针一定要插得相当深，才可以使它的末梢完全不接触到船壳；

and as moreover, if kept constantly towing there, it would be liable to many mishaps, besides interfering not a little with some of the rigging,  而且，要是一直让它插在那里，除了很可能会跟索具绊在一起，又多少会阻碍船只前进以外，

and more or less impeding the vessel's way in the water; 还会发生许多意外；