英语听书《白鲸记》第253期

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There he sat, his very indifference⁴ speaking a nature in which there lurked⁵ no civilized⁶ hypocrisies⁷ and bland⁸ deceits.  他坐在那里,他那种十分冷漠的态度,证明他天生毫无文明人的虚伪和甜言蜜语的奸诈。

Wild he was; a very sight of sights to see; yet I began to feel myself mysteriously drawn⁹ towards him.  他虽然是个野人,虽然看来是个绝无仅有的人物,我却已开始觉得我自己是在神秘地向着他了。

And those same things that would have repelled¹⁰ most others, they were the very magnets that thus drew me.  而那些本来会排斥大部分别的事物的感情,却成为这样吸住了我的磁石。

I'll try a pagan friend, thought I, since Christian¹¹ kindness has proved but hollow courtesy.  我要结交一个异教徒的朋友,我心里想,因为文明人的仁慈原来只是一种虚伪的好意。

I drew my bench near him, and made some friendly signs and hints, doing my best to talk with him meanwhile.  我把我的坐凳拉到他旁边,友善地指手划脚,尽我所能地跟他谈话。

At first he little noticed these advances; but presently, upon my referring to his last night's hospitalities, he made out to ask me whether we were again to be bedfellows.  起先,他并不理会这种亲近的态度;但是,经过我指出他昨天晚上的殷勤态度后,不多久,他就领会了,问我们是否还要做睡伴。

I told him yes; whereat I thought he looked pleased, perhaps a little complimented. 我对他说要,我顿即看出他显得很高兴,或许还有点儿领情。

We then turned over the book together, and I endeavored to explain to him the purpose of the printing, and the meaning of the few pictures that were in it.  于是,我们一起翻书,我力图向他解释那本印刷物的用处和书上那几幅画的意义。

Thus I soon engaged his interest; and from that we went to jabbering¹² the best we could about the various outer sights to be seen in this famous town.  这样一来,我立刻激起他的兴趣,接着,我们便尽可能地从那事情拉扯到我们在这名城里所见到的形形色色。

Soon I proposed a social smoke; and, producing his pouch¹³ and tomahawk, he quietly offered me a puff¹⁴.  我一提起要抽烟,他就掏出他的烟袋和那支烟斗斧来,悄悄地递给我吸一口。

And then we sat exchanging puffs¹⁵ from that wild pipe of his, and keeping it regularly passing between us. 我们就这么坐在那里,轮番抽着他那支野里野气的烟斗,把它有规律地递来递去。

If there yet lurked any ice of indifference towards me in the Pagan's breast, this pleasant, genial¹⁶ smoke we had, soon thawed¹⁷ it out, and left us cronies.   如果说,这个异教徒的心里本来对我还隐存有任何的冷漠的态度的话,那么,经过我们这番愉快而亲切的抽烟后,这种态度已立刻冰消雪化,我们也做起老朋友了。

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