英语听书《白鲸记》第259期

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When a new-hatched savage¹ running wild about his native woodlands in a grass clout², followed by the nibbling³ goats,  在他还是一个初出茅庐的野人,身披草蓑,在他故乡的林地里狂奔乱跑,背后跟着一群东啃一口西啃一口的山羊,

as if he were a green sapling; even then, in Queequeg's ambitious soul, lurked⁴ a strong desire to see something more of Christendom than a specimen⁵ whaler or two.  仿佛还是一个毛头小子的时候;甚至在那个时候,在魁魁格的抱负不凡的心中,就已经隐怀一种强烈的愿望:不但要看看一两个堪为楷模的捕鲸者,还要看一看文明人的国度。

His father was a High Chief, a King; his uncle a High Priest; and on the maternal⁶ side he boasted aunts who were the wives of unconquerable warriors⁷.  他父亲是个大酋长,是个国王;他叔父是个祭司长;他夸称他的母系方面,那些姨娘都是一些战无不胜的武士的妻室。

There was excellent blood in his veins-royal stuff; though sadly vitiated, I fear, by the cannibal propensity⁸ he nourished in his untutored youth. 他的血统里有高尚的血液....贵胄的品质,然而,我怕他在他那未受教育的少年时代所养成的生番习性已大大损害了他这种品质。

A Sag⁹ Harbor ship visited his father's bay, and Queequeg sought a passage to Christian¹⁰ lands.  有一只萨格港是一个捕鲸的大港口。的船来访问他父亲治下的港湾,魁魁格就想乘它到文明人的地方去。

But the ship, having her full complement¹¹ of seamen¹², spurned¹³ his suit; and not all the King his father's influence could prevail.  但是,那只船的水手已经满额,无法满足他的要求;这也不是他那个做国王的父亲的势力所能奏效的。

But Queequeg vowed¹⁵ a vow¹⁴. Alone in his canoe, he paddled off to a distant strait, which he knew the ship must pass through when she quitted the island.  但是,魁魁格已经发下了誓。他独自坐上他的独木舟,划到一个冷僻的海峡里去,因为他知道那只船一离开海岛,必定要经过那地方。

On one side was a coral reef; on the other a low tongue of land, covered with mangrove¹⁶ thickets¹⁷ that grew out into the water.  那海峡,一边是珊瑚礁,一边是一小片洼地,蔓生了缭绕到海里的红树丛。

Hiding his canoe, still afloat, among these thickets, with its prow¹⁸ seaward, he sat down in the stern, paddle low in hand;  他把他的独木舟藏在这些树丛里,让它仍是飘浮在水面上,船头对着海洋那面,自己坐在船尾,桨子低抓在手里;

and when the ship was gliding¹⁹ by, like a flash he darted²⁰ out; gained her side; with one backward dash of his foot capsized and sank his canoe;  等到那只船一驶过时,他就一阵闪电似的射了出去;抓住了船舷;一只脚往后一踢,把他那只独木舟踢翻沉没;

climbed up the chains; and throwing himself at full length upon the deck, grappled a ring-bolt there, and swore not to let it go, though hacked²¹ in pieces. 他爬上锚链;直扑在甲板上,抓住了船上的有环螺钉,发誓说哪怕拿他砍成碎片,他也决不放手。

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