英语听书《白鲸记》第437期

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Nor even at the present day has the original prestige of the Sperm¹ Whale, as fearfully distinguished² from all other species of the leviathan, died out of the minds of the whalemen as a body.  因为时至今日,在整个捕鲸者的心目中,还是认为抹香鲸的本来的名声,论起恐怖来,是远超于其它一切大海兽的。

There are those this day among them, who, though intelligent and courageous³ enough in offering battle to the Greenland or Right whale, would perhaps-either from professional inexperience, or incompetency⁴, or timidity, decline a contest with the Sperm Whale;  今天在整个捕鲸者中,还有这样的人;他们虽然在智勇上都很能够去跟格陵兰鲸或者露脊鲸决斗,却还是...或因职业上缺乏经验,或因力不胜任,或因畏怯,而不愿意跟抹香鲸一决胜负;

at any rate, there are plenty of whalemen, especially among those whaling nations not sailing under the American flag, who have never hostilely encountered the Sperm Whale, but whose sole knowledge of the leviathan is restricted to the ignoble⁵ monster primitively⁶ pursued in the North;  总之,确有许多捕鲸者,尤其是那些非美国人的捕鲸者,他们从来就没有跟抹香鲸敌对过,他们关于这种大海兽的唯一的见闻还是局限于本来那些出没在北海上的二等巨兽;

seated on their hatches, these men will hearken with a childish fireside interest and awe⁷, to the wild, strange tales of Southern whaling.  这些人坐在他们的舱口上,带着一种小孩子坐在炉边,又怕又要听的心情,来倾听南海捕鲸的狂热。新奇的故事。

Nor is the preeminent⁸ tremendousness of the great Sperm Whale anywhere more feelingly comprehended, than on board of those prows⁹ which stem him. 这些人对于大抹香鲸的极其可怕的事迹,在真切的理解上说来,绝不会超过站在船头跟它对抗过的那些人。

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