英语听书《白鲸记》第592期

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　　in case the stricken whale should sound so deep as to threaten to carry off the entire line originally attached to the harpoon¹.  有把原来接在标枪上的全部索子都拖下去的危险时，那么，就可以把这一头接在邻近的小艇的另一条索子上。

　　In these instances, the whale of course is shifted like a mug of ale, as it were, from the one boat to the other; 在这种场合，大鲸自然就象一桶麦酒那样，在两只小艇间晃来晃去；

　　though the first boat always hovers² at hand to assist its consort³.  原来那只小艇则始终在旁边荡来荡去，以便随时帮助它的僚艇。

　　Second: This arrangement is indispensable for common safety's sake; 其次，这也是为照顾大家安全而必不可缺的做法；

　　for were the lower end of the line in any way attached to the boat, 因为如果把索子下边的一端随便缚在艇上，

　　and were the whale then to run the line out to the end almost in a single, smoking minute as he sometimes does, 万一刚好碰上当时那条鲸差不多在一筒烟工夫（这是常常会碰到的）就要把索子都拖光了，

　　he would not stop there, for the doomed⁴ boat would infallibly be dragged down after him into the profundity⁵ of the sea; 它又不会就此打住，那么，那只注定要惨遭大难的小艇就一定会给它一起拖了下去，直拖进了海底；

　　and in that case no town-crier would ever find her again. 这样一来，任你怎样喊破喉咙，也无法再找到那只小艇。

　　Before lowering the boat for the chase, the upper end of the line is taken aft from the tub, and passing round the loggerhead there,  在放下小艇追击之前，得先把捕鲸索的上端打从艇后的小桶里拉出来，兜过艇尾的圆柱，

　　is again carried forward the entire length of the boat, resting crosswise upon the loom⁶ or handle of every man's oar⁷, 再由艇尾直拉到艇头，交叉地绕在每只桨柄或者橹柄上，

　　so that it jogs against his wrist in rowing; 这样，在划桨的时候，捕鲸索就轻擦着桨手的肘腕；

　　and also passing between the men, as they alternately sit at the opposite gunwales, 同时，捕鲸索也就在那些间隔地坐在艇舷两侧的水手间绕来绕去，

　　to the leaded chocks or grooves⁸ in the extreme pointed⁹ prow¹⁰ of the boat,  一直拉到小艇最前头的突出的木楔或者槽沟里，

　　where a wooden pin or skewer¹¹ the size of a common quill¹², prevents it from slipping out.  绕在装有一种跟普通木签子一般大小的木串轴或者扣轴的地方，使它不致滑脱。

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