英语听书《白鲸记》第640期

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　　But, with a full grown leviathan this is impossible; 不过，如果是一只茁壮的大海兽，就不能这样做了，

　　for the sperm³ whale's head embraces nearly one third of his entire bulk, and completely to suspend such a burden as that, 因为抹香鲸的头差不多要占它整个身躯的三分之一，要把这样重的东西给完全吊上来，

　　even by the immense tackles of a whaler, this were as vain a thing as to attempt weighing a Dutch barn in jewellers' scales. 即使用捕鲸船里的巨大的复滑车也办不到，这正如想用珠宝店里的厘秤去称荷兰的牛棚一样的白费。

　　The Pequod's whale being decapitated and the body stripped, the head was hoisted against the ship's side, 且说"裴廓德号"这条鲸，给斩了头，剥了皮后，人们就把那只头挂在船侧，

　　about half way out of the sea, so that it might yet in great part be buoyed⁴ up by its native element. 大约有一半露出在海面上，而还有一大半也许是它自行浮起来的。

　　And there with the strained craft steeply leaning over to it, by reason of the enormous downward drag from the lower mast-head, 由于下桅顶给曳得大大地向下宕，这只吃重的大船很陡峭地斜靠在那只头上，

　　and every yard-arm on that side projecting like a crane over the waves; 于是靠近那一面的每一根桁臂都象鹤脖子一般伸向海面。

　　there, that blood-dripping head hung to the Pequod's waist like the giant Holofernes's from the girdle of Judith. 那只血淋淌滴的吊在"裴廓德号"船腰上的头颅，直象是那个挂在朱狄斯的腰际的、巨人荷洛弗恩的头。

　　When this last task was accomplished⁵ it was noon, and the seamen⁶ went below to their dinner. 等到做完了最后这一工作，时间已近午刻了，水手们都到舱里去吃中饭。

　　Silence reigned⁷ over the before tumultuous but now deserted⁸ deck. 于是，刚才还是闹哄哄的，现在却已空无一人的甲板上便阒无声动了。

　　An intense copper⁹ calm, like a universal yellow lotus, was more and more unfolding its noiseless measureless leaves upon the sea. 一片铿锵有声似的宁静，象一棵黄色的大忘忧树，正在把它那无声无息又不可数计的树叶，越来越多地铺开在海面上。

　　A short space elapsed, and up into this noiselessness came Ahab alone from his cabin. 隔了不多一会儿，亚哈独自从他的舱房里出来，走上这个无声无息的境域。

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