英语听书《白鲸记》第733期

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for, in his ordinary attitude, the Sperm¹ Whale's mouth is buried at least eight feet beneath the surface; 因为，按它通常的状态说来，抹香鲸的嘴巴深藏在水面之下至少有八英尺的地方，

and what is still more, his windpipe has no connexion with his mouth. 而且，它的气管跟嘴巴又毫无联系。

No, he breathes through his spiracle alone; and this is on the top of his head. 不，它只靠那只喷水孔呼吸，而那只喷水孔却长在头顶。

If I say, that in any creature breathing is only a function indispensable to vitality², 如果我说，任何一种动物的呼吸就是生命的不可或缺的职能，

inasmuch as it withdraws from the air a certain element, 因此，它从空气中吸收到了一种要素后，

which being subsequently brought into contact with the blood imparts to the blood its vivifying principle, 就使它跟血液接触，把它的富有生气的要素灌输给血液，

I do not think I shall err³; though I may possibly use some superfluous⁴ scientific words. 我想我大概是没有说错的；虽则我也许还可以用上若干罗里罗唆的科学词汇。

Assume it, and it follows that if all the blood in a man could be aerated⁵ with one breath, 如果是这样，那么接着而来就是，如果一口气就能把人体的全部血液都充以空气的话，

he might then seal up his nostrils⁶ and not fetch another for a considerable time. 那么人类也许可以封起鼻孔，好久不需要再吸进另一口气了。

That is to say, he would then live without breathing. 这就是说，他从此可以不要呼吸而活下去。

Anomalous⁷ as it may seem, this is precisely⁸ the case with the whale, 尽管这事情看来也许颇为反常，可是，大鲸就正是这般情况。

who systematically⁹ lives, by intervals¹⁰, his full hour and more (when at the bottom) without drawing a single breath, 大鲸在海底的时候，能够在一个多钟头的时间里不需吸一口气，

or so much as in any way inhaling¹¹ a particle of air; for, remember, he has no gills. How is this? 或者可以说一点点气都用不着吸，而能够照常生活下去；因为，请记住，它是没有鳃的。这究竟是怎么回事呢？

Between his ribs¹² and on each side of his spine¹³ he is supplied with a remarkable¹⁴ involved Cretan labyrinth¹⁵ of vermicelli-like vessels¹⁶, 因为在它的肋骨间和脊骨的两边，它装备有一件特别的东西，如同克里特岛人做管状面的那种曲曲折折的器皿一般，

which vessels, when he quits the surface, are completely distended¹⁷ with oxygenated blood.  这些器皿，当它离开水面的时候，就已经完全胀满充有氧气的血液了。

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