英语听书《白鲸记》第749期

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Those narrow straits of Sunda divide Sumatra from Java; 那个狭小的巽他海峡，把苏门答腊与爪哇给隔开来；

and standing² midway in that vast rampart of islands, buttressed³ by that bold green promontory⁴, known to seamen⁵ as Java Head; 而拦在那两个壁垒似的大岛的中间，却被那个终年碧绿、水手们管它叫爪哇岬的突出的海岬撑住着；

they not a little correspond to the central gateway⁶ opening into some vast walled empire: 它很象通向一种城墙高筑的大帝国的大城门，

and considering the inexhaustible wealth of spices, and silks, and jewels, and gold, and ivory, 而且就那些取之不尽的财富，香料、丝绸、珠宝、黄金和象牙说来，

with which the thousand islands of that oriental sea are enriched, it seems a significant provision of nature, 东方大洋的无数岛屿，正是借这些东西而富裕起来的，这似乎就是得天独厚的重要物质，

that such treasures, by the very formation of the land, should at least bear the appearance, however ineffectual, 这样一些财宝，由于这种地理形势，至少就具有一种小心戒备的外表（不管是否有效），

of being guarded from the all-grasping western world. 免得遭受西方世界的巧取豪夺。

The shores of the Straits of Sunda  巽他海峡的沿海一带，

are unsupplied with those domineering fortresses⁷ which guard the entrances to the Mediterranean⁸, the Baltic, and the Propontis. 并没有设备许多象防守地中海，波罗的海，普罗蓬提斯海的入口那样的作威作福的要塞。

Unlike the Danes, these Orientals do not demand the obsequious⁹ homage¹⁰ of lowered top-sails from the endless procession of ships before the wind, 这些东方人，跟丹麦人不一样，他们并不要求那些顺风而来，行列无尽无止的船只，对他们放下中桅帆，以示谄媚的敬意，

which for centuries past, by night and by day, have passed between the islands of Sumatra and Java, freighted with the costliest¹¹ cargoes¹² of the east. 那些船只在过去几百年间，都已经不分昼夜，满载着东方最贵重的货物，穿过苏门答腊和爪哇间的许多岛屿了。

But while they freely waive¹³ a ceremonial like this, they do by no means renounce¹⁴ their claim to more solid tribute. 不过，他们虽然自愿放弃如此的礼仪，可决不会放弃更可靠的贡礼的要求。

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