英语听书《白鲸记》第973期

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I know an old woman of sixty-five who ran away with a bald-headed young tinker once. 我就知道，有个六十五岁的老太婆，跟一个秃顶的年轻皮匠私奔了。

And that's the reason I never would work for lonely widow old women ashore¹ when I kept my job-shop in the Vineyard; 因此，我在维因耶德开作坊的时候，就从来不愿意给陆上的孤老寡妇干活儿；

they might have taken it into their lonely old heads to run off with me. 她们那些个孤老脑袋里，说不定还想跟我私奔呢。

But heigh-ho! there are no caps at sea but snow-caps. Let me see. 可是，嗨嗬！在海上，谁来管你这一套，有理也说不清。我不妨来试试看。

Nail down the lid; caulk² the seams; pay over the same with pitch; batten them down tight, and hang it with the snap-spring over the ship's stern. 把棺材盖给钉住，缝缝隙隙给补补填填，给这东西涂上一层沥青；把它敲得紧紧密密，系上弹簧绳子，挂在船梢上就得啦。

Were ever such things done before with a coffin⁴? 用一只棺材来做成这种东西，先前可有人干过嘛？

Some superstitious⁵ old carpenters, now, would be tied up in the rigging, ere they would do the job. 哼，有些迷信的老木匠，就一定要给紧缚在索具后才愿意来干这活儿。

But I'm made of knotty⁶ Aroostook hemlock⁷; I don't budge⁸. Cruppered with a coffin! Sailing about with a grave-yard tray! 不过，我是用阿卢斯图克（美国缅因州北部的一条河名）的多瘤多节的铁杉做出来的；我并不畏畏缩缩。船屁股吊只棺材！拖着一只坟场里的盒子驶来驶去！

But never mind. We workers in woods make bridal bedsteads and card-tables, as well as coffins⁹ and hearses. 不过，管它呢。我们做木匠的，新婚的床架子和牌桌要做，棺材和棺架也同样要做。

We work by the month, or by the job, or by the profit; not for us to ask the why and wherefore of our work, 我们这些做长工的、做零活的、挣钱的人，对我们的活儿是挨不上问为什么和什么理由的，

unless it be too confounded cobbling, and then we stash¹⁰ it if we can. 除非实在真是太混蛋的补补弄弄的差使，那么，如果搪塞得了，我们还是不干的。

Hem³! I'll do the job, now, tenderly. 唔！我还是来好好地做一做吧。

 

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