英语听书《白鲸记》第962期

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"my men, the thunder turned old Ahab's needles; "我的朋友们，雷电把亚哈老头的罗盘针给弄转了向；

but out of this bit of steel Ahab can make one of his own, that will point as true as any." 可是，打这一点点钢，亚哈就能够造出他自己的一根罗盘针来，会跟任何一根针一样准确。"

Abashed² glances of servile wonder were exchanged by the sailors, as this was said; 他这样说过后，水手们都互丢一种充满奴性，又惊奇又害臊的眼色；

and with fascinated eyes they awaited whatever magic might follow. 大家带着好奇的眼色，等着看会变出什么魔法来。

But Starbuck looked away. 可是，斯达巴克的眼睛却望向别处。

With a blow from the top-maul Ahab knocked off the steel head of the lance, 亚哈用大锤子砰地一敲，把那支捕鲸枪的钢尖敲了下来，

and then handing to the mate the long iron rod remaining, bade him hold it upright, without its touching³ the deck. 然后，把剩下来的那根长枪交给那个大副，要他悬空笔直地拿着，不要碰着甲板。

Then, with the maul, after repeatedly smiting⁴ the upper end of this iron rod, 接着，他用大锤子一再锤击着这根长枪尖后，

he placed the blunted needle endwise on the top of it, 就把那根粗钝的针竖插在长枪头上，

and less strongly hammered that, several times, the mate still holding the rod as before. 再轻轻地敲了几敲，那个大副还是象刚才那样把长枪笔直地拿着。

Then going through some small strange motions with it — whether indispensable to the magnetizing of the steel, 亚哈又用锤子做了一番古怪的小动作后——究竟是为了使钢铁发生磁力而非如此做不可，

or merely intended to augment⁵ the awe⁶ of the crew, is uncertain — he called for linen⁷ thread; 还是故意要叫那些水手更加畏惧，这可摸不准——他叫人去找麻线来；

and moving to the binnacle, slipped out the two reversed needles there, 他走到那罗盘盒子跟前，悄悄地拿出那两支转向了的针，

and horizontally suspended the sail-needle by its middle, over one of the compass cards. 用那根在中间扎着麻线的缝帆针横吊在其中一只罗盘面上。

At first, the steel went round and round, quivering and vibrating at either end; 开始的时候，那支钢针往复地摆来摆去，两头都在颤跳；

but at last it settled to its place, when Ahab, who had been intently watching for this result, 最后就停定了，这时，亚哈全神贯注地看到了这个结果后，

stepped frankly⁸ back from the binnacle, and pointing his stretched arm towards it, exclaimed, 便堂而皇之地往后倒退一步，离开那罗盘盒子，手臂伸得长长地指着那盒子，叫了起来，

"Look ye, for yourselves, if Ahab be not the lord of the level loadstone! The sun is East, and that compass swears it!" "你们自己去瞧瞧吧，看看亚哈是不是这种天然磁石的主宰者！太阳在东方了，那只罗盘可以宣誓证明！"

 

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