英语听书《白鲸记》第6期

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 considering that we so earnestly believe money to be the root of all earthly ills,and that on no account can a monied man enter heaven. 

 Ah!how cheerfully we consign² ourselves to perdition! 

 Finally,I always go to sea as a sailor,because of the wholesome³ exercise and pure air of the fore⁴ castle deck. 

 For as in this world,head winds are far more prevalent than winds from astern, 

 so for the most part the Commodore on the quarter deck gets his atmosphere at second hand from the sailors on the forecastle. 

 He thinks he breathes it first;but not so. 

 In much the same way do the commonalty lead their leaders in many other things,at the same time that the leaders little suspect it. 

 But wherefore it was that after having repeatedly smelt⁵ the sea as a merchant sailor, 

 I should now take it into my head to go on a whaling voyage;this the invisible police officer of the Fates, 

 who has the constant surveillance of me,and secretly dogs me,and influences me in some unaccountable wayhe can better answer than any one else. 

 And,doubtless,my going on this whaling voyage,formed part of the grand programme of Providence⁶ that was drawn⁷ up a long time ago. 

 It came in as a sort of brief interlude and solo between more extensive performances. 

 I take it that this part of the bill must have run something like this: 

 GRAND CONTESTED ELECTION FOR THE PRESIDENCY⁸ OF THE UNITED STATES. 

 WHALING VOYAGE BY ONE ISHMAEL.BLOODY⁹ BATTLE IN AFFGHANISTAN. 

 Though I can not tell why it was exactly that those stage managers,the Fates,put me down for this shabby part of a whaling voyage, 

 when others were set down for magnificent parts in high tragedies, 

 and short and easy parts in genteel comedies,and jolly parts in farcesthough I can not tell why this was exactly;yet,now that I recall all the circumstances, 

 I think I can see a little into the springs and motives¹⁰ which being cunningly presented to me under various disguises, 

 induced me to set about performing the part I did, 

 besides cajoling me into the delusion¹¹ that it was a choice resulting from my own unbiased freewill and discriminating¹² judgment¹³. 

 Chief among these motives was the overwhelming idea of the great whale himself. 

 Such a portentous¹⁴ and mysterious monster roused all my curiosity. 

 Then the wild and distant seas where he rolled his island bulk;the undeliverable,nameless perils¹⁵ of the whale; 

 these,with all the attending marvels¹⁶ of a thousand Patagonian sights and sounds,helped to sway me to my wish.With other men,perhaps,such things would not have been inducements;but as for me,I am tormented¹⁷ with an everlasting¹⁸ itch¹⁹ for things remote. 

 I love to sail forbidden seas,and land on barbarous coasts. 

 Not ignoring what is good,I am quick to perceive a horror, 

 and could still be social with itwould they let mesince it is but well to be on friendly terms with all the inmates²⁰ of the place one lodges²¹ in. 

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