英語聽書《白鯨記》第188期

Entering that gable-ended Spouter-Inn, you foundyourself in a wide, low, straggling entry with old-fashioned wainscots,

你走進那山形頂的大鯨客店后,就會發(fā)現已是置身在一個裝有老式壁板的，矮闊而迂曲的進口處了。

reminding one of the bulwarks of some condemnedold craft.

頓時使人想起古代那種裝奴隸罪人的劃船的舷墻來。

On one side hung a very large oil painting sothoroughly besmoked, and every way defaced, that in the unequal crosslights by which youviewed it,

在一邊墻上,掛有一幅非常大的油畫,它給熏得這么黑漆胡涂,不易辨認,所以,如果在那種不均勻的交叉光線里看去,

it was only by diligent study and a series of systematic visits to it, and careful inquiry of theneighbors, that you could any way arrive at an understanding of its purpose.

只有對它細心研究,不斷加以周密考察,再仔細地請教鄰人后,才能多少理解它的含義。

Such unaccountable masses of shades and shadows, that at first you almost thought someambitious young artist, in the time of the New England hags, had endeavored to delineatechaos bewitched.

這么數不清的.一團團的大小陰影,一開始,簡直使人認為那是在新英格蘭的逐巫案時候某個抱負不凡的青年藝術家,力圖勾勒出令人心蕩神移的紛亂景象。

But by dint of much and earnest contemplation, and oft repeated ponderings, and especiallyby throwing open the little window towards the back of the entry, you at last come to theconclusion that:

不過,經過多番認真凝視,不斷反復沉思默想,尤其是把進口處后面那扇小窗打開后,總算可以獲得這樣的結論:

such an idea, however wild, might not be altogether unwarranted.

這樣一種主意,不管多么荒唐,倒也不盡毫無理由.