英語聽書《白鯨記》第241期
上下文一串起來,這就含義深刻了。
Now Jonah's Captain, shipmates, was one whosediscernment detects crime in any, but whosecupidity exposes it only in the penniless. In thisworld, shipmates, sin that pays its way can travelfreely and without a passport; whereas Virtue, if apauper, is stopped at all frontiers. So Jonah'sCaptain prepares to test the length of Jonah's purse,ere he judge him openly. He charges him thrice theusual sum; and it's assented to. Then the Captain knows that Jonah is a fugitive; but at thesame time resolves to help a flight that paves its rear with gold. Yet when Jonah fairly takesout his purse, prudent suspicions still molest the Captain. He rings every coin to find acounterfeit. Not a forger, any way, he mutters; and Jonah is put down for his passage. 'Pointout my state-room, Sir,' says Jonah now, 'I'm travel-weary; I need sleep. Thou look'st like it,'says the Captain, 'there's thy room.' Jonah enters, and would lock the door, but the lockcontains no key. Hearing him foolishly fumbling there, the Captain laughs lowly to himself, andmutters something about the doors of convicts' cells being never allowed to be locked within. Alldressed and dusty as he is, Jonah throws himself into his berth, and finds the little state-roomceiling almost resting on his forehead. The air is close, and Jonah gasps. Then, in thatcontracted hole, sunk, too, beneath the ship's water-line, Jonah feels the heraldingpresentiment of that stifling hour, when the whale shall hold him in the smallest of his bowels'wards.
你們看,船友們,約拿的船長本來還多少有察覺罪犯的眼力,可是,他的利欲熏心卻只暴露出那種眼力是分文不值的。船友們,在這個世界上,付得出錢的罪犯,是不需要護照就可以通行無阻的;反之,正直的人,如果是個乞丐的話,就到處行不通。因此,約拿的船長準備先掂掂約拿的荷包的分量后,好摸他的底。他討了三倍于普通的船價;約拿竟也同意了。于是,那船長就摸準約拿是個逃亡者;可同時又決定要幫助一個有金錢做后盾的人逃跑。然而,當約拿堂而皇之掏出他的荷包的時候,這個船長還是滿懷疑慮。他把每一塊銀幣都拿來敲過,看看有沒有偽幣。還好,一個也不假,他嘴里嘟噥著;于是,約拿便給收做乘客了。請領我到我的睡艙去,先生,約拿這時開口了,我走得很累;我需要睡覺。你樣子倒象是很累,船長說,喏,這就是你的房間。約拿走了進去,想鎖房門,雖然有鎖,卻沒有鑰匙。船長聽到他在里面木頭木腦地瞎摸著,不禁暗自好笑,嘴里嘟噥著牢門是絕對不許在里面上鎖的。約拿衣服也不脫,就渾身灰塵撲在鋪位上,他發(fā)現那個小睡艙的頂棚差不多就安在他的腦門上?？諝獠涣魍?約拿氣喘呼呼。接著,在那個也沉到船只吃水線下面的狹小的洞穴里,約拿在那個快要悶死的時刻,心血來潮地預感到大鯨將把他關在它腹內的最小的號房里了。
