英語聽書《白鯨記》第400期

In this one matter, Ahab seemed no exception tomost American whale captains, who, as a set, ratherincline to the opinion that by rights the ship's cabinbelongs to them; and that it is by courtesy alonethat anybody else is, at any time, permitted there.

在這件事情上,亞哈似乎也跟大多數(shù)美國捕鯨船船長沒有什么兩樣:這些物以類聚的人物,都是很贊成這樣一種意見,即認為船長室理應(yīng)屬于他們自己的,而且,還認為只是出自禮貌,這才有時允許他人入內(nèi)。

So that, in real truth, the mates and harpooneers ofthe Pequod might more properly be said to have lived out of the cabin than in it.

因此,實際上,"裴廓德號"的大二三副和標(biāo)槍手們,與其說是住在船長室里面,不如更正確地說是住在船長室外邊。

For when they did enter it, it was something as a streetdoor enters a house; turning inwards fora moment, only to be turned out the next; and, as a permanent thing, residing in the openair.

因為,他們跑到那里面去,正同一扇進屋的臨街大門那樣,打里邊推開一會兒后,又再彈回來一下,而作為一件常設(shè)的東西說來,它卻是存在于露天里的。

Nor did they lose much hereby; in the cabin was no companionship; socially, Ahab wasinaccessible.

他們倒也不覺得有什么損失,船長室里本來就沒有什么友情;從社交上說來,亞哈是難以接近的。

Though nominally included in the census of Christendom, he was still an alien to it.

亞哈雖然名義上是個基督教徒,他卻又是個非基督教徒。

He lived in the world, as the last of the Grisly Bears lived in settled Missouri.

他活在世上,就象是寄居在密蘇里州的一種末代的灰熊。

And as when Spring and Summer had departed, that wild Logan of the woods, burying himselfin the hollow of a tree, lived out the winter there, sucking his own paws;

也象是森林里那個野人羅干,印第安的一個大酋長,因為白種人屠殺了他全家人,他對白種人滿懷怨恨,避居森林一樣,每當(dāng)春夏兩季一過,就隱藏在樹洞里,在那里度過寒冬,舔咂著自己的腳爪;

so, in his inclement, howling old age, Ahab's soul, shut up in the caved trunk of his body, there fed upon the sullen paws of its gloom!

亞哈也是這般,把他那凋零垂暮之年,他的心靈,關(guān)在他自己體內(nèi)的中空軀干里,賴殘軀的污穢的腳爪為生。