英语听书《白鲸记》第172期

 And still deeper the meaning of that story of Narcissus, who because he could not grasp the tormenting¹, mild image he saw in the fountain, plunged² into it and was drowned.  而那西萨斯因为抓不住自己那个映在水里的苦恼柔美的影子,就跳进水里给淹死了的故事,其意义尤更值得深思细索。

But that same image, we ourselves see in all rivers and oceans.  但是那个影像,也正是我们自己在所有江河海洋里所看到的影像。

It is the image of the ungraspable phantom³ of life; and this is the key to it all. 那是生命的影像,一个要抓而抓不到的幻影;一切的解答都在这里。

Now, when I say that I am in the habit of going to sea whenever I begin to grow hazy⁴ about the eyes,  我说,每当我的眼睛开始发蒙,肺部开始敏感的时候,总就想到海上去,

and begin to be over conscious of my lungs, I do not mean to have it inferred that I ever go to sea as a passenger.  我这样说并不意味着我是以船客身份到海上去的。

For to go as a passenger you must needs have a purse, and a purse is but a rag unless you have something in it.  因为做船客,就得有只荷包,可是,如果荷包里空空如也,那么,一只荷包也不过是块破布罢了、

Besides, passengers get sea-sick- grow quarrelsome-don't sleep of nights-do not enjoy themselves much, as a general thing; 而且,船客还要晕船...变得爱吵爱闹...夜里睡不着觉...一般说来,并不怎样受用;

no, I never go as a passenger; nor, though I am something of a salt, do I ever go to sea as a Commodore, or a Captain, or a Cook.  不,我从来没有到海上去做过船客;也从来没有做过司令，船长或者厨师。

1 tormenting   

使痛苦的，使苦恼的

参考例句：

• He took too much pleasure in tormenting an ugly monster called Caliban. 他喜欢一味捉弄一个名叫凯列班的丑妖怪。
• The children were scolded for tormenting animals. 孩子们因折磨动物而受到责骂。

2 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

3 phantom   

n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的

参考例句：

• I found myself staring at her as if she were a phantom.我发现自己瞪大眼睛看着她，好像她是一个幽灵。
• He is only a phantom of a king.他只是有名无实的国王。

4 hazy   

adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的

参考例句：

• We couldn't see far because it was so hazy.雾气蒙蒙妨碍了我们的视线。
• I have a hazy memory of those early years.对那些早先的岁月我有着朦胧的记忆。