英语听书《白鲸记》第207期

 But I stood irresolute¹; when looking at a clock in the corner, he exclaimed I vum it's Sunday-you won't see that harpooneer to-night;  但是,正当我站在那里犹豫不决的时候,他望望角落里那只钟,喊了起来,我打赌,现在已交礼拜日了...今儿晚上你见不到那个标枪手了;

he's come to anchor somewhere--come along then; do come; won't ye come? 他已经在什么地方抛锚喽...那么,跟我来吧;来呀;你不来吗?

I considered the matter a moment, and then up stairs we went, and I was ushered² into a small room, cold as a clam³, and furnished,  我把这事盘算了一番后,我们便一道上楼去,他把我领进一个小房间,

sure enough, with a prodigious⁴ bed, almost big enough indeed for any four harpooneers to sleep abreast⁵. 那里虽然冷得象个蛤蜊,倒真个摆有一只硕大无朋的床,简直是大得够叫四个标枪手并排睡。

There, said the landlord, placing the candle on a crazy old sea chest that did double duty as a wash-stand and centre table;  你看,店老板一面说,一面把蜡烛放在一只船上用的。破旧的柜子上,它既派洗脸架又派桌子的用场;

there, make yourself comfortable now; and good night to ye.  你看,现在你可以安息了;祝你晚安。

I turned round from eyeing the bed, but he had disappeared. 我本来注视着那只床,这时转过身来,可是,他已经走得没影没踪了。

Folding back the counterpane, I stooped over the bed. Though none of the most elegant, it yet stood the scrutiny⁶ tolerably well.  我揭开罩被,弯下腰看一看。这张床虽然说不上怎样讲究,却还过得去。

I then glanced round the room; and besides the bedstead and centre table, could see no other furniture belonging to the place,  我又把屋子四下望望;除了一张床和中间那只桌子以外,就看不到别的什么家具了;

but a rude shelf, the four walls, and a papered fireboard representing a man striking a whale.  只有四垛墙壁,一只粗糙的架子,和一块纸做的壁炉隔板,上面画着一个人在捕鲸。

1 irresolute   

adj.无决断的，优柔寡断的，踌躇不定的

参考例句：

• Irresolute persons make poor victors.优柔寡断的人不会成为胜利者。
• His opponents were too irresolute to call his bluff.他的对手太优柔寡断,不敢接受挑战。

2 ushered   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
• A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 clam   

n.蛤，蛤肉

参考例句：

• Yup!I also like clam soup and sea cucumbers.对呀！我还喜欢蛤仔汤和海参。
• The barnacle and the clam are two examples of filter feeders.藤壶和蛤类是滤过觅食者的两种例子。

4 prodigious   

adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的

参考例句：

• This business generates cash in prodigious amounts.这种业务收益丰厚。
• He impressed all who met him with his prodigious memory.他惊人的记忆力让所有见过他的人都印象深刻。

5 abreast   

adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地

参考例句：

• She kept abreast with the flood of communications that had poured in.她及时回复如雪片般飞来的大批信件。
• We can't keep abreast of the developing situation unless we study harder.我们如果不加强学习，就会跟不上形势。

6 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。