英语听书《白鲸记》第236期

 Nor was the pulpit itself without a trace of the same sea-taste that had achieved the ladder and the picture.  而且,讲坛本身除了那张梯子和那幅油画以外,并不就毫无海上情调的痕迹。

Its panelled front was in the likeness¹ of a ship's bluff² bows, and the Holy Bible rested on a projecting piece of scroll³ work, fashioned after a ship's fiddle-headed beak⁴. 它那嵌板的前沿就很象船只的扁平的船头,那本放在突出的斜板上的《圣经》,就是模仿船只的提琴头似铁嘴的式样。

What could be more full of meaning? 还有比这更富有意义的吗?

For the pulpit is ever this earth's foremost part; all the rest comes in its rear; the pulpit leads the world.  因为讲坛从来就是人间的为首的部分,其余的一切都是跟着它走的。

From thence it is the storm of God's quick wrath⁵ is first descried⁶, and the bow must bear the earliest brunt.  讲坛领导整个尘世.特别叫人讨厌的暴风雨就正是从这里被首先发现的,船头必须具有首当其冲的能耐。

From thence it is the God of breezes fair or foul⁷ is first invoked⁸ for favorable winds.  上帝的清风或逆风就正是从这里被首先变成顺风的。

Yes, the world's a ship on its passage out, and not a voyage complete; and the pulpit is its prow⁹. 不错,世界就是一只向前驶出的大船,而且没有一次完整的航程;这只讲坛就是它的船头。

1 likeness   

n.相像，相似（之处）

参考例句：

• I think the painter has produced a very true likeness.我认为这位画家画得非常逼真。
• She treasured the painted likeness of her son.她珍藏她儿子的画像。

2 bluff   

v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗

参考例句：

• His threats are merely bluff.他的威胁仅仅是虚张声势。
• John is a deep card.No one can bluff him easily.约翰是个机灵鬼。谁也不容易欺骗他。

3 scroll   

n.卷轴，纸卷；(石刻上的)漩涡

参考例句：

• As I opened the scroll,a panorama of the Yellow River unfolded.我打开卷轴时，黄河的景象展现在眼前。
• He was presented with a scroll commemorating his achievements.他被授予一幅卷轴，以表彰其所做出的成就。

4 beak   

n.鸟嘴，茶壶嘴，钩形鼻

参考例句：

• The bird had a worm in its beak.鸟儿嘴里叼着一条虫。
• This bird employs its beak as a weapon.这种鸟用嘴作武器。

5 wrath   

n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒

参考例句：

• His silence marked his wrath. 他的沉默表明了他的愤怒。
• The wrath of the people is now aroused. 人们被激怒了。

6 descried   

adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的

参考例句：

• He descried an island far away on the horizon. 他看到遥远的地平线上有个岛屿。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• At length we descried a light and a roof. 终于，我们远远看见了一点灯光，一所孤舍。 来自辞典例句

7 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

8 invoked   

v.援引( invoke的过去式和过去分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求

参考例句：

• It is unlikely that libel laws will be invoked. 不大可能诉诸诽谤法。
• She had invoked the law in her own defence. 她援引法律为自己辩护。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 prow   

n.(飞机)机头，船头

参考例句：

• The prow of the motor-boat cut through the water like a knife.汽艇的船头像一把刀子劈开水面向前行驶。
• He stands on the prow looking at the seadj.他站在船首看着大海。