英语听书《白鲸记》第681期

Wherefore, you must now have perceived  因此，你现在一定看得出，

that the front of the Sperm¹ Whale's head is a dead, blind wall, without a single organ or tender prominence² of any sort whatsoever³. 抹香鲸头的正面就是一堵没有窗的墙，既没有一种器官，也没有任何突出的特点。

Furthermore, you are now to consider that only in the extreme, lower, backward sloping part of the front of the head, is there the slightest vestige⁴ of bone; 而且，你这时就得考虑到，只在头部的正面的极低而后倾的部分，才稍微显出骨胳的形迹，

and not till you get near twenty feet from the forehead do you come to the full cranial development. 如果你不从前额更走近二十英尺，准看不到整个头盖的轮廓。

So that this whole enormous boneless mass is as one wad. 所以这整个硕大的、无骨的一团东西就象一团棉絮。

Finally, though, as will soon be revealed, its contents partly comprise the most delicate oil; 最后，虽则（不久就可发现）它那里面也含有一部分非常珍贵的鲸油；

yet, you are now to be apprised⁵ of the nature of the substance which so impregnably invests all that apparent effeminacy. 然而，你现在就将知道那种非常牢靠地裹住一切外表的很柔软的东西的本质了。

In some previous place I have described to you how the blubber wraps the body of the whale, as the rind wraps an orange. 在前文某个地方，我已经给你描摹出，鲸脂包裹着鲸身，正如橘皮包裹着橘子。

Just so with the head; but with this difference: about the head this envelope,  这只头正是这般情况；不过，却有这种不同之处：包着这只头的那一层东西，

though not so thick is of a boneless toughness, inestimable by any man who has not handled it. 虽然并不怎么厚，却是一种无骨的坚韧体，是一种任何一个未曾触摸到它的人所估量不出来的东西。

The severest pointed⁶ harpoon⁷, the sharpest lance darted⁸ by the strongest human arm, impotently rebounds⁹ from it. 力气最大的人臂，使起最尖最快的标枪、鱼枪，一碰上它就会萎靡地给弹回来。

It is as though the forehead of the Sperm Whale were paved with horses' hoofs¹⁰. 仿佛抹香鲸的前额钉上了马蹄铁。

I do not think that any sensation lurks¹¹ in it. 我认为那只头根本就是毫无感觉的。

Bethink yourself also of another thing. 请你自己再想一想另外一桩事情吧。 

1 sperm   

n.精子，精液

参考例句：

• Only one sperm fertilises an egg.只有一个精子使卵子受精。
• In human reproduction,one female egg is usually fertilized by one sperm.在人体生殖过程中，一个精子使一个卵子受精。

2 prominence   

n.突出；显著；杰出；重要

参考例句：

• He came to prominence during the World Cup in Italy.他在意大利的世界杯赛中声名鹊起。
• This young fashion designer is rising to prominence.这位年轻的时装设计师的声望越来越高。

3 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

4 vestige   

n.痕迹，遗迹，残余

参考例句：

• Some upright stones in wild places are the vestige of ancient religions.荒原上一些直立的石块是古老宗教的遗迹。
• Every vestige has been swept away.一切痕迹都被一扫而光。

5 apprised   

v.告知，通知( apprise的过去式和过去分词 )；评价

参考例句：

• We were fully apprised of the situation. 我们完全获悉当时的情况。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I have apprised him of your arrival. 我已经告诉他你要来。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

7 harpoon   

n.鱼叉；vt.用鱼叉叉，用鱼叉捕获

参考例句：

• The harpoon drove deep into the body of the whale.渔叉深深地扎进鲸鱼体内。
• The fisherman transfixed the shark with a harpoon.渔夫用鱼叉刺住鲨鱼。

8 darted   

v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 rebounds   

反弹球( rebound的名词复数 )； 回弹球； 抢断篮板球； 复兴

参考例句：

• V is the velocity after the gas particle rebounds from the wall. V是粒子从壁上弹开后的速度。
• In the former case, the first body rebounds with practically its original velocity. 在前一种情况下，第一个物体实际上以原来的速度弹回。

10 hoofs   

n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The stamp of the horse's hoofs on the wooden floor was loud. 马蹄踏在木头地板上的声音很响。 来自辞典例句
• The noise of hoofs called him back to the other window. 马蹄声把他又唤回那扇窗子口。 来自辞典例句

11 lurks   

n.潜在，潜伏；（lurk的复数形式）vi.潜伏，埋伏（lurk的第三人称单数形式）

参考例句：

• Behind his cool exterior lurks a reckless and frustrated person. 在冷酷的外表背后，他是一个鲁莽又不得志的人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Good fortune lies within Bad, Bad fortune lurks within good. 福兮祸所倚，祸兮福所伏。 来自互联网