英语听书《白鲸记》第694期

 Still, in that famous work of his, Lavater not only treats of the various faces of men, 不过，在拉瓦特那本名著中，他不但论述到各式人等的面孔，

but also attentively¹ studies the faces of horses, birds, serpents, and fish; 还仔细地研究马匹、鸟类、巨蟒和鱼类的面孔，

and dwells in detail upon the modifications² of expression discernible therein. 把其中各种可加辨别的容貌变化都详述无遗。

Nor have Gall³ and his disciple⁴ Spurzheim failed to throw out some hints touching⁵ the phrenological characteristics of other beings than man. 迦耳和他的门徒斯柏深对于除了人类以外的其它各种生物的骨相特征也提出了若干看法。

Therefore, though I am but ill qualified⁶ for a pioneer, in the application of these two semi-sciences to the whale, I will do my endeavor. 因此，虽则在对大鲸使用这两种半科学的方法上，我还远远不够个先驱者的资格，可我还是要勉力一试。

I try all things; I achieve what I can. 我什么事都要试一试，尽力达到目的。

Physiognomically regarded, the Sperm⁷ Whale is an anomalous⁸ creature. 从相术上说来，抹香鲸是一种异态的动物。

He has no proper nose. 它没有一只真正的鼻子。

And since the nose is the central and most conspicuous⁹ of the features; 但是，因为鼻子是相貌的最为显眼的主要器官，

and since it perhaps most modifies and finally controls their combined expression; 因为鼻子也许是最能修饰，具有决定性地操纵整个相貌外表的器官，

hence it would seem that its entire absence, as an external appendage¹⁰, must very largely affect the countenance¹¹ of the whale. 因此，作为一种外部的附属物说来，鼻子竟告绝迹，势必大大影响到大鲸的尊容了。

For as in landscape gardening, a spire¹², cupola, monument, or tower of some sort, is deemed almost indispensable to the completion of the scene; 因为，正如布置园景一样，一亭一阁，一石一碑，或者各类大塔小塔，差不多都被认为是构成整个景致之不可或缺的东西，

so no face can be physiognomically in keeping without the elevated open-work belfry of the nose. 所以，在相术上说来，面孔而没有一只高高隆起的、有如透雕细工的钟塔的鼻子，那简直是不可想象的。

Dash the nose from Phidias's marble Jove, and what a sorry remainder! 如果把菲迪亚斯那个大理石的约芙像上的鼻子给敲碎了，那可是多么令人惋惜的一件残品呀！

1 attentively   

adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神

参考例句：

• She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 modifications   

n.缓和( modification的名词复数 )；限制；更改；改变

参考例句：

• The engine was pulled apart for modifications and then reassembled. 发动机被拆开改型，然后再组装起来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The original plan had undergone fairly extensive modifications. 原计划已经作了相当大的修改。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 gall   

v.使烦恼，使焦躁，难堪；n.磨难

参考例句：

• It galled him to have to ask for a loan.必须向人借钱使他感到难堪。
• No gall,no glory.没有磨难，何来荣耀。

4 disciple   

n.信徒，门徒，追随者

参考例句：

• Your disciple failed to welcome you.你的徒弟没能迎接你。
• He was an ardent disciple of Gandhi.他是甘地的忠实信徒。

5 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

6 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

7 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。

8 anomalous   

adj.反常的；不规则的

参考例句：

• For years this anomalous behaviour has baffled scientists.几年来这种反常行为让科学家们很困惑。
• The mechanism of this anomalous vascular response is unknown.此种不规则的血管反应的机制尚不清楚。

9 conspicuous   

adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的

参考例句：

• It is conspicuous that smoking is harmful to health.很明显，抽烟对健康有害。
• Its colouring makes it highly conspicuous.它的色彩使它非常惹人注目。

10 appendage   

n.附加物

参考例句：

• After their work,the calculus was no longer an appendage and extension of Greek geometry.经过他们的工作，微积分不再是古希腊几何的附庸和延展。
• Macmillan must have loathed being judged as a mere appendage to domestic politics.麦克米伦肯定极不喜欢只被当成国内政治的附属品。

11 countenance   

n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同

参考例句：

• At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。
• I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。

12 spire   

n.(教堂)尖顶，尖塔，高点

参考例句：

• The church spire was struck by lightning.教堂的尖顶遭到了雷击。
• They could just make out the spire of the church in the distance.他们只能辨认出远处教堂的尖塔。