英语听书《白鲸记》第761期

 And still in the distracted distance we beheld¹ the tumults² of the outer concentric circles,  但是，在纷扰的远处，我们却看到那个同心圆的外圈依然一片喧闹，

and saw successive pods of whales, eight or ten in each, swiftly going round and round, like multiplied spans of horses in a ring; 还看到八条一群、十条一群的鲸接二连三地迅疾绕来绕去，直象一圈无数的双轭马在团团转；

and so closely shoulder to shoulder, that a Titanic³ circus-rider might easily have over-arched the middle ones, and so have gone round on their backs. 肩贴肩贴得这么拢，教泰坦神族的马戏团骑士可以在那些走在中间的鲸身上轻而易举地架起箍箍来，在它们的背上走个痛快。

Owing to the density⁴ of the crowd of reposing⁵ whales, 由于到处尽是在休息的鲸，

more immediately surrounding the embayed axis⁶ of the herd⁷, no possible chance of escape was at present afforded us. 那象港湾形的鲸群的轴心越收越紧，我们已经没有突围而出的可能了。

We must watch for a breach⁸ in the living wall that hemmed⁹ us in; the wall that had only admitted us in order to shut us up. 我们置身在这个把我们团团围住的活墙里面，眼看只有伺隙而出了。这垛活墙只是为了要把我们关起来，才让我们进去的。

Keeping at the centre of the lake, we were occasionally visited by small tame cows and calves¹⁰; the women and children of this routed host. 我们这样滞留在大湖中心，不时碰上一些如驯服的母牛和小犊；也碰到这支溃不成军的队伍里的一些妇孺。

Now, inclusive of the occasional wide intervals¹¹ between the revolving¹² outer circles, 现在，如果把外圈许多流动的鲸群间偶然出现的大空隙计算在内，

and inclusive of the spaces between the various pods in any one of those circles, 把这些外圈的各个鲸群间的地位都计算在内的话，

the entire area at this juncture¹³, embraced by the whole multitude, must have contained at least two or three square miles. 那么，这时，拥有这么许多鲸群的整个面积，至少一定有二三平方英里。

At any rate—though indeed such a test at such a time might be deceptive¹⁴, 总之——虽然老实说，在这种时刻，做这种估计未免有点不可靠，

spoutings might be discovered from our low boat that seemed playing up almost from the rim¹⁵ of the horizon. 在我们的小艇里，已发现了喷水，而且那喷水直象是从地皮里涌上来似的。

1 beheld   

v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟

参考例句：

• His eyes had never beheld such opulence. 他从未见过这样的财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The soul beheld its features in the mirror of the passing moment. 灵魂在逝去的瞬间的镜子中看到了自己的模样。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

2 tumults   

吵闹( tumult的名词复数 )； 喧哗； 激动的吵闹声； 心烦意乱

参考例句：

3 titanic   

adj.巨人的，庞大的，强大的

参考例句：

• We have been making titanic effort to achieve our purpose.我们一直在作极大的努力，以达到我们的目的。
• The island was created by titanic powers and they are still at work today.台湾岛是由一个至今仍然在运作的巨大力量塑造出来的。

4 density   

n.密集，密度，浓度

参考例句：

• The population density of that country is 685 per square mile.那个国家的人口密度为每平方英里685人。
• The region has a very high population density.该地区的人口密度很高。

5 reposing   

v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• His parents were now reposing in the local churchyard. 他的双亲现在长眠于本地教堂墓地。 来自辞典例句
• The picture shows a nude reposing on a couch. 这幅画表现的是一个人赤身体躺在长沙发上。 来自辞典例句

6 axis   

n.轴，轴线，中心线；坐标轴，基准线

参考例句：

• The earth's axis is the line between the North and South Poles.地轴是南北极之间的线。
• The axis of a circle is its diameter.圆的轴线是其直径。

7 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

8 breach   

n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破

参考例句：

• We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。
• He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。

9 hemmed   

缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 )； 包围

参考例句：

• He hemmed and hawed but wouldn't say anything definite. 他总是哼儿哈儿的，就是不说句痛快话。
• The soldiers were hemmed in on all sides. 士兵们被四面包围了。

10 calves   

n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解

参考例句：

• a cow suckling her calves 给小牛吃奶的母牛
• The calves are grazed intensively during their first season. 小牛在生长的第一季里集中喂养。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 intervals   

n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息

参考例句：

• The forecast said there would be sunny intervals and showers. 预报间晴，有阵雨。
• Meetings take place at fortnightly intervals. 每两周开一次会。

12 revolving   

adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想

参考例句：

• The theatre has a revolving stage. 剧院有一个旋转舞台。
• The company became a revolving-door workplace. 这家公司成了工作的中转站。

13 juncture   

n.时刻，关键时刻，紧要关头

参考例句：

• The project is situated at the juncture of the new and old urban districts.该项目位于新老城区交界处。
• It is very difficult at this juncture to predict the company's future.此时很难预料公司的前景。

14 deceptive   

adj.骗人的，造成假象的，靠不住的

参考例句：

• His appearance was deceptive.他的外表带有欺骗性。
• The storyline is deceptively simple.故事情节看似简单，其实不然。

15 rim   

n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界

参考例句：

• The water was even with the rim of the basin.盆里的水与盆边平齐了。
• She looked at him over the rim of her glass.她的目光越过玻璃杯的边沿看着他。