英语听书《白鲸记》第847期

 And he knows it too. So that what you take for the White Whale's malice¹ is only his awkwardness. 而且，大鲸也有自知之明。因此，你们所谓白鲸的恶毒，只不过是它的笨拙而已。

For he never means to swallow a single limb; he only thinks to terrify by feints. 因为，它从来就不想一口吞下一只手臂；它只想虚张声势，吓唬吓唬人。

But sometimes he is like the old juggling² fellow, formerly³ a patient of mine in Ceylon, that making believe swallow jack-knives, 不过，它倒往往有点象我从前在锡兰的时候碰到的那个魔术家病人，他老是假装吞下了小刀子，

once upon a time let one drop into him in good earnest, and there it stayed for a twelvemonth or more; 有一次，他竟当真把一把小刀吞了下去，小刀居然在他肚子里藏了一年多；

when I gave him an emetic⁴, and he heaved it up in small tacks⁵, d'ye see? 等到我给他吃催吐药后，他才把它一小块一小块地吐出来，你们想想看。

No possible way for him to digest that jack-knife, and fully⁶ incorporate it into his general bodily system. 他实在无法把那把小刀消化掉，而且也不是他整个身体组织完全消纳得了的。

Yes, Captain Boomer, if you are quick enough about it, and have a mind to pawn⁷ one arm for the sake of the privilege of giving decent burial to the other,  唔，布默船长，如果你对它是很了解的，而且想要争取另一只手获得寿终正寝的光荣，不惜再花一只手臂的话，

why, in that case the arm is yours; only let the whale have another chance at you shortly, that's all." 那就不妨一试，好在手臂是你自己的；充其量也不过是立刻让大鲸再赐你一缘而已。"

No, thank you, Bunger, said the English Captain, "he's welcome to the arm he has, since I can't help it, and didn't know him then; but not to another one. 不，多谢，彭格，那个英国船长说，"因为我当时毫无办法，而且也不认识它，所以那只手臂只好随它的便给拿了去；再来一只可不干啦。

No more White Whales for me; I've lowered for him once, and that has satisfied me. 我再也不敢领教白鲸了；我已经放下小艇追击过它一回，够教我心满意足了。

There would be great glory in killing him, I know that; and there is a ship-load of precious sperm in him, 我知道，杀倒它有莫大的光荣；况且它身上还有满

1 malice   

n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋

参考例句：

• I detected a suggestion of malice in his remarks.我觉察出他说的话略带恶意。
• There was a strong current of malice in many of his portraits.他的许多肖像画中都透着一股强烈的怨恨。

2 juggling   

n. 欺骗, 杂耍(=jugglery) adj. 欺骗的, 欺诈的 动词juggle的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was charged with some dishonest juggling with the accounts. 他被指控用欺骗手段窜改账目。
• The accountant went to prison for juggling his firm's accounts. 会计因涂改公司的帐目而入狱。

3 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

4 emetic   

n.催吐剂；adj.催吐的

参考例句：

• He was given an emetic after eating poisonous berries.他吃了有毒的浆果，已给了他催吐剂。
• They have a more scientific method emetic.他们有更为科学的催吐剂法。

5 tacks   

大头钉( tack的名词复数 )； 平头钉； 航向； 方法

参考例句：

• Never mind the side issues, let's get down to brass tacks and thrash out a basic agreement. 别管枝节问题，让我们讨论问题的实质，以求得基本一致。
• Get down to the brass tacks,and quit talking round the subject. 谈实质问题吧，别兜圈子了。

6 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 pawn   

n.典当，抵押，小人物，走卒；v.典当，抵押

参考例句：

• He is contemplating pawning his watch.他正在考虑抵押他的手表。
• It looks as though he is being used as a political pawn by the President.看起来他似乎被总统当作了政治卒子。