英语听书《白鲸记》第38期

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 At first they are overawing;their calm self collectedness of simplicity³ seems a Socratic wisdom. 

 I had noticed also that Queequeg never consorted⁴ at all,or but very little,with the other seamen⁵ in the inn. 

 He made no advances whatever;appeared to have no desire to enlarge the circle of his acquaintances. 

 All this struck me as mighty⁶ singular;yet,upon second thoughts,there was something almost sublime⁷ in it. 

 Here was a man some twenty thousand miles from home,by the way of Cape⁸ Horn, 

 that is which was the only way he could get there thrown among people as strange to him as though he were in the planet Jupiter; 

 and yet he seemed entirely⁹ at his ease;preserving the utmost serenity;content with his own companionship;always equal to himself. 

 Surely this was a touch of fine philosophy;though no doubt he had never heard there was such a thing as that.But,perhaps,to be true philosophers, 

 we mortals should not be conscious of so living or so striving.So soon as I hear that such or such a man gives himself out for a philosopher, 

 I conclude that,like the dyspeptic old woman,he must have broken his digester. 

 As I sat there in that now lonely room;the fire burning low,in that mild stage when, 

 after its first intensity¹⁰ has warmed the air,it then only glows to be looked at;the evening shades and phantoms¹¹ gathering¹² round the casements, 

 and peering in upon us silent,solitary twain;the storm booming without in solemn swells;I began to be sensible of strange feelings. 

 I felt a melting in me.No more my splintered heart and maddened hand were turned against the wolfish world.This soothing¹³ savage¹ had redeemed¹⁴ it. 

 There he sat,his very indifference¹⁵ speaking a nature in which there lurked¹⁶ no civilized¹⁷ hypocrisies¹⁸ and bland¹⁹ deceits.Wild he was;a very sight of sights to see; 

 yet I began to feel myself mysteriously drawn²⁰ towards him.And those same things that would have repelled²¹ most others,they were the very magnets that thus drew me. 

 I 'll try a pagan friend,thought I,since Christian²² kindness has proved but hollow courtesy.I drew my bench near him,and made some friendly signs and hints,doing my best to talk with him meanwhile. 

 At first he little noticed these advances;but presently,upon my referring to his last night's hospitalities,he made out to ask me whether we were again to be bedfellows. 

 I told him yes;whereat I thought he looked pleased,perhaps a little complimented. 

 We then turned over the book together,and I endeavored to explain to him the purpose of the printing, 

 and the meaning of the few pictures that were in it.Thus I soon engaged his interest;and from that we went to jabbering²³ the best we could about the various outer sights to be seen in this famous town. 

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