英语听书《白鲸记》第254期

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and when our smoke was over, he pressed his forehead against mine, clasped me round the waist, and said that henceforth we were married;  我们吸过烟后,他把他的额头贴着我的额头,拦腰把我抱住,还说如今我们已经成亲了;

meaning, in his country's phrase, that we were bosom¹ friends; he would gladly die for me, if need should be.  那意思,按照他家乡的说法,就是我们如今成为知心朋友了;如果必要的话,他乐意为我而死。

In a countryman, this sudden flame of friendship would have seemed far too premature², a thing to be much distrusted; but in this simple savage³ those old rules would not apply. 在一个乡下人看来,这种一见如故的友情之火,似乎是太不成熟,是一桩极不可靠的事;但是,在这个质朴的野人的眼中,那些陈年老套已是用不上了。

After supper, and another social chat and smoke, we went to our room together.  吃过晚饭,我们又亲密地谈一阵心,抽一会烟,便一起回到我们的房里去。

He made me a present of his embalmed⁴ head; took out his enormous tobacco wallet, and groping under the tobacco, drew out some thirty dollars in silver;  他把他那只香料制的人头送给了我;又掏出那只大烟袋,在烟叶下面摸了一会,摸出三十来个银币;

then spreading them on the table, and mechanically dividing them into two equal portions, pushed one of them towards me, and said it was mine.  他把银币摊在桌上,笨拙地把它们分成相等的两份,推一份到我面前,说这是我的。

I was going to remonstrate⁵; but he silenced me by pouring them into my trowsers' pockets. I let them stay.  我正想推却,他已经把它们都倒在我的裤袋里,教我无法开口了。我让它们放在袋里。

He then went about his evening prayers, took out his idol⁶, and removed the paper firebrand.  接着他就去做他的晚祷,他拿出他那只偶像,移开那块纸糊的隔火板。

By certain signs and symptoms, I thought he seemed anxious for me to join him;  从他那些手势与迹象看来,我认为他似乎很想要我跟他一起去做晚祷;

but well knowing what was to follow, I deliberated a moment whether, in case he invited me, I would comply or otherwise. 但是,去凑合他会有什么结果,我是很明白的,我考虑了一会,心想万一他邀我去凑合他时,究竟是答应呢还是不答应。

I was a good Christian⁷; born and bred in the bosom of the infallible Presbyterian Church.  我是个在正正派派的长老教派中生长起来的正正当当的基督徒。

How then could I unite with this wild idolator in worshipping his piece of wood? But what is worship? thought I. 我怎能跟这个野蛮的偶像崇拜者去一起膜拜他那块木头呢?但是,崇拜是什么?我心里想。

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