英语听书《白鲸记》第535期

搜索关注在线英语听力室公众号：tingroom，领取免费英语资料大礼包。

　　and ere long that peculiar¹ gasping² of the lungs was heard which denotes the fullest tension of life's utmost energies. 不久，就听到大家的肺部发出那种特殊的喘气声，说明大家都非常紧张地使出了最大的力气。

　　"Quitting the pump at last, with the rest of his band, the Lakeman went forward all panting, and sat himself down on the windlass; “最后，这个湖上人跟大家一起放下帮浦，呼噜噜地喘着气向前走去，坐在绞车上；

　　his face fiery³ red, his eyes bloodshot, and wiping the profuse⁴ sweat from his brow. 他面孔赤红，眼睛布满血丝，抹着额头上流个不停的汗水。

　　Now what cozening fiend it was, gentlemen,  当时不知是什么神差鬼遣，诸位先生，

　　that possessed⁵ Radney to meddle⁶ with such a man in that corporeally⁷ exasperated⁸ state, I know not; but so it happened. 才弄得拉德尼去惹动这样一个身心交瘁的人，这我可不知道；可是，事情确就这样闹起来了。

　　Intolerably striding along the deck, the mate commanded him to get a broom and sweep down the planks⁹, and also a shovel¹⁰, 这个大副难堪地在甲板上踩来踩去，他命令斯蒂尔基尔特去拿一把扫帚来扫船板，还要他拿一把铲子，

　　and remove some offensive matters consequent upon allowing a pig to run at large. 把由于让一条猪随便走来走去而遗留下来的难闻的东西给铲掉。

　　Now, gentlemen, sweeping¹¹ a ship's deck at sea is a piece of household work which in all times but raging gales¹² is regularly attended to every evening;  “说起来，诸位先生，扫甲板，在海上可是一件日常工作，除了刮大风，本来每天晚上都要这样做。

　　it has been known to be done in the case of ships actually foundering¹³ at the time. 据说甚至在船只实际上已快要下沉的时候也要这样做。

　　Such, gentlemen, is the inflexibility¹⁴ of sea-usages and the instinctive¹⁵ love of neatness in seamen¹⁶;  这个呀，诸位先生，就是海上的不变的习俗，也是水手们天生爱好整洁的习惯；

　　some of whom would not willingly drown without first washing their faces.  其中有些人如果不先洗脸是不会心甘情愿地让溺死的。

　　But in all vessels¹⁷ this broom business is the prescriptive province of the boys, if boys there be aboard." 不过，这种打扫的差使，在所有的船只中，如果船上有小厮的话，向来都是小厮们的份内事。

分享到：