英語聽書《白鯨記》第627期
But it was not thus in the present case with the Pequod's sharks; though, to be sure, any man unaccustomed to such sights, to have looked over her side that night, would have almost thought the whole round sea was one huge cheese, and those sharks the maggots in it.
這回"裴廓德號"所碰到的鯊魚就不是這樣，不過，老實(shí)說，在任何一個沒有見慣這種場面的人說來，他如果那天晚上往船邊一望的話，那他簡直會以為整個圓圓的大海就是一塊大乳酪，那些鯊魚就是盤在乳酪上的蛆蟲了。
Nevertheless, upon Stubb setting the anchor-watch after his supper was concluded; and when, accordingly Queequeg and a forecastle seaman came on deck, no small excitement was created among the sharks; for immediately suspending the cutting stages over the side, and lowering three lanterns, so that they cast long gleams of light over the turbid sea, these two mariners, darting their long whaling-spades,* kept up an incessant murdering of the sharks, by striking the keen steel deep into their skulls, seemingly their only vital part.
話雖如此，在斯塔布吃完他的晚餐，到船尾值夜時，湊巧碰上魁魁格和一個船頭樓的水手來到了甲板上，鯊魚群中頓時引起了不小的驚動，因?yàn)樗麄兞⒖淘诖仙蠏炱饚字磺杏偷男√葑?，放下三只燈籠，燈籠在那混濁的海面上投射出陣陣曳長的亮光，于是，這兩個水手，便晃起他們那長長的捕鯨鏟，不停地對那些鯊魚（原注：割油用的捕鯨鏟是用頂好的鋼料制成的，大小跟人的巴掌差不多；形狀一般跟花匠所用的那種同名的工具相仿佛，不過它兩邊是完全扁平的，下闊上狹。這種武器始終磨得很銳利；用的時候也偶然擦一擦，就象使用一柄剃刀那樣。承口裝有一根硬棍柄，約有二三十英尺。）進(jìn)行大屠殺，銳利的武器對著它們那似乎是唯一的要害——腦殼直戳進(jìn)去。不過，在它們的七沖八撞。不斷掙扎得泡沫彌漫的大混亂中，這兩個射擊手可不是槍槍都中的的；這就把這些非常兇狠的敵人的新秘密也泄露出來了。它們都惡毒地嚙咬起來，不但彼此咬得肚破腸流，而且象柔弓一般，曲起身體來自己咬自己；直弄得那些內(nèi)臟似乎都被它們自己的嘴巴一再地吞了下去，又倒從豁裂的傷口排泄出來?？墒?，事情并不到此為止，讓這些死尸和死鬼混在一起是不妥當(dāng)?shù)摹Ｒ驗(yàn)樵谒鼈兪У袅四欠N可以稱之為單獨(dú)的生命后，在它們的筋骨里似乎還隱藏有一般的或者萬有神教似的活力。
Footnote: The whaling-spade used for cutting-in is made of the very best steel; is about the bigness of a man's spread hand; and in general shape, corresponds to the garden implement after which it is named; only its sides are perfectly flat, and its upper end considerably narrower than the lower. This weapon is always kept as sharp as possible; and when being used is occasionally honed, just like a razor. In its socket, a stiff pole, from twenty to thirty feet long, is inserted for a handle. end of footnote.
