This was still more strangely evinced by those of their number, who,
更為奇特的是,其中有些鯨仿佛完全癱瘓了,
completely paralysed as it were, helplessly floated like water-logged dismantled ships on the sea.
象是進(jìn)了水、失去航駛能力的船只一般,毫無辦法地漂在海里。
Had these Leviathans been but a flock of simple sheep,
即使這些大鯨是一群普通的羊群,
pursued over the pasture by three fierce wolves, they could not possibly have evinced such excessive dismay.
被三只兇狠的豺狼在牧草地上追逐著,它們也不至于會顯得如此恐怖。
But this occasional timidity is characteristic of almost all herding creatures.
不過,這種暫時的膽怯倒幾乎是一切群居動物的特征。
Though banding together in tens of thousands, the lion-maned buffaloes of the West have fled before a solitary horseman.
如果西部的獅鬃大野牛在成千成萬地伙在一起時,碰上單身匹馬的騎手,也同樣是要逃走的。
Witness, too, all human beings, how when herded together in the sheepfold of a theatre's pit, they will, at the slightest alarm of fire,
再看看人類,當(dāng)他們?nèi)杭谝粋€羊欄似的劇院里的時候,只消一聲火警,
rush helter-skelter for the outlets, crowding, trampling, jamming, and remorselessly dashing each other to death.
他們會多么慌張地狂奔到出口處,擁呀、踐呀、軋呀,彼此殘忍地沖撞得要死。
Best, therefore, withhold any amazement at the strangely gallied whales before us,
因此,看到我們面前這些古怪的"嚇怕了"的大鯨,就毋須大驚小怪,
for there is no folly of the beasts of the earth which is not infinitely outdone by the madness of men.
因?yàn)槠仗熘碌囊矮F決不會癡心妄想,認(rèn)為人類在瘋性大發(fā)的時候,不會把它們大批殺害。
Though many of the whales, as has been said, were in violent motion,
上面已經(jīng)說過,有許多鯨在猛沖猛撞,
yet it is to be observed that as a whole the herd neither advanced nor retreated, but collectively remained in one place.
然而必須指出,就整個鯨群來說,都是既不前進(jìn),也不后退,而是大家停在一塊兒。
As is customary in those cases, the boats at once separated, each making for some one lone whale on the outskirts of the shoal.
碰到這種情況,通??偸橇⒖贪研⊥㈤_,各去尋找一只落在鯨群外圍的單身鯨。
In about three minutes' time, Queequeg's harpoon was flung; the stricken fish darted blinding spray in our faces,
所以,大約不到三分鐘,魁魁格的標(biāo)槍就飛了出去;那條被擊中的大鯨,沒頭沒腦地迸射出了泡沫,直濺到我們臉上,
and then running away with us like light, steered straight for the heart of the herd.
然后又象一道光似的離開我們,奔了開去,直沖到鯨群的中心里去。