英语听书《白鲸记》 第28期

For I was not prepared to see Father Mapple aftergaining the height, slowly turn round, and stoopingover the pulpit, deliberately drag up the ladderstep by step, till the whole was deposited within,leaving him impregnable in his little Quebec.

I pondered some time without fully comprehendingthe reason for this. Father Mapple enjoyed such awide reputation for sincerity and sanctity, that Icould not suspect him of courting notoriety by anymere tricks of the stage. No, thought I, there mustbe some sober reason for this thing; furthermore, itmust symbolize something unseen. Can it be, then, that by that act of physical isolation, hesignifies his spiritual withdrawal for the time, from all outward worldly ties and connexions?Yes, for replenished with the meat and wine of the word, to the faithful man of God, thispulpit, I see, is a self-containing stronghold—a lofty Ehrenbreitstein, with a perennial well ofwater within the walls.

But the side ladder was not the only strange feature of the place, borrowed from the chaplain'sformer sea-farings. Between the marble cenotaphs on either hand of the pulpit, the wall whichformed its back was adorned with a large painting representing a gallant ship beating againsta terrible storm off a lee coast of black rocks and snowy breakers. But high above the flyingscud and dark-rolling clouds, there floated a little isle of sunlight, from which beamed forth anangel's face; and this bright face shed a distinct spot of radiance upon the ship's tossed deck,something like that silver plate now inserted into the Victory's plank where Nelson fell. "Ah,noble ship," the angel seemed to say, "beat on, beat on, thou noble ship, and bear a hardyhelm; for lo! the sun is breaking through; the clouds are rolling off—serenest azure is at hand."

Nor was the pulpit itself without a trace of the same sea-taste that had achieved the ladderand the picture. Its panelled front was in the likeness of a ship's bluff bows, and the Holy Biblerested on a projecting piece of scroll work, fashioned after a ship's fiddle-headed beak.

What could be more full of meaning?—for the pulpit is ever this earth's foremost part; all therest comes in its rear; the pulpit leads the world. From thence it is the storm of God's quickwrath is first descried, and the bow must bear the earliest brunt. From thence it is the God ofbreezes fair or foul is first invoked for favourable winds. Yes, the world's a ship on its passageout, and not a voyage complete; and the pulpit is its prow.