英语听书《白鲸记》 第235期

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, he signifies hisspiritual withdrawal for the time, from all outwardworldly ties and connexions? Yes, for replenishedwith the meat and wine of the word, to the faithfulman of God, this pulpit, I see, is a self-containing stronghold--a lofty Ehrenbreitstein, with aperennial well of water within the walls.

我对这事情百思而不得其解.梅普尔神甫已因真诚和圣洁而拥有如此名震遐迩的声誉,我怎能怀疑他不过是靠任何狡诈手法才博得赫赫名声呢。不,我心里想,在这方面,一定还有更微妙的道理;而且,它一定标志着某些眼不能见的东西。那么,难道他会靠这种肉体上暂时跟人们隔离的举动来表示他在精神上也暂时跟外界一切千丝万缕的联系都割绝了吗?会的,因为就充满极乐之泉源说来,我认为,这个讲坛就是这个上帝的信徒的独立要塞...一个巍峨的艾伦勃莱茨坦,城垣里还有一口万年不竭的水井。

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 distant 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."

但是,这张根据这个牧师以前的海上生活而设的靠梯还不是这地方的唯一奇特的特点.在讲坛两侧的石碑中间,在它后面的墙壁上还饰有一幅大油画,画着一只宏壮的船正在冒着狂风暴雨奋勇前进,想摆脱后边那许多凶险的岩石和滔天白浪。但是,在泡沫飞溅和滚滚乌云的上面,却泛着一片小岛似的阳光,照射出一个天使的脸来;这张光辉的脸还远远地对着那只动荡的船甲板投射出了一束光芒,有点象是那块现在嵌在"胜利号"("胜利号"为英国托马斯.斯拉特爵士所设计的战舰之一,英国海军大将纳尔逊在受任地中海舰队司令时曾以它作旗舰,他于一八○五年与拿破仑交战时被炮弹击毙于后甲板上。这只船自一九二二年起,即泊在朴茨茅斯的码头上以为纪念,供众参观的船板上。纪念纳尔逊阵亡的银牌."好壮丽的船呵,"那天使似乎在这样说,"冲呀,冲呀,你这壮丽的船,辛苦地把起舵吧;看哪!太阳正在突围而出;云朵也在散开了...眼看就是最晴朗的苍穹啦。"