英语听书《白鲸记》第744期

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If it be made in the unobstructed air, especially if it descend to its mark, the stroke is then simply irresistible. No ribs of man or boat can withstand it. Your only salvation lies in eluding it; but if it comes sideways through the opposing water, then partly owing to the light buoyancy of the whale-boat, and the elasticity of its materials, a cracked rib or a dashed plank or two, a sort of stitch in the side, is generally the most serious result. These submerged side blows are so often received in the fishery, that they are accounted mere child's play. Some one strips off a frock, and the hole is stopped.

如果容它自由发挥一下，尤其是在它袭击它的目的物时，那么，那种打击简直是叫人吃不消的。不论是人的肋骨还是小艇的肋材都抵挡不住。唯一的自救之道就是赶快回避。不过，如果它从对面斜穿过来，这时一半由于捕鲸小艇轻巧易浮，一半由于艇材富有弹力，于是艇肋就喀啦一响，或者船板给哗啦啦地冲一两下，好比针脚朝腰际一戳，一般说来，这就是最严重的结局。这种水里的侧击，捕鲸业是经常遭受到的，所以他们都只当它是儿戏。谁个打外衣上撕下一条布片，那只洞孔就给堵住了。

Third: I cannot demonstrate it, but it seems to me, that in the whale the sense of touch is concentrated in the tail; for in this respect there is a delicacy in it only equalled by the daintiness of the elephant's trunk. This delicacy is chiefly evinced in the action of sweeping, when in maidenly gentleness the whale with a certain soft slowness moves his immense flukes from side to side upon the surface of the sea; and if he feel but a sailor's whisker, woe to that sailor, whiskers and all. What tenderness there is in that preliminary touch! Had this tail any prehensile power, I should straightway bethink me of Darmonodes' elephant that so frequented the flower-market, and with low salutations presented nosegays to damsels, and then caressed their zones.

第三，这一点我真说不清楚，不过，据我看来，大鲸的触感似乎都集中在尾巴上；因为，在这方面，尾巴本身所具有的灵巧，只有雍容华贵的象鼻才能跟它媲美。这种灵巧主要表现在它的摇尾的动作上，当大鲸象少女那么娇柔，以一种柔顺、迟慢的动作，挥动它那巨大的裂片，在海面上摆来摆去的时候；如果它刚好碰上一个水手的腮帮子，那么那个水手可就惨了，络腮胡子和所有一切都完了蛋。这么轻轻一碰，可多么温柔！如果这条尾巴具有一些抓握力的话，那我立刻就会想到达蒙诺克斯（这是作者虚构的地名。）的大象，它常常要跑到花市里，向那些闺秀们低语寒暄，献赠花束，然后又摩弄着她们的带子。