英語聽書《白鯨記》第485期

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Had they been strictly held to their one final and romantic object-- that final and romantic object, too many would have turned from in disgust. I will not strip these men, thought Ahab, of all hopes of cash--aye, cash. They may scorn cash now; but let some months go by, and no perspective promise of it to them, and then this same quiescent cash all at once mutinying in them, this same cash would soon cashier Ahab.

如果硬要他們堅守他們那個最后的羅曼蒂克的目標——那個最后的羅曼蒂克的目標的話，那么，因嫌惡而轉(zhuǎn)身便跑的人可真是數(shù)不勝數(shù)了。亞哈心里想，我決不能剝奪這些人對于金錢——是呀，就是金錢的一切希望。他們現(xiàn)在也許會瞧不起錢；可是，再過幾個月，等到他們認為沒有拿到錢的希望時，那么，這種無聲無息的錢就會立刻教他們造反，馬上把亞哈逼死的就正是這種錢。

Nor was there wanting still another precautionary motive more related to Ahab personally. Having impulsively, it is probable, and perhaps somewhat prematurely revealed the prime but private purpose of the Pequod's voyage, Ahab was now entirely conscious that, in so doing, he had indirectly laid himself open to the unanswerable charge of usurpation; and with perfect impunity, both moral and legal, his crew if so disposed, and to that end competent, could refuse all further obedience to him, and even violently wrest from him the command. From even the barely hinted imputation of usurpation, and the possible consequences of such a suppressed impression gaining ground, Ahab must of course have been most anxious to protect himself. That protection could only consist in his own predominating brain and heart and hand, backed by a heedful, closely calculating attention to every minute atmospheric influence which it was possible for his crew to be subjected to.

就亞哈本人來說，他并不是沒有另外一種預(yù)防性的動機。亞哈可能是由于一時沖動，也許有點過早地泄露了“裴廓德號”的航程的主要而秘密的目的，他現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)完全理會到，他這樣做，是間接地把他那種不可置辯的假公濟私的罪狀給公開出來了。他也估計到，萬一他的水手們會大起膽子來(不顧道義和法理)，會因此而不再聽他的一切命令，甚至更厲害地奪了他的指揮權(quán)。因此，即使僅僅從暗示到的假公濟私的污名，以及這樣一種日見增強的潛在的影響的可能后果說來，亞哈自然也一定急于要保衛(wèi)他自己了。不過，這種保衛(wèi)只能放在他自己心里，腦里和手里，再加上隨時小心提防，密切注意，估計他的水手們可能受到的各種細微的影響。

For all these reasons then, and others perhaps too analytic to be verbally developed here, Ahab plainly saw that he must still in a good degree continue true to the natural, nominal purpose of the Pequod's voyage; observe all customary usages; and not only that, but force himself to evince all his well known passionate interest in the general pursuit of his profession.

于是，由于所有這些理由，也許還有其它一些在這里不是三言兩語所能分析得了的理由，亞哈明晰地看出了，他必須繼續(xù)相當忠實于“裴廓德號”航程的。名義上的目的；必須遵守一切例常舊規(guī)；而且不僅如此，還得盡量顯出他在從事于他的職業(yè)方面，一般都是具有非常熱烈的興趣。

Be all this as it may, his voice was now often heard hailing the three mastheads and admonishing them to keep a bright look-out, and not omit reporting even a porpoise. This vigilance was not long without reward.

總之，這就時常聽到他的聲音，在招呼那三個站在桅頂上的人，勸戒他們要小心?望，甚至發(fā)現(xiàn)一只海豚也不要忘記報告。這種警惕并非一直是徒勞的。