英語聽書《白鯨記》第797期

Now that the incorruption of this most fragrant ambergris should be found in the heart of such decay; is this nothing? Bethink thee of that saying of St. Paul in Corinthians, about corruption and incorruption; how that we are sown in dishonor, but raised in glory. And likewise call to mind that saying of Paracelsus about what it is that maketh the best musk. Also forget not the strange fact that of all things of ill-savor, Cologne-water, in its rudimental manufacturing stages, is the worst.

既然這種極其芬芳撲鼻而不朽的龍誕香，竟是從這樣腐朽的東西的里邊找出來的；難道這是微不足道的事情嗎？請你想一想《哥林多書》中圣保羅對于朽壞和不朽壞的那種說法吧；所種的是羞辱的，復活的是榮耀的。（見《新約·哥林多前書》第十五章四十三節(jié)。）同樣的，也請想一想巴拉賽爾斯（菲·歐·巴拉賽爾斯（1493—1541）——原名蒂·波·湯·荷亨海姆，瑞士的煉金家和醫(yī)生。據(jù)說，他說最臭的東西能做出最香的東西，糞便可以提煉出麝香來。）那句關于最好的麝香是什么東西做成的話吧。同時，也請別忘記這一奇怪的事實：一切有異味的東西，如科隆香水，在它們開始制造的階段，是極其難聞的。

I should like to conclude the chapter with the above appeal, but cannot, owing to my anxiety to repel a charge often made against whalemen, and which, in the estimation of some already biased minds, might be considered as indirectly substantiated by what has been said of the Frenchman's two whales. Elsewhere in this volume the slanderous aspersion has been disproved, that the vocation of whaling is throughout a slatternly, untidy business. But there is another thing to rebut. They hint that all whales always smell bad. Now how did this odious stigma originate?

我本來想用上述的頗有興趣的說法來結(jié)束本章，但是我欲罷不能，因為我急于要駁倒世人經(jīng)常對捕鯨人所作的攻擊，這種攻擊，按照一種本來就是偏見的看法說來，應該可以說已經(jīng)被上述那艘法國船的兩條大鯨所間接地證實了。雖然在本書的其它章節(jié)中，已駁斥過那種把捕鯨這個職業(yè)完全看做是一種邋里邋遢、不干不凈的污蔑性的誹謗。但是，還有值得反擊的事情。人們都說，所有的鯨往往都是氣味不佳的。那么，這種可恨的污名又是打哪里來的呢？

I opine, that it is plainly traceable to the first arrival of the Greenland whaling ships in London, more than two centuries ago.

我的意見是，關于這，一追溯到二百多年前，第一艘到達倫敦的格陵蘭捕鯨船，就了如指掌了。

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