原來在龍涎香事件中,斯塔布的后槳手偶然給扭傷了手,一時不聽使喚,于是,暫時叫比普去頂他的缺。
The first time Stubb lowered with him, Pip evinced much nervousness; but happily, for that time, escaped close contact with the whale; and therefore came off not altogether discreditably; though Stubb observing him, took care, afterwards, to exhort him to cherish his courageousness to the utmost, for he might often find it needful.
斯塔布第一次跟比普一起下艇的時候,比普顯得非常坐立不安,幸而那回沒有跟大鯨直接打上交道,因而結(jié)果并沒有丟盡臉面,斯塔布看出了他的情形后,就仔細(xì)地鼓勵他盡量拿出勇氣來,因為他得始終具有勇氣才行。
Now upon the second lowering, the boat paddled upon the whale; and as the fish received the darted iron, it gave its customary rap, which happened, in this instance, to be right under poor Pip's seat. The involuntary consternation of the moment caused him to leap, paddle in hand, out of the boat; and in such a way, that part of the slack whale line coming against his chest, he breasted it overboard with him, so as to become entangled in it, when at last plumping into the water. That instant the stricken whale started on a fierce run, the line swiftly straightened; and presto! poor Pip came all foaming up to the chocks of the boat, remorselessly dragged there by the line, which had taken several turns around his chest and neck.
可是,到了第二次下艇,那只小艇劃到大鯨旁邊去的時候,大鯨一吃了戳下去的一槍,象往常一樣砰砰急跳,恰好跳在可憐的比普的座位底下。他一時給嚇得不由自主,手里還拿著小槳,就從小艇跳出去了。這樣一來,那根捕鯨索的松弛著的一段兜住了他的胸口,他就沖著那根捕鯨索一起翻了出去,跟捕鯨索糾纏在一道,終于噗通掉進了海里。這時,那只受傷的鯨就開始狂奔而去,那根捕鯨索也立刻給扯直了。于是乎,一下子工夫,可憐的比普吱哩咕嚕地直翻騰到小艇的角狀柱那邊,讓捕鯨索殘酷地曳在那里!因為那根捕鯨索已經(jīng)兜著他的胸口和脖子纏了好幾轉(zhuǎn)。
Tashtego stood in the bows. He was full of the fire of the hunt. He hated Pip for a poltroon.
塔斯蒂哥站在艇頭上。他正在生氣蓬勃地追擊大鯨。他氣恨比普是個膽小鬼。