評(píng)論
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I was also aware that being a green hand at whaling, my own lay would not be very large; but considering that I was used to the sea, could steer a ship, splice a rope, and all that, I made no doubt that from all I had heard I should be offered at least the 275th lay--that is, the 275th part of the clear net proceeds of the voyage, whatever that might eventually amount to. And though the 275th lay was what they call a rather long lay, yet it was better than nothing; and if we had a lucky voyage, might pretty nearly pay for the clothing I would wear out on it, not to speak of my three years' beef and board, for which I would not have to pay one stiver.
我也知道,我在捕鯨業(yè)是個(gè)新手,我的"拆賬"不會(huì)很多;但是,因?yàn)槲乙咽煜ずＩ仙?能掌舵,會(huì)捻繩,以及其它等等,因此,我毫不懷疑地認(rèn)為,根據(jù)我的見(jiàn)聞,至少該得二百七十五分之一的"拆賬"。就是說(shuō),不管最后的紅利數(shù)目有多少,一次航程我可凈得二百七十五分之一的紅利。雖然人們把二百七十五分之一叫做"大拆賬"。這是因?yàn)橹痪捅砻嫔习俜直鹊姆帜复笮《摰?而實(shí)際上,分母越大,商數(shù),然而,這倒也是聊勝于無(wú)的;如果我們碰上一次好運(yùn)氣的航程,那就差不多很可以補(bǔ)償我所穿破的衣服,別說(shuō)我還能白吃三年的牛肉,在船上白住三年,一個(gè)子兒都不用付。
It might be thought that this was a poor way to accumulate a princely fortune--and so it was, a very poor way indeed. But I am one of those that never take on about princely fortunes, and am quite content if the world is ready to board and lodge me, while I am putting up at this grim sign of the Thunder Cloud. Upon the whole, I thought that the 275th lay would be about the fair thing, but would not have been surprised had I been offered the 200th, considering I was of a broad-shouldered make.
也許有人會(huì)認(rèn)為,這是積攢大財(cái)?shù)目蓱z方法吧。一點(diǎn)不假,這的確是一個(gè)十分可憐的方法。不過(guò),我是個(gè)從來(lái)沒(méi)有打過(guò)要發(fā)大財(cái)?shù)闹饕獾娜?正當(dāng)我要在這個(gè)掛著"雷云"的冷酷的招牌的處所投宿時(shí),如果這世界有我容身之地也就夠心滿意足了。總之,我認(rèn)為二百七十五分之一的拆賬應(yīng)該算是很公平的了,不過(guò),考慮到我生來(lái)就是一塊挑得起重?fù)?dān)的材料,如果出我二百分之一的話,我也不會(huì)感到驚奇。
But one thing, nevertheless, that made me a little distrustful about receiving a generous share of the profits was this: Ashore, I had heard something of both Captain Peleg and his unaccountable old crony Bildad; how that they being the principal proprietors of the Pequod, therefore the other and more inconsiderable and scattered owners, left nearly the whole management of the ship's affairs to these two.
話雖如此,但是,對(duì)于接受一筆慷慨的分紅卻有一樁使我稍覺(jué)狐疑的事情:我在岸上已聽(tīng)到過(guò)法勒船長(zhǎng)和他那個(gè)神秘莫測(cè)的老朋友比勒達(dá)兩人的一些事情;說(shuō)是因?yàn)樗麄儌z都是"裴廓德號(hào)"的主要股東,因此,其他那些為數(shù)眾多的零星小戶的股東老板,差不多把整個(gè)船務(wù)都交給他們這兩個(gè)人照管。
