評論
打印
While in various silent ways the seamen of the Pequod were evincing their observance of this ominous incident at the first mere mention of the White Whale's name to another ship, Ahab for a moment paused; it almost seemed as though he would have lowered a boat to board the stranger, had not the threatening wind forbade. But taking advantage of his windward position, he again seized his trumpet, and knowing by her aspect that the stranger vessel was a Nantucketer and shortly bound home, he loudly hailed--"Ahoy there! This is the Pequod, bound round the world! Tell them to address all future letters to the Pacific ocean! and this time three years, if I am not at home, tell them to address them to-"
但是，“裴廓德號”的水手們從各種無言的情況中，一下子就注意到只是向那艘船一提到白鯨這個名稱，才出現了這一不祥的小事件，亞哈也歇了一會，仿佛要不是那嚇人的風勢，他簡直會立刻放下小艇，跑上那艘陌生船去。不過，他從那艘船的外表上，看出這陌生船是艘南塔開特船，不久就要駛回家去，他于是利用上風的地位，又拿起他的號筒，高聲招呼——“船呵，喂！這是“裴廓德號”在做環球航行呀！請告訴他們，將來可把信件都捎到太平洋去！在這三年里，如果我沒有到家，告訴他們把信都捎到——”
At that moment the two wakes were fairly crossed, and instantly, then, in accordance with their singular ways,shoals of small harmless fish, that for some days before had been placidly swimming by our side, darted away with what seemed shuddering fins, and ranged themselves fore and aft with the stranger's flanks. Though in the course of his continual voyagings Ahab must often before have noticed a similar sight, yet, to any monomaniac man, the veriest trifles capriciously carry meanings.
這時，兩艘船的船跡恰好交叉起來了，于是，成群結隊的無惡意的小魚(這些小魚幾天前就已安靜地游在我們旁邊)，就立刻按照它們那特殊的游法，好象是抖著魚鰭似的沖了出去，前呼后擁地跟在那艘陌生船的兩側游去了。亞哈雖則在他一路駛來，一定早就經常看到這種現象，然而在任何一個害偏熱癥的人的眼里，最微不足道的事情也說不定是富有深意的。
"Swim away from me, do ye?" murmured Ahab, gazing over into the water.
“你們不跟我一起游啦，是嗎？”亞哈眼睛直瞪著水面，嘴里嘟噥道。
