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It turned out that the Jeroboam had a malignant epidemic on board, and that Mayhew, her captain, was fearful of infecting the Pequod's company. For, though himself and the boat's crew remained untainted, and though his ship was half a rifle-shot off, and an incorruptible sea and air rolling and flowing between; yet conscientiously adhering to the timid quarantine of the land, he peremptorily refused to come into direct contact with the Pequod.
結果才弄清楚，"耶羅波安號"上鬧過一種惡性流行癥，船長梅休怕會傳給"裴廓德號"的船員。因為，雖則他跟他那只小艇的水手都還沒有染上這種流行癥，雖則他那艘船還遠隔半個步槍射程之遙，而且中間還橫著一重滾滾的清水和一層不斷在吹刮著的清風；然而，他還是慎重地嚴格遵守陸上那種膽怯的檢疫法，硬是不肯跟"裴廓德號"直接接觸。
But this did by no means prevent all communications. Preserving an interval of some few yards between itself and the ship, the Jeroboam's boat by the occasional use of its oars contrived to keep parallel to the Pequod, as she heavily forged through the sea (for by this time it blew very fresh), with her main-topsail aback; though, indeed, at times by the sudden onset of a large rolling wave, the boat would be pushed some way ahead; but would be soon skilfully brought to her proper bearings again. Subject to this, and other the like interruptions now and then, a conversation was sustained between the two parties; but at intervals not without still another interruption of a very different sort.
但是，這也決不是說不能進行一切聯系。他們雖然保持著幾碼的距離，可是，"耶羅波安號"的小艇卻時時用它那些槳子，設法跟"裴廓德號"保持平行，因為"裴廓德號"猛烈地向前駛去（這時風已吹得很急），主桅的中桅帆朝后鼓起著；雖說時時確有一陣滾滾的巨浪突然沖擊過來，把那只小艇往前沖了一陣；不過，他們立刻又很熟練地使它恢復正常。由于這種情況，再加上不時發生的其它類似的障礙，雙方的對話就不免斷斷續續；而且，也時時不免發生另一種性質十分不同的障礙。
Pulling an oar in the Jeroboam's boat, was a man of a singular appearance, even in that wild whaling life where individual notabilities make up all totalities.
在"耶羅波安號"的小艇上操槳的，有一個相貌頗為特別的水手，哪怕在那種各種人等應有盡有的野蠻的捕鯨業里，他也是個罕見的人。
