評論
打印
It is well to parenthesize here, that of the fatal accidents in the Sperm-Whale Fishery, this kind is perhaps almost as frequent as any. Sometimes, nothing is injured but the man who is thus annihilated; oftener the boat's bow is knocked off, or the thigh-board, on which the headsman stands, is torn from its place and accompanies the body. But strangest of all is the circumstance, that in more instances than one, when the body has been recovered, not a single mark of violence is discernible the man being stark dead.
這里應該附帶說一下，在捕抹香鯨業的許多意外之災中，這類情況也差不多是屢見不鮮的。有時，除了那個就這樣完蛋的人以外，其余卻一概沒有損傷；更平常的是艇頭被撞爛了，或者是指揮人站的那塊粗板，連人帶板給碰掉了。但是，最奇怪而不止發生一次的情況是，等到尸體找到的時候，身上竟連一點傷痕都看不出來，而那個人卻已死得繃繃硬了。
The whole calamity, with the falling form of Macey, was plainly descried from the ship. Raising a piercing shriek—"The vial! the vial!" Gabriel called off the terror-stricken crew from the further hunting of the whale. This terrible event clothed the archangel with added influence; because his credulous disciples believed that he had specifically fore-announced it, instead of only making a general prophecy, which any one might have done, and so have chanced to hit one of many marks in the wide margin allowed. He became a nameless terror to the ship.
這整個災難以及梅賽跌下去的身體，船上的人都看得一清二楚。可是，突然傳來了刺耳的尖叫———"那只碗，那只碗！"迦百列把那些嚇得要命的水手弄得不敢繼續去獵擊那條大鯨了。這個可怕的事件又給這個天使長添了不少聲勢；因為他那些輕信的門徒都認為他早已特地宣示過了，認為這并不僅僅是個普通的預言，普通的預言誰都會做，誰都會有碰巧而幸中一次的機會。他就此成為船上一種不可名狀的恐怖。
Mayhew having concluded his narration, Ahab put such questions to him, that the stranger captain could not forbear inquiring whether he intended to hunt the White Whale, if opportunity should offer.
梅休剛把故事講完，亞哈就對他提出幾個問題，弄得那個陌生船長不禁反問亞哈一聲，如果有機會的話，他是否想去打那白鯨。
