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Chapter 74 The Sperm Whale's Head—Contrasted View
第七十四章 抹香鯨頭——對比圖第七十四章抹香鯨頭——對比圖
Here, now, are two great whales, laying their heads together; let us join them, and lay together our own.
現在，這兒有兩條大鯨，它們兩只頭湊在一起；我們不妨也跟它們一道，把我們自己的頭湊在一起吧。
Of the grand order of folio leviathans, the Sperm Whale and the Right Whale are by far the most noteworthy. They are the only whales regularly hunted by man. To the Nantucketer, they present the two extremes of all the known varieties of the whale. As the external difference between them is mainly observable in their heads; and as a head of each is this moment hanging from the Pequod's side; and as we may freely go from one to the other, by merely stepping across the deck:—where, I should like to know, will you obtain a better chance to study practical cetology than here?
在大號的對開式大海獸中，算抹香鯨和露脊鯨最為著名。它們就是人類經常捕獵的一種大鯨。在南塔開特人看來，它們代表著一切已知的鯨類之兩極。因為它們外表上的不同，主要就表現在它們的頭上；而因為此刻這兩只頭是各掛在"裴廓德號"的兩側；我們只消跨過甲板，就可以隨意看看這只，望望那只——請問，你要實地研究鯨類學，哪里找得到比這更好的機會？
In the first place, you are struck by the general contrast between these heads. Both are massive enough in all conscience; but, there is a certain mathematical symmetry in the Sperm Whale's which the Right Whale's sadly lacks. There is more character in the Sperm Whale's head. As you behold it, you involuntarily yield the immense superiority to him, in point of pervading dignity. In the present instance, too, this dignity is heightened by the pepper and salt color of his head at the summit, giving token of advanced age and large experience.
首先，你準會被這兩只頭的一般差別嚇了一跳。那兩只頭的的確確很大；不過，可惜抹香鯨頭的那種精密勻稱卻是露脊鯨所沒有的。抹香鯨頭還具有更多的特征。當你對它諦視一番，憑它那種赫赫威儀，就會教你不由自主地對它那無限的尊嚴心悅誠服。在現在這一實例中，這種威儀更其登峰造極，因為它那頭頂心有著顯出年高德劭、閱歷豐富的胡椒和食鹽的色澤。
