Hands go diligently along the bulwarks, and with buckets of water and rags restore them to their full tidiness. The soot is brushed from the lower rigging. All the numerous implements which have been in use are likewise faithfully cleansed and put away. The great hatch is scrubbed and placed upon the try-works, completely hiding the pots; every cask is out of sight; all tackles are coiled in unseen nooks; and when by the combined and, simultaneous industry of almost the entire ship's company, the whole of this conscientious duty is at last concluded, then the crew themselves proceed to their own ablutions; shift themselves from top to toe; and finally issue to the immaculate deck, fresh and all aglow as bridegrooms new-leaped from out the daintiest Holland.
大家都在舷墻邊勤勞地干活，手里拿著水桶、抹布，把舷墻恢復了它們本來的干干凈凈的面目。下邊索具上的煙炱全給刷掉了。許多用過了的工具也都同樣給切實地洗刷干凈，放在一邊。那塊大蓋板也洗擦干凈蓋在煉油間上邊，把油鍋全都藏起；所有的油桶都看不見了；一切大小滑車都藏到找都找不到的角落里去；由于簡直是動員了全船人手來同心協力的操作，這種盡忠職守的工作終于完全告了結束，于是，水手們便都各自去料理他們自己，凈身沐浴；從頭到腳都換得齊齊整整，然后跑上那潔凈無疵的甲板，個個精神抖擻，滿臉通紅，象是剛從最愛清潔的荷蘭國里出來的新郎。
Now, with elated step, they pace the planks in twos and threes, and humorously discourse of parlors, sofas, carpets, and fine cambrics; propose to mat the deck; think of having hangings to the top; object not to taking tea by moonlight on the piazza of the forecastle. To hint to such musked mariners of oil, and bone, and blubber, were little short of audacity. They know not the thing you distantly allude to. Away, and bring us napkins!
這時，他們趾高氣揚，三三兩兩地在船板上踱方步，幽默地高談著客廳、沙發、地毯和精美的亞麻布，還建議給甲板鋪上地席；想要高高地掛起屏飾來，也不反對到船頭樓的外廊，在月光下喝茶。如果向這些充滿鯨油、鯨骨、鯨脂的麝香氣的水手提示一下，那未免有點缺乏識見。他們才不理會你隱隱約約的暗示。去，給咱們拿食巾來！
But mark: aloft there, at the three mast heads, stand three men intent on spying out more whales, which, if caught, infallibly will again soil the old oaken furniture, and drop at least one small grease-spot somewhere.
可是，請注意：在上邊，在那三支桅頂上，還站有三個水手在全神貫注地偵察更多的大鯨來呢，如果萬一又捉到了大鯨的話，必然又會把這種橡木的老家具弄臟，至少會在什么地方灑下一小滴油漬。
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