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Now, when this strange circumstance was made known aft, the carpenter was at once commanded to do Queequeg's bidding, whatever it might include. There was some heathenish, coffin-colored old lumber aboard, which, upon a long previous voyage, had been cut from the aboriginal groves of the Lackaday islands, and from these dark planks the coffin was recommended to be made. No sooner was the carpenter apprised of the order, than taking his rule, he forthwith with all the indifferent promptitude of his character, proceeded into the forecastle and took Queequeg's measure with great accuracy, regularly chalking Queequeg's person as he shifted the rule.
且說這件怪事傳到船尾去時，那個木匠就立刻受命按照魁魁格的吩咐行事，把他所需要的東西制辦起來。船上恰好有一些異教色彩、棺材色的舊木頭，這些都是好久以前在嗚呼哀哉島（嗚呼哀哉島——原音為拉加德，疑為印度西南部的拉加第夫島。）的原始叢林里砍下來的，于是就用這些黑木板來做一口棺材。木匠一接到命令，就拿起他那把尺，以他那滿不在乎而又敏捷的脾氣，立刻跑到船頭樓里給魁魁格地地道道地量起尺寸來，他一邊移動那把尺，一邊用粉筆在魁魁格身上一本正經(jīng)地劃來劃去。
Ah! poor fellow! he'll have to die now, ejaculated the Long Island sailor.
唉！可憐的人！他現(xiàn)在竟然要死了。那個長島水手突然叫了出來。
Going to his vice-bench, the carpenter for convenience sake and general reference, now transferringly measured on it the exact length the coffin was to be, and then made the transfer permanent by cutting two notches at its extremities. This done, he marshalled the planks and his tools, and to work.
木匠跑到他的虎鉗條凳邊，為了方便和心中有數(shù)起見，一會兒把棺材應(yīng)該做多少長的準(zhǔn)確長度在那上面量一下，一會兒又在那上面劃了兩道頭尾界線，這樣張羅過后，他就整理木板和工具，動手做起來了。
When the last nail was driven, and the lid duly planed and fitted, he lightly shouldered the coffin and went forward with it, inquiring whether they were ready for it yet in that direction.
敲進(jìn)最后一枚釘子，適當(dāng)?shù)嘏倨健⒀b好那只蓋子后，木匠輕巧地扛起那只棺材，向前走去，問問甲板上的人是否現(xiàn)在要用了。
Overhearing the indignant but half-humorous cries with which the people on deck began to drive the coffin away, Queequeg, to every one's consternation, commanded that the thing should be instantly brought to him, nor was there any denying him; seeing that, of all mortals, some dying men are the most tyrannical; and certainly, since they will shortly trouble us so little for evermore, the poor fellows ought to be indulged.
甲板上的人帶著憤怒而又半開玩笑的叫喊，正要叫他把棺材弄走的時候，卻給魁魁格聽到了，叫大家大吃一驚的是，他竟要把棺材立刻搬給他，誰都阻攔不了他，因?yàn)樵谝磺腥祟愔校切┬袑⑺劳龅娜丝偸亲顚M而不可理喻的；而且因?yàn)樗廊寺闊┗钊说臅r刻實(shí)在也是為期不長了，大家也就該對那些可憐的家伙寬容些。
