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The isolated subterraneousness of the cabin made a certain humming silence to reign there, though it was hooped round by all the roar of the elements. The loaded muskets in the rack were shiningly revealed, as they stood upright against the forward bulkhead. Starbuck was an honest, upright man; but out of Starbuck's heart, at that instant when he saw the muskets, there strangely evolved an evil thought; but so blent with its neutral or good accompaniments that for the instant he hardly knew it for itself.
這個孤寂得象地穴般的艙室，叫人覺得那里面有一種靜寂得象是嗡嗡作響的聲息，而且這種聲息是給各種噪音包圍住的。網架上幾支裝著火藥的滑膛槍閃閃發光，這些槍都豎靠在前邊的隔艙。斯達巴克雖是個誠實、正直的人；可是，這時，他一看到這些滑膛槍，心底里卻奇特地產生一股邪念；不過，這種邪念又讓它那可好可壞或者不如說是好的念頭同時混在一起，以致一時間教他也鬧不清是好是壞了。
He would have shot me once, he murmured, "yes, there's the very musket that he pointed at me; — that one with the studded stock; let me touch it — lift it. Strange, that I, who have handled so many deadly lances, strange, that I should shake so now. Loaded? I must see. Aye, aye; and powder in the pan; — that's not good. Best spill it? — wait. I'll cure myself of this. I'll hold the musket boldly while I think. — I come to report a fair wind to him. But how fair? Fair for death and doom, — that's fair for Moby Dick. It's a fair wind that's only fair for that accursed fish.
他上次本來是要用槍打我的，他喃喃道，"是呀，那邊就是他曾經瞄準著我的那支滑膛槍；——就是那有螺栓的槍支；讓我來摸它一摸，把它提起來。真怪，我這個拿過許許多多致人死命的刀槍的人，這回竟會抖得這么厲害，真怪。裝上了火藥么？我得看一看。是呀，是呀；藥池里有火藥；——這就不妙了。還是把它倒掉？——且慢。我要用這支東西來解救我自己。我要一邊仔細想一想，一邊勇敢地抓住這支槍——我是來向他報告順風的消息的。可是怎么個順法呢？是順向死亡跟毀滅吧，——那是順向莫比－迪克的。這只是順向那條該死的魚的順風——。
