英語聽書《白鯨記》 第254期

He seemed to take to me quite as naturally andunbiddenly as I to him; and when our smoke wasover, he pressed his forehead against mine, claspedme round the waist, and said that henceforth wewere married; meaning, in his country's phrase,that we were bosom friends; he would gladly die forme, if need should be. In a countryman, this suddenflame of friendship would have seemed far toopremature, a thing to be much distrusted; but inthis simple savage those old rules would not apply.

他對待我,似乎正如我對待他一樣,十分自然,毫無拘束。我們吸過煙后,他把他的額頭貼著我的額頭,攔腰把我抱住,還說如今我們已經(jīng)成親了;那意思,按照他家鄉(xiāng)的說法,就是我們?nèi)缃癯蔀橹呐笥蚜?如果必要的話,他樂意為我而死。在一個鄉(xiāng)下人看來,這種一見如故的友情之火,似乎是太不成熟,是一樁極不可靠的事;但是,在這個質(zhì)樸的野人的眼中,那些陳年老套已是用不上了。

After supper, and another social chat and smoke, we went to our room together. He made mea present of his embalmed head; took out his enormous tobacco wallet, and groping underthe tobacco, drew out some thirty dollars in silver; then spreading them on the table, andmechanically dividing them into two equal portions, pushed one of them towards me, and saidit was mine. I was going to remonstrate; but he silenced me by pouring them into my trowsers'pockets. I let them stay. He then went about his evening prayers, took out his idol, andremoved the paper firebrand. By certain signs and symptoms, I thought he seemed anxious forme to join him; but well knowing what was to follow, I deliberated a moment whether, in casehe invited me, I would comply or otherwise.

吃過晚飯,我們又親密地談一陣心,抽一會煙,便一起回到我們的房里去。他把他那只香料制的人頭送給了我;又掏出那只大煙袋,在煙葉下面摸了一會,摸出三十來個銀幣;他把銀幣攤在桌上,笨拙地把它們分成相等的兩份,推一份到我面前,說這是我的。我正想推卻,他已經(jīng)把它們都倒在我的褲袋里,教我無法開口了。我讓它們放在袋里。接著他就去做他的晚禱,他拿出他那只偶像,移開那塊紙糊的隔火板。從他那些手勢與跡象看來,我認為他似乎很想要我跟他一起去做晚禱;但是,去湊合他會有什么結(jié)果,我是很明白的,我考慮了一會,心想萬一他邀我去湊合他時,究竟是答應(yīng)呢還是不答應(yīng)。

I was a good Christian; born and bred in the bosom of the infallible Presbyterian Church. Howthen could I unite with this wild idolator in worshipping his piece of wood? But what isworship? thought I.

我是個在正正派派的長老教派中生長起來的正正當(dāng)當(dāng)?shù)幕酵?。我怎能跟這個野蠻的偶像崇拜者去一起膜拜他那塊木頭呢?但是,崇拜是什么?我心里想。以實瑪利呀,現(xiàn)在你是不是以為那個氣量宏大的。執(zhí)掌天地...異教徒等等都包括在內(nèi)...之神會對這塊微不足道的黑木頭發(fā)生妒忌么?不會的!但是,崇拜是什么?