英語聽書《白鯨記》第365期

But this insult is whittled down to a point only.' Butnow comes the greatest joke of the dream, Flask.While I was battering away at the pyramid, a sort ofbadger-haired old merman, with a hump on hisback, takes me by the shoulders, and slews meround. 'What are you 'bout?' says he. Slid! man, butI was frightened. Such a phiz! But, somehow, nextmoment I was over the fright. 'What am I about?'says I at last. 'And what business is that of yours, Ishould like to know, Mr. Humpback? Do you want akick?' By the lord, Flask, I had no sooner said that,than he turned round his stern to me, bent over, and dragging up a lot of seaweed he had for aclout--what do you think, I saw?--why thunder alive, man, his stern was stuck full ofmarlinspikes, with the points out. Says I on second thought, 'I guess I won't kick you, oldfellow.' 'Wise Stubb,' said he, 'wise Stubb;' and kept muttering it all the time, a sort of eatingof his own gums like a chimney hag. Seeing he wasn't going to stop saying over his 'wiseStubb, wise Stubb,' I thought I might as well fall to kicking the pyramid again. But I had onlyjust lifted my foot for it, when he roared out, 'Stop that kicking!' 'Halloa,' says I, 'what's thematter now, old fellow?' 'Look ye here,' says he; 'let's argue the insult. Captain Ahab kicked ye,didn't he?' 'Yes, he did,' says I--'right here it was.' 'Very good,' says he--'he used his ivory leg,didn't he?' 'Yes, he did,' says I. 'Well then,' says he, 'wise Stubb, what have you to complainof? Didn't he kick with right good will?

而這種侮辱不過是一點點而已。不過,弗拉斯克,現(xiàn)在這個夢的最大的玩笑來到了。正當我在亂踢那金字塔的時候,來了一種長滿獾毛的老人魚,背上長著個駝峰,抓起我的肩膀,把我團團轉地拖了一通。你在干什么?他說。我滑倒了!老朋友,我可嚇壞了。這么一副相貌!不過,不知怎么一來,過了一會,我又不害怕了。我在干什么?,我終于說道。那么,你是干什么的,我倒想知道,駝背先生?你可要挨一腳?的確確,弗拉斯克,我的話還沒有說完,他已經屁股一轉,彎下腰去,拉起他當破布片用的一團海藻。。。。。。你想我看到什么。。。。。。哎喲,老朋友,他的屁股盡是一些穿索針,尖端都戳了出來。我再一想,就說,我想我還是不踢你吧,老頭兒。他說,聰明的斯塔布,聰明的斯塔布;他就這么不住地嘟噥下去,直象是一只煙囪似的八目鰻在嚼著它自己的齒齦。我看到他并不打算停止他那'聰明的斯塔布,聰明的斯塔布,,我心想,還是再踢那個金字塔吧。但是,我剛把腳一舉,要踢出去的時候,他就吼了起來,'別踢!,'喂,,我說,'現(xiàn)在又怎么啦,老頭兒?,'你聽著,他說,'什么叫侮辱,我們來辯一辯理吧。亞哈船長踢了你,可不是嗎?,是呀,他踢了我,我說...就正踢在這地方。很好,他說...他使的是那只牙腿吧,可不是嗎?不錯,是這樣,我說。那么,他說,聰明的斯塔布,你有什么可埋怨的呢?他可不是好心好意的踢嗎?