英語聽書《白鯨記》第376期

Under this head I reckon a monster which, by thevarious names of Fin-Back, Tall-Spout, and Long-John,

在這個項目下,我不禁想起一種有著許多名稱的巨獸來:脊鰭鯨,高噴鯨,長約翰鯨,

has been seen almost in every sea and is commonlythe whale whose distant jet is so often descried bypassengers crossing the Atlantic, in the New Yorkpacket-tracks.

這種鯨幾乎在各大海洋都可以見到,并且也是很普通的一種鯨,它那長距離的噴水就經常為坐在紐約郵船橫渡大西洋的旅客們所老遠地發(fā)現(xiàn)的。

In the length he attains, and in his baleen, the Fin-back resembles the right whale, but is of aless portly girth, and a lighter color, approaching to olive.

按照它的身長和鯨須說來,脊鰭鯨與露脊鯨相仿,不過,它的腰圍不那么肥大,色澤稍淡,近于棕欖色。

His great lips present a cable-like aspect, formed by the intertwisting, slanting folds of largewrinkles.

它的大嘴,由于有著交錯。歪斜的大皺結,樣子很象一根錨鏈。

His grand distinguishing feature, the fin, from which he derives his name, is often aconspicuous object.

它那碩大非凡的體軀,它那由此而得名的大鰭,往往就是個顯眼目標。

This fin is some three or four feet long, growing vertically from the hinder part of the back, ofan angular shape, and with a very sharp pointed end.

那大鰭約有三四英尺長,垂直地長在背上的后部,成一種角形,而且有個很尖的頂峰。

Even if not the slightest other part of the creature be visible, this isolated fin will, at times,be seen plainly projecting from the surface.

即使在這家伙的其它最細小部分也看不到的時候,也往往能夠很清楚地看到聳出海面的那只孤零零的大鰭來。

When the sea is moderately calm, and slightly marked with spherical ripples, and this gnomon-like fin stands up and casts shadows upon the wrinkled surface,

每當海面相當平靜,微露圓形的漣漪,而這只豎起的日晷似的大鰭,在微波的海面上投下一陣陰影的這個時候,那個圍著大鰭的水圈,

it may well be supposed that the watery circle surrounding it somewhat resembles a dial, withits style and wavy hour-lines graved on it.

很可以說有點象只日晷,它有日晷針,又有刻在上面的水波微展的指針。

On that Ahaz-dial the shadow often goes back.

在那只亞哈斯的日晷上,陰影往往是在后邊。

The Fin-Back is not gregarious.

脊鰭鯨是不愛群居的。