Into this hole, the end of the second alternating great tackle is then hooked so as to retain a hold upon the blubber, in order to prepare for what follows. Whereupon, this accomplished swordsman, warning all hands to stand off, once more makes a scientific dash at the mass, and with a few sidelong, desperate, lunging, slicings, severs it completely in twain; so that while the short lower part is still fast, the long upper strip, called a blanket-piece, swings clear, and is all ready for lowering. The heavers forward now resume their song, and while the one tackle is peeling and hoisting a second strip from the whale, the other is slowly slackened away, and down goes the first strip through the main hatchway right beneath, into an unfurnished parlor called the blubber-room. Into this twilight apartment sundry nimble hands keep coiling away the long blanket-piece as if it were a great live mass of plaited serpents. And thus the work proceeds; the two tackles hoisting and lowering simultaneously; both whale and windlass heaving, the heavers singing, the blubber-room gentlemen coiling, the mates scarfing, the ship straining, and all hands swearing occasionally, by way of assuaging the general friction.
于是,另一只大復(fù)滑車的一端就把那洞孔給鉤住了,把那塊鯨脂抓住,以便人們作進(jìn)一步的處理。這時(shí)候,這個(gè)嫻熟的劍客,一邊警告大家趕快站開,一邊又對(duì)那團(tuán)大東西巧妙地一截,再加上打斜里拼命的刺削幾下,就把它切成了兩爿;所以,那短短的下半段雖然還是貼牢著,可是,上半邊那塊叫做"絨氈子"的長(zhǎng)條子已經(jīng)是孤零零的晃來晃去,隨時(shí)可以卸下來了。那些管絞車的人,又重新一面唱起歌來,一面走上前去。當(dāng)那只正在剝皮的復(fù)滑車,又從鯨身上扯起第二片鯨脂時(shí),另一只復(fù)滑車就慢慢地松開來,落下來,把第一片鯨脂穿過大艙口直旋到下面去,旋進(jìn)了那間叫做鯨脂房的毫無設(shè)備的會(huì)客室里去。在這間昏蒙的屋子里,許多敏捷的手不停地把那些長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的"絨氈"卷起來,仿佛它是一團(tuán)大蟒蛇。工作就這樣進(jìn)行下去:那兩架復(fù)滑車同時(shí)一起一落,大鯨和絞車則旋來旋去,管絞車的人唱個(gè)不停,鯨油房里的先生們?cè)诓粩嗑碇L脂,大二三副在剝皮,船身在用力氣,大家偶爾咒罵一聲,借以減輕一下緊張情緒。