要追溯這種無窮無盡的不幸的淵源,最后就會使我們走進那無源無主的神鬼陣?yán)锶?,因此,不管那個喜洋洋的伏天的太陽,也不管那個小鐃小鈸似的、渾圓的仲秋月,我們卻得承認(rèn)這一點:神鬼本身也并不是始終愉愉快快的。人類眉頭上那顆抹不掉的。黯淡的黑痣,原來就是那些在獨立宣言上簽過名的人的愁傷的印記呀。
Unwittingly here a secret has been pulged, which perhaps might more properly, in set way, have been disclosed before. With many other particulars concerning Ahab, always had it remained a mystery to some, why it was, that for a certain period, both before and after the sailing of the Pequod, he had hidden himself away with such Grand-Lama-like exclusiveness; and, for that one interval, sought speechless refuge, as it were, among the marble senate of the dead. Captain Peleg's bruited reason for this thing appeared by no means adequate; though, indeed, as touching all Ahab's deeper part, every revelation partook more of significant darkness than of explanatory light. But, in the end, it all came out; this one matter did, at least. That direful mishap was at the bottom of his temporary recluseness. And not only this, but to that ever-contracting, dropping circle ashore, who for any reason, possessed the privilege of a less banned approach to him;
這里,竟無意間泄露出了一個秘密,這些也許是先照老辦法把它揭露出來比較妥當(dāng)些。在亞哈的許多特點中,總有一點叫人摸不著頭腦的,那就是,為什么他有一個時期,即在"裴廓德號"開航之前和之后,竟象個唯我獨尊的大喇嘛那樣藏了起來;而且,在這段期間里,仿佛象個死人那樣躲在大理石的元老院里,一言不發(fā)。法勒船長原先對此所捏造的理由,顯得一點也不充分;實際上,關(guān)于亞哈的內(nèi)心深處的想法,顯露出來的一切總是非常曖昧,而不是正大光明的。不過,到頭來,全都會真相大白;至少,在這件事情上是如此。原來那種悲慘的不幸,暫時都埋藏在他那隱遁的心底里。而且,不僅如此,連岸上那些日益減少而分散的親友,不知怎地,也好象都對他懷著敬而遠(yuǎn)之的態(tài)度了;