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"Good again. Now then, thou not only wantest to go a-whaling, to find out by experience what whaling is, but ye also want to go in order to see the world? Was not that what ye said? I thought so. Well then, just step forward there, and take a peep over the weather bow, and then back to me and tell me what ye see there."
"很好,很好。那么,你不单是要干捕鲸,要体验一下捕鲸是怎么回事,而且还要借此去见见世面吧?你刚才是不是这样说的?我想是这么说的。好吧,那么,我只要你向前走,在船头的上风地方瞧一瞧,然后来告诉我,你在那边看到了些什么。"
For a moment I stood a little puzzled by this curious request, not knowing exactly how to take it, whether humorously or in earnest. But concentrating all his crow's feet into one scowl, Captain Peleg started me on the errand.
这一奇特的要求,使我有点儿迷惑地楞了一会儿,不知道这要求究竟应该怎样理解,是说说玩的还是正经的。但是,一看到他眼角的皱纹都已皱得怒冲冲了,法勒船长可把我吓得连忙去干这差使了。
Going forward and glancing over the weather bow, I perceived that the ship swinging to her anchor with the flood-tide, was now obliquely pointing towards the open ocean. The prospect was unlimited, but exceedingly monotonous and forbidding; not the slightest variety that I could see.
我走到前边,在船头的上风地方看了一阵,我看出由于涨潮,曳着船锚摇晃着的船身,现在正斜对着辽阔的海洋。一望无际的景色,而且极其单调而又可怕;我一点也看不出什么变化。
"Well, what's the report?" said Peleg when I came back; "what did ye see?"
"好吧,报告上来吧。"我一回来,法勒就说;"你看到些什么?"
"Not much," I replied--"nothing but water; considerable horizon though, and there's a squall coming up, I think."
"没有什么,"我答道。"只不过是一片海洋;辽阔得很,就要发大风了,我想。"
"Well, what dost thou think then of seeing the world? Do ye wish to go round Cape Horn to see any more of it, eh? Can't ye see the world where you stand?"
"啊,那么,你对于见见世面有什么看法呢?你可想环游一下合恩角,再多见识一些么?在你站着的地方你不能看到世面吗?"
I was a little staggered, but go a-whaling I must, and I would; and the Pequod was as good a ship as any--I thought the best-- and all this I now repeated to Peleg. Seeing me so determined, he expressed his willingness to ship me.
我有点儿支吾起来了,不过,捕鲸我是一定要去的,会去的;"裴廓德号"也是一条很不错的船。我认为是最好的。于是,我把这些话对法勒再说一遍。他看到我如此坚决,就表示愿意雇用我。
"And thou mayest as well sign the papers right off," he added--"come along with ye." And so saying, he led the way below deck into the cabin.
"那么,你不如就马上签约吧,"接着他又说。"跟我来。"说着,他领我下了甲板,到舱里去。
