And though the 275th lay was what they call a rather LONG LAY, yet it was better than nothing;
二百七十五分之一无疑是“大拆账”,
and if we had a lucky voyage, might pretty nearly pay for the clothing I would wear out on it, not to speak of my three years' beef and board, for which I would not have to pay one stiver.
但我还可以在船上白吃白住三年呢!
It might be thought that this was a poor way to accumulate a princely fortune—and so it was, a very poor way indeed.
可能你会说,这么挣钱也太可怜了!确实如此。
But I am one of those that never take on about princely fortunes, and am quite content if the world is ready to board and lodge me, while I am putting up at this grim sign of the Thunder Cloud.
我也从来没有想发什么大财,在这个世界上,有我的立锥之地便已足矣。
Upon the whole, I thought that the 275th lay would be about the fair thing, but would not have been surprised had I been offered the 200th, considering I was of a broad-shouldered make.
所以,我自认为二百七十五分之一就算公平了,当然,如果再小一些,到二百分之一,那最理想!
But one thing, nevertheless, that made me a little distrustful about receiving a generous share of the profits was this:
但有一件事,这让我有点不信任获得如此慷慨的利润份额:
Ashore, I had heard something of both Captain Peleg and his unaccountable old crony Bildad; how that they being the principal proprietors of the Pequod,
在岸上我听说过一些法勒船长和他的不负责任的老朋友比勒达;他们如何成为裴廓德号的大股东,
therefore the other and more inconsiderable and scattered owners, left nearly the whole management of the ship's affairs to these two.
此二人掌握着船上大到雇用什么样的水手,小到该不该为船上采购一根绳子的所有权利。