Chapter 59 Squid
第五十九章 大乌贼鱼
Slowly wading through the meadows of brit, the Pequod still held on her way north-eastward towards the island of Java; a gentle air impelling her keel, so that in the surrounding serenity her three tall tapering masts mildly waved to that languid breeze, as three mild palms on a plain. And still, at wide intervals in the silvery night, the lonely, alluring jet would be seen.
裴廓德号慢慢地荡过那片小鱼牧场后,仍然继续朝东北方,向着爪哇岛驶去,和风推拍着它的船身,因此,在四周一派宁静中,它那三支又高又细的桅杆,合着那股徐徐的微风轻轻地摆动,宛如平原上三棵柔软的棕榈树。但是,在银色的夜空里,每隔好久,还时时可以看到那个孤寂诱人的喷水。
But one transparent blue morning, when a stillness almost preternatural spread over the sea, however unattended with any stagnant calm; when the long burnished sun-glade on the waters seemed a golden finger laid across them, enjoining some secrecy; when the slippered waves whispered together as they softly ran on; in this profound hush of the visible sphere a strange spectre was seen by Daggoo from the main-mast-head.
有一天早晨,天宇明朗湛蓝,当时,海上弥漫着一片可说是超常的宁静。却又一点也不是死气沉沉的静寂;海面上那一大片辉煌绚烂的阳光,象是有一只在吩咐什么机密事情的金手搁在那上面;滑板似的浪潮一面轻轻向前滚去,一面喁喁私语;就在这种幽静得显明可见的氛围里,大个儿在主桅顶上看到了一个奇怪的鬼东西。
In the distance, a great white mass lazily rose, and rising higher and higher, and disentangling itself from the azure, at last gleamed before our prow like a snow-slide, new slid from the hills. Thus glistening for a moment, as slowly it subsided, and sank. Then once more arose, and silently gleamed.
远处,有一大团白色的东西,慢吞吞地升起,离开蔚蓝的海面,越升越高,最后在我们的船头闪闪发光,好象刚从山岗上滑下来的雪崩。它这样闪烁一会儿后,又慢慢地下降,沉下去。接着又再升起,悄悄地闪烁一会。