And he took that arm off, did he? asked Ahab, now sliding down from the capstan, and resting on the Englishman's shoulder, as he did so.
那么,它把这只手臂膀给搞掉了,是么?亚哈问道,这时,他搭着那英国人的肩膀,从绞盘上缓缓地滑下来。
Aye, he was the cause of it, at least; and that leg, too?
是呀,至少它就是祸因呀;那么这条腿,也是吧?
Spin me the yarn, said Ahab; "how was it?"
讲给我听吧,究竟是怎样一回事?亚哈说。
It was the first time in my life that I ever cruised on the Line, began the Englishman. "I was ignorant of the White Whale at that time. Well, one day we lowered for a pod of four or five whales, and my boat fastened to one of them; a regular circus horse he was, too, that went milling and milling round so that my boat's crew could only trim dish, by sitting all their sterns on the outer gunwale. Presently up breaches from the bottom of the sea a bouncing great whale, with a milky-white head and hump, all crows' feet and wrinkles."
我还是生平第一次在赤道上巡游,那英国人说开了。"当时,我还不知道有什么白鲸。唔,有一天,我们放下小艇去追四五条鲸,当时,我那只小艇已经把其中的一条拴住了;它可也是一匹正规的马戏班里的马,兜来兜去地尽打旋,弄得我小艇里的水手们只能屁股搭着外舷边跟着它转。过了一会,海底里竟蹦出一条大鲸来,乳白色的脑袋和背峰,脸面全都满布皱纹。"
It was he, it was he! cried Ahab, suddenly letting out his suspended breath.
就是它,就是它!亚哈蓦地把迸住了的气都呼了出来,嚷道。
And harpoons sticking in near his starboard fin. Aye, aye— they were mine—my irons, cried Ahab, exultingly—"but on!"
靠它右鳍的地方还插有几根标枪头。"是呀!是呀——那些就是我的——我的标枪头呀,亚哈兴高采烈地嚷道——"可是,说下去吧!"
Give me a chance, then, said the Englishman, good-humoredly. "Well, this old great-grandfather, with the white head and hump, runs all afoam into the pod, and goes to snapping furiously at my fast-line!
那么,请听我说,那英国人和蔼地说。"唔,这条白脑袋和白背峰的老祖宗,泡沫飞溅地奔进了鱼群,开始凶狠狠地咬起我的捕鲸索了。"
Aye, I see!—wanted to part it; free the fast-fish—an old trick— I know him.
啊,啊!——想咬断索子;想做无主鲸——老把戏——我很清楚它。