It was far down the afternoon; and when all the spearings of the crimson fight were done; and floating in the lovely sunset sea and sky, sun and whale both stilly died together; then, such a sweetness and such plaintiveness, such inwreathing orisons curled up in that rosy air, that it almost seemed as if far over from the deep green convent valleys of the Manilla isles, the Spanish land-breeze, wantonly turned sailor, had gone to sea, freighted with these vesper hymns.
已是将近傍晚时分,一切动刀动枪的血腥场面已告结束,大鲸和太阳都一起静悄悄地断了气,漂泛在可爱的落日的海空中,这时,在那玫瑰色的空中,突然激起这样一种动人而又这样忧伤的情调,这样一种象是在堆满花圈的氛围里作祷告的景况,简直象是远从马尼拉群岛那郁郁苍苍的修道院似的幽谷里,刮来一阵西班牙的陆风,让个放荡不羁的水手载着这些晚祷的赞美歌声出海去了。
Soothed again, but only soothed to deeper gloom, Ahab, who had sterned off from the whale, sat intently watching his final wanings from the now tranquil boat. For that strange spectacle observable in all sperm whales dying — the turning sunwards of the head, and so expiring — that strange spectacle, beheld of such a placid evening, somehow to Ahab conveyed a wondrousness unknown before.
心里虽然又轻松了一阵,可是结果却更其感到忧郁。亚哈往后倒划,离开了那条鲸后,坐在那只现在很平静的小艇上,全神贯注地望着那条鲸在作最后挣扎。因为一般抹香鲸临死时都会出现这种奇特的景象——脑袋转向了太阳一会,就慢慢地咽了气——在如此静谧的黄昏中,看到这种奇特的景象,好象让亚哈看到一种过去从未发现的奇妙的东西似的。
He turns and turns him to it, — how slowly, but how steadfastly, his homage-rendering and invoking brow, with his last dying motions. He too worships fire; most faithful, broad, baronial vassal of the sun! — Oh that these too-favoring eyes should see these too-favoring sights.
它转呀转的,转向了太阳——转得多慢,可又转得多坚定,看它那股虔虔敬敬而又象是恳求的神情,还有它那最后的临终的动作。它也是拜火的;是太阳的最明显。最忠诚的堂堂的臣民!——啊,它那双至福的眼睛当然应该看到这种至福的景象。