But this insult is whittled down to a point only.' Butnow comes the greatest joke of the dream, Flask.While I was battering away at the pyramid, a sort ofbadger-haired old merman, with a hump on hisback, takes me by the shoulders, and slews meround. 'What are you 'bout?' says he. Slid! man, butI was frightened. Such a phiz! But, somehow, nextmoment I was over the fright. 'What am I about?'says I at last. 'And what business is that of yours, Ishould like to know, Mr. Humpback? Do you want akick?' By the lord, Flask, I had no sooner said that,than he turned round his stern to me, bent over, and dragging up a lot of seaweed he had for aclout--what do you think, I saw?--why thunder alive, man, his stern was stuck full ofmarlinspikes, with the points out. Says I on second thought, 'I guess I won't kick you, oldfellow.' 'Wise Stubb,' said he, 'wise Stubb;' and kept muttering it all the time, a sort of eatingof his own gums like a chimney hag. Seeing he wasn't going to stop saying over his 'wiseStubb, wise Stubb,' I thought I might as well fall to kicking the pyramid again. But I had onlyjust lifted my foot for it, when he roared out, 'Stop that kicking!' 'Halloa,' says I, 'what's thematter now, old fellow?' 'Look ye here,' says he; 'let's argue the insult. Captain Ahab kicked ye,didn't he?' 'Yes, he did,' says I--'right here it was.' 'Very good,' says he--'he used his ivory leg,didn't he?' 'Yes, he did,' says I. 'Well then,' says he, 'wise Stubb, what have you to complainof? Didn't he kick with right good will?
而这种侮辱不过是一点点而已。不过,弗拉斯克,现在这个梦的最大的玩笑来到了。正当我在乱踢那金字塔的时候,来了一种长满獾毛的老人鱼,背上长着个驼峰,抓起我的肩膀,把我团团转地拖了一通。你在干什么?他说。我滑倒了!老朋友,我可吓坏了。这么一副相貌!不过,不知怎么一来,过了一会,我又不害怕了。我在干什么?,我终于说道。那么,你是干什么的,我倒想知道,驼背先生?你可要挨一脚?的确确,弗拉斯克,我的话还没有说完,他已经屁股一转,弯下腰去,拉起他当破布片用的一团海藻。。。。。。你想我看到什么。。。。。。哎哟,老朋友,他的屁股尽是一些穿索针,尖端都戳了出来。我再一想,就说,我想我还是不踢你吧,老头儿。他说,聪明的斯塔布,聪明的斯塔布;他就这么不住地嘟哝下去,直象是一只烟囱似的八目鳗在嚼着它自己的齿龈。我看到他并不打算停止他那'聪明的斯塔布,聪明的斯塔布,,我心想,还是再踢那个金字塔吧。但是,我刚把脚一举,要踢出去的时候,他就吼了起来,'别踢!,'喂,,我说,'现在又怎么啦,老头儿?,'你听着,他说,'什么叫侮辱,我们来辩一辩理吧。亚哈船长踢了你,可不是吗?,是呀,他踢了我,我说...就正踢在这地方。很好,他说...他使的是那只牙腿吧,可不是吗?不错,是这样,我说。那么,他说,聪明的斯塔布,你有什么可埋怨的呢?他可不是好心好意的踢吗?
