我不知道是否有其他作家提及此事,不过据我推断,鲟鱼也一定是按大鲸的办法来对分的,国王拿鲟鱼所特有的那个非常细密而又富有弹性的头,这种头,就象征意义说来,可能还很幽默,是以一种假设的相似性为根据的。这样说来,似乎什么东西都有一种道理,哪怕法律也不例外。
Chapter 91 The Pequod Meets The Rose-Bud
第九十一章"裴廓德号"遇到"玫瑰蕊号"(玫瑰蕊——另一义为初出茅庐者,初次出马者。作者在本章中以其双关意义加以讽喻。)
In vain it was to rake for Ambergriese in the paunch of this Leviathan, insufferable fetor denying not inquiry. SIR T. BROWNE, V. E.
要想在这种大海兽的腹内找到龙涎香(龙诞香——病鲸的消化器官排泄出来的东西,色泽大多呈灰色。黄色以至黑色,斑驳如大理石,是香料中的佳品。)是徒劳的,尽管有难堪的恶臭,人们还是要去寻根问底。托马斯·布朗子爵阁下(托马斯·布朗(1605—1682)——英国医生,作家。)
It was a week or two after the last whaling scene recounted, and when we were slowly sailing over a sleepy, vapory, mid-day sea, that the many noses on the Pequod's deck proved more vigilant discoverers than the three pairs of eyes aloft. A peculiar and not very pleasant smell was smelt in the sea.
大约是在细说上一个捕鲸场景的两三个星期后,当时,我们正缓慢地航驶在令人昏昏欲睡、烟霭缭绕的正午的海面上,"裴廓德号"甲板上的许多鼻子竟比呆在桅顶上那三对眼睛更机灵,闻到了海里有一股特殊而又不很好闻的气味。
I will bet something now, said Stubb, "that somewhere hereabouts are some of those drugged whales we tickled the other day. I thought they would keel up before long."
哼,我现在敢打一点赌,斯塔布说,"在这附近什么地方,一定有我们前些天用'得拉格,扣住了的一些鲸。我想它们不久就会翻上来。"
Presently, the vapors in advance slid aside; and there in the distance lay a ship, whose furled sails betokened that some sort of whale must be alongside.
不一会,前边的烟霭不知不觉地飘开了,而且远处还停有一艘船,从它那些卷起的风帆看来,说明它的船边一定拖有一条鲸。