🔊 I have given no small attention to that not unvexed subject, the skin of the whale. But I have been obliged to confine myself to the whale's blanket, as it is called; that is, to his skin as it appears stripped from his body, and made into what is called a blanket-piece. Now, the whale's blanket is, in many respects, very like the skin of other animals; yet it has peculiarities which are not unworthy of note.

关于鲸皮这一并非毫无困扰的课题,我已然倾注了相当的关注。然而,我不得不将自己局限于鲸之鲸皮；亦即,局限于它从鲸体剥离后所呈现的状态,以及被制成所谓鲸皮毯块的形态。诚然,鲸皮在许多方面与其他动物的皮肤极为相似；然其特性,亦颇值一书。

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confine /kənˈfaɪn/

v. 限制➕

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peculiarities /pɪˌkjuːliˈærɪtiz/

n. 特性；独特性➕

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unworthy /ʌnˈwɜːrði/

adj. 不值得的；不配的➕

🔊 The first thing that strikes one is its extreme thickness, which, in a large whale, will sometimes exceed a foot. But this is not all; it is incredibly tough and elastic, so that it is almost impossible to pierce it with a harpoon, unless the weapon be very sharp and driven with great force.

首先引人注目的,是其极端的厚度。于大型鲸类而言,有时可超一英尺。然此非全部；它还具有难以置信的韧性与弹性,以致几乎无法以鱼叉刺穿,除非那武器极为锋利,且施以极大的力道。

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exceed /ɪkˈsiːd/

v. 超过；超出➕

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incredibly /ɪnˈkredəbli/

adv. 难以置信地；非常➕

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elastic /ɪˈlæstɪk/

adj. 有弹性的；灵活的➕

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pierce /pɪərs/

v. 刺穿；穿透➕

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harpoon /hɑːrˈpuːn/

n. 鱼叉➕

🔊 The color of the whale's blanket is generally a dark gray, approaching to black; but in some species it is of a yellowish hue. The surface is smooth and glossy, and when the whale is in health, it shines with a peculiar lustre.

鲸之鲸皮的颜色,大抵为深灰,几近于墨黑；然某些种类,则泛浅黄之泽。其表光滑,色泽莹润,当鲸体健硕之时,便会焕发一种独特的光泽。

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species /ˈspiːʃiːz/

n. 物种➕

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hue /hjuː/

n. 色调；颜色➕

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glossy /ˈɡlɑːsi/

adj. 光滑的；有光泽的➕

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peculiar /pɪˈkjuːliər/

adj. 特有的；奇怪的➕

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lustre /ˈlʌstər/

n. 光泽；光彩➕

🔊 But the most remarkable thing about the whale's blanket is its wonderful power of retaining heat. This is owing to the thick layer of fat, or blubber, which lies immediately beneath it, and which serves as a non-conductor of cold. Hence, in the frigid polar seas, the whale is enabled to maintain a high degree of animal heat, while the surrounding medium is at a temperature far below the freezing point.

然鲸皮最堪玩味之处,在于其保有热量的惊人能力。这得益于其下紧覆的厚脂肪层,即鲸脂,它俨如一道隔绝寒冷的屏障。因而,纵使身处冰封的极地海域,周遭介质远在冰点之下,鲸仍能维持其体内的高度温热。

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remarkable /rɪˈmɑːrkəbl/

adj. 显著的；非凡的➕

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retaining /rɪˈteɪnɪŋ/

v. 保留；保持➕

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owing to /ˈoʊɪŋ tuː/

phrase. 由于；因为➕

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non-conductor /ˌnɑːn kənˈdʌktər/

n. 非导体；绝缘体➕

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frigid /ˈfrɪdʒɪd/

adj. 寒冷的；冷淡的➕

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polar /ˈpoʊlər/

adj. 极地的；两极的➕

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enabled /ɪˈneɪbld/

v. 使能够；授权➕

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maintain /meɪnˈteɪn/

v. 维持；保持➕

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medium /ˈmiːdiəm/

n. 介质；媒介➕

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freezing point /ˈfriːzɪŋ pɔɪnt/

phrase. 冰点➕

🔊 The blanket, therefore, is not only a protection against external injury, but also a means of preserving the vital warmth of the whale's system. It is, in short, a natural garment of the most perfect kind, adapted to the wants of the creature in the depths of the ocean.

故而,鲸皮不单是抵御外侮的甲胄,亦是存续其生命热源的枢机。简而言之,这是一袭至为完美的天然衣装,恰到好处地贴合了这生灵于深海中生存之需。

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external /ɪkˈstɜːrnl/

adj. 外部的；外在的➕

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preserving /prɪˈzɜːrvɪŋ/

v. 保存；保护➕

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vital /ˈvaɪtl/

adj. 至关重要的；生命的➕

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garment /ˈɡɑːrmənt/

n. 衣服；服装➕

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adapted /əˈdæptɪd/

adj. 适应的；改编的➕

Chapter sixty-eight: The Blanket. (第六十八章:鲸皮毯)

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