🔊 Besides, when I consider that this also is a ponderous planet; and that for all its rotundity and obsequiousness to the sun, it has not yet yielded up its dead; and that in the bowels of this same planet, ambergris is found; though indeed, in some parts, very sparingly; and then call to mind the early history of this same ambergris; how that it was first caught by the Nantucket Indians in their nets; and how for centuries it has been a great commercial commodity; and that at this present minute, I know not how many pounds of it are locked up in the warehouses of London, New York, and Rotterdam;-when I consider all this, I am ready to give up the ghost out of mere amazement. But putting that aside, let us now consider the nature of ambergris.

此外,每当我思及,这同样是一颗沉重的星球；纵然它浑圆如珠,对太阳毕恭毕敬,却仍未将其亡者悉数奉还；而正是在这同一颗星球的腑脏之中,人们发现了龙涎香--虽说某些地方的确稀罕得很。进而,我又回想起这龙涎香的早年历史:它最初是如何被楠塔基特的印第安人用渔网捕获的；几个世纪以来,它如何成为一宗大买卖；而此时此刻,不知又有多少磅正深锁在伦敦、纽约与鹿特丹的货仓之中--每当思及这一切,我简直要惊愕得魂飞魄散。不过,暂且抛开这些不谈,我们这就来探究一番龙涎香的本质。

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ponderous /ˈpɒndərəs/

adj. 沉重的,笨重的；冗长沉闷的➕

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rotundity /rəʊˈtʌndəti/

n. 圆胖,圆形；声音洪亮圆润➕

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obsequiousness /əbˈsiːkwiəsnəs/

n. 谄媚,卑躬屈膝➕

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bowels /ˈbaʊəlz/

n. 内脏,肠；内部深处➕

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ambergris /ˈæmbəɡriːs/

n. 龙涎香（抹香鲸的肠道分泌物,用于香水定香剂）➕

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warehouses /ˈweəhaʊzɪz/

n. 仓库,货栈➕

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Rotterdam /ˈrɒtərdæm/

n. 鹿特丹（荷兰港口城市）➕

🔊 Ambergris is a substance found floating on the sea, or thrown upon the coast in tropical climates. It is of a grayish color, and when fresh, soft and waxy; but in time it hardens, and becomes brittle. Its origin was long a mystery, but it is now known to be a morbid secretion of the sperm whale, produced in its intestines, and sometimes found in the body of dead whales. But often it is found floating on the ocean, where it has been expelled by the living whale.

龙涎香是一种在热带海域漂浮,或是被冲上岸的物质。颜色灰白,新鲜时柔软如蜡,日久则变硬发脆。它的来历曾长久是个谜,而今我们知晓,它原是抹香鲸体内一种异常分泌物,生于肠中,有时能在死鲸体内找到。不过更常见的,还是它漂浮在海上--那是被活鲸排出体外的。

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substance /ˈsʌbstəns/

n. 物质；实质；主旨➕

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floating /ˈfləʊtɪŋ/

adj. 漂浮的；浮动的；不固定的➕

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tropical /ˈtrɒpɪkl/

adj. 热带的；炎热的➕

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grayish /ˈɡreɪɪʃ/

adj. 浅灰色的,略带灰色的➕

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waxy /ˈwæksi/

adj. 蜡质的；光滑如蜡的；苍白的➕

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brittle /ˈbrɪtl/

adj. 易碎的；脆弱的；尖利的（声音）➕

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mystery /ˈmɪstri/

n. 神秘,谜；推理作品➕

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morbid /ˈmɔːbɪd/

adj. 病态的,不健康的；疾病的➕

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secretion /sɪˈkriːʃn/

n. 分泌物；分泌（作用）➕

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intestines /ɪnˈtestɪnz/

n. 肠➕

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expelled /ɪkˈspeld/

v. 驱逐,开除；排出➕

🔊 The value of ambergris is great, for it is used in perfumery as a fixative, to make the scent of flowers endure. In the East, it is also used in cooking, and as a medicine. But to us whalemen, it is a prize of no small worth, when by chance we encounter it.

龙涎香价值不菲,在香水业中用作定香剂,能使花香持久。在东方,它亦用于烹饪和医药。但对咱们捕鲸人而言,若能偶然得之,那可是价值不菲的意外之财。

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perfumery /pəˈfjuːməri/

n. 香水制造业；香水店➕

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fixative /ˈfɪksətɪv/

n. 固定剂；定色剂；定香剂➕

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scent /sent/

n. 气味,香味；香水；嗅觉➕

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endure /ɪnˈdjʊə(r)/

v. 持续,持久；忍受,忍耐➕

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whalemen /ˈweɪlmən/

n. 捕鲸人➕

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prize /praɪz/

n. 奖品,奖赏；战利品；极有价值的人或物➕

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encounter /ɪnˈkaʊntə(r)/

v. 遭遇,遇到；邂逅➕

🔊 I have heard of a ship that took in a quantity of ambergris, and the proceeds of that single find were more than the whole voyage besides. Yet it is rare, and often when the whale is cut in, the substance is overlooked, or lost in the sea.

我听说有一艘船曾捞获大量龙涎香,仅那一次的发现,所得便超过了整个航程其他所有收益的总和。然而它十分罕见,且常常在切割鲸鱼时被忽略,或遗落海中。

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proceeds /ˈprəʊsiːdz/

n. 收益,收入➕

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voyage /ˈvɔɪɪdʒ/

n. 航行,航海；长途旅行➕

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overlooked /ˌəʊvəˈlʊkt/

v. 忽视,忽略；俯瞰➕

🔊 But to return to our own case. The odor grew stronger as we sailed on, and soon we saw floating on the water a mass of ambergris. It was of considerable size, and we lowered a boat to secure it. When brought on board, it was found to weigh several hundred pounds, and of the finest quality.

话说回到我们自己的炼油炉边。我们继续航行,那气味愈发浓烈,很快便瞧见水面上浮着一大团龙涎香。块头着实不小,我们放下小艇去捞取。待到弄上船来,一称竟有数百磅重,且是上好的成色。

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odor /ˈəʊdə(r)/

n. 气味（尤指难闻的气味）➕

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considerable /kənˈsɪdərəbl/

adj. 相当大的,相当多的➕

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secure /sɪˈkjʊə(r)/

v. 获得,争取到；使安全；固定➕

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board /bɔːd/

n. 木板；董事会；登船；上飞机➕

🔊 This incident served to divert our minds from the gloomy thoughts that had oppressed us since the loss of our comrades. For a time, we forgot the perils of the deep, and rejoiced in this unexpected gain.

这番插曲,总算将我们自同伴罹难以来便郁结心头的阴霾驱散了些许。一时间,深海的险恶被抛诸脑后,我们只为这意外的横财而欢欣鼓舞。

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divert /daɪˈvɜːt/

v. 转移,使转向；娱乐,消遣➕

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gloomy /ˈɡluːmi/

adj. 阴暗的；沮丧的,悲观的➕

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oppressed /əˈprest/

adj. 受压迫的；感到压抑的➕

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comrades /ˈkɒmreɪdz/

n. 同志,战友；同伴➕

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perils /ˈperəlz/

n. 巨大危险,祸患➕

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rejoiced /rɪˈdʒɔɪst/

v. 欣喜,高兴➕

🔊 But such is the life of a whaleman: today he may be in the depths of despair, and tomorrow he may find a treasure that enriches the voyage. Yet always the shadow of the whale is upon us, and we know not what the next day may bring.

然而,这便是捕鲸人的命数:今日或许深陷绝望的渊薮,明日却可能撞见令整个航程赚得盆满钵满的宝藏。只是,鲸影始终笼罩着我们,明日之事,谁又说得准呢？

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despair /dɪˈspeə(r)/

n. 绝望,失望➕

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enriches /ɪnˈrɪtʃɪz/

v. 使丰富,使充实；使富裕➕

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shadow /ˈʃædəʊ/

n. 阴影；影子；少许；跟踪者➕

Chapter ninety-two: Ambergris (第九十二章:龙涎香)

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