I protested my innocence of these things. I saw that under the mask of these half humorous innuendoes, this old seaman, as an insulated Quakerish Nantucketer, was full of his insular prejudices, and rather distrustful of all aliens, unless they hailed from Cape Cod or the Vineyard.

我竭力否认着他半认真半玩笑的话。我听出来了，这个南塔开特人有一脑子岛民的狭隘观念，他对外地人有一种深深的偏见。

But what takes thee a-whaling? I want to know that before I think of shipping ye.

你现在为什么要来捕鲸？弄清了这一点我才能雇你！

Well, sir, I want to see what whaling is. I want to see the world.

这个，先生，我只是想见见世面、开开眼界，想弄清楚捕鲸到底是怎么一回事儿。

Want to see what whaling is, eh? Have ye clapped eye on Captain Ahab?

噢，想知道捕鲸是怎么回事儿！那么，你见过亚哈船长吗？

Who is Captain Ahab, sir?

谁？亚哈船长？

Aye, aye, I thought so. Captain Ahab is the Captain of this ship.

对，这条船的船长。

I am mistaken then. I thought I was speaking to the Captain himself.

嗨，我还以为你就是船长呢！

Thou art speaking to Captain Peleg—that's who ye are speaking to, young man. It belongs to me and Captain Bildad to see the Pequod fitted out for the voyage, and supplied with all her needs, including crew. We are part owners and agents. But as I was going to say, if thou wantest to know what whaling is, as thou tellest ye do, I can put ye in a way of finding it out before ye bind yourself to it, past backing out. Clap eye on Captain Ahab, young man, and thou wilt find that he has only one leg.

噢，现在跟你说话的是法勒船长，我跟比勒达船长都是这船的股东，负责船上设备和人手的配备。 你刚才说你想见识一下捕鲸，那你必须去见一见亚哈船长，一条腿的亚哈船长。