There was nothing so very particular, perhaps, about the appearance of the elderly man I saw; he was brown and brawny, like most old seamen, and heavily rolled up in blue pilot-cloth, cut in the Quaker style; only there was a fine and almost microscopic net-work of the minutest wrinkles interlacing round his eyes, which must have arisen from his continual sailings in many hard gales, and always looking to windward;for this causes the muscles about the eyes to become pursed together. Such eye-wrinkles are very effectual in a scowl.
我所看到的这个老人的容貌,也许一点也没有什么十分特别的地方,他肤色棕褐,身体结实,跟大多数水手一样,裹着一件按照桂克款式裁制的蓝色舵工衣;不过他那双眼睛的周围却交错着许多细微的皱纹,是一种细微得简直要用显微镜才看得清楚的网眼,这一定是因为不断在狂风里航行,经常望着上风的缘故;。使得他眼睛四周的肌肉都缩在一起。这种眼皱作出怒容来倒是效果颇佳。
"Is this the Captain of the Pequod?" said I, advancing to the door of the tent.
"这位可是'裴廓德号,的船长?"我走到那篷帐门口说。
"Supposing it be the Captain of the Pequod, what dost thou want of him?" he demanded.
"假定是'裴廓德号,的船长,你找他做什么?"他问道。
"I was thinking of shipping."
"我想当水手。"
"Thou wast, wast thou? I see thou art no Nantucketer-ever been in a stove boat?"
"你想,是你?我看你不是南塔开特人。可乘过失了事的小艇?"
"No, Sir, I never have."
"没有,先生,我从来没有过。"
"Dost know nothing at all about whaling, I dare say-eh?
"根本就不懂得捕鲸这行当吧,我敢说是吗?"
"Nothing, Sir; but I have no doubt I shall soon learn. I've been several voyages in the merchant service, and I think that-"
"一点也不懂,先生;不过,没有问题,我很快就可以学起来。我曾经干过几趟商船,因此,我认为。"
"Merchant service be damned. Talk not that lingo to me. Dost see that leg?I'll take that leg away from thy stern, if ever thou talkest of the merchant service to me again. Marchant service indeed! I suppose now ye feel considerable proud of having served in those marchant ships. But flukes! man, what makes thee want to go a whaling, eh?--it looks a little suspicious, don't it, eh?Hast not been a pirate, hast thou?Didst not rob thy last Captain, didst thou?Dost not think of murdering the officers when thou gettest to sea?"
"干商船的真该死。别跟我扯这些鬼话。你可看到那条腿?。你要是再跟我扯干商船的事,我就要叫你的腿跟屁股分家啦。好个干商船的!我想,你认为干过那种商船是很光彩的吧。可是,算你侥幸吧!喂,我问你,你为什么想干起捕鲸来?。这倒有点可疑,可不是吗?。你没有干过海盗吧,干过吗?。你没有抢劫过你先前的船长吧,抢劫过吗?。你出海的时候,该不会想谋杀船上的头目吧?"