It was curious and not unpleasing, how Peleg and Bildad were affected at this juncture, especially Captain Bildad. For loath to depart, yet; very loath to leave, for good, a ship bound on so long and perilous a voyage--beyond both stormy Capes; a ship in which some thousands of his hardearned dollars were invested; a ship, in which an old shipmate sailed as captain; a man almost as old as he, once more starting to encounter all the terrors of the pitiless jaw; loath to say good-bye to a thing so every way brimful of every interest to him,-- poor old Bildad lingered long; paced the deck with anxious strides; ran down into the cabin to speak another farewell word there; again came on deck, and looked to windward; looked towards the wide and endless waters, only bounded by the far-off unseen Eastern Continents; looked towards the land; looked aloft; looked right and left; looked everywhere and nowhere; and at last, mechanically coiling a rope upon its pin, convulsively grasped stout Peleg by the hand, and holding up a lantern, for a moment stood gazing heroically in his face, as much as to say, "Nevertheless, friend Peleg, I can stand it; yes, I can."
看到法勒和比勒达(特别是比勒达船长),在这当儿竟动起情感来,倒是希奇而且不是不愉快的。因为他还不愿意离去;真正十分不愿意离开一艘航程如此长。风险如此大的船到狂风暴雨的两个海角之外去;这艘船,他投入了辛苦赚来的几千块钱;这艘船,是他的老船友在做船长;这个人年纪差不多跟他一样大,这回又会遭遇到各处恐怖无情的惊涛骇浪;他真不愿意跟这样一件从各方面说来都是跟自己休戚相关的东西告别,可怜的比勒达老头徘徊良久;步履焦急地在甲板上踱来踱去;一会儿奔到下面船长室,再去道别一声;一会儿又走上甲板来,望望上风;望望那辽阔只有那极眼而不能见的以东方大陆为界的海洋;望望陆地,望望上空,望望右边,望望左边,望着这里那里而又茫无目标;最后,他机械地把一根绳子绕在栓子上,猛地抓起法勒的粗壮的手,举起一只灯笼,在那里站了一会,勇猛地紧盯着他的脸,好象是说,"法勒老兄,我还受得了;不错,我受得了。"
As for Peleg himself, he took it more like a philosopher; but for all his philosophy, there was a tear twinkling in his eye, when the lantern came too near. And he, too, did not a little run from the cabin to deck--now a word below, and now a word with Starbuck, the chief mate.
至于法勒呢,他对待这件事却象个哲学家一样;但是,他虽然有他的整套哲学,可是灯笼一照拢去,仍教人看到他眼睛里挂有亮闪闪的泪珠。而且他也从船长室到甲板间奔来奔。一会儿到下面去说一句话,一会儿又跟大副斯达巴克交代一句话。