And brave as he might be, it was that sort of bravery chiefly, visible in some intrepid men, which, while generally abiding firm in the conflict with seas, or winds, or whales, or any of the ordinary irrational horrors of the world, yet cannot withstand those more terrific, because more spiritual terrors, which sometimes menace you from the concentrating brow of an enraged and mighty man.
不过,如果他有勇气的话,那种勇气主要的也是一般勇猛的人常见的勇气:通常用在跟大海。大风。大鲸或者跟世间的普通的不合理的恐怖作斗争是可以坚持得了的,然而却仍抵挡不住那种更大的恐怖,因为更大的精神上的恐怖,往往会由于一个愤怒而有力的人的全神贯注而使你感到威胁。
But were the coming narrative to reveal in any instance, the complete abasement of poor Starbuck's fortitude, scarce might I have the heart to write it; for it is a thing most sorrowful, nay shocking, to expose the fall of valor in the soul. Men may seem detestable as joint stock-companies and nations; knaves, fools, and murderers there may be; men may have mean and meagre faces; but, man, in the ideal, is so noble and so sparkling, such a grand and glowing creature, that over any ignominious blemish in him all his fellows should run to throw their costliest robes. That immaculate manliness we feel within ourselves, so far within us, that it remains intact though all the outer character seem gone; bleeds with keenest anguish at the undraped spectacle of a valor-ruined man. Nor can piety itself, at such a shameful sight, completely stifle her upbraidings against the permitting stars. But this august dignity I treat of, is not the dignity of kings and robes, but that abounding dignity which has no robed investiture. Thou shalt see it shining in the arm that wields a pick or drives a spike; that democratic dignity which, on all hands, radiates without end from God; Himself! The great God absolute! The centre and circumference of all democracy! His omnipresence, our divine equality!
但是,如果接下去要我在叙述中揭以若干例证,全然贬低可怜的斯达巴克的坚忍不拔的精神,那我也不大有这样写的心肠了;总之,暴露一个人之失去勇气,实在是一件最伤心,且也是最可怕的事情。人类可能有象联合证券公司和国家那样使人憎厌的地方,可能会有一些恶棍。傻瓜和凶犯;人类可能会有难看和枯槁的脸;但是,按理想说来,人类却是非常高贵和非常具有异彩的。如此堂皇而辉煌的生物,因此如果他身上有任何可耻的缺点,他所有的同胞就一定会赶忙跟他割裾。耻与为伍了。我们内心所感到的那种纯洁无疵的大丈夫气概,尽管一切外形似乎已告消失,但是,那气概却还未受损伤,因而一旦看到一个勇气败坏的人那种赤裸裸的形相,实在真是教人悲恸欲绝。而且看到这么一副可耻之态,即使神明本身对这种自暴自弃的命星也无法掩口不加非难了。不过,我所说的这种尊严,可并不是帝王将相的那种尊严,而是那种没有被封官授爵的庶民的尊严,你将看到那尊严是闪烁在一举斧一投枪的臂膀上;那种平民的尊严,都是从上帝那里无尽无止地从四方八面照耀出来的。伟大的独行独断的上帝呵!一切民主主义的枢纽和轴心呀!?那无所不在的神通,就是我们的神圣的平等!