While in various silent ways the seamen of the Pequod were evincing their observance of this ominous incident at the first mere mention of the White Whale's name to another ship, Ahab for a moment paused; it almost seemed as though he would have lowered a boat to board the stranger, had not the threatening wind forbade. But taking advantage of his windward position, he again seized his trumpet, and knowing by her aspect that the stranger vessel was a Nantucketer and shortly bound home, he loudly hailed--"Ahoy there! This is the Pequod, bound round the world! Tell them to address all future letters to the Pacific ocean! and this time three years, if I am not at home, tell them to address them to-"
但是，“裴廓德号”的水手们从各种无言的情况中，一下子就注意到只是向那艘船一提到白鲸这个名称，才出现了这一不祥的小事件，亚哈也歇了一会，仿佛要不是那吓人的风势，他简直会立刻放下小艇，跑上那艘陌生船去。不过，他从那艘船的外表上，看出这陌生船是艘南塔开特船，不久就要驶回家去，他于是利用上风的地位，又拿起他的号筒，高声招呼——“船呵，喂！这是“裴廓德号”在做环球航行呀！请告诉他们，将来可把信件都捎到太平洋去！在这三年里，如果我没有到家，告诉他们把信都捎到——”
At that moment the two wakes were fairly crossed, and instantly, then, in accordance with their singular ways,shoals of small harmless fish, that for some days before had been placidly swimming by our side, darted away with what seemed shuddering fins, and ranged themselves fore and aft with the stranger's flanks. Though in the course of his continual voyagings Ahab must often before have noticed a similar sight, yet, to any monomaniac man, the veriest trifles capriciously carry meanings.
这时，两艘船的船迹恰好交叉起来了，于是，成群结队的无恶意的小鱼(这些小鱼几天前就已安静地游在我们旁边)，就立刻按照它们那特殊的游法，好象是抖着鱼鳍似的冲了出去，前呼后拥地跟在那艘陌生船的两侧游去了。亚哈虽则在他一路驶来，一定早就经常看到这种现象，然而在任何一个害偏热症的人的眼里，最微不足道的事情也说不定是富有深意的。
"Swim away from me, do ye?" murmured Ahab, gazing over into the water.
“你们不跟我一起游啦，是吗？”亚哈眼睛直瞪着水面，嘴里嘟哝道。