The magnetic energy, as developed in the mariner's needle, is, as all know, essentially one with the electricity beheld in heaven; hence it is not to be much marvelled at, that such things should be. In instances where the lightning has actually struck the vessel, so as to smite down some of the spars and rigging, the effect upon the needle has at times been still more fatal; all its loadstone virtue being annihilated, so that the before magnetic steel was of no more use than an old wife's knitting needle. But in either case, the needle never again, of itself, recovers the original virtue thus marred or lost; and if the binnacle compasses be affected, the same fate reaches all the others that may be in the ship; even were the lowermost one inserted into the kelson.
船上的罗盘针的磁力的扩张，如所周知，基本上是跟我们所看到的天上的电闪情况一样的；因此，类似这样的事情，本来就不必大惊小怪。事实上，闪电击中了船只的事，例子就有不少，比如把一些圆材和索具都击断，其对于罗盘针的影响，往往更会造成灾难；把它所有的全部天然磁石的效能消灭殆尽，以致原来的磁针比老太婆的缝衣针都更不顶用。总之，不管怎样，经过这样的损伤后，罗盘针本身就此再也不能恢复它原来的效能了。如果罗盘盒子也受了影响的话，船上的一切罗盘针可能都要落到同样的命运；哪怕那只插在内龙骨里最底下的罗盘针也在所难免。
Deliberately standing before the binnacle, and eyeing the transpointed compasses, the old man, with the sharp of his extended hand, now took the precise bearing of the sun, and satisfied that the needles were exactly inverted, shouted out his orders for the ship's course to be changed accordingly. The yards were hard up; and once more the Pequod thrust her undaunted bows into the opposing wind, for the supposed fair one had only been juggling her.
这个老人站在罗盘盒子跟前沉思默想，眼睛瞪着那只转了向的罗盘针，伸出他那只灵敏的手，弄清太阳的准确方位，满意地认为罗盘针的确是倒转了，他便高声发出命令，要船转变航向。帆桁都转向了；"裴廓德号"那不屈不挠的船头又再度掉向逆风里，因为刚才的所谓顺风不过是把它骗了。
Meanwhile, whatever were his own secret thoughts, Starbuck said nothing, but quietly he issued all requisite orders; while Stubb and Flask — who in some small degree seemed then to be sharing his feelings — likewise unmurmuringly acquiesced.
这样，斯达巴克的心里不管有他自己的怎样秘密的想法，他都一言不发，只是闷声不响地发出一切必要的命令；斯塔布和弗拉斯克呢——他们这时也多少跟他有同感——也同样不声不响地默从了。