Starbuck, of late I've felt strangely moved to thee; ever since that hour we both saw — thou know'st what, in one another's eyes. But in this matter of the whale, be the front of thy face to me as the palm of this hand — a lipless, unfeatured blank. Ahab is for ever Ahab, man. This whole act's immutably decreed. 'Twas rehearsed by thee and me a billion years before this ocean rolled. Fool! I am the Fates' lieutenant; I act under orders. Look thou, underling! that thou obeyest mine. — Stand round men, men. Ye see an old man cut down to the stump; leaning on a shivered lance; propped up on a lonely foot. 'Tis Ahab — his body's part; but Ahab's soul's a centipede, that moves upon a hundred legs. I feel strained, half-stranded, as ropes that tow dismasted frigates in a gale; and I may look so. But ere I break, yell hear me crack; and till ye hear that, know that Ahab's hawser tows his purpose yet. Believe ye, men, in the things called omens? Then laugh aloud, and cry encore! For ere they drown, drowning things will twice rise to the surface; then rise again, to sink for evermore. So with Moby Dick — two days he's floated — to-morrow will be the third. Aye, men, he'll rise once more, — but only to spout his last! D'ye feel brave men, brave?
斯达巴克，自从我们俩那回对看了一下后，我近来觉得非常想跟你谈谈——你是知道彼此看来看去有什么意义的。不过，就大鲸这件事说来，你的脸，在我看来，就跟这只手掌一样——一片空白，既无嘴巴，又无面貌特征。亚哈始终是亚哈，朋友。这整幕戏就是既定不易的天意。这是你我在海洋滚动之前的无数年代就已经排练过了的。傻瓜！我就是命运之神的副手；我是受命办事的。你这部下，得注意！你得听从我的命令——。大伙儿都得以我为中心。你们看到一个老人只剩下了这么一个桩头；倚着一根烂枪；撑着孤零零的一条腿。这就是亚哈——他身体给分裂了；可是亚哈的精神却是条靠一百只脚活动的蜈蚣。我感到精疲力竭，半死不活，跟大风里拖着一艘折桅断杆的巡洋舰的绳子一样；我的样子也许就是这样。可是，在我这根绳子断掉以前，你们会听到我的格格声；就是等到你们听到那响声的时候，你们还会知道，亚哈的大缆索还拖着他那个目的物呢。你们都相信那种叫做预兆的东西嘛？那么大笑一阵，再嚷一遍吧！因为任何东西在淹死前，都要浮上来两趟，等它再浮上来后，这才永远沉下去。莫比－迪克就是这样——它已浮上来两天啦——明天将是它第三次上来。唉，你们听着，它还要再浮上来一趟——不过，只是上来喷它最后一口水罢了！你们大伙儿可都有勇气，勇气？
As fearless fire, cried Stubb.
象百无所畏的火神一样，斯塔布嚷道。