原文欣赏
'There's a general indraught that way,' observed the happy Captain. 'Wind and water sets in that direction, you see. Look at his being present t'other day!'
“您看，水流是向着那一边的，”乐呵呵的船长说，“风朝着那个方向吹，水朝着那个方向流。看吧，他有一天是会到那里的！”
'Most favourable to his hopes,' said Mr Carker.
“对他的希望极为有利，”卡克先生说道。
'Look at his being towed along in the wake of that day!' pursued the Captain. 'Why what can cut him adrift now?'
“看吧，有一天他会被绳子拖着前进！”船长继续说，“现在有什么能使他任意漂流的呢？”
'Nothing,' replied Mr Carker.
“什么也不能了，”卡克先生回答。
'You're right again,' returned the Captain, giving his hand another squeeze. 'Nothing it is. So! steady! There's a son gone: pretty little creetur. Ain't there?'
“您又完全正确，”船长又一次紧握着他的手，回答道，“什么也不能了。因此！别着急！儿子已经去世了，那个可爱的小人儿。是不是？”
'Yes, there's a son gone,' said the acquiescent Carker.
“是的，儿子已经去世了，”勉强顺从的卡克说道。
'Pass the word, and there's another ready for you,' quoth the Captain. 'Nevy of a scientific Uncle! Nevy of Sol Gills! Wal'r! Wal'r, as is already in your business! And'—said the Captain, rising gradually to a quotation he was preparing for a final burst, 'who—comes from Sol Gills's daily, to your business, and your buzzums.'
“你们只要发一道命令，你们就将会有另一个现成的儿子，”船长说道，“一位懂科学的舅舅的外甥！所尔·吉尔斯的外甥！沃尔！已经在你们公司工作的那个沃尔！”船长继续说道，他逐渐接近结尾最精彩的引语：“他——每天从所尔·吉尔斯家中来到你们公司，投入你们的怀抱。”
The Captain's complacency as he gently jogged Mr Carker with his elbow, on concluding each of the foregoing short sentences, could be surpassed by nothing but the exultation with which he fell back and eyed him when he had finished this brilliant display of eloquence and sagacity; his great blue waistcoat heaving with the throes of such a masterpiece, and his nose in a state of violent inflammation from the same cause.
船长每讲完上面每一句短句，都用胳膊肘轻轻地推一下卡克先生，这时他那自满自得的情绪，只有当他结束这段口若悬河、才华横溢的讲话，往椅背上一靠，注视着卡克先生时那欣喜若狂的神情才能超过。他这篇杰作正在脱胎而出的时候，他的宽大的蓝色背心鼓了起来，鼻子也由于同一个原因翕动着。
'Am I right?' said the Captain.
“我说得对吗？”船长问道。
'Captain Cuttle,' said Mr Carker, bending down at the knees, for a moment, in an odd manner, as if he were falling together to hug the whole of himself at once, 'your views in reference to Walter Gay are thoroughly and accurately right. I understand that we speak together in confidence.
“卡特尔船长，”卡克先生说道，同时以一种古怪的姿态把膝盖往下弯曲了片刻，仿佛他正要倒下，同时又用力支撑住自己似的：“您关于沃尔特·盖伊的意见是完全、绝对正确的。我明白，我们是在私下里交谈知心话”。
'Honour!' interposed the Captain. 'Not a word.'
“我以名誉发誓！”船长打断他说，“一句也不是。”
'To him or anyone?' pursued the Manager.
“也不是讲给他或任何人听的吗？”经理接着问道。

重点讲解
一.observe:v.观察, 遵守, 注意到 v.庆祝, 评论
【词义辨析】
look, see, watch, observe, witness
这些动词均有“看”之意。
look侧重“看”的动作。
see指看见。
watch指用眼睛跟随某物，以便对每一个变化、运动等进行观察。
observe侧重以客观的态度进行观察。
witness指当场看见，亲眼看见。
【例句用法】
We should observe the proprieties.
我们应该遵守礼节。
The police have been observing his movements.
警方一直监视着他的一举一动。
二.pursue:v.追求, 追捕, 继续执行, 从事
【语法用法】
pursue解释为“追求”时，是指为了某个目的而追。
【词义辨析】
pursue, follow, chase, hunt, trace, track, trail
这些动词均含“跟随、追踪”之意。
pursue指坚持不懈、毫不动摇地紧跟、追赶某人、某物或某个事业。
follow普遍用词，含义最广，多指跟随起引导作用的人或物，跟随的动机可以是善意的，也可能是恶意的。
chase指快速追赶或决心追踪，褒义贬义均可用。
hunt原义为“追猎、猎取”，现用于指追捕或搜寻逃犯等。
trace指根据线索或足迹进行跟踪。用于抽象意义时指找到某事物的根源。
track指沿着人或动物留下的印迹或行迹追踪。
trail一般指跟踪追击。
【例句用法】
She is pursuing her studies at the university.
她在大学继续深造。
The government is pursuing a policy of non-intervention.
政府正奉行不干预政策。
三.in that direction:在那个方向
In...direction:在...方向
四.for a moment:片刻，一会儿；暂时
e.g.:For a moment I was ready to agree that balance might not be what we all need.
在某一时刻我似乎同意了平衡有可能不是我们所有人都需要的观点。