名著阅读

A deep, gruff, husky utterance, which seemed to have no connexion with Bunsby, and certainly had not the least effect upon his face, replied, 'Ay, ay, shipmet, how goes it?' At the same time Bunsby's right hand and arm, emerging from a pocket, shook the Captain's, and went back again.
'Bunsby,' said the Captain, striking home at once, 'here you are; a man of mind, and a man as can give an opinion. Here's a young lady as wants to take that opinion, in regard of my friend Wal'r; likewise my t'other friend, Sol Gills, which is a character for you to come within hail of, being a man of science, which is the mother of inwention, and knows no law. Bunsby, will you wear, to oblige me, and come along with us?'
The great commander, who seemed by expression of his visage to be always on the look-out for something in the extremest distance' and to have no ocular knowledge of any anng' within ten miles, made no reply whatever.
'Here is a man,' said the Captain, addressing himself to his fair auditors, and indicating the commander with his outstretched hook, 'that has fell down, more than any man alive; that has had more accidents happen to his own self than the Seamen's Hospital to all hands; that took as many spars and bars and bolts about the outside of his head when he was young, as you'd want a order for on Chatham-yard to build a pleasure yacht with; and yet that his opinions in that way, it's my belief, for there ain't nothing like 'em afloat or ashore.'
The stolid commander appeared by a very slight vibration in his elbows, to express some satisfitction in this encomium; but if his face had been as distant as his gaze was, it could hardIy have enlightened the beholders less in reference to anything that was passing in his thoughts.
'Shipmate,' said Bunsby, all of a sudden, and stooping down to look out under some interposing spar, 'what'll the ladies drink?'
一个和邦斯贝似乎没有什么关系、在他脸上肯定没有引起任何变化的深沉、粗糙、嘶哑的声音回答道：“啊，我的船友，日子过得怎么样？”在这同时，邦斯贝的右手和胳膊从衣袋中伸出来，握了握船长的手，又插回到衣袋里去。
“邦斯贝，”船长立刻说到了正题，“您是一位有高深智慧的人，是个能提出高超见解的人。这里有一位小姐想要听一听您对我的朋友沃尔的情况的看法；我还有一位朋友所尔·吉尔斯也同样想听一听您对这件事的看法，他的住所离这里很近很近，他是一位通晓科学的人，而科学又是发明的母亲，他不知道有什么清规戒律。邦斯贝，您肯不肯给我帮个忙，跟我们一道去他那里一下？”
这位伟大的指挥者没有作出任何回答。从他脸部的表情来看，他似乎一直在注意观察着极为遥远的地方的什么东西，十英里之内的事物他什么也看不见。
“这个人，”船长对他的女听众说道，“从桅杆上掉下来的次数比世界上活着的任何人都要多。他本人经历过的不幸事故比航海医院中所有船员经历过的不幸事故还要多；他年轻的时候，头上曾经被桅杆、木棒和螺栓好多次砸破，就像您要建造一艘游艇需要向查塔姆制造场定的货那么多；可是我相信，他就是通过这种途径获得他的见解的，因为不论在海上还是在陆地上都找不到能有同样正确见解的人。”
这位性情迟缓的指挥者听到这些赞词，胳膊肘稍稍动了动，表示某些满意；但是他的脸色就像他的眼光所望的远方一样难以看清，所以注视他的人就难从中猜到他现在正在想什么。
“我的船友，”邦斯贝弯下身子，从遮挡住的桁木下面注视着远方，突然说道，“小姐们要喝点什么？”
背景阅读

本书简介：
《董贝父子》是狄更斯最重要的作品之一，发表于1848年。小说描写了董贝父子公司的盛衰史。董贝是个贪得无厌的大资本家，妻子儿女都成了他追逐利润的工具和摆设。公司经理卡克尔是个奸诈小人，骗取了董贝的信任后又一手造成了他的破产。在现实的教训中，董贝的思想发生了转变。最后，虽然他已无法重整家业，却成全了真正的家庭幸福。

作者简介：

英国小说家查尔斯·约翰·赫芬姆·狄更斯（Charles John Huffam Dickens，1812年2月7日~1870年6月9日） 英国维多利亚时期的著名小说家，他的作品至今依然盛行，并对英国文学发展起到重要影响。 狄更斯1812年出生于英国朴次茅斯（Portsmouth），是海军职员约翰·狄更斯和伊丽莎白·巴洛所生的第二个孩子。狄更斯5岁时全家就迁居占松（Chatham），10岁时又搬到康登镇（Camden Town）。 小时候狄更斯曾经在一所私立学校接受过一段时间的教育，但是12岁时，狄更斯的父亲就因债务问题而入狱，狄更斯也因此被送到伦敦一家鞋油场当学徒，每天工作10个小时。或许是由于这段经历，使得狄更斯的作品更关注底层社会劳动人民的生活状态。 不过后来由于父亲继承了一笔遗产而令家庭经济状况有所好转，狄更斯也才有机会重新回到学校。15岁时他从威灵顿学院毕业，随后进入一家律师行工作，后来又转入报馆，成为一名报导国会辩论的记者。狄更斯并没有接受很多的正规教育，基本上是靠自学成才。