獨輪車

Next morning, Monday, after disposing of the embalmed head to a barber, for a block, I settled my own and comrade’s bill; using, however, my comrade’s money.

第二天早晨，週一，把那顆做過防腐的人頭賣給一個理髮匠當（假髮）模型托後，我結清了我和同伴的帳單；不過用的是我同伴的錢。

The grinning landlord, as well as the boarders, seemed amazingly tickled at the sudden friendship which had sprung up between me and Queequeg—especially as Peter Coffin’s cock and bull stories about him had previously so much alarmed me concerning the very person whom I now companied with.

那咧嘴笑的店主、連同房客們，似乎都被我和魁魁格之間驟然萌生的友情逗得樂不可支——尤其因為，彼得・柯芬先前那些關於他的無稽之談，曾把我嚇得對眼前這位如今與我作伴的人那般戒懼。

We borrowed a wheelbarrow, and embarking our things, including my own poor carpet-bag, and Queequeg’s canvas sack and hammock, away we went down to “the Moss,” the little Nantucket packet schooner moored at the wharf.

我們借了一台獨輪車，把行李裝上——包括我那只寒酸的毛氈旅行袋，還有魁魁格的帆布袋和吊床——便動身往碼頭邊停泊的南塔克特小班船「青苔號」走去。

As we were going along the people stared; not at Queequeg so much—for they were used to seeing cannibals like him in their streets,—but at seeing him and me upon such confidential terms.

我們一路走，人們盯著看；倒不太是看魁魁格——因為他們街上見慣了他這樣的食人族——而是看我倆竟如此交心親密。

But we heeded them not, going along wheeling the barrow by turns, and Queequeg now and then stopping to adjust the sheath on his harpoon barbs.

但我們不理會他們，輪流推著獨輪車前行，魁魁格還不時停下，調整一下他魚叉倒鉤上的護套。

I asked him why he carried such a troublesome thing with him ashore, and whether all whaling ships did not find their own harpoons.

我問他為何上岸還隨身帶著這麼個累贅，難道所有捕鯨船不是都自備魚叉嗎。

To this, in substance, he replied, that though what I hinted was true enough, yet he had a particular affection for his own harpoon, because it was of assured stuff, well tried in many a mortal combat, and deeply intimate with the hearts of whales.

對此他的回答，大意是：我說的雖沒錯，可他對自己這支魚叉有種特別的感情，因為它是用可靠的料子做的，在許多次生死搏鬥中久經考驗，與鯨的心臟有過極深的「親密」往來。

In short, like many inland reapers and mowers, who go into the farmers’ meadows armed with their own scythes—though in no wise obliged to furnish them—even so, Queequeg, for his own private reasons, preferred his own harpoon.

總之，就像許多內陸的收割工、割草人，明明沒義務自備，卻偏要帶著自己的大鐮刀走進農家的草地——魁魁格也一樣，出於他自己的私心，偏愛用他自己的魚叉。

Shifting the barrow from my hand to his, he told me a funny story about the first wheelbarrow he had ever seen.

他把獨輪車從我手裡接過去，給我講了個關於他生平頭一回見到獨輪車的趣事。

It was in Sag Harbor.

那是在薩格港。

The owners of his ship, it seems, had lent him one, in which to carry his heavy chest to his boarding house.

看樣子，他那船的船東借了他一台，好讓他把沉重的箱子運到寄宿處。

Not to seem ignorant about the thing—though in truth he was entirely so, concerning the precise way in which to manage the barrow—Queequeg puts his chest upon it; lashes it fast; and then shoulders the barrow and marches up the wharf.

為了不顯得對這玩意兒一無所知——其實他對獨輪車究竟該怎麼操作，當真是一竅不通——魁魁格把箱子擱上去、牢牢綁緊，然後把整台獨輪車往肩上一扛，沿著碼頭大步走了起來。

“Why,” said I, “Queequeg, you might have known better than that, one would think. Didn’t the people laugh?”

「嗐，」我說，「魁魁格，照理說你總該比這聰明點吧。難道人們沒笑你？」

Upon this, he told me another story.

聽我這麼一說，他又給我講了另一個故事。

The people of his island of Rokovoko, it seems, at their wedding feasts express the fragrant water of young cocoanuts into a large stained calabash like a punchbowl; and this punchbowl always forms the great central ornament on the braided mat where the feast is held.

看樣子，他羅科沃科島上的人，在婚宴上會把嫩椰子那芬芳的汁擠進一個大大的、染了色的葫蘆瓢裡——像個酒缽；而這酒缽，總是擺在舉行宴席的編織草蓆中央，當作那最重要的中心裝飾。

Now a certain grand merchant ship once touched at Rokovoko, and its commander—from all accounts, a very stately punctilious gentleman, at least for a sea captain—this commander was invited to the wedding feast of Queequeg’s sister, a pretty young princess just turned of ten.

話說有一艘氣派的大商船曾停靠羅科沃科，它的船長——照各種說法，是位十分莊重、拘謹守禮的紳士，至少就一個海船船長而言如此——這位船長被邀去參加魁魁格妹妹的婚宴，那是位剛滿十歲、漂亮的小公主。

Well; when all the wedding guests were assembled at the bride’s bamboo cottage, this Captain marches in, and being assigned the post of honor, placed himself over against the punchbowl, and between the High Priest and his majesty the King, Queequeg’s father.

且說，當所有賓客都聚集在新娘的竹屋裡時，這位船長大步走了進來，被安排了上賓之位，坐在正對著酒缽、大祭司與國王陛下（魁魁格的父親）之間的位置。

Grace being said,—for those people have their grace as well as we—though Queequeg told me that unlike us, who at such times look downwards to our platters, they, on the contrary, copying the ducks, glance upwards to the great Giver of all feasts—Grace, I say, being said, the High Priest opens the banquet by the immemorial ceremony of the island; that is, dipping his consecrated and consecrating fingers into the bowl before the blessed beverage circulates.

做完飯前禱告後——那些人跟我們一樣也有他們的謝飯禱告——不過魁魁格告訴我，跟我們這種時候低頭望著自己盤子的做法不同，他們反倒學鴨子，往上仰望那位賜下一切宴席的偉大施與者——我說，禱告做完後，大祭司便以島上自古相傳的儀式揭開宴席的序幕；也就是，在那神聖的飲料傳遞之前，先把他那既受過聖化、又能施聖化的手指浸進缽裡。

Seeing himself placed next the Priest, and noting the ceremony, and thinking himself—being Captain of a ship—as having plain precedence over a mere island King, especially in the King’s own house—the Captain coolly proceeds to wash his hands in the punchbowl;—taking it I suppose for a huge finger-glass.

這船長見自己被安排在祭司旁邊，又留意到這套儀式，再一想——自己身為一船之長——理當明明白白地位序高過一個區區島國國王，尤其在國王自己家裡——便不慌不忙地動手在那酒缽裡洗起手來；——我猜，他大概把它當成一個巨大的洗指盆了。

“Now,” said Queequeg, “what you tink now?—Didn’t our people laugh?”

「那麼，」魁魁格說，「你這會兒怎麼想？——我們島上的人能不笑嗎？」

At last, passage paid, and luggage safe, we stood on board the schooner.

最後，船費付清、行李安頓妥當，我們站上了那艘縱帆船。

Hoisting sail, it glided down the Acushnet river.

升起帆，船順著阿庫什內河滑行而下。

On one side, New Bedford rose in terraces of streets, their ice-covered trees all glittering in the clear, cold air.

一側，新貝德福以一層層階梯狀的街道升起，覆滿冰的樹木在清冷的空氣裡熠熠生輝。

Huge hills and mountains of casks on casks were piled upon her wharves, and side by side the world-wandering whale ships lay silent and safely moored at last; while from others came a sound of carpenters and coopers, with blended noises of fires and forges to melt the pitch, all betokening that new cruises were on the start; that one most perilous and long voyage ended, only begins a second; and a second ended, only begins a third, and so on, for ever and for aye.

碼頭上堆著一座座、一山山的大桶疊大桶，那些浪跡全球的捕鯨船終於並排靜靜地、安然地停泊著；而從另一些船上，傳來木匠與桶匠的聲響，夾雜著熔瀝青的爐火與鍛爐的噪音，這一切都預示著新的航程即將啟程；一趟最是凶險而漫長的航行剛結束，緊接著只是另一趟的開始；第二趟一結束，又只是第三趟的開始，如此這般，永永遠遠，無有止盡。

Such is the endlessness, yea, the intolerableness of all earthly effort.

塵世間一切努力，正是這般地無有止盡——是的，正是這般地教人難以忍受。

Gaining the more open water, the bracing breeze waxed fresh; the little Moss tossed the quick foam from her bows, as a young colt his snortings.

駛入更開闊的水域後，那提神的海風漸漸轉勁；小小的青苔號從船首甩出陣陣飛濺的浪花，像一匹小馬駒打著響鼻。

How I snuffed that Tartar air!—how I spurned that turnpike earth!—that common highway all over dented with the marks of slavish heels and hoofs; and turned me to admire the magnanimity of the sea which will permit no records.

我何等暢快地嗅著那股韃靼般的野氣！——我何等不屑地唾棄那收費大道般的陸地！——那條到處被奴性的腳跟與蹄印踩出凹痕的尋常公路；於是我轉而讚歎大海的寬宏——它不容任何痕跡留下。

At the same foam-fountain, Queequeg seemed to drink and reel with me.

在同一道浪花的噴泉旁，魁魁格似乎也和我一同暢飲、一同陶然搖晃。

His dusky nostrils swelled apart; he showed his filed and pointed teeth.

他黝黑的鼻孔張得開開的；他露出了銼尖的牙齒。

On, on we flew; and our offing gained, the Moss did homage to the blast; ducked and dived her bows as a slave before the Sultan.

我們飛也似地往前、往前；駛離海岸後，青苔號向那陣狂風致敬；像一個奴隸在蘇丹面前那樣，把船首一俯一沉。

Sideways leaning, we sideways darted; every ropeyarn tingling like a wire; the two tall masts buckling like Indian canes in land tornadoes.

船身側傾，我們便側著飛馳；每一根繩纖維都像鋼絲似地繃得發顫；兩根高桅彎曲著，像陸上龍捲風裡的印度藤。

So full of this reeling scene were we, as we stood by the plunging bowsprit, that for some time we did not notice the jeering glances of the passengers, a lubber-like assembly, who marvelled that two fellow beings should be so companionable; as though a white man were anything more dignified than a whitewashed negro.

我們站在那俯衝的船首斜桅旁，滿心都是這搖盪的景象，以致好一陣子都沒注意到乘客們那些譏嘲的目光——那是一群旱鴨子似的烏合之眾，他們驚訝於兩個同類竟能這般合得來；彷彿一個白人，就比一個刷白了的黑人更有什麼尊嚴似的。

But there were some boobies and bumpkins there, who, by their intense greenness, must have come from the heart and centre of all verdure.

但他們之中有幾個蠢貨和鄉巴佬，瞧那一身濃得化不開的青澀，準是打從一切「綠」的核心與正中央來的。

Queequeg caught one of these young saplings mimicking him behind his back.

魁魁格逮著這幾株「小樹苗」中的一個，正在他背後學他的樣。

I thought the bumpkin’s hour of doom was come.

我以為這鄉巴佬的死期到了。

Dropping his harpoon, the brawny savage caught him in his arms, and by an almost miraculous dexterity and strength, sent him high up bodily into the air; then slightly tapping his stern in mid-somerset, the fellow landed with bursting lungs upon his feet, while Queequeg, turning his back upon him, lighted his tomahawk pipe and passed it to me for a puff.

那壯碩的野人扔下魚叉，一把把他抱住，以一種近乎神乎其技的靈巧與力氣，把他整個人高高拋向空中；然後趁他半空翻筋斗時，在他屁股上輕輕一拍，那傢伙便雙腳著地、喘得肺都要炸了；而魁魁格已轉過身去，點起他的菸斗戰斧，遞給我抽一口。

“Capting! Capting!” yelled the bumpkin, running towards that officer; “Capting, Capting, here’s the devil.”

「船長！船長！」那鄉巴佬朝那位官長跑去，嚷道；「船長，船長，這兒有個魔鬼。」

“Hallo, you sir,” cried the Captain, a gaunt rib of the sea, stalking up to Queequeg, “what in thunder do you mean by that? Don’t you know you might have killed that chap?”

「喂，你這位先生，」船長喊道——他是個瘦骨嶙峋、海上熬出來的人——大步走到魁魁格跟前，「你這究竟是什麼意思？你不知道你差點害死那小子嗎？」

“What him say?” said Queequeg, as he mildly turned to me.

「他講什麼？」魁魁格溫和地轉向我問道。

“He say,” said I, “that you came near kill-e that man there,” pointing to the still shivering greenhorn.

「他說，」我說，「你差點殺掉那邊那個人，」我指著那個還在發抖的菜鳥。

“Kill-e,” cried Queequeg, twisting his tattooed face into an unearthly expression of disdain, “ah! him bevy small-e fish-e; Queequeg no kill-e so small-e fish-e; Queequeg kill-e big whale!”

「殺掉，」魁魁格喊道，把他那刺青的臉扭成一副超乎尋常的鄙夷神情，「啊！他小小小魚啦；魁魁格不殺這麼小的魚啦；魁魁格殺大鯨！」

“Look you,” roared the Captain, “I’ll kill-e you, you cannibal, if you try any more of your tricks aboard here; so mind your eye.”

「你給我聽著，」船長吼道，「你這食人族，你要是再在這船上耍什麼花樣，我就『殺掉你』；所以給我放機靈點。」

But it so happened just then, that it was high time for the Captain to mind his own eye.

可偏巧就在這時，輪到船長自己該放機靈點了。

The prodigious strain upon the main-sail had parted the weather-sheet, and the tremendous boom was now flying from side to side, completely sweeping the entire after part of the deck.

主帆上那股巨大的張力，已把迎風的帆腳索繃斷了，那根駭人的帆桁這會兒正左右橫飛，把整個後甲板掃了個遍。

The poor fellow whom Queequeg had handled so roughly, was swept overboard; all hands were in a panic; and to attempt snatching at the boom to stay it, seemed madness.

那個被魁魁格粗手粗腳對待過的可憐傢伙，被掃下了海；全船的人都慌了；而想去抓住那帆桁、把它制住，簡直像是發瘋。

It flew from right to left, and back again, almost in one ticking of a watch, and every instant seemed on the point of snapping into splinters.

它從右掃到左、又掃回來，幾乎就在錶針滴答一聲之間；每一刻都像是要崩裂成碎片。

Nothing was done, and nothing seemed capable of being done; those on deck rushed towards the bows, and stood eyeing the boom as if it were the lower jaw of an exasperated whale.

什麼也沒做成，似乎也沒什麼做得成的；甲板上的人都衝向船首，站在那兒盯著那帆桁，彷彿它是一頭暴怒巨鯨的下顎。

In the midst of this consternation, Queequeg dropped deftly to his knees, and crawling under the path of the boom, whipped hold of a rope, secured one end to the bulwarks, and then flinging the other like a lasso, caught it round the boom as it swept over his head, and at the next jerk, the spar was that way trapped, and all was safe.

就在這一片驚惶中，魁魁格俐落地跪倒在地，從那帆桁橫掃的路徑底下爬過去，一把抓住一條繩子，把一端固定在舷牆上，然後像甩套索般把另一端拋出，趁帆桁從他頭上掃過時套住了它，下一個猛拽之間，那桅桁便這麼被套住了，於是一切都安全了。

The schooner was run into the wind, and while the hands were clearing away the stern boat, Queequeg, stripped to the waist, darted from the side with a long living arc of a leap.

縱帆船被轉向迎風，趁水手們在解開船尾小艇時，魁魁格脫到半裸，從船舷劃出一道修長、矯健的弧線一躍而下。

For three minutes or more he was seen swimming like a dog, throwing his long arms straight out before him, and by turns revealing his brawny shoulders through the freezing foam.

有三分多鐘，只見他像狗一樣游著，雙臂直直地往身前甩出，在那冰凍的浪花裡輪番露出他壯碩的肩膀。

I looked at the grand and glorious fellow, but saw no one to be saved.

我望著這位偉岸而英勇的傢伙，卻看不見有什麼人可救。

The greenhorn had gone down.

那菜鳥已經沉下去了。

Shooting himself perpendicularly from the water, Queequeg, now took an instant’s glance around him, and seeming to see just how matters were, dived down and disappeared.

魁魁格筆直地從水裡竄起，這會兒朝四周飛快一瞥，似乎看清了情勢，便一個猛子扎下去、不見了。

A few minutes more, and he rose again, one arm still striking out, and with the other dragging a lifeless form.

又過了幾分鐘，他再次浮起，一隻手仍划著水，另一隻手拖著一個了無生氣的身軀。

The boat soon picked them up. The poor bumpkin was restored.

小艇很快把他倆撈了上來。那可憐的鄉巴佬被救活了。

All hands voted Queequeg a noble trump; the captain begged his pardon.

全船一致公認魁魁格是條好漢；船長向他賠了不是。

From that hour I clove to Queequeg like a barnacle; yea, till poor Queequeg took his last long dive.

從那一刻起，我便像藤壺一樣緊緊附著魁魁格；是的，一直到可憐的魁魁格縱身扎下他最後那長長的一潛（死去）為止。

Was there ever such unconsciousness?

天底下可曾有過這樣的渾然不自覺？

He did not seem to think that he at all deserved a medal from the Humane and Magnanimous Societies.

他似乎完全不覺得自己配得上「人道與義行協會」頒一面獎章。

He only asked for water—fresh water—something to wipe the brine off; that done, he put on dry clothes, lighted his pipe, and leaning against the bulwarks, and mildly eyeing those around him, seemed to be saying to himself—“It’s a mutual, joint-stock world, in all meridians. We cannibals must help these Christians.”

他只要了點水——淡水——好擦掉身上的鹽鹵；擦完，他換上乾衣裳，點起菸斗，倚著舷牆，溫和地打量著四周的人，彷彿在對自己說——「這是個彼此相連、處處合股的世界，放諸四海皆然。我們食人族，總得幫幫這些基督徒。」