全員忙碌

A day or two passed, and there was great activity aboard the Pequod.

一兩天過去了，裴廓德號上一片忙碌。

Not only were the old sails being mended, but new sails were coming on board, and bolts of canvas, and coils of rigging; in short, everything betokened that the ship’s preparations were hurrying to a close.

不只舊帆在縫補，新帆也一面面搬上船來，還有一捲捲的帆布、一盤盤的索具；總之，種種跡象都預示著這船的備航正匆匆收尾。

Captain Peleg seldom or never went ashore, but sat in his wigwam keeping a sharp look-out upon the hands: Bildad did all the purchasing and providing at the stores; and the men employed in the hold and on the rigging were working till long after night-fall.

法勒船長幾乎從不上岸，只坐在他的棚屋裡，銳利地盯著那班船工：比勒達則包辦了在店鋪的一切採買與張羅；而在貨艙裡、在索具上幹活的人，一直忙到深夜許久之後。

On the day following Queequeg’s signing the articles, word was given at all the inns where the ship’s company were stopping, that their chests must be on board before night, for there was no telling how soon the vessel might be sailing.

就在魁魁格簽約的第二天，凡是船員投宿的客棧都接到通知：他們的箱子必須在天黑前搬上船，因為誰也說不準這船多快就要開了。

So Queequeg and I got down our traps, resolving, however, to sleep ashore till the last.

於是魁魁格和我把行李收拾下來，不過我們打定主意，要在岸上一直睡到最後一刻。

But it seems they always give very long notice in these cases, and the ship did not sail for several days.

可看來這種事他們總是早早就先通知，結果這船好幾天都沒開。

But no wonder; there was a good deal to be done, and there is no telling how many things to be thought of, before the Pequod was fully equipped.

這也難怪；要辦的事多著呢，裴廓德號要備齊到萬事俱全之前，得想到的東西多得數不清。

Every one knows what a multitude of things—beds, sauce-pans, knives and forks, shovels and tongs, napkins, nut-crackers, and what not, are indispensable to the business of housekeeping.

人人都知道，持家這件事少不了多少東西——床鋪、燉鍋、刀叉、鏟子火鉗、餐巾、胡桃鉗等等，樣樣不可或缺。

Just so with whaling, which necessitates a three-years’ housekeeping upon the wide ocean, far from all grocers, costermongers, doctors, bakers, and bankers.

捕鯨正是如此，它要求在茫茫大洋上「持家」三年，遠離一切雜貨商、沿街叫賣的菜販、醫生、麵包師與銀行家。

And though this also holds true of merchant vessels, yet not by any means to the same extent as with whalemen.

這話雖然對商船也成立，但程度上遠遠比不上捕鯨人。

For besides the great length of the whaling voyage, the numerous articles peculiar to the prosecution of the fishery, and the impossibility of replacing them at the remote harbors usually frequented, it must be remembered, that of all ships, whaling vessels are the most exposed to accidents of all kinds, and especially to the destruction and loss of the very things upon which the success of the voyage most depends.

因為，除了捕鯨航程之漫長、除了從事這捕鯨營生所特有的大量器具、除了在通常出沒的那些偏遠港口根本無從補給之外，還必須記得：在所有船隻當中，捕鯨船最容易遭遇各式各樣的意外，尤其容易毀損、丟失那些「航程成敗最仰賴於它們」的東西。

Hence, the spare boats, spare spars, and spare lines and harpoons, and spare everythings, almost, but a spare Captain and duplicate ship.

因此，備用的小艇、備用的圓材、備用的繩索和魚叉、幾乎是備用的「樣樣東西」——就差沒備一個替補船長和一艘複製的船了。

At the period of our arrival at the Island, the heaviest storage of the Pequod had been almost completed; comprising her beef, bread, water, fuel, and iron hoops and staves.

我們抵達島上那會兒，裴廓德號最沉重的那批儲備幾乎已裝載完畢；包括她的牛肉、麵包、淡水、燃料，還有鐵箍與木桶板。

But, as before hinted, for some time there was a continual fetching and carrying on board of divers odds and ends of things, both large and small.

但正如先前所暗示的，有好一陣子，種種大大小小、零零碎碎的東西，一直不斷地被取來、搬上船。

Chief among those who did this fetching and carrying was Captain Bildad’s sister, a lean old lady of a most determined and indefatigable spirit, but withal very kindhearted, who seemed resolved that, if she could help it, nothing should be found wanting in the Pequod, after once fairly getting to sea.

幹這取貨、搬運活兒的人裡，數一數二的是比勒達船長的姊姊——一位精瘦的老太太，意志最是堅定、精力不知疲倦，卻又格外熱心腸；她似乎下定決心：只要她使得上力，裴廓德號一旦正式出了海，就什麼都不該短缺。

At one time she would come on board with a jar of pickles for the steward’s pantry; another time with a bunch of quills for the chief mate’s desk, where he kept his log; a third time with a roll of flannel for the small of some one’s rheumatic back.

一會兒她抱著一罐醃菜上船，給膳務員的食品櫃；一會兒又拿來一把鵝毛筆，給大副記航海日誌的書桌用；再一會兒又帶來一捲法蘭絨，給某人犯風濕的腰背墊著。

Never did any woman better deserve her name, which was Charity—Aunt Charity, as everybody called her.

從沒有哪個女人比她更配得上自己的名字——她叫「慈善（Charity）」，人人都喚她「慈善姑媽」。

And like a sister of charity did this charitable Aunt Charity bustle about hither and thither, ready to turn her hand and heart to anything that promised to yield safety, comfort, and consolation to all on board a ship in which her beloved brother Bildad was concerned, and in which she herself owned a score or two of well-saved dollars.

這位慈悲的慈善姑媽，就像一位「慈善修女」似的，東奔西忙、四處張羅，凡能給船上眾人帶來安全、舒適與慰藉的事，她都隨時樂意動手、動心去做——畢竟這船關係著她疼愛的弟弟比勒達，她自己在船上也持有那麼一兩打省吃儉用攢下的股本。

But it was startling to see this excellent hearted Quakeress coming on board, as she did the last day, with a long oil-ladle in one hand, and a still longer whaling lance in the other.

但叫人吃驚的是，這位心地極好的貴格老太太，在最後一天上船時，竟一手拿著長長的舀油杓、另一手拎著一柄更長的捕鯨槍。

Nor was Bildad himself nor Captain Peleg at all backward.

比勒達本人和法勒船長也絲毫不甘落後。

As for Bildad, he carried about with him a long list of the articles needed, and at every fresh arrival, down went his mark opposite that article upon the paper.

說到比勒達，他隨身帶著一長串所需物品的清單，每來一批新貨，他就在紙上那項目旁邊打下一個勾。

Every once in a while Peleg came hobbling out of his whalebone den, roaring at the men down the hatchways, roaring up to the riggers at the mast-head, and then concluded by roaring back into his wigwam.

法勒則時不時從他那鯨骨窩裡一瘸一拐地出來，朝艙口下的人吼、朝桅頂的索具工吼，吼到最後再吼著回他的棚屋裡去。

During these days of preparation, Queequeg and I often visited the craft, and as often I asked about Captain Ahab, and how he was, and when he was going to come on board his ship.

在這些備航的日子裡，魁魁格和我常去船上，而我也一樣常常打聽亞哈船長——他怎麼樣了、什麼時候上他的船來。

To these questions they would answer, that he was getting better and better, and was expected aboard every day; meantime, the two captains, Peleg and Bildad, could attend to everything necessary to fit the vessel for the voyage.

對這些問題，他們總回答說：他越來越好了，每天都可能上船；眼下，法勒和比勒達兩位船長足以料理一切備航所需的事。

If I had been downright honest with myself, I would have seen very plainly in my heart that I did but half fancy being committed this way to so long a voyage, without once laying my eyes on the man who was to be the absolute dictator of it, so soon as the ship sailed out upon the open sea.

倘若我對自己徹底誠實，我心裡本該看得清清楚楚：就這麼把自己交付給這麼長一趟航程，卻連那個一旦船駛上開闊海面便將成為它「絕對獨裁者」的人都不曾見過一眼——這我其實只是「半喜歡」而已。

But when a man suspects any wrong, it sometimes happens that if he be already involved in the matter, he insensibly strives to cover up his suspicions even from himself.

但當一個人懷疑哪裡不對勁時，有時會這樣：他若已身陷其中，便會不知不覺地連對自己都竭力掩蓋起那份疑慮。

And much this way it was with me. I said nothing, and tried to think nothing.

我大抵就是這樣。我什麼也沒說，也努力什麼都不去想。

At last it was given out that some time next day the ship would certainly sail. So next morning, Queequeg and I took a very early start.

終於傳出話來：第二天某個時候，船必定啟航。於是第二天一早，魁魁格和我就老早動了身。