艙房餐桌

It is noon; and Dough-Boy, the steward, thrusting his pale loaf-of-bread face from the cabin-scuttle, announces dinner to his lord and master; who, sitting in the lee quarter-boat, has just been taking an observation of the sun; and is now mutely reckoning the latitude on the smooth, medallion-shaped tablet, reserved for that daily purpose on the upper part of his ivory leg. From his complete inattention to the tidings, you would think that moody Ahab had not heard his menial. But presently, catching hold of the mizen shrouds, he swings himself to the deck, and in an even, unexhilarated voice, saying, “Dinner, Mr. Starbuck,” disappears into the cabin.

正午時分；膳務員「麵團小子」從艙口探出他那張蒼白如麵包的臉，向他的主上通報開飯——主上正坐在背風的後甲板小艇裡測日，此刻默默地在他象牙腿上半部那塊光滑、徽章形的小板（每天專留作此用）上推算緯度。看他對這通報全然不理，你會以為陰鬱的亞哈根本沒聽見他這僕役。但他隨即抓住後桅的側支索，把自己盪上甲板，用一種平板、毫無生氣的嗓音說了句「開飯了，斯塔巴克先生」，便沒入艙裡不見了。

When the last echo of his sultan’s step has died away, and Starbuck, the first Emir, has every reason to suppose that he is seated, then Starbuck rouses from his quietude, takes a few turns along the planks, and, after a grave peep into the binnacle, says, with some touch of pleasantness, “Dinner, Mr. Stubb,” and descends the scuttle. The second Emir lounges about the rigging awhile, and then slightly shaking the main brace, to see whether it will be all right with that important rope, he likewise takes up the old burden, and with a rapid “Dinner, Mr. Flask,” follows after his predecessors.

等這位「蘇丹」最後一聲腳步的回響消散、斯塔巴克——這位「第一埃米爾」——有充分理由認定他已就座，斯塔巴克才從靜默中振作起來，沿甲板踱了幾步，又鄭重地往羅經櫃裡瞄了一眼，帶著幾分愉悅的口吻說：「開飯了，斯塔布先生」，便下了艙口。這「第二埃米爾」在索具邊閒晃了一會兒，又輕輕扯了扯主帆繩、看看那條要緊的繩子是否妥當，也接過這老差事，匆匆一句「開飯了，弗拉斯克先生」，跟在前兩位之後下去了。

But the third Emir, now seeing himself all alone on the quarter-deck, seems to feel relieved from some curious restraint; for, tipping all sorts of knowing winks in all sorts of directions, and kicking off his shoes, he strikes into a sharp but noiseless squall of a hornpipe right over the Grand Turk’s head; and then, by a dexterous sleight, pitching his cap up into the mizentop for a shelf, he goes down rollicking so far at least as he remains visible from the deck, reversing all other processions, by bringing up the rear with music. But ere stepping into the cabin doorway below, he pauses, ships a new face altogether, and, then, independent, hilarious little Flask enters King Ahab’s presence, in the character of Abjectus, or the Slave.

但這「第三埃米爾」，這會兒見自己獨自留在後甲板，彷彿卸下了某種古怪的拘束；他朝四面八方擠出種種會意的眨眼、踢掉鞋子，就在「大蘇丹（土耳其大君）」的頭頂上空，無聲地跳起一段急促狂烈的角笛舞；接著手法俐落地把帽子往後桅頂一拋當作擱架，便一路嬉鬧著下去——至少在甲板還看得見他的這段路如此——以「殿後奏樂」的姿態，把別人的「進場行列」整個顛倒了過來。可在踏進下面艙門之前，他停住腳，徹底換上另一張臉；於是，那獨立、歡鬧的小弗拉斯克，便以「卑屈者（Abjectus）」、亦即「奴隸」的角色，走進了亞哈王的面前。

It is not the least among the strange things bred by the intense artificialness of sea-usages, that while in the open air of the deck some officers will, upon provocation, bear themselves boldly and defyingly enough towards their commander; yet, ten to one, let those very officers the next moment go down to their customary dinner in that same commander’s cabin, and straightway their inoffensive, not to say deprecatory and humble air towards him, as he sits at the head of the table; this is marvellous, sometimes most comical. Wherefore this difference? A problem? Perhaps not.

海上慣例那濃烈的人為造作所滋生的怪事中，這一樁絕不算小：在甲板的露天裡，有些軍官受了刺激，敢對他們的指揮官表現得相當大膽、相當頂撞；可十有八九，讓那同一批軍官下一刻下到那同一位指揮官的艙裡用他們慣常的晚餐，他們對坐在桌首的他，立刻就變得與人無忤——不誇張地說——甚至賠著小心、一副謙卑相；這真是奇妙，有時還滑稽至極。何以有此差別？一個難題？也許不是。

To have been Belshazzar, King of Babylon; and to have been Belshazzar, not haughtily but courteously, therein certainly must have been some touch of mundane grandeur. But he who in the rightly regal and intelligent spirit presides over his own private dinner-table of invited guests, that man’s unchallenged power and dominion of individual influence for the time; that man’s royalty of state transcends Belshazzar’s, for Belshazzar was not the greatest. Who has but once dined his friends, has tasted what it is to be Cæsar. It is a witchery of social czarship which there is no withstanding. Now, if to this consideration you superadd the official supremacy of a ship-master, then, by inference, you will derive the cause of that peculiarity of sea-life just mentioned.

曾當過巴比倫王伯沙撒；而且當伯沙撒當得不傲慢、卻彬彬有禮——這其中必定帶著某種塵世的宏偉。但那以真正帝王而睿智的氣度、主持自家私人宴席款待賓客的人，他那一時之間無人挑戰的權力與個人影響的支配；那人「邦國般的王者氣派」，更勝過伯沙撒——因為伯沙撒並非最偉大的。凡只請過友人一頓飯的人，都已嚐過當凱撒是什麼滋味。那是一種「社交沙皇之術」的魔力，無人抵擋得住。如今，你若在此之上再添上一位船長的職權至上，那麼，循此推論，你便能得出方才所說那海上怪象的成因了。

Over his ivory-inlaid table, Ahab presided like a mute, maned sea-lion on the white coral beach, surrounded by his warlike but still deferential cubs. In his own proper turn, each officer waited to be served. They were as little children before Ahab; and yet, in Ahab, there seemed not to lurk the smallest social arrogance. With one mind, their intent eyes all fastened upon the old man’s knife, as he carved the chief dish before him.

在他那張象牙鑲嵌的餐桌主位，亞哈像一頭沉默、披著鬃毛的海獅，蹲在白珊瑚灘上，四周圍著他那些好戰卻仍恭順的幼獸。每位軍官各按自己的次序，等著被分菜。他們在亞哈面前像一群小孩；可亞哈身上，又似乎不潛藏著哪怕最微小的社交傲慢。眾人心意一致，專注的目光全都緊盯著老人的刀——當他切著面前的主菜時。

I do not suppose that for the world they would have profaned that moment with the slightest observation, even upon so neutral a topic as the weather. No! And when reaching out his knife and fork, between which the slice of beef was locked, Ahab thereby motioned Starbuck’s plate towards him, the mate received his meat as though receiving alms; and cut it tenderly; and a little started if, perchance, the knife grazed against the plate; and chewed it noiselessly; and swallowed it, not without circumspection.

我想他們無論如何也不會以哪怕最輕微的一句話、哪怕只是「天氣」這般中性的話題，去褻瀆那一刻。不會的！而當亞哈伸出刀叉、把那片夾在刀叉間的牛肉、連同這動作把斯塔巴克的盤子示意推向他時，這位大副接過他那份肉，就像在領取救濟；他輕手輕腳地切；刀子若偶爾蹭到盤子，他還會微微一驚；他悄無聲息地嚼；嚥下去時，也不無小心翼翼。

For, like the Coronation banquet at Frankfort, where the German Emperor profoundly dines with the seven Imperial Electors, so these cabin meals were somehow solemn meals, eaten in awful silence; and yet at table old Ahab forbade not conversation; only he himself was dumb. What a relief it was to choking Stubb, when a rat made a sudden racket in the hold below.

因為，正如法蘭克福的加冕宴——德皇在那兒與七位帝國選帝侯莊嚴共餐——這些艙餐不知怎地也是肅穆的餐宴，在可畏的靜默中進行；然而老亞哈在桌上並不禁止交談，只是他自己一語不發。當底艙下面有隻老鼠突然鬧出聲響時，對快噎住的斯塔布來說，那真是天大的解脫。

And poor little Flask, he was the youngest son, and little boy of this weary family party. His were the shinbones of the saline beef; his would have been the drumsticks. For Flask to have presumed to help himself, this must have seemed to him tantamount to larceny in the first degree. Had he helped himself at that table, doubtless, never more would he have been able to hold his head up in this honest world; nevertheless, strange to say, Ahab never forbade him. And had Flask helped himself, the chances were Ahab had never so much as noticed it.

而可憐的小弗拉斯克，他是這疲憊家族聚會裡的么兒、小男孩。分給他的是那鹹牛肉的脛骨；（若有雞的話）雞腿本也該歸他。弗拉斯克若膽敢自己動手取食，這在他看來，無異於「一級竊盜罪」。他若在那桌上自取食物，無疑將再也無法在這誠實的世界上抬起頭來；然而說來奇怪，亞哈卻從不禁止他。而弗拉斯克即便真自取了，亞哈十之八九根本不會注意到。

Least of all, did Flask presume to help himself to butter. Whether he thought the owners of the ship denied it to him, on account of its clotting his clear, sunny complexion; or whether he deemed that, on so long a voyage in such marketless waters, butter was at a premium, and therefore was not for him, a subaltern; however it was, Flask, alas! was a butterless man!

尤其，弗拉斯克最不敢染指的是奶油。不知他是以為船東不給他奶油、是怕油壞了他那清朗、陽光的好氣色；還是覺得這麼長、又沒地方補給的航程裡，奶油金貴稀缺，所以輪不到他這小副官；總之不管怎樣，弗拉斯克——唉！——是個「沒奶油的人」！

Another thing. Flask was the last person down at the dinner, and Flask is the first man up. Consider! For hereby Flask’s dinner was badly jammed in point of time. Starbuck and Stubb both had the start of him; and yet they also have the privilege of lounging in the rear. If Stubb even, who is but a peg higher than Flask, happens to have but a small appetite, and soon shows symptoms of concluding his repast, then Flask must bestir himself, he will not get more than three mouthfuls that day; for it is against holy usage for Stubb to precede Flask to the deck.

還有一事。弗拉斯克是最後一個下去吃飯的，弗拉斯克卻是第一個上來的。想想看！正因如此，弗拉斯克的這頓飯在時間上被擠得苦不堪言。斯塔巴克和斯塔布都比他先開動；可他倆又享有「殿後悠閒」的特權。就算只比弗拉斯克高一階的斯塔布，碰巧胃口小、很快顯出要結束這頓飯的跡象，那弗拉斯克就得趕緊張羅——這一天他撈不到三口以上；因為按神聖的慣例，斯塔布絕不能比弗拉斯克先上甲板。

Therefore it was that Flask once admitted in private, that ever since he had arisen to the dignity of an officer, from that moment he had never known what it was to be otherwise than hungry, more or less. For what he ate did not so much relieve his hunger, as keep it immortal in him. Peace and satisfaction, thought Flask, have for ever departed from my stomach. I am an officer; but, how I wish I could fish a bit of old-fashioned beef in the forecastle, as I used to when I was before the mast. There’s the fruits of promotion now; there’s the vanity of glory: there’s the insanity of life!

正因如此，弗拉斯克曾私下承認：自從他升上了軍官這份「尊榮」，從那一刻起，他就再沒嚐過「不或多或少地餓著」是什麼滋味。因為他吃下的那點東西，與其說是解了他的餓，不如說是讓那份餓在他體內「長生不死」。和平與滿足，弗拉斯克想，已永遠離開了我的胃。我是個軍官；可我多希望能像當水手時那樣，在船頭撈塊老式的牛肉啃啊。瞧，這就是升官的果實；這就是榮耀的虛空；這就是人生的瘋狂！

Besides, if it were so that any mere sailor of the Pequod had a grudge against Flask in Flask’s official capacity, all that sailor had to do, in order to obtain ample vengeance, was to go aft at dinner-time, and get a peep at Flask through the cabin sky-light, sitting silly and dumfoundered before awful Ahab.

此外，倘若裴廓德號上哪個普通水手對身為軍官的弗拉斯克懷有過節，那這水手要報個痛快的仇，只消在飯點走到船尾、從艙頂天窗瞄一眼弗拉斯克——看他在可畏的亞哈面前坐得傻愣愣、嚇呆了的那副模樣，也就夠了。

Now, Ahab and his three mates formed what may be called the first table in the Pequod’s cabin. After their departure, taking place in inverted order to their arrival, the canvas cloth was cleared, or rather was restored to some hurried order by the pallid steward. And then the three harpooneers were bidden to the feast, they being its residuary legatees. They made a sort of temporary servants’ hall of the high and mighty cabin.

卻說，亞哈與他三位船副，構成了裴廓德號艙裡可稱之為「第一桌」的一席。他們以與進場相反的次序離席後，那蒼白的膳務員便把帆布桌巾撤下——或者說，草草地把它收拾回個大致的秩序。然後，三位標槍手才被請來赴宴——他們是這宴席的「剩餘遺產繼承人」。他們把這高貴威嚴的艙室，權當成了一個臨時的「僕役廳」。

In strange contrast to the hardly tolerable constraint and nameless invisible domineerings of the captain’s table, was the entire care-free license and ease, the almost frantic democracy of those inferior fellows the harpooneers. While their masters, the mates, seemed afraid of the sound of the hinges of their own jaws, the harpooneers chewed their food with such a relish that there was a report to it. They dined like lords; they filled their bellies like Indian ships all day loading with spices.

與船長那一桌幾乎難以忍受的拘束、那無以名狀、無形的威壓恰成奇異對比的，是這幾位「下等人」標槍手那全然無拘無束的放縱與自在、那近乎瘋狂的民主。當他們的主子、那些船副連自己下顎開合的聲響都怕時，標槍手卻嚼得津津有味、嚼出了「響聲」。他們吃得像王侯；他們把肚子填得像整天裝載香料的印度商船。

Such portentous appetites had Queequeg and Tashtego, that to fill out the vacancies made by the previous repast, often the pale Dough-Boy was fain to bring on a great baron of salt-junk, seemingly quarried out of the solid ox. And if he were not lively about it, if he did not go with a nimble hop-skip-and-jump, then Tashtego had an ungentlemanly way of accelerating him by darting a fork at his back, harpoon-wise.

魁魁格和塔什特戈的胃口大得驚人，為了填補前一頓所造成的「空缺」，蒼白的麵團小子常不得不再端上一大塊「彷彿從整頭牛身上鑿下來」的鹹醃肉。他若動作不夠俐落、不連蹦帶跳地麻利伺候，塔什特戈就有種很不紳士的法子來「加速」他——像擲魚叉似地朝他背上扔一把叉子。

And once Daggoo, seized with a sudden humor, assisted Dough-Boy’s memory by snatching him up bodily, and thrusting his head into a great empty wooden trencher, while Tashtego, knife in hand, began laying out the circle preliminary to scalping him. He was naturally a very nervous, shuddering sort of little fellow, this bread-faced steward; the progeny of a bankrupt baker and a hospital nurse.

有一回，大個兒一時興起，幫麵團小子「提神醒記」——一把把他整個拎起、把他的頭塞進一只空的大木盤裡，塔什特戈則持刀在手，開始比劃起「剝頭皮」前要先劃的那道圓圈。這張麵包臉的膳務員，天生就是個極神經質、愛發抖的小傢伙——他是個破產麵包師與一個醫院護士的後代。

And what with the standing spectacle of the black terrific Ahab, and the periodical tumultuous visitations of these three savages, Dough-Boy’s whole life was one continual lip-quiver. Commonly, after seeing the harpooneers furnished with all things they demanded, he would escape from their clutches into his little pantry adjoining, and fearfully peep out at them through the blinds of its door, till all was over.

再加上那「黑色可怖的亞哈」這一恆常的景象、以及這三個野人週期性的喧鬧造訪，麵團小子的整個人生就是一場接連不斷的「嘴唇打顫」。通常，伺候完標槍手要的一切後，他便從他們的魔爪中逃進隔壁那間小食品櫃，從櫃門的百葉縫裡膽戰心驚地往外偷看他們，直到一切結束。

It was a sight to see Queequeg seated over against Tashtego, opposing his filed teeth to the Indian’s: crosswise to them, Daggoo seated on the floor, for a bench would have brought his hearse-plumed head to the low carlines; at every motion of his colossal limbs, making the low cabin framework to shake, as when an African elephant goes passenger in a ship.

那景象真值得一看：魁魁格與塔什特戈面對面坐著，把他那口銼尖的牙對著印第安人的牙；與他倆成橫向的是席地而坐的大個兒——因為若坐凳子，他那「靈車羽飾般」的頭就會頂到低矮的橫樑；他那巨大的四肢每動一下，都震得低矮的艙架直晃，就像一頭非洲象搭船當乘客似的。

But for all this, the great negro was wonderfully abstemious, not to say dainty. It seemed hardly possible that by such comparatively small mouthfuls he could keep up the vitality diffused through so broad, baronial, and superb a person. But, doubtless, this noble savage fed strong and drank deep of the abounding element of air; and through his dilated nostrils snuffed in the sublime life of the worlds. Not by beef or by bread, are giants made or nourished.

可儘管如此，這偉岸的黑人卻出奇地節制、甚至可說講究。叫人難以相信，靠那麼相對小口的食物，他竟能維繫遍布他那寬闊、貴族般、雄偉之軀的活力。但無疑，這位高貴的野人是「深飲了空氣這浩瀚的元素」、從他擴張的鼻孔裡「吸進了諸世界崇高的生命」。巨人，可不是靠牛肉或麵包造就、養大的。

But Queequeg, he had a mortal, barbaric smack of the lip in eating—an ugly sound enough—so much so, that the trembling Dough-Boy almost looked to see whether any marks of teeth lurked in his own lean arms. And when he would hear Tashtego singing out for him to produce himself, that his bones might be picked, the simple-witted steward all but shattered the crockery hanging round him in the pantry, by his sudden fits of the palsy.

但魁魁格吃東西時有一種要命的、野蠻的咂嘴聲——一個夠難聽的聲音——難聽到顫抖的麵團小子幾乎要去查看自己那瘦胳膊上有沒有牙印潛伏。而當他聽見塔什特戈吆喝他「現身、好讓人把骨頭剔乾淨」時，這頭腦簡單的膳務員嚇得突然渾身發抖、幾乎要把食品櫃裡掛在他四周的陶器都震碎。

Nor did the whetstone which the harpooneers carried in their pockets, for their lances and other weapons; and with which whetstones, at dinner, they would ostentatiously sharpen their knives; that grating sound did not at all tend to tranquillize poor Dough-Boy. How could he forget that in his Island days, Queequeg, for one, must certainly have been guilty of some murderous, convivial indiscretions.

標槍手口袋裡為磨他們的長槍與其他武器而帶的磨刀石——他們在飯桌上會招搖地拿這些磨刀石磨刀——那刺耳的聲音，也絲毫無助於安撫可憐的麵團小子。他怎能忘記：在他海島的日子裡，魁魁格這一個，就準幹過些「殺人的、宴飲式的越軌之事」。

Alas! Dough-Boy! hard fares the white waiter who waits upon cannibals. Not a napkin should he carry on his arm, but a buckler. In good time, though, to his great delight, the three salt-sea warriors would rise and depart; to his credulous, fable-mongering ears, all their martial bones jingling in them at every step, like Moorish scimetars in scabbards.

唉！麵團小子！伺候食人族的白人侍者，日子可真不好過。他手臂上該掛的不是餐巾，而是一面盾牌。不過，到了時候，叫他大為欣喜的是，那三位「海上鹹味戰士」終會起身離去；在他那輕信、愛聽神怪故事的耳朵裡，他們每走一步，渾身好戰的骨頭都在體內叮噹作響，像鞘中的摩爾彎刀。

But, though these barbarians dined in the cabin, and nominally lived there; still, being anything but sedentary in their habits, they were scarcely ever in it except at mealtimes, and just before sleeping-time, when they passed through it to their own peculiar quarters.

不過，這些野人雖在艙裡用餐、名義上也住在那兒，他們的習性卻絕非「久坐不動」，因此除了用餐時、以及就寢前路過艙裡去他們自己那特別的住處時，他們幾乎從不待在裡頭。

In this one matter, Ahab seemed no exception to most American whale captains, who, as a set, rather incline to the opinion that by rights the ship’s cabin belongs to them; and that it is by courtesy alone that anybody else is, at any time, permitted there. So that, in real truth, the mates and harpooneers of the Pequod might more properly be said to have lived out of the cabin than in it. For when they did enter it, it was something as a street-door enters a house; turning inwards for a moment, only to be turned out the next; and, as a permanent thing, residing in the open air.

在這一點上，亞哈似乎與多數美國捕鯨船長無異——這些人作為一個群體，大抵傾向於認為：船艙按理就該歸他們所有；旁人任何時候能進去，全憑「恩准」。所以說實話，裴廓德號的船副與標槍手，與其說「住在艙裡」，不如更恰當地說「住在艙外」。因為他們進艙時，那情形有點像「大門開進一間屋子」——向內轉一下，下一刻就被轉了出去；而作為長住之所，他們其實是棲身於露天。

Nor did they lose much hereby; in the cabin was no companionship; socially, Ahab was inaccessible. Though nominally included in the census of Christendom, he was still an alien to it. He lived in the world, as the last of the Grisly Bears lived in settled Missouri. And as when Spring and Summer had departed, that wild Logan of the woods, burying himself in the hollow of a tree, lived out the winter there, sucking his own paws; so, in his inclement, howling old age, Ahab’s soul, shut up in the caved trunk of his body, there fed upon the sullen paws of its gloom!

他們也並未因此損失多少；艙裡並沒有什麼同伴情誼；在社交上，亞哈是遙不可及的。他雖名義上算在基督教世界的人口普查之內，卻仍是它的一個外人。他活在這世上，就像「最後一頭灰熊」活在已開化的密蘇里；又像當春夏離去後，那林中野性的「洛根」把自己埋進一個空樹洞、舔著自己的爪、在那兒挨過整個寒冬——同樣地，在他那淒厲嚎叫的暮年裡，亞哈的靈魂封閉在他身體那中空的軀幹裡，就在那兒，舔食著牠那一身陰鬱的爪！