揣測

Though, consumed with the hot fire of his purpose, Ahab in all his thoughts and actions ever had in view the ultimate capture of Moby Dick; though he seemed ready to sacrifice all mortal interests to that one passion; nevertheless it may have been that he was by nature and long habituation far too wedded to a fiery whaleman’s ways, altogether to abandon the collateral prosecution of the voyage. ... But if such an hypothesis be indeed exceptionable, there were still additional considerations which, though not so strictly according with the wildness of his ruling passion, yet were by no means incapable of swaying him.

儘管亞哈被他那目的的烈火吞噬著、在一切思想與行動中始終以「最終捕獲莫比敵」為念；儘管他似乎準備為這唯一的激情犧牲一切凡塵的利益；然而，也許是由於天性與長年的習慣，他本就太眷戀一個火熱捕鯨人的種種行徑，以致無法徹底放棄航程「附帶」的（正常捕鯨）營生。或者，至少即便不是如此，也不乏其他對他影響力大得多的動機。也許——即便考慮到他的偏執狂——去暗示「他對白鯨的報復，或許在某種程度上延伸到了所有抹香鯨；他殺的怪物越多，就越增加了每一頭隨後遇上的鯨『會是他所獵的那頭仇敵』的機會」，是想得太過精細了。但即便這樣的假設確實有可挑剔之處，仍另有一些考量——它們雖不那麼嚴格契合他那主宰一切的激情之狂野，卻絕非無法左右他。

To accomplish his object Ahab must use tools; and of all tools used in the shadow of the moon, men are most apt to get out of order. He knew, for example, that however magnetic his ascendency in some respects was over Starbuck, yet that ascendency did not cover the complete spiritual man any more than mere corporeal superiority involves intellectual mastership... still he knew that for all this the chief mate, in his soul, abhorred his captain’s quest, and could he, would joyfully disintegrate himself from it, or even frustrate it.

為達成他的目標，亞哈必須使用「工具」；而在月光的陰影下所用的一切工具中，人是最容易出毛病的。比方說，他知道：無論他在某些方面對斯塔巴克的「磁性支配」多麼強大，那支配卻並不涵蓋整個「靈性的人」——正如單純肉體上的優越，並不意味智識上的主宰；因為對純粹靈性而言，智識不過與它處於一種「肉體般」的關係。斯塔巴克的身體、斯塔巴克被脅迫的意志，是亞哈的——只要亞哈把他的磁石對著斯塔巴克的腦；可他知道，儘管如此，這位大副在他的靈魂裡，是厭惡他船長的追獵的；只要他能，他會樂於把自己從中抽離、甚至去挫敗它。

It might be that a long interval would elapse ere the White Whale was seen. During that long interval Starbuck would ever be apt to fall into open relapses of rebellion against his captain’s leadership, unless some ordinary, prudential, circumstantial influences were brought to bear upon him. ... that when they stood their long night watches, his officers and men must have some nearer things to think of than Moby Dick.

也許要過很長一段時間，才見得到白鯨。在那漫長的間隔裡，斯塔巴克難免會一再公然「故態復萌地反叛」他船長的領導，除非有某些尋常、務實、具體情境的影響被施加於他。不僅如此，亞哈那「就莫比敵而言的微妙瘋狂」，沒有比這一點體現得更鮮明的了——他以超凡的見識與精明預見到：眼下，這場追獵必須以某種方式被剝去那「奇異而瀆神的想像色彩」（那色彩本自然地籠罩著它）；航程的全部恐怖，必須收進幽暗的背景裡（因為少有人的勇氣，經得起「只沉思、無行動來緩解」的長期煎熬）；當他們值漫漫夜班時，他的軍官與水手，必須有比莫比敵「更近便的事」可想。

For however eagerly and impetuously the savage crew had hailed the announcement of his quest; yet all sailors of all sorts are more or less capricious and unreliable—they live in the varying outer weather, and they inhale its fickleness... it is above all things requisite that temporary interests and employments should intervene and hold them healthily suspended for the final dash.

因為，無論這群野蠻船員當初多麼急切、衝動地歡呼他那追獵的宣告；所有種類的水手，都多多少少善變而不可靠——他們活在變幻不定的外在天氣裡，也吸進了那份善變；而當他們被留住去追一個遙遠、空泛的目標時（不管那目標最終多麼許諾著生命與激情），最最要緊的，就是讓「臨時的興趣與差事」穿插其間，把他們健康地「懸著」，以備最後的衝刺。

Nor was Ahab unmindful of another thing. In times of strong emotion mankind disdain all base considerations; but such times are evanescent. The permanent constitutional condition of the manufactured man, thought Ahab, is sordidness. ... For even the high lifted and chivalric Crusaders of old times were not content to traverse two thousand miles of land to fight for their holy sepulchre, without committing burglaries, picking pockets, and gaining other pious perquisites by the way. ... this same quiescent cash all at once mutinying in them, this same cash would soon cashier Ahab.

亞哈也沒忽略另一件事。在強烈情緒的時候，人類會不屑一切卑下的考量；但這種時候轉瞬即逝。亞哈想：「人」這個被製造出來的東西，其恆常的天性，是「卑下貪利（sordidness）」。就算白鯨充分激動了我這群野蠻船員的心、在他們的野性裡甚至孕育出某種慷慨的「騎士遊俠精神」，可他們在為這份愛去追莫比敵的同時，也得餵飽他們更尋常、日常的食慾。因為，連古時那崇高而富騎士風的十字軍，跋涉兩千哩陸路去為他們的聖墓而戰，沿途也不滿足於不去行竊、扒人錢包、撈些別的「虔誠的外快」。倘若把他們嚴格地拴在那唯一、終極而浪漫的目標上——那終極而浪漫的目標，太多人會嫌惡地掉頭而去。亞哈想：我不會剝奪這些人對現金的一切指望——對，現金。他們現在或許不屑現金；可讓幾個月過去、又看不到一點現金的指望，那同一筆蟄伏的現金，就會在他們心裡突然「叛變」，這同一筆現金，就會很快把亞哈給「撤職（cashier）」了。

Nor was there wanting still another precautionary motive more related to Ahab personally. Having impulsively, it is probable, and perhaps somewhat prematurely revealed the prime but private purpose of the Pequod’s voyage, Ahab was now entirely conscious that, in so doing, he had indirectly laid himself open to the unanswerable charge of usurpation; and with perfect impunity, both moral and legal, his crew if so disposed, and to that end competent, could refuse all further obedience to him, and even violently wrest from him the command. ... That protection could only consist in his own predominating brain and heart and hand, backed by a heedful, closely calculating attention to every minute atmospheric influence which it was possible for his crew to be subjected to.

還有一個更與亞哈個人相關的預防動機，也並非沒有。他很可能是衝動地、或許還有點過早地，洩露了裴廓德號航程那「首要卻私密」的目的；亞哈如今完全意識到：他這麼做，等於間接給自己招來了無可辯駁的「篡奪（船權）」之罪；而他的船員，若有此意、且有此能耐，盡可在道德與法律上都毫無後果地，拒絕再對他有任何服從、甚至強行從他手中奪走指揮權。對這哪怕只是被隱隱暗示的篡權之嫌、以及這種被壓抑的印象一旦坐大可能帶來的後果，亞哈當然極想保護自己。而那保護，只能靠他自己那壓倒一切的頭腦、心與手，輔以對「他的船員可能受到的每一絲微小氣氛影響」那留心、周密的算計。

For all these reasons then, and others perhaps too analytic to be verbally developed here, Ahab plainly saw that he must still in a good degree continue true to the natural, nominal purpose of the Pequod’s voyage; observe all customary usages; and not only that, but force himself to evince all his well known passionate interest in the general pursuit of his profession.

那麼，基於這一切理由，以及其他或許太過分析性、難以在此用言語展開的理由，亞哈清楚看出：他必須在相當程度上，繼續忠於裴廓德號航程那「天然、名義上的目的」；遵守一切慣常的規矩；而且不僅如此，還要強迫自己，表現出他那眾所周知的、對本業之一般追求的全部熱切興趣。

Be all this as it may, his voice was now often heard hailing the three mast-heads and admonishing them to keep a bright look-out, and not omit reporting even a porpoise. This vigilance was not long without reward.

無論如何，這會兒常聽見他的聲音招呼那三個桅頂、叮囑他們睜大眼瞭望，連一頭鼠海豚都別漏報。這份警覺，不久就有了回報。