猴索

...the blubber-hook was inserted into the original hole there cut by the spades of the mates. ...It was inserted there by my particular friend Queequeg, whose duty it was, as harpooneer, to descend upon the monster’s back... So down there, some ten feet below the level of the deck, the poor harpooneer flounders about, half on the whale and half in the water, as the vast mass revolves like a tread-mill beneath him.

……脂鉤被插進兩位副手用鏟在那兒切出的原洞裡。可這麼笨重的鉤是怎麼固定進那洞的？是我的好友魁魁格插進去的——身為標槍手，下到那怪物背上去做這特定的事，正是他的職責。但很多時候，情況需要標槍手一直待在鯨上、直到整個剝脂（flensing/stripping）作業結束。要知道，鯨幾乎完全沒在水裡、只露出正被處理的部位。所以在那下面、甲板水平以下約十呎處，這可憐的標槍手撲騰著——半在鯨上、半在水裡，那龐然之物像跑步機（tread-mill）般在他腳下翻轉。這一回，魁魁格穿著「高地裝」——一件襯衫加襪子——在我眼裡，至少，他顯得格外英武。

Being the savage’s bowsman... it was my cheerful duty to attend upon him... You have seen Italian organ-boys holding a dancing-ape by a long cord. Just so, from the ship’s steep side, did I hold Queequeg down there in the sea, by what is technically called in the fishery a monkey-rope, attached to a strong strip of canvas belted round his waist.

身為這野蠻人的「船首槳手（bowsman）」——也就是在他艇上划船首槳（從前數第二支）的人——在他做那場艱苦攀爬時照看他，是我愉快的職責。你見過義大利手搖風琴的孩子，用一根長繩牽著一隻跳舞的猴子吧。我就這樣，從陡峭的船側，用漁業裡術語叫「猴索（monkey-rope）」的東西，把魁魁格拉在下面的海裡——那索繫在他腰間一條結實的帆布帶上。

...the monkey-rope was fast at both ends; fast to Queequeg’s broad canvas belt, and fast to my narrow leather one. So that for better or for worse, we two, for the time, were wedded; and should poor Queequeg sink to rise no more, then both usage and honor demanded, that instead of cutting the cord, it should drag me down in his wake. So, then, an elongated Siamese ligature united us. Queequeg was my own inseparable twin brother...

……這猴索兩端都繫死：一端繫在魁魁格寬寬的帆布帶上、一端繫在我窄窄的皮帶上。於是，不論禍福（for better or for worse），我倆此刻「結了婚」；倘若可憐的魁魁格沉下去、再也起不來，那麼依慣例與榮譽都要求：我不該割斷繩索、而該被他拖著、跟在他身後一同沉下去。於是，一條拉長的「連體嬰韌帶（Siamese ligature）」把我倆連在了一起。魁魁格成了我形影不離的孿生兄弟；這條大麻之繩所招致的危險連帶責任，我怎麼也擺脫不掉。

So strongly and metaphysically did I conceive of my situation then... I seemed distinctly to perceive that my own individuality was now merged in a joint stock company of two; that my free will had received a mortal wound; and that another’s mistake or misfortune might plunge innocent me into unmerited disaster and death. ...I saw that this situation of mine was the precise situation of every mortal that breathes... If your banker breaks, you snap; if your apothecary by mistake sends you poison in your pills, you die. ...do what I would, I only had the management of one end of it.

我當時對自己處境的設想，是如此強烈而形上（metaphysically）：一邊認真盯著他的動作，我一邊彷彿清楚地察覺到——我自己的個體性（individuality）如今併入了一家兩人的「合股公司（joint stock company）」；我的自由意志受了致命傷；而另一個人的失誤或不幸，可能把無辜的我推入不該承受的災難與死亡。於是我看出：這裡有一種「天意的空位期（interregnum in Providence）」；因為天意那公正不阿的衡平（even-handed equity），絕不可能造成這麼大的不公。然而再進一步沉思——一邊不時把快被鯨與船夾住的他拉開——我看出：我這處境，正正就是每一個活著的凡人的處境；只不過多數情況下，他是以這種「連體（Siamese）」的方式、與「許多個」別的凡人相連。你的銀行家倒了，你就崩斷（snap）；你的藥劑師（apothecary）失手把毒藥裝進你的藥丸，你就死。誠然，你或可說：靠極度的小心，你或許能躲過這些、以及生命中無數其他的厄運。可是任憑我多麼小心地操作魁魁格的猴索，他有時那麼一扯，我就差點滑下船去。我也絕忘不了：無論我怎麼做，我也只管得了這繩的「一端」。

*The monkey-rope is found in all whalers; but it was only in the Pequod that the monkey and his holder were ever tied together. This improvement upon the original usage was introduced by no less a man than Stubb, in order to afford the imperilled harpooneer the strongest possible guarantee for the faithfulness and vigilance of his monkey-rope holder.

（註：所有捕鯨船都有猴索；但只有在裴廓德號，「猴子」和拉繩者才被綁在一起。這個對原慣例的「改良」，是由斯塔布這位仁兄引入的——為的是給遇險的標槍手，提供對其猴索拉繩者之「忠誠與警覺」的最強保證。）

Unappalled by the massacre made upon them during the night, the sharks now freshly and more keenly allured by the before pent blood... the rabid creatures swarmed round it like bees in a beehive. And right in among those sharks was Queequeg; who often pushed them aside with his floundering feet. ...the otherwise miscellaneously carnivorous shark will seldom touch a man.

夜裡對牠們的那場屠殺，沒能嚇退鯊魚；此刻，被先前鬱積、開始從鯨屍流出的血更新鮮、更強烈地吸引（allured），這些瘋狂的（rabid）東西像蜂巢裡的蜜蜂般群聚在鯨屍周圍。而就在那些鯊魚中間，正是魁魁格；他常用撲騰的腳把牠們推開。這事簡直難以置信——若不是因為：被死鯨這種獵物吸引時，這種平時什麼都吃的肉食（carnivorous）鯊魚，很少會碰人。

...besides the monkey-rope... he was provided with still another protection. Suspended over the side in one of the stages, Tashtego and Daggoo continually flourished over his head a couple of keen whale-spades... This procedure of theirs, to be sure, was very disinterested and benevolent of them. ...those indiscreet spades of theirs would come nearer amputating a leg than a tail. But poor Queequeg... only prayed to his Yojo, and gave up his life into the hands of his gods.

……除了猴索（我不時用它把這可憐的傢伙從一條似乎特別兇的鯊魚的大口附近拉開），魁魁格還有另一重保護。塔斯蒂哥與達戈懸在一個切割架上、在他頭頂不停揮舞兩把鋒利的鯨鏟，盡其所及地屠殺鯊魚。他們這套做法，當然，是非常無私而仁慈的（disinterested and benevolent）。我承認，他們是為魁魁格的最大幸福著想；可由於他們急切地想幫他、又由於他和鯊魚常被血濁的水半遮著，他們那兩把莽撞的（indiscreet）鏟子，「砍掉一條腿恐怕比砍掉一條鯊尾還容易」。可我想，可憐的魁魁格在那兒撐著那把大鐵鉤、又拉又喘——我想，他只能向他的約約（Yojo）祈禱，把性命交到他眾神的手裡。

Well, well, my dear comrade and twin-brother, thought I... what matters it, after all? Are you not the precious image of each and all of us men in this whaling world? That unsounded ocean you gasp in, is Life; those sharks, your foes; those spades, your friends; and what between sharks and spades you are in a sad pickle and peril, poor lad.

「好啦好啦，我親愛的同伴與孿生兄弟，」我隨著海的每一道浪收緊、又放鬆繩子時想，「這說到底又何妨呢？你不正是我們這捕鯨世界裡、我們每一個、所有人的珍貴縮影（image）嗎？你在裡頭喘息的那片無底之海，就是『生命』；那些鯊魚，是你的敵人；那些鏟子，是你的朋友；而夾在鯊魚與鏟子之間，你陷在一個悲慘的窘境與險境裡，可憐的小子。」

But courage! there is good cheer in store for you, Queequeg. For now, as with blue lips and blood-shot eyes the exhausted savage at last climbs up the chains... the steward advances, and with a benevolent, consolatory glance hands him—what? Some hot Cognac? No! hands him, ye gods! hands him a cup of tepid ginger and water!

但鼓起勇氣吧！好事在後頭呢，魁魁格。因為此刻，當這精疲力竭的野蠻人，終於藍著嘴唇、紅著充血的眼，爬上鐵鍊、渾身滴水、不由自主地發抖站在船舷上時——管事走上前來，帶著一個仁慈、安慰的（consolatory）目光，遞給他——什麼？一杯熱的干邑白蘭地？不！諸神啊，他遞上的，竟是一杯溫吞的（tepid）薑水！

“Ginger? Do I smell ginger?” suspiciously asked Stubb... “Ginger! is ginger the sort of fuel you use, Dough-boy, to kindle a fire in this shivering cannibal? ...what the devil is ginger, I say, that you offer this cup to our poor Queequeg here.” “There is some sneaking Temperance Society movement about this business,” he suddenly added...

「薑？我聞到的是薑嗎？」斯塔布湊近、起疑地問，盯著那還沒喝的杯子。「對，這準是薑，」他往杯裡瞧。然後他彷彿不信地站了會兒，慢慢走向那驚訝的管事、緩緩說：「薑？薑？你能不能勞駕告訴我，多弗-波伊先生，薑的『功效』在哪兒？薑！薑是你用來在這發抖的食人族身上點火的那種燃料嗎，多弗-波伊？薑！——薑到底是個什麼鬼東西？海煤？柴火？——硫磺火柴？——火絨？——火藥？——我說，薑到底是什麼鬼，你竟拿這杯子給我們這兒可憐的魁魁格。」「這事背後有什麼鬼鬼祟祟的『戒酒會（Temperance Society）』運動，」他忽然又加一句。

“...The steward, Mr. Starbuck, had the face to offer that calomel and jalap to Queequeg... Is the steward an apothecary, sir?...” “I trust not,” said Starbuck, “it is poor stuff enough.” ...“It was not me,” cried Dough-Boy, “it was Aunt Charity that brought the ginger on board... only this ginger-jub—so she called it.”

「……斯塔巴克先生，這管事竟有臉，在魁魁格剛從鯨背下來這當口，拿那『甘汞和瀉根（calomel and jalap）』給他。這管事是個藥劑師嗎，先生？我能不能問問，這就是他用來給半淹死的人吹回一口氣的那種『苦藥』嗎？」「但願不是，」斯塔巴克說，「那玩意夠差勁的。」「對對對，管事，」斯塔布喊，「我們要好好教教你別給標槍手下藥……你想毒死我們、給我們的命買了保險、好把保險金揣進口袋，是吧？」「不是我，」多弗-波伊喊，「是慈善姑媽（Aunt Charity）把薑帶上船的，還吩咐我絕不准給標槍手任何烈酒、只給這『薑汁果露（ginger-jub）』——她這麼叫它。」

“Ginger-jub! you gingerly rascal!... It is the captain’s orders—grog for the harpooneer on a whale.” ...“go down with him, and get what thou wantest thyself.” When Stubb reappeared, he came with a dark flask in one hand, and a sort of tea-caddy in the other. The first contained strong spirits, and was handed to Queequeg; the second was Aunt Charity’s gift, and that was freely given to the waves.

「薑汁果露！你這小心翼翼的（gingerly）小子！吃我一下！——快去儲物櫃拿點更好的來。我沒做錯吧，斯塔巴克先生。這是船長的命令——『鯨上的標槍手要喝格羅格酒（grog）』。」「夠了，」斯塔巴克答，「只是別再打他，不過——」「噢，我打人從不傷人，除非我打的是鯨之類的；這傢伙不過是隻鼬鼠（weazel）。您剛要說什麼，先生？」「只想說：跟他下去，你自己想喝什麼就拿。」斯塔布再出現時，一手提著一個黑瓶、一手拿著個茶葉罐似的東西。前者裝著烈酒，遞給了魁魁格；後者是慈善姑媽的禮物，被痛痛快快地倒給了海浪。