午夜——前甲板舷牆

Stubb and Flask mounted on them, and passing additional lashings over the anchors there hanging.

斯塔布與弗拉斯克爬上舷牆，替懸在那兒的錨加綁額外的索具。

“No, Stubb; you may pound that knot there as much as you please, but you will never pound into me what you were just now saying. And how long ago is it since you said the very contrary? Didn’t you once say that whatever ship Ahab sails in, that ship should pay something extra on its insurance policy, just as though it were loaded with powder barrels aft and boxes of lucifers forward? Stop, now; didn’t you say so?”

「不對，斯塔布；那個結你愛捶多用力捶都行，可你休想把你剛剛那套話也捶進我腦袋裡。你說那相反的話才多久以前的事？你不是曾說過，不管亞哈坐的是哪條船，那條船的保險都該多付一筆，彷彿它船尾裝著火藥桶、船頭堆著一箱箱火柴似的？停一下；你是不是這麼說過？」

“Well, suppose I did? What then? I’ve part changed my flesh since that time, why not my mind? Besides, supposing we are loaded with powder barrels aft and lucifers forward; how the devil could the lucifers get afire in this drenching spray here? Why, my little man, you have pretty red hair, but you couldn’t get afire now. Shake yourself; you’re Aquarius, or the water-bearer, Flask; might fill pitchers at your coat collar. Don’t you see, then, that for these extra risks the Marine Insurance companies have extra guarantees? Here are hydrants, Flask. But hark, again, and I’ll answer ye the other thing. First take your leg off from the crown of the anchor here, though, so I can pass the rope; now listen. What’s the mighty difference between holding a mast’s lightning-rod in the storm, and standing close by a mast that hasn’t got any lightning-rod at all in a storm? Don’t you see, you timber-head, that no harm can come to the holder of the rod, unless the mast is first struck? What are you talking about, then? Not one ship in a hundred carries rods, and Ahab,—aye, man, and all of us,—were in no more danger then, in my poor opinion, than all the crews in ten thousand ships now sailing the seas. Why, you King-Post, you, I suppose you would have every man in the world go about with a small lightning-rod running up the corner of his hat, like a militia officer’s skewered feather, and trailing behind like his sash. Why don’t ye be sensible, Flask? it’s easy to be sensible; why don’t ye, then? any man with half an eye can be sensible.”

「好吧，就算我說過？那又怎樣？打那時起我連肉身都換過一部分了，怎麼就不能換個主意？再說，就算我們船尾裝著火藥桶、船頭堆著火柴；在這澆得人透濕的浪花裡，那些火柴見鬼地怎麼可能燒得起來？嘿，我的小個子，你那頭紅髮是挺漂亮，可你現在也燒不著啊。抖一抖吧；你是寶瓶座，是那挑水的童子，弗拉斯克；光你衣領就能接滿一壺壺的水。你還不明白嗎，正因為有這些額外風險，海上保險公司才另有額外擔保啊。這兒到處都是消防栓呢，弗拉斯克。不過再聽好，我來回你另一件事。先把你的腿從這錨冠上挪開，好讓我把繩子穿過去；現在聽著。在風暴裡握著桅杆的避雷針，跟在風暴裡緊挨著一根壓根沒裝避雷針的桅杆站著，這兩者究竟有什麼了不得的差別？你還不懂嗎，你這木頭腦袋，除非桅杆先被擊中，否則握避雷針的人根本不會有事？那你在嚷嚷什麼呢？一百條船裡也難有一條裝避雷針，而亞哈——對，老兄，還有我們所有人——依我這拙見，那時的危險，並不比此刻在海上航行的一萬條船上所有水手更大。嘿，你這頂梁柱啊，我看你大概是想讓全世界每個人都頂著支小避雷針走來走去，順著帽角豎上去，像民兵軍官那根插著的羽毛，後頭再拖一條像他腰帶似的尾巴。你怎麼就不放聰明點呢，弗拉斯克？放聰明又不難；那你怎麼不放呢？是個只睜半隻眼的人都能放聰明啊。」

“I don’t know that, Stubb. You sometimes find it rather hard.”

「這我可不敢說，斯塔布。你自己有時也覺得這挺難的吧。」

“Yes, when a fellow’s soaked through, it’s hard to be sensible, that’s a fact. And I am about drenched with this spray. Never mind; catch the turn there, and pass it. Seems to me we are lashing down these anchors now as if they were never going to be used again. Tying these two anchors here, Flask, seems like tying a man’s hands behind him. And what big generous hands they are, to be sure. These are your iron fists, hey? What a hold they have, too! I wonder, Flask, whether the world is anchored anywhere; if she is, she swings with an uncommon long cable, though. There, hammer that knot down, and we’ve done. So; next to touching land, lighting on deck is the most satisfactory. I say, just wring out my jacket skirts, will ye? Thank ye. They laugh at long-togs so, Flask; but seems to me, a long tailed coat ought always to be worn in all storms afloat. The tails tapering down that way, serve to carry off the water, d’ye see. Same with cocked hats; the cocks form gable-end eave-troughs, Flask. No more monkey-jackets and tarpaulins for me; I must mount a swallow-tail, and drive down a beaver; so. Halloa! whew! there goes my tarpaulin overboard; Lord, Lord, that the winds that come from heaven should be so unmannerly! This is a nasty night, lad.”

「沒錯，一個人被澆個透濕的時候，要放聰明確實難，這倒是實話。我這會兒也快被浪花澆透了。別管它；接住那一圈，穿過去。我看哪，我們這會兒把這些錨綁得死死的，倒像是它們再也用不上了似的。把這兒這兩個錨綁起來，弗拉斯克，倒像是把一個人的雙手反綁在背後。瞧這對手又大又闊綽，沒得說。這就是你的鐵拳吧，嗯？抓起東西來可真夠牢的！我在想啊，弗拉斯克，這世界是不是也在哪兒下了錨；要真是的話，那她拖的纜繩可長得出奇呢。喏，把那個結捶下去，咱們就完事了。好啦；除了踏上陸地，落到甲板上算是最教人舒坦的了。我說，幫我把上衣下襬擰一擰，成嗎？謝啦。他們老笑話這身長禮服，弗拉斯克；可我看哪，海上颳暴風雨時就該一直穿這種長尾的外套。你瞧，那尾巴這麼一路收尖下去，正好把水給導走嘛。三角帽也一樣；那兩個翹角就成了山牆兩端的簷槽，弗拉斯克。我再也不穿那種短水手夾克跟油布衣了；我得換上燕尾服，扣頂海狸高帽；就這樣。哎呦！咻！我那油布帽飛出船外去了；天哪，天哪，從天上來的風竟這般沒規矩！這真是個討厭的夜晚，小子。」