It was but some few days after encountering the Frenchman, that a most significant event befell the most insignificant of the Pequod’s crew; —
在与法国人相遇后仅几天，对Pequod船员中最微不足道的成员发生了一件最重要的事件； —

an event most lamentable; and which ended in providing the sometimes madly merry and predestinated craft with a living and ever accompanying prophecy of whatever shattered sequel might prove her own.
一个令人悲哀的事件；并以为这个有时疯狂欢乐而命中注定的船提供了一个灵验的预言，无论其终将证明自己的碎裂末路如何；

Now, in the whale ship, it is not every one that goes in the boats. —
现在，在捕鲸船上，并不是每个人都会去划船； —

Some few hands are reserved called shipkeepers, whose province it is to work the vessel while the boats are pursuing the whale. —
有一些被保留的船员被称为船舶保管员，他们的职责是在船只追逐鲸鱼时操作船只； —

As a general thing, these shipkeepers are as hardy fellows as the men comprising the boats’ crews. —
作为一般规则，这些船舶保管员与划船团队的人一样勇敢； —

But if there happen to be an unduly slender, clumsy, or timorous wight in the ship, that wight is certain to be made a ship-keeper. —
但如果船上出现一个过于细弱、笨拙或胆怯的人，那么这个人肯定会被指定为船舶保管员； —

It was so in the Pequod with the little negro Pippin by nick-name, Pip by abbreviation. Poor Pip! —
Pequod船上的小黑人皮普，绰号皮普。可怜的皮普！你们以前听说过他；你们一定要记得他在那个戏剧性的午夜敲着手鼓的情景，既阴沉又欢乐； —

ye have heard of him before; ye must remember his tambourine on that dramatic midnight, so gloomy-jolly.
在外表上，皮普和Dough-Boy很搭配，就像一匹黑色小马和一匹白色小马，发展水平相同，尽管颜色不同，却同驾一子；

In outer aspect, Pip and Dough-Boy made a match, like a black pony and a white one, of equal developments, though of dissimilar color, driven in one eccentric span. —
但可怜的Dough-Boy天生迟钝麻木，而皮普尽管心地善良，却非常聪明，具有他族人独有的愉快、慷慨、欢乐的光彩； —

But while hapless Dough-Boy was by nature dull and torpid in his intellects, Pip, though over tender-hearted, was at bottom very bright, with that pleasant, genial, jolly brightness peculiar to his tribe; —
一个永远享受所有节日和庆祝活动的种族，比其他任何种族都更加细腻、自由地品尝。对于黑人来说，年历上除了365个独立日和新年的日子外不应再有别的了；不要在我写出这位小黑人非凡时笑，因为即使黑暗也有它的光彩； —

a tribe, which ever enjoy all holidays and festivities with finer, freer relish than any other race. For blacks, the year’s calendar should show naught but three hundred and sixty-five Fourth of Julys and New Year’s Days. Nor smile so, while I write that this little black was brilliant, for even blackness has its brilliancy; —
瞧那发光的乌木镶板，供应在国王的橱柜里； —

behold yon lustrous ebony, panelled in king’s cabinets. —
但皮普热爱生活，以及生活的所有平安安全感； —

But Pip loved life, and all life’s peaceable securities; —
所以，他不知何故陷入的惊悚事务已经让他的光彩大大褪色； —

so that the panic-striking business in which he had somehow unaccountably become entrapped, had most sadly blurred his brightness; —
然而，很快就会看到，他暂时被压抑的东西，最终注定会被奇特的野火燃烧而狰狞地照亮，虚假地显示他的光彩是他在康涅狄克州的家乡土地上曾经活跃过的十倍； —

though, as ere long will be seen, what was thus temporarily subdued in him, in the end was destined to be luridly illumined by strange wild fires, that fictitiously showed him off to ten times the natural lustre with which in his native Tolland County in Connecticut, he had once enlivened many a fiddler’s frolic on the green; —
，在那里他活跃过许多小提琴手绿地上的欢乐。 —

and at melodious even-tide, with his gay ha-ha! —
在欢快的暮色中，带着他欢快的哈哈声！ —

had turned the round horizon into one star-belled tambourine. —
将整个地平线变成了一个星星装饰的手鼓。 —

So, though in the clear air of day, suspended against a blue-veined neck, the pure-watered diamond drop will healthful glow; —
因此，尽管在白昼清澈的空气中，悬挂在一条蓝色的脖子上，清水般晶莹剔透的钻石将焕发健康的光芒； —

yet, when the cunning jeweller would show you the diamond in its most impressive lustre, he lays it against a gloomy ground, and then lights it up, not by the sun, but by some unnatural gases. —
但是，当狡猾的珠宝商向你展示钻石最引人注目的光彩时，他会把它放在阴暗的背景下，然后点亮它，不是靠太阳，而是靠某些不自然的气体。 —

Then come out those fiery effulgences, infernally superb; —
然后就会出现那些火焰般的烈焰，邪恶地壮观； —

then the evil-blazing diamond, once the divinest symbol of the crystal skies, looks like some crown-jewel stolen from the King of Hell. But let us to the story.
那颗曾经是水晶天空中最神圣象征的钻石，看起来像从地狱之王那里偷来的一颗皇冠上的宝石。但让我们继续故事吧。

It came to pass, that in the ambergris affair Stubb’s after-oarsman chanced so to sprain his hand, as for a time to become quite maimed; —
在龙涎香的事情上，斯塔布的辅助划手碰巧扭伤了手，一段时间内变得相当残废； —

and, temporarily, Pip was put into his place.
暂时把皮普安排在他的位置上。

The first time Stubb lowered with him, Pip evinced much nervousness; —
第一次斯塔布和他一起下水时，皮普表现出很多紧张； —

but happily, for that time, escaped close contact with the whale; —
但幸运的是，那一次没有与鲸鱼有过接触； —

and therefore came off not altogether discreditably; —
因此没有完全丢脸； —

though Stubb observing him, took care, afterwards, to exhort him to cherish his courageousness to the utmost, for he might often find it needful.
尽管斯塔布观察着他，后来还是提醒他要尽可能珍惜自己的勇气，因为他可能经常会发现这是必要的。

Now upon the second lowering, the boat paddled upon the whale; —
现在第二次下水时，小船划到了鲸鱼身边； —

and as the fish received the darted iron, it gave its customary rap, which happened, in this instance, to be right under poor Pip’s seat. —
当鱼接受了投掷的铁制标枪时，它发出了惯常的敲击声，这一次碰巧就在可怜的皮普座位正下方。 —

The involuntary consternation of the moment caused him to leap, paddle in hand, out of the boat; —
心猿意马的瞬间，让他手持桨跳出了船外； —

and in such a way, that part of the slack whale line coming against his chest, he breasted it overboard with him, so as to become entangled in it, when at last plumping into the water. —
在这种情况下，他身上的一部分松弛的鲸绳碰到胸前，紧接着就和他一起跳入水中而被缠住。 —

That instant the stricken whale started on a fierce run, the line swiftly straightened; and presto! —
就在这瞬间，受伤的鲸鱼开始了凶猛的奔跑，绳子迅速拉直；突然！ —

poor Pip came all foaming up to the chocks of the boat, remorselessly dragged there by the line, which had taken several turns around his chest and neck.
可怜的皮普被绳子无情地拽到小船的楔子边上，绳子在他的胸部和颈部缠了好几圈。

Tashtego stood in the bows. He was full of the fire of the hunt. He hated Pip for a poltroon. —
塔什提格站在船头，他充满了狩猎的热情。他憎恨皮普是个懦夫。 —

Snatching the boat-knife from its sheath, he suspended its sharp edge over the line, and turning towards Stubb, exclaimed interrogatively, “Cut?” —
他从鞘中抽出船刀，将锋利的刀刃悬在绳子上，转向斯塔布，疑惑地喊道：“砍吗？” —

Meantime Pip’s blue, choked face plainly looked, Do, for God’s sake! —
与此同时，皮普蓝着的、被窒息的脸清晰地表达出：请，求你了！ —

All passed in a flash. In less than half a minute, this entire thing happened.
所有的一切发生得飞快。不到半分钟，整件事情就发生了。

“Damn him, cut!” roared Stubb; and so the whale was lost and Pip was saved.
“该死，砍掉！”斯塔布咆哮道；于是鲸鱼丢失了，皮普得救了。

So soon as he recovered himself, the poor little negro was assailed by yells and execrations from the crew. —
皮普恢复自己之后，立刻遭到船员们的咆哮和诅咒。 —

Tranquilly permitting these irregular cursings to evaporate, Stubb then in a plain, business-like, but still half humorous manner, cursed Pip officially; —
斯塔布平静地让这些不规则的咒骂消失，然后以一种简单、务实但仍有点幽默的方式，正式诅咒了皮普； —

and that done, unofficially gave him much wholesome advice. —
这么做之后，他非正式地给了皮普许多有益的建议。 —

The substance was, Never jump from a boat, Pip, except–but all the rest was indefinite, as the soundest advice ever is. —
总体思想是，皮普，切勿从船上跳下，除非——但除此以外的一切都含糊不清，因为最好的建议总是如此。 —

Now, in general, Stick to the boat, is your true motto in whaling; —
在一般情况下，在捕鲸时，坚守船只是你的真正座右铭； —

but cases will sometimes happen when Leap from the boat, is still better. —
但有些情况下，跃出船只，却更好。 —

Moreover, as if perceiving at last that if he should give undiluted conscientious advice to Pip, he would be leaving him too wide a margin to jump in for the future; —
此外，好像终于意识到，如果他给皮普提供纯粹的良心建议，那么他将给他留下太多的余地，以后可能跳进去； —

Stubb suddenly dropped all advice, and concluded with a peremptory command “Stick to the boat, Pip, or by the Lord, I won’t pick you up if you jump; —
斯塔布突然放弃了所有的建议，并以一声绝对的命令结束：”彼普，坚守船只，否则，我就不会捞起你，如果你跳下去； —

mind that. We can’t afford to lose whales by the likes of you; —
谨记，我们不能因为你这样的人而失去鲸鱼； —

a whale would sell for thirty times what you would, Pip, in Alabama. —
在阿拉巴马州，一条鲸鱼的售价是你的三十倍，彼普，记住这一点，不要再跳了。 —

Bear that in mind, and don’t jump any more.” —
通过这样做，或许斯塔布间接地暗示着，尽管人们爱他人，但人类是个赚钱的动物，这种倾向往往会干扰他的仁慈。 —

Hereby perhaps Stubb indirectly hinted, that though man loved his fellow, yet man is a money-making animal, which propensity too often interferes with his benevolence.
但我们都掌握在众神的手中；彼普又一次跳了。

But we are all in the hands of the Gods; and Pip jumped again. —
这次情形与第一次表演非常相似； —

It was under very similar circumstances to the first performance; —
但这一次，他没有挺胸抗拒拉绳； —

but this time he did not breast out the line; —
因此，当鲸鱼开始奔跑时，彼普就像海上被匆忙旅行者拋下的行李箱一样。 —

and hence, when the whale started to run, Pip was left behind on the sea, like a hurried traveller’s trunk. —
唉！斯塔布的话实在太准确了。这是一个美丽、慷慨、湛蓝的日子！ —

Alas! Stubb was but too true to his word. It was a beautiful, bounteous, blue day! —
闪耀的海面平静、清凉，四周平展，一直延伸到地平线处，像被锤打到极致的金箔一样。 —

the spangled sea calm and cool, and flatly stretching away, all round, to the horizon, like gold-beater’s skin hammered out to the extremest. —
在海中上下浮动，彼普的黑色头颅犹如一团丁香。 —

Bobbing up and down in that sea, Pip’s ebon head showed like a head of cloves. —
当他迅速落后时，没有人举起划船刀。 —

No boat-knife was lifted when he fell so rapidly astern. —
斯塔布的无情背影对着他；鲸鱼已展翅飞去。 —

Stubb’s inexorable back was turned upon him; and the whale was winged. —
三分钟后，彼普与斯塔布之间已经有了整整一英里无边界的海洋。从海洋中心，可怜的彼普把他蓬松、卷曲的黑头转向太阳，再次成为一个孤独的被遗弃者，尽管是最高尚、最光辉的。 —

In three minutes, a whole mile of shoreless ocean was between Pip and Stubb. Out from the centre of the sea, poor Pip turned his crisp, curling, black head to the sun, another lonely castaway, though the loftiest and the brightest.
没有人再为他做任何事。

Now, in calm weather, to swim in the open ocean is as easy to the practised swimmer as to ride in a spring-carriage ashore. —
现在，在风平浪静的天气里，在大海中游泳对于经验丰富的游泳者来说就像在陆地上乘坐弹簧马车一样容易。 —

But the awful lonesomeness is intolerable. —
但这种可怕的孤独是无法忍受的。 —

The intense concentration of self in the middle of such a heartless immensity, my God! —
在这种无情的辽阔中把自我紧密聚焦在一起，我的上帝！ —

who can tell it? Mark, how when sailors in a dead calm bathe in the open sea– mark how closely they hug their ship and only coast along her sides.
有谁能说得清楚？注意，当水手在风平浪静的时候在海中游泳时—注意他们是如何紧紧拥抱他们的船并沿着船身划过的。

But had Stubb really abandoned the poor little negro to his fate? No; he did not mean to, at least. —
但斯塔布真的抛弃了可怜的小黑人任其自生自灭吗？不，他至少不是故意的。 —

Because there were two boats in his wake, and he supposed, no doubt, that they would of course come up to Pip very quickly, and pick him up; —
因为在他的后面还有两艘船，他可能认为它们当然会很快赶到皮普那儿，然后将他捞起； —

though, indeed, such considerations towards oarsmen jeopardized through their own timidity, is not always manifested by the hunters in all similar instances; —
尽管确实，在猎人在所有类似情况下并非总是对经受危险的桨手表示同情； —

and such instances not unfrequently occur; —
而这样的情况经常发生； —

almost invariably in the fishery, a coward, so called, is marked with the same ruthless detestation peculiar to military navies and armies.
几乎总是在渔业中，所谓的懦夫被军队和海军一样无情地憎恶。

But it so happened, that those boats, without seeing Pip, suddenly spying whales close to them on one side, turned, and gave chase; —
但碰巧那些船看见鲸鱼贴近它们的一侧，突然转身追逐； —

and Stubb’s boat was now so far away, and he and all his crew so intent upon his fish, that Pip’s ringed horizon began to expand around him miserably. —
而斯塔布的船现在远去，他和他的全体队员都专注于捕鱼，皮普的环视范围开始悲惨地扩大。 —

By the merest chance the ship itself at last rescued him; —
最终船自己救了他； —

but from that hour the little negro went about the deck an idiot; such, at least, they said he was. —
但从那时起，这个小黑人在甲板上行走时像个白痴；至少他们说他是这样的。 —

The sea had jeeringly kept his finite body up, but drowned the infinite of his soul. —
海水讥讽地支撑着他有限的身体，但淹没了他灵魂的无限。 —

Not drowned entirely, though. Rather carried down alive to wondrous depths, where strange shapes of the unwarped primal world glided to and fro before his passive eyes; —
虽然并没有完全淹没。相反，他活着被带到奇妙深处，那里未经扭曲的原始世界奇形怪状在他被动的眼前来回滑动； —

and the miser-merman, Wisdom, revealed his hoarded heaps; —
而吝啬鱼人，智慧，揭示了他积蓄的财富； —

and among the joyous, heartless, ever-juvenile eternities, Pip saw the multitudinous, God-omnipresent, coral insects, that out of the firmament of waters heaved the colossal orbs. —
并在欢乐、无情、永远年轻的永恒中，皮普看到了无数的、上帝普遍存在的珊瑚昆虫，它们从水的苍穹中抛出巨大的球体。 —

He saw God’s foot upon the treadle of the loom, and spoke it; —
他看到上帝的脚踩在织布机的踏板上，并大声说出来； —

and therefore his shipmates called him mad. So man’s insanity is heaven’s sense; —
因此他的船友们称他为疯子。所以人类的疯狂是天堂的理智； —

and wandering from all mortal reason, man comes at last to that celestial thought, which, to reason, is absurd and frantic; —
而偏离了一切凡人的理智，人追寻那属于天国的思想，这对于理智来说是荒谬和疯狂的； —

and weal or woe, feels then uncompromised, indifferent as his God.
无论是幸福还是不幸，感觉那时是不可妥协的，像他的上帝一样冷漠。

For the rest blame not Stubb too hardly. The thing is common in that fishery; —
至于斯塔布，不要太苛责他。在那个渔业中，这种事很常见； —

and in the sequel of the narrative, it will then be seen what like abandonment befell myself.
在叙述的后续部分中，将会看到我自己陷入了怎样的被抛弃。