-1-Unit3Underthesea【导读】《白鲸》(MobyDick)是19世纪美国最著名的小说家之一赫尔曼·梅尔维尔于1851年发表的一篇海洋题材的小说,小说描写了亚哈船长为了追逐并杀死白鲸莫比·迪克,最终与白鲸同归于尽的故事。阅读下面选取的有关捕鲸的节选,对比中外文化中对鲸鱼态度的异同。MobyDick(excerpt)PitchpolingTomakethemruneasilyandswiftly,theaxlesofcarriagesareanointed;andformuchthesamepurpose,somewhalersperformasimilaroperationupontheirboat;theygreasethebottom.Norisittobedoubtedthatassuchaprocedurecandonoharm,itmaypossiblybeofnocontemptibleadvantage;consideringthatoilandwaterarehostile;thatoilisaslidingthing,andthattheobjectinviewistomaketheboatslidebravely.Queequegbelievedstronglyinanointinghisboat,andonemorningnotlongaftertheGermanshipJungfraudisappeared,tookmorethancustomarypainsinthatoccupation;crawlingunderitsbottom,whereithungovertheside,andrubbingasthoughdiligentlyseekingtoinsureacropofhairfromthecraft'sbaldkeel.Heseemedtobeworkinginobediencetosomeparticularpresentiment.Nordiditremainunwarrantedbytheevent.Towardsnoonwhaleswereraised;butsosoonastheshipsaileddowntothem,theyturnedandfledswiftly.Nevertheless,theboatspursued,andStubb'swasforemost.Bygreateffort,Tashtegoatlastsucceededinplantingoneiron;butthestrickenwhale,withoutatallsounding,stillcontinuedhishorizontalflight,withaddedspeed.Suchunintermittedstrainingsupontheplantedironmustsoonerorlaterinevitablyextractit.Itbecameimperativetolancetheflyingwhale,orbecontenttolosehim.Buttohaultheboatuptohisflankwasimpossible,heswamsofastandfurious.Whatthenremained?-2-Ofallthewondrousdevicesanddexterities,thesleightsofhandandcountlesssubtleties,towhichtheveteranwhalemanissooftenforced,noneexceedthatfinemanoeuvrewiththelancecalledpitchpoling.Smallsword,orbroadsword,inallitsexercisesboastsnothinglikeit.Itisonlyindispensablewithaninveteraterunningwhale;itsgrandfactandfeatureisthewonderfuldistancetowhichthelonglanceisaccuratelydartedfromaviolentlyrocking,jerkingboat,underextremeheadway.Steelandwoodincluded,theentirespearissometenortwelvefeetinlength;thestaffismuchslighterthanthatoftheharpoon,andalsoofalightermaterial—pine.Itisfurnishedwithasmallropecalledawarp,ofconsiderablelength,bywhichitcanbehauledbacktothehandafterdarting.Butbeforegoingfurther,itisimportanttomentionhere,thatthoughtheharpoonmaybepitchpoledinthesamewaywiththelance,yetitisseldomdone;andwhendone,isstilllessfrequentlysuccessful,onaccountofthegreaterweightandinferiorlengthoftheharpoonascomparedwiththelance,whichineffectbecomeseriousdrawbacks.Asageneralthing,therefore,youmustfirstgetfasttoawhale,beforeanypitchpolingcomesintoplay.LooknowatStubb;amanwhofromhishumorous,deliberatecoolnessandequanimityinthedirestemergencies,wasspeciallyqualifiedtoexcelinpitchpoling.Lookathim;hestandsuprightinthetossedbowoftheflyingboat;wraptinfleecyfoam,thetowingwhaleisfortyfeetahead.Handlingthelonglancelightly,glancingtwiceorthricealongitslengthtoseeifitbeexactlystraight,Stubbwhistlinglygathersupthecoilofthewarpinonehand,soastosecureitsfreeendinhisgrasp,leavingtherestunobstructed.Thenholdingthelancefullbeforehiswaistband'smiddle,helevelsitatthewhale;when,coveringhimwithit,hesteadilydepressesthebuttendinhishand,therebyelevatingthepointtilltheweaponstandsfairlybalanceduponhispalm,fifteenfeetintheair.Hemindsyousomewhatofajuggler,balancingalongstaffonhischin.Nextmomentwitharapid,namelessimpulse,inasuperbloftyarchthebrightsteelspansthefoamingdistance,andquiversinthelifespotofthewhale.Insteadofsparklingwater,henowspoutsredblood.Thatdrovethespigotoutofhim!criedStubb.“It'sJuly'simmortalFourth;allfountainsmustrunwinetoday!Wouldnow,itwereoldOrleanswhiskey,oroldOhio!Then,Tashtego,lad,I'dhaveyeholdacantothejet,andwe'ddrinkround-3-it!”Againandagaintosuchgamesometalk,thedexterousdartisrepeated,thespearreturningtoitsmasterlikeagreyhoundheldinskilfulleash.Theagonizedwhalegoesintohisflurry;thetowlineisslackened,andthepitchpolerdroppingastern,foldshishands,andmutelywatchesthemonsterdie.《白鲸》(节选)投杆为了使车轴转得又滑又快,就得给车厢的车轴加油;有些捕鲸人为了一样的目的,也对他们的小艇使用类似的办法;他们给艇底擦油。这种操作,毋庸置疑,是有益无损,而且还可以说是毫无害处的;因为油与水本来就是不能相容的;油是滑溜溜的东西,这种做法的目的是要使得小艇航驶如飞。魁魁格就非常相信给他的小艇擦油这事情。那艘德国船“处女号”消失后不多久,有一天早晨,他比平常更为用劲地给小艇擦油,那只小艇吊在舷侧,他爬在艇底下,拼命擦呀擦的,仿佛在想方设法保证这只小艇的光秃秃的龙骨,长出一簇头发来。他好像是听凭一阵预感的支配在擦着,而且预感就是事实那样。将近午刻时分,又发现大鲸了。可是,船一驶过去,它们却又掉了头,迅速逃走了。然而,几只小艇还是继续追逐下去,由斯塔布的小艇打前锋。费了很大的劲,塔斯蒂哥终于击中了一枪,可是,那条被击中的鲸,却不完全沉下去,还继续横游过去,只是速度加快了一点。这样连续不断的狂奔,那支插在它身上的枪头,一定迟早会给挤出来。于是,只好对这条如飞的大鲸再补上一枪,否则只好听它逃脱。可是,又无法把小艇划到它身边去,它游得那么快那么急。那么,该怎么办呢?在老捕鲸手往往不得不使用的一切奇计妙策、娴熟的手法与无数灵巧的办法中,莫过于巧妙地使用那种叫作投杆的捕鲸枪了。小剑或者大剑,使用起来总不及这种东西。对付一只使人又气又恨的拼命狂奔的鲸,非得仰仗它不可,它的主要特色,就是能够从一只高速前进的,急腾急跳的小艇上,在极远的距离内一枪中的。这东西是用钢和木头做成的,整支枪约有十英尺或者十二英尺长,捏柄比标枪的柄子轻一点,也是用较轻的木料——松木做成的。它系有一根叫作纤的细绳子,相当长,有了这样的绳子,枪投出去后,又能收得回来。在这里,得先说明一下后,再说下去,那就是,标枪虽然也可以像捕鲸枪一样投出去,然而,人们却不大使用它,即使偶尔使用了,也还是不大会一枪中的,因为跟捕鲸枪比起来,标枪很重,又不够长,实际上反而会成为严重的阻碍。因此,一般说来,一定要先拴住一条鲸,这才可以投出捕鲸枪。现在请瞧斯塔布吧,像他这样在最危急关头而能诙谐百出、胸有成竹、泰然镇定的人,是特别适宜于投杆而胜人一筹的。瞧他!他站在那只如飞的小艇的摇摆不定的船头上,腰板笔直,四下尽是毛绒似的泡沫,那条拖着绳索的鲸就在前面四十英尺的地方。他轻轻地抓起-4-那支长长的捕鲸枪,眼睛瞥了枪身两三下,看它是否笔直,飒飒地把一卷纤子收拢在手里,以便抓住纤头,不跟整条纤子缠在一起。于是,他把那支长长的捕鲸枪拎在他的腰际,瞄向大鲸,等到完全把它瞄准了,他便从容地压着他手里的长柄,使那枪头翘起,翘得那支武器简直是竖托在他掌心上有十五英尺高。他叫人想起一个变戏法的人,把一根长棒托在下巴上。不一会,快得无法形容地一推,那支灿亮的铁器就高高地弓成拱形,射到那泡沫四起的远方,刹地击中了大鲸的要害。它现在喷出来的已经不是闪亮起