英語聽書《白鯨記》第6期

But BEING PAID,what will compare with it? Theurbane activity with which a man receives money isreally marvellous,

considering that we so earnestly believe money to bethe root of all earthly ills, and that on no accountcan a monied man enter heaven.

Ah! how cheerfully we consign ourselves toperdition!

Finally, I always go to sea as a sailor, because of thewholesome exercise and pure air of the fore-castledeck.

For as in this world, head winds are far more prevalent than winds from astern,

so for the most part the Commodore on the quarter-deck gets his atmosphere at second handfrom the sailors on the forecastle.

He thinks he breathes it first; but not so.

In much the same way do the commonalty lead their leaders in many other things, at the sametime that the leaders little suspect it.

But wherefore it was that after having repeatedly smelt the sea as a merchant sailor,

I should now take it into my head to go on a whaling voyage; this the invisible police officer ofthe Fates,

who has the constant surveillance of me, and secretly dogs me, and influences me in someunaccountable wayhe can better answer than any one else.

And, doubtless, my going on this whaling voyage, formed part of the grand programme ofProvidence that was drawn up a long time ago.

It came in as a sort of brief interlude and solo between more extensive performances.

I take it that this part of the bill must have run something like this:

"GRAND CONTESTED ELECTION FOR THE PRESIDENCY OF THE UNITED STATES.

"WHALING VOYAGE BY ONE ISHMAEL. "BLOODY BATTLE IN AFFGHANISTAN."

Though I cannot tell why it was exactly that those stage managers, the Fates, put me down forthis shabby part of a whaling voyage,

when others were set down for magnificent parts in high tragedies,

and short and easy parts in genteel comedies, and jolly parts in farcesthough I cannot tell whythis was exactly; yet, now that I recall all the circumstances,

I think I can see a little into the springs and motives which being cunningly presented to meunder various disguises,

induced me to set about performing the part I did,

besides cajoling me into the delusion that it was a choice resulting from my own unbiasedfreewill and discriminating judgment.

Chief among these motives was the overwhelming idea of the great whale himself.

Such a portentous and mysterious monster roused all my curiosity.

Then the wild and distant seas where he rolled his island bulk; the undeliverable, namelessperils of the whale;

these, with all the attending marvels of a thousand Patagonian sights and sounds, helped tosway me to my wish. With other men, perhaps, such things would not have been inducements;but as for me, I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote.

I love to sail forbidden seas, and land on barbarous coasts.

Not ignoring what is good, I am quick to perceive a horror,

and could still be social with itwould they let mesince it is but well to be on friendly terms withall the inmates of the place one lodges in.