英語聽書《白鯨記》 第32期

Strong intuitions of the man assure the mariners hecan be no innocent. In their gamesome but stillserious way, one whispers to the other—"Jack, he'srobbed a widow;" or, "Joe, do you mark him; he's abigamist;" or, "Harry lad, I guess he's the adultererthat broke jail in old Gomorrah, or belike, one of themissing murderers from Sodom." Another runs toread the bill that's stuck against the spile upon thewharf to which the ship is moored, offering fivehundred gold coins for the apprehension of aparricide, and containing a description of hisperson. He reads, and looks from Jonah to the bill; while all his sympathetic shipmates nowcrowd round Jonah, prepared to lay their hands upon him. Frighted Jonah trembles, andsummoning all his boldness to his face, only looks so much the more a coward. He will notconfess himself suspected; but that itself is strong suspicion. So he makes the best of it; andwhen the sailors find him not to be the man that is advertised, they let him pass, and hedescends into the cabin.

"'Who's there?' cries the Captain at his busy desk, hurriedly making out his papers for theCustoms—'Who's there?' Oh! how that harmless question mangles Jonah! For the instant healmost turns to flee again. But he rallies. 'I seek a passage in this ship to Tarshish; how soonsail ye, sir?' Thus far the busy Captain had not looked up to Jonah, though the man now standsbefore him; but no sooner does he hear that hollow voice, than he darts a scrutinizing glance.'We sail with the next coming tide,' at last he slowly answered, still intently eyeing him. 'Nosooner, sir?'—'Soon enough for any honest man that goes a passenger.' Ha! Jonah, that'sanother stab. But he swiftly calls away the Captain from that scent. 'I'll sail with ye,'—he says,—'the passage money how much is that?—I'll pay now.' For it is particularly written, shipmates,as if it were a thing not to be overlooked in this history, 'that he paid the fare thereof' ere thecraft did sail. And taken with the context, this is full of meaning.

"Now Jonah's Captain, shipmates, was one whose discernment detects crime in any, but whosecupidity exposes it only in the penniless. In this world, shipmates, sin that pays its way cantravel freely, and without a passport; whereas Virtue, if a pauper, is stopped at all frontiers. SoJonah's Captain prepares to test the length of Jonah's purse, ere he judge him openly. Hecharges him thrice the usual sum; and it's assented to. Then the Captain knows that Jonah is afugitive; but at the same time resolves to help a flight that paves its rear with gold. Yet whenJonah fairly takes out his purse, prudent suspicions still molest the Captain. He rings every cointo find a counterfeit.