It was nearly six o'clock, but only grey imperfect misty¹ dawn, when we drew nigh the wharf².

"There are some sailors running ahead there, if I see right," said I to Queequeg, "it can't be shadows; she's off by sunrise, I guess; come on!"

"Avast!" cried a voice, whose owner at the same time coming close behind us, laid a hand upon both our shoulders, and then insinuating³ himself between us, stood stooping forward a little, in the uncertain twilight⁴, strangely peering from Queequeg to me. It was Elijah.

"Going aboard?"

"Hands off, will you," said I.

"Lookee here," said Queequeg, shaking himself, "go 'way!"

"Aint going aboard, then?"

"Yes, we are," said I, "but what business is that of yours? Do you know, Mr. Elijah, that I consider you a little impertinent?"

"No, no, no; I wasn't aware of that," said Elijah, slowly and wonderingly looking from me to Queequeg, with the most unaccountable glances.

"Elijah," said I, "you will oblige my friend and me by withdrawing. We are going to the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and would prefer not to be detained."

"Ye be, be ye? Coming back afore breakfast?"

"He's cracked, Queequeg," said I, "come on."

"Holloa!" cried stationary⁵ Elijah, hailing us when we had removed a few paces.

"Never mind him," said I, "Queequeg, come on."

But he stole up to us again, and suddenly clapping his hand on my shoulder, said--"Did ye see anything looking like men going towards that ship a while ago?"

Struck by this plain matter-of-fact question, I answered, saying, "Yes, I thought I did see four or five men; but it was too dim to be sure."

"Very dim, very dim," said Elijah. "Morning to ye."

Once more we quitted him; but once more he came softly after us; and touching⁶ my shoulder again, said, "See if you can find 'em now, will ye?

点击收听单词发音  

1 misty
adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的
参考例句：
He crossed over to the window to see if it was still misty.他走到窗户那儿，看看是不是还有雾霭。 The misty scene had a dreamy quality about it.雾景给人以梦幻般的感觉。

2 wharf
n.码头，停泊处
参考例句：
We fetch up at the wharf exactly on time.我们准时到达码头。 We reached the wharf gasping for breath.我们气喘吁吁地抵达了码头。

3 insinuating
adj.曲意巴结的，暗示的v.暗示( insinuate的现在分词 )；巧妙或迂回地潜入；（使）缓慢进入；慢慢伸入
参考例句：
Are you insinuating that I' m telling a lie ? 你这是意味着我是在说谎吗？ 来自辞典例句 He is extremely insinuating, but it's a vulgar nature. 他好奉承拍马，那是种庸俗的品格。 来自辞典例句

4 twilight
n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期
参考例句：
Twilight merged into darkness.夕阳的光辉融于黑暗中。 Twilight was sweet with the smell of lilac and freshly turned earth.薄暮充满紫丁香和新翻耕的泥土的香味。

5 stationary
adj.固定的，静止不动的
参考例句：
A stationary object is easy to be aimed at.一个静止不动的物体是容易瞄准的。 Wait until the bus is stationary before you get off.你要等公共汽车停稳了再下车。

6 touching
adj.动人的，使人感伤的
参考例句：
It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。 His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

7 frantic
adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的
参考例句：
I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。 He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。

8 impudence
n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼
参考例句：
His impudence provoked her into slapping his face.他的粗暴让她气愤地给了他一耳光。 What knocks me is his impudence.他的厚颜无耻使我感到吃惊。

9 lumbered
砍伐（lumber的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
A rhinoceros lumbered towards them. 一头犀牛笨重地向他们走来。 A heavy truck lumbered by. 一辆重型卡车隆隆驶过。

10 scuttle
v.急赶，疾走，逃避；n.天窗；舷窗
参考例句：
There was a general scuttle for shelter when the rain began to fall heavily.下大雨了，人们都飞跑着寻找躲雨的地方。 The scuttle was open,and the good daylight shone in.明朗的亮光从敞开的小窗中照了进来。

11 tattered
adj.破旧的，衣衫破的
参考例句：
Her tattered clothes in no way detracted from her beauty.她的破衣烂衫丝毫没有影响她的美貌。 Their tattered clothing and broken furniture indicated their poverty.他们褴褛的衣服和破烂的家具显出他们的贫穷。

12 downwards
adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地）
参考例句：
He lay face downwards on his bed.他脸向下伏在床上。 As the river flows downwards,it widens.这条河愈到下游愈宽。

13 slumber
n.睡眠，沉睡状态
参考例句：
All the people in the hotels were wrapped in deep slumber.住在各旅馆里的人都已进入梦乡。 Don't wake him from his slumber because he needs the rest.不要把他从睡眠中唤醒，因为他需要休息。

14 dubiously
adv.可疑地，怀疑地
参考例句：
"What does he have to do?" queried Chin dubiously. “他有什么心事？”琴向觉民问道，她的脸上现出疑惑不解的神情。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26） He walked out fast, leaving the head waiter staring dubiously at the flimsy blue paper. 他很快地走出去，撇下侍者头儿半信半疑地瞪着这张薄薄的蓝纸。 来自辞典例句

15 sleeper
n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺
参考例句：
I usually go up to London on the sleeper. 我一般都乘卧车去伦敦。 But first he explained that he was a very heavy sleeper. 但首先他解释说自己睡觉很沉。

16 alluded
提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
In your remarks you alluded to a certain sinister design. 在你的谈话中，你提到了某个阴谋。 She also alluded to her rival's past marital troubles. 她还影射了对手过去的婚姻问题。

17 inexplicable
adj.无法解释的，难理解的
参考例句：
It is now inexplicable how that development was misinterpreted.当时对这一事态发展的错误理解究竟是怎么产生的，现在已经无法说清楚了。 There are many things which are inexplicable by science.有很多事科学还无法解释。

18 benevolent
adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的
参考例句：
His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him.他乐善好施的本性使他不会拒绝走上前向他行乞的任何一个乞丐。 He was a benevolent old man and he wouldn't hurt a fly.他是一个仁慈的老人，连只苍蝇都不愿伤害。

19 countenance
n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同
参考例句：
At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。 I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。

20 twitch
v.急拉，抽动，痉挛，抽搐；n.扯，阵痛，痉挛
参考例句：
The smell made my dog's nose twitch.那股气味使我的狗的鼻子抽动着。 I felt a twitch at my sleeve.我觉得有人扯了一下我的袖子。

21 fattening
adj.（食物）要使人发胖的v.喂肥( fatten的现在分词 )；养肥（牲畜）；使（钱）增多；使（公司）升值
参考例句：
The doctor has advised him to keep off fattening food. 医生已建议他不要吃致肥食物。 来自《简明英汉词典》 We substitute margarine for cream because cream is fattening. 我们用人造黄油代替奶油，因为奶油会使人发胖。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 piers
n.水上平台( pier的名词复数 )；（常设有娱乐场所的）突堤；柱子；墙墩
参考例句：
Most road bridges have piers rising out of the vally. 很多公路桥的桥墩是从河谷里建造起来的。 来自辞典例句 At these piers coasters and landing-craft would be able to discharge at all states of tide. 沿岸航行的海船和登陆艇，不论潮汐如何涨落，都能在这种码头上卸载。 来自辞典例句

23 alcoves
n.凹室( alcove的名词复数 )；（花园）凉亭；僻静处；壁龛
参考例句：
In the alcoves on either side of the fire were bookshelves. 火炉两边的凹室里是书架。 来自辞典例句 Tiny streams echo in enormous overhanging alcoves. 小溪流的回声在巨大而突出的凹壁中回荡。 来自互联网

24 convertible
adj.可改变的，可交换，同意义的；n.有活动摺篷的汽车
参考例句：
The convertible sofa means that the apartment can sleep four.有了这张折叠沙发，公寓里可以睡下4个人。 That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了。

25 marshy
adj.沼泽的
参考例句：
In August 1935,we began our march across the marshy grassland. 1935年8月，我们开始过草地。 The surrounding land is low and marshy. 周围的地低洼而多沼泽。

26 narrating
v.故事( narrate的现在分词 )
参考例句：
She entertained them by narrating her adventures in Africa. 她讲述她在非洲的历险来使他们开心。 [Mike Narrating] Worm and I fall into our old rhythm like Clyde Frazier and Pearl Monroe. [迈克叙述] 虫子和我配合得象以前一样默契我们两好象是克莱德。弗瑞泽和佩尔。门罗。 来自电影对白

27 foes
敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 )
参考例句：
They steadily pushed their foes before them. 他们不停地追击敌人。 She had fought many battles, vanquished many foes. 她身经百战，挫败过很多对手。

28 soothed
v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦
参考例句：
The music soothed her for a while. 音乐让她稍微安静了一会儿。 The soft modulation of her voice soothed the infant. 她柔和的声调使婴儿安静了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

29 vapor
n.蒸汽，雾气
参考例句：
The cold wind condenses vapor into rain.冷风使水蒸气凝结成雨。 This new machine sometimes transpires a lot of hot vapor.这部机器有时排出大量的热气。

30 revolved
v.（使）旋转( revolve的过去式和过去分词 )；细想
参考例句：
The fan revolved slowly. 电扇缓慢地转动着。 The wheel revolved on its centre. 轮子绕中心转动。 来自《简明英汉词典》

31 smokers
吸烟者( smoker的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily. 许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。 Chain smokers don't care about the dangers of smoking. 烟鬼似乎不在乎吸烟带来的种种危害。

32 pious
adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的
参考例句：
Alexander is a pious follower of the faith.亚历山大是个虔诚的信徒。 Her mother was a pious Christian.她母亲是一个虔诚的基督教徒。

33 actively
adv.积极地，勤奋地
参考例句：
During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。 We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。