For centuries, perfume-makers have been obsessed with ambergris, a rare, gross-looking substance that gives fragrances a long-lasting, animalistic odor.

几个世纪以来，香水制造商一直痴迷于龙涎香，龙涎香是一种罕见、看起来很恶心物质，能给香水带来持久动物香味。

Though the word ambergris is but the French compound for grey amber, yet the two substances are quite distinct.

尽管龙涎香这个词不过是灰色琥珀法文复合词，但是这两种物质确实大有区别。

I would say " ambergriss." And ambergris came from what part of the whale?

我会说“龙涎香”。龙涎香来自鲸哪个部位？

By some, ambergris is supposed to be the cause, and by others the effect, of the dyspepsia in the whale.

有些认为，龙涎香是鲸不原因，有些则认为是不果。

Do most people who use perfume that contains ambergris know, do you think, that it comes from whale vomit?

您认为大多数使用含有龙涎香香水都知道它来自鲸呕吐物吗？

Now that the incorruption of this most fragrant ambergris should be found in the heart of such decay; is this nothing?

既然这不会朽坏、芳香至极龙涎香是在那腐朽之物最深处找到，难道这是无足轻重东西吗？

For amber, though at times found on the sea-coast, is also dug up in some far inland soils, whereas ambergris is never found except upon the sea.

就琥珀而言，可以在海岸上时有发现，在遥远内陆土壤里也能挖到，而龙涎香则是只能在海上找到，别地方都没有。

The indigestible parts of giant squid, in particular their beaks, accumulate in sperm whales' stomachs into the substance known as ambergris, which is used as a fixative in perfumes.

（大乌贼不可部分，尤其是他喙部，积累在抹香鲸胃部鲸蜡里，形成了所谓龙诞香。龙诞香用做香水固定剂。

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; and, temporarily, Pip was put into his place.

事情是这样发生，在龙涎香事件中，斯塔布一个后桨手扭伤了手，一时间几乎无法动弹，于是，皮普就暂时顶替了他位置。

A sperm whale's colon can bulge to five times its usual diameter to accommodate one of these snowballing concretions, but eventually, it ruptures, killing the whale and releasing a huge butt-pearl of ambergris into the ocean.

抹香鲸肠可以隆起到通常直径五倍，以容纳这些滚雪球式凝物，但最终会破裂，导致鲸死亡，并向海洋释放出巨大龙涎香。

Now this ambergris is a very curious substance, and so important as an article of commerce, that in 1791 a certain Nantucket-born Captain Coffin was examined at the bar of the English House of Commons on that subject.

这龙涎香是一种非常珍奇物质，作为一种商品也很重要。一七九一年，楠塔基特出生船长考芬为此还在英国下院法庭受到过审问。

The Englishman was bravely dressed for the occasion, led " three fair mastiffs in coats of red cloth" , and carried a letter from Elizabeth " the paper whereof did smell most fragrantly of camphor and ambergris, and the ink of perfect musk" .

这位英国在这个场合盛装打扮，牵着“三头身着红布大衣漂亮獒犬”，并带着伊丽莎白一封信，“信纸上确实散发着樟脑和龙涎香味道，还有完美麝香墨水”。