英語聽書《白鯨記》第782期

Now when these poor sun-burnt mariners, bare-footed, and with their trowsers rolled high up on their eely legs, had wearily hauled their fat fish high and dry, promising themselves a good 150 pounds from the precious oil and bone; and in fantasy sipping rare tea with their wives, and good ale with their cronies, upon the strength of their respective shares; up steps a very learned and most Christian and charitable gentleman, with a copy of Blackstone under his arm; and laying it upon the whale's head, he says—"Hands off! this fish, my masters, is a Fast-Fish. I seize it as the Lord Warden's." Upon this the poor mariners in their respectful consternation—so truly English— knowing not what to say, fall to vigorously scratching their heads all round; meanwhile ruefully glancing from the whale to the stranger. But that did in nowise mend the matter, or at all soften the hard heart of the learned gentleman with the copy of Blackstone. At length one of them, after long scratching about for his ideas, made bold to speak,

且說當這些曬得黧黑的可憐水手，赤著腳，褲腳管高卷到他們那黃鱔也似的腿上，吃力地拖著那條肥鯨出水，一邊正在思量著，可以從那貴重的油和骨中獲得一百五十鎊；一邊又在想象著可以回家去跟老婆喝杯好茶，去跟他們那些一起花了力氣的老朋友喝盅老白酒的這個時候，有個很有學(xué)問、最虔誠的基督教徒和慈善為懷的先生，腋下夾有布萊克斯通（威廉·布萊克斯通（1723—1780）——英國法學(xué)家，著有《英國法律詮釋》等書。）的一本書，走上前來。他把那本書放在大鯨的頭上后，說道——"不許動！老板們，這是條有主鯨。我要把它沒收為港口監(jiān)督的鯨。"可憐這些水手聽到這些話，都給嚇得誠惶誠恐——英國人確實是這樣——不知該怎樣說好，大家拼命搔起頭皮來，眼色悲哀地望望大鯨，又望望這個陌生人?？墒?，這種態(tài)度既無濟于事，也根本不能使這個腋下夾著布萊克斯通的書的有學(xué)問先生的硬心腸軟下來。最后，其中有一個水手，在一邊搔頭皮，一邊琢磨了好久之后，大著膽子說道：

Please, sir, who is the Lord Warden?

請問，閣下，港口監(jiān)督是誰？

The Duke.

公爵。

But the duke had nothing to do with taking this fish?

可是公爵跟這條鯨一點也沒有什么關(guān)系呀？

It is his.

鯨是他的。

We have been at great trouble, and peril, and some expense, and is all that to go to the Duke's benefit; we getting nothing at all for our pains but our blisters?

我們已經(jīng)冒了千艱萬險，也花了一些錢，難道這個好處都得全歸公爵，我們所花的力氣只能得到一泡氣么？

It is his.

鯨是他的。

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