英语听书《白鲸记》第782期

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　　Now when these poor sun-burnt mariners¹, bare-footed, and with their trowsers rolled high up on their eely² legs, had wearily hauled their fat fish high and dry, promising³ themselves a good 150 pounds from the precious oil and bone; and in fantasy sipping⁴ 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 Christian⁵ 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 Warden⁶'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 soften⁷ 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,

　　且说当这些晒得黧黑的可怜水手，赤着脚，裤脚管高卷到他们那黄鳝也似的腿上，吃力地拖着那条肥鲸出水，一边正在思量着，可以从那贵重的油和骨中获得一百五十镑；一边又在想象着可以回家去跟老婆喝杯好茶，去跟他们那些一起花了力气的老朋友喝盅老白酒的这个时候，有个很有学问、最虔诚的基督教徒和慈善为怀的先生，腋下夹有布莱克斯通（威廉·布莱克斯通（1723—1780）——英国法学家，著有《英国法律诠释》等书。）的一本书，走上前来。他把那本书放在大鲸的头上后，说道——"不许动！老板们，这是条有主鲸。我要把它没收为港口监督的鲸。"可怜这些水手听到这些话，都给吓得诚惶诚恐——英国人确实是这样——不知该怎样说好，大家拼命搔起头皮来，眼色悲哀地望望大鲸，又望望这个陌生人。可是，这种态度既无济于事，也根本不能使这个腋下夹着布莱克斯通的书的有学问先生的硬心肠软下来。最后，其中有一个水手，在一边搔头皮，一边琢磨了好久之后，大着胆子说道：

　　Please, sir, who is the Lord Warden?

　　请问，阁下，港口监督是谁？

　　The Duke.

　　公爵。

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

　　可是公爵跟这条鲸一点也没有什么关系呀？

　　It is his.

　　鲸是他的。

　　We have been at great trouble, and peril⁸, and some expense, and is all that to go to the Duke's benefit; we getting nothing at all for our pains but our blisters⁹?

　　我们已经冒了千艰万险，也花了一些钱，难道这个好处都得全归公爵，我们所花的力气只能得到一泡气么？

　　It is his.

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