英语听书《白鲸记》第778期

　　These pleadings, and the counter pleadings, being duly heard, the very learned Judge in set terms decided¹, to wit,— That as for the boat, he awarded it to the plaintiffs, because they had merely abandoned it to save their lives; but that with regard to the controverted² whale, harpoons³, and line, they belonged to the defendants⁴; the whale, because it was a Loose-Fish at the time of the final capture; and the harpoons and line because when the fish made off with them, it (the fish) acquired a property in those articles; and hence anybody who afterwards took the fish had a right to them. Now the defendants afterwards took the fish; ergo, the aforesaid articles were theirs.

　　听了这些答辩和反答辩后，那个学问十分渊博的法官就明确地做了决定，就是说，——关于那只小艇，他把它判还原告，因为原告只是为了自救才抛弃小艇；至于说到有争论的鲸、标枪和绳索，应归被告所有；因为那条鲸在最后被捕到时是条无主鲸；标枪和绳索则因为当时都跟鲸一起拖着走，它（那条鲸）就拥有这些东西的所有权；因此以后任何人取得了鲸，就取得了这些东西的所有权。现在被告既然后来取得了鲸，那么，上述这些东西就该归他们所有。

　　A common man looking at this decision of the very learned Judge, might possibly object to it. But ploughed up to the primary rock of the matter, the two great principles laid down in the twin whaling laws previously⁵ quoted, and applied⁶ and elucidated⁷ by Lord Ellenborough in the above cited case; these two laws touching⁸ Fast-Fish and Loose-Fish, I say, will on reflection, be found the fundamentals of all human jurisprudence; For notwithstanding its complicated tracery of sculpture, the Temple of the Law, like the Temple of the Philistines⁹, has but two props¹⁰ to stand on.

　　一个普通人看到这个学问十分渊博的法官的决定，也许会提出异议。不过，如果对这事情加以探本究源一下，研究上面所引的那两条在捕鲸法中所规定的、并且已经为埃伦巴勒勋爵应用于上述一案，而且解释得一清二楚的这两大原则，那么，我认为，仔细一想，就会觉得这两条关于有主鲸和无主鲸的法律，是一切人类法律的根本原则了；因为，法律的圣殿，尽管它象非利士的圣殿那样，有着错综复杂的雕塑窗饰，可是支撑着它的，就正是这两根支柱。

　　Is it not a saying in every one's mouth, Possession is half of the law: that is, regardless of how the thing came into possession?

　　这可不是众口所传的俗谚吗？有了所有权就有了一半的法律，也就是说，不管那件东西是怎样搞到手的。

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 controverted   

v.争论，反驳，否定( controvert的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

3 harpoons   

n.鱼镖，鱼叉( harpoon的名词复数 )v.鱼镖，鱼叉( harpoon的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Greenpeace hopes to position its boats between the harpoons and the whales. 绿色和平希望他们的船能开到港口与鲸鱼群之间的地方。 来自互联网
• NIV Can you fill his hide with harpoons or his head with fishing spears? 7[和合]你能用倒钩枪扎满它的皮，能用鱼叉叉满它的头吗？ 来自互联网

4 defendants   

被告( defendant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The courts heard that the six defendants had been coerced into making a confession. 法官审判时发现6位被告人曾被迫承认罪行。
• As in courts, the defendants are represented by legal counsel. 与法院相同，被告有辩护律师作为代表。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

5 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

6 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

7 elucidated   

v.阐明，解释( elucidate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He elucidated a point of grammar. 他解释了一个语法要点。
• The scientist elucidated his theory by three simple demonstrations. 这位科学家以三个简单的实例来说明他的理论。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 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。

9 philistines   

n.市侩，庸人( philistine的名词复数 )；庸夫俗子

参考例句：

• He accused those who criticized his work of being philistines. 他指责那些批评他的作品的人是对艺术一窍不通。 来自辞典例句
• As an intellectual Goebbels looked down on the crude philistines of the leading group in Munich. 戈培尔是个知识分子，看不起慕尼黑领导层不学无术的市侩庸人。 来自辞典例句

10 props   

小道具； 支柱( prop的名词复数 )； 支持者； 道具； （橄榄球中的）支柱前锋

参考例句：

• Rescuers used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing. 救援人员用支柱防止隧道顶塌陷。
• The government props up the prices of farm products to support farmers' incomes. 政府保持农产品价格不变以保障农民们的收入。