英语听书《白鲸记》第779期

 　　But often possession is the whole of the law. 不过，有了所有权往往就有全部的法律。

　　What are the sinews and souls of Russian serfs and Republican slaves but Fast-Fish, whereof possession is the whole of the law? 俄罗斯的农奴和共和国的奴隶的精力和灵魂不就是有主鲸么？谁个有了所有权，不就是有全部的法律么？

　　What to the rapacious¹ landlord is the widow's last mite² but a Fast-Fish? 在贪得无厌的地主看来，连寡妇的最后一个小铜钱不也就是有主鲸么？

　　What is yonder undetected villain's marble mansion³ with a doorplate for a waif; what is that but a Fast-Fish? 那边那个西洋镜还未被人拆穿的恶棍的大理石巨厦上，不是有一块代替浮标的门牌吗？它不就是有主鲸么？

　　What is the ruinous discount which Mordecai, the broker⁴, gets from the poor Woebegone, the bankrupt, 那个掮客摩得开对破了产的悲哀先生放了一笔债，

　　on a loan to keep Woebegone's family from starvation; what is that ruinous discount but a Fast-Fish? 使悲哀先生的一家免于饿死，而取得了招致毁灭的回扣，那笔招致毁灭的回扣不就是有主鲸么？

　　What is the Archbishop of Savesoul's income of 100,000 pounds 那个灵魂拯救者的大主教，从千百万卖命干活的工人

　　seized from the scant⁵ bread and cheese of hundreds of thousands of broken-backed laborers⁶ （大家都深信一点也得不到拯救灵魂的好处）的微薄的面包和乳酪里，每年刮得十万英镑的收益；

　　(all sure of heaven without any of Savesoul's help) what is that globular 100,000 but a Fast-Fish. 这笔十万英镑的大数目不就是有主鲸么？

　　What are the Duke of Dunder's hereditary⁷ towns and hamlets but Fast-Fish? 那个丹达公爵世袭领有的大小村庄城镇不就是有主鲸么？

　　What to that redoubted harpooneer, John Bull, is poor Ireland, but a Fast-Fish? 在那个勇不可当的标枪手约翰·布尔看来，可怜的爱尔兰不就是有主鲸么？

　　What to that apostolic lancer, Brother Jonathan, is Texas but a Fast-Fish? 在那个使徒似的枪手乔纳森弟兄看来，得克萨斯州可不就是有主鲸么？

　　And concerning all these, is not Possession the whole of the law? 所有这些事情，不正是说明所有权就是整个儿的法律吗？

　　But if the doctrine⁸ of Fast-Fish be pretty generally applicable, the kindred doctrine of Loose-Fish is still more widely so. 不过，如果有主鲸这条原则是颇为通用的话，那么性质相似的无主鲸的原则的适用范围远更来得广泛。

　　That is internationally and universally applicable. 那是普天之下到处都通用的。

1 rapacious   

adj.贪婪的，强夺的

参考例句：

• He had a rapacious appetite for bird's nest soup.他吃燕窝汤吃个没够。
• Rapacious soldiers looted the houses in the defeated city.贪婪的士兵洗劫了被打败的城市。

2 mite   

n.极小的东西；小铜币

参考例句：

• The poor mite was so ill.可怜的孩子病得这么重。
• He is a mite taller than I.他比我高一点点。

3 mansion   

n.大厦，大楼；宅第

参考例句：

• The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。
• The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。

4 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

5 scant   

adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略

参考例句：

• Don't scant the butter when you make a cake.做糕饼时不要吝惜奶油。
• Many mothers pay scant attention to their own needs when their children are small.孩子们小的时候，许多母亲都忽视自己的需求。

6 laborers   

n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工

参考例句：

• Laborers were trained to handle 50-ton compactors and giant cranes. 工人们接受操作五十吨压土机和巨型起重机的训练。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Wage-labour rests exclusively on competition between the laborers. 雇佣劳动完全是建立在工人的自相竞争之上的。 来自英汉非文学 - 共产党宣言

7 hereditary   

adj.遗传的，遗传性的，可继承的，世袭的

参考例句：

• The Queen of England is a hereditary ruler.英国女王是世袭的统治者。
• In men,hair loss is hereditary.男性脱发属于遗传。

8 doctrine   

n.教义；主义；学说

参考例句：

• He was impelled to proclaim his doctrine.他不得不宣扬他的教义。
• The council met to consider changes to doctrine.宗教议会开会考虑更改教义。