英语听书《白鲸记》第775期

 　　Perhaps the only formal whaling code authorized¹ by legislative² enactment³, was that of Holland. 由立法手续制订出来的唯一正式的捕鲸法典，也许应该算是荷兰那部法典。

　　It was decreed by the States-General in A.D. 1695. 这部法典，由国会颁布于一六九五年。

　　But though no other nation has ever had any written whaling law, 虽然其它国家从来没有订过任何捕鲸的成文法，

　　yet the American fishermen have been their own legislators and lawyers in this matter. 然而，美国的捕鲸者在这方面却有他们自己的立法者和律师。

　　They have provided a system which for terse⁴ comprehensiveness surpasses Justinian's Pandects 他们规定了一套制度，这套制度，就其简单明了说来，可说远远超过《查士丁尼法典》

　　and the By-laws of the Chinese Society for the Suppression of Meddling⁵ with other People's Business. 和中国社会通行的莫管闲事的私法。

　　Yes; these laws might be engraven on a Queen Anne's farthing, or the barb⁶ of a harpoon⁷, and worn round the neck, so small are they. 真的，这些法律条文之简短，也许可以把它镌刻在一个安妮女王的铜元上，刻在标枪倒钩上或挂在颈脖子上。

　　I. A Fast-Fish belongs to the party fast to it. （1）有主鲸属于将鲸拴住的一方。

　　II. A Loose-Fish is fair game for anybody who can soonest catch it. （2）无主鲸是谁先捉到，就归谁所有的一种来路正当的猎物。

　　But what plays the mischief⁸ with this masterly code is the admirable brevity of it, which necessitates⁹ a vast volume of commentaries to expound¹⁰ it. 可是，这个巧妙的规章的毛病，正是出在它本身的过于简赅上，这须得写下一卷注释浩瀚的书，才能把它说得清楚。

　　First: What is a Fast-Fish? 首先：什么叫做有主鲸？

　　Alive or dead a fish is technically¹¹ fast, when it is connected with an occupied ship or boat, 活鲸和死鲸之所以跟一艘有主船或一只有主小艇发生关系，

　　by any medium at all controllable by the occupant or occupants, 顾名思义，是因为所有主通过完全由其掌握的任何工具，

　　a mast, an oar¹², a nine-inch cable, a telegraph wire, or a strand¹³ of cobweb, it is all the same. 比如一支桅，一把桨，一根九英寸长的缆索，一根电线，或者一张网等等将鲸拴住了，

1 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

2 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

3 enactment   

n.演出，担任…角色；制订，通过

参考例句：

• Enactment refers to action.演出指行为的表演。
• We support the call for the enactment of a Bill of Rights.我们支持要求通过《权利法案》的呼声。

4 terse   

adj.(说话，文笔)精炼的，简明的

参考例句：

• Her reply about the matter was terse.她对此事的答复简明扼要。
• The president issued a terse statement denying the charges.总统发表了一份简短的声明，否认那些指控。

5 meddling   

v.干涉，干预（他人事务）( meddle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He denounced all "meddling" attempts to promote a negotiation. 他斥责了一切“干预”促成谈判的企图。 来自辞典例句
• They liked this field because it was never visited by meddling strangers. 她们喜欢这块田野，因为好事的陌生人从来不到那里去。 来自辞典例句

6 barb   

n.（鱼钩等的）倒钩，倒刺

参考例句：

• The barb of his wit made us wince.他那锋芒毕露的机智使我们退避三舍。
• A fish hook has a barb to prevent the fish from escaping after being hooked.鱼钩上都有一个倒钩以防上了钩的鱼逃走。

7 harpoon   

n.鱼叉；vt.用鱼叉叉，用鱼叉捕获

参考例句：

• The harpoon drove deep into the body of the whale.渔叉深深地扎进鲸鱼体内。
• The fisherman transfixed the shark with a harpoon.渔夫用鱼叉刺住鲨鱼。

8 mischief   

n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹

参考例句：

• Nobody took notice of the mischief of the matter. 没有人注意到这件事情所带来的危害。
• He seems to intend mischief.看来他想捣蛋。

9 necessitates   

使…成为必要，需要( necessitate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The increase in population necessitates a greater food supply. 人口的增加需要更多食物供应。
• Your proposal necessitates borrowing money. 你的提议使借款成为必要。

10 expound   

v.详述；解释；阐述

参考例句：

• Why not get a diviner to expound my dream?为什么不去叫一个占卜者来解释我的梦呢？
• The speaker has an hour to expound his views to the public.讲演者有1小时时间向公众阐明他的观点。

11 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

12 oar   

n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行

参考例句：

• The sailors oar slowly across the river.水手们慢慢地划过河去。
• The blade of the oar was bitten off by a shark.浆叶被一条鲨鱼咬掉了。

13 strand   

vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地）

参考例句：

• She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears.她把一缕散发夹到了耳后。
• The climbers had been stranded by a storm.登山者被暴风雨困住了。