英语听书《白鲸记》第783期

 　　Is the Duke so very poor as to be forced to this desperate mode of getting a livelihood¹?

　　那个公爵真穷得非干起这种不择手段的谋生方法不可吗？

　　It is his.

　　鲸是他的。

　　I thought to relieve my old bed-ridden mother by part of my share of this whale.

　　我还想靠这条鲸的份儿，给我病倒在床的老母亲治病呢。

　　It is his.

　　鲸是他的。

　　Won't the Duke be content with a quarter or a half?

　　难道给个四分之一，或者一半，公爵也不满意吗？

　　It is his.

　　鲸是他的。

　　In a word, the whale was seized and sold, and his Grace the Duke of Wellington received the money. Thinking that viewed in some particular lights, the case might by a bare possibility in some small degree be deemed, under the circumstances, a rather hard one, an honest clergyman of the town respectfully addressed a note to his Grace, begging him to take the case of those unfortunate mariners² into full consideration. To which my Lord Duke in substance replied (both letters were published) that he had already done so, and received the money, and would be obliged to the reverend gentleman if for the future he (the reverend gentleman) would decline meddling³ with other people's business. Is this the still militant⁴ old man, standing⁵ at the corners of the three kingdoms, on all hands coercing⁶ alms of beggars?

　　总之，那条鲸给没收了，卖了，韦林顿公爵（韦林顿公爵（1769—1852）——即在滑铁卢一役打败拿破仑的名将。据说他曾任辛格港港口监督，这里所提事件，确有其事，写信的牧师，为沃林福德博士。）大人也拿到钱了。从一种特殊的角度来考虑这事情，这至少应该算是个难以对付的问题，在这种情况下，当地一位正直的牧师恭敬地写了个便函给这位大人，要求他对这些不幸的水手的这桩事情加以详细斟酌。这位公爵大人，接到信后，具体回答说（两封信都公开发表过），他已经这么做了，钱也拿到了，同时还说，牧师先生将来如能不再多管闲事则不胜感激云云。难道这就是这个脚跨三个王国，从各方面勒逼穷人的救济金、斗气未减当年的老人吗？

　　It will readily be seen that in this case the alleged⁷ right of the Duke to the whale was a delegated one from the Sovereign. We must needs inquire then on what principle the Sovereign is originally invested with that right.

　　从这件事可以明白地看出来，大公爵对大鲸之所以有一种当然的权利，就因为他是君主的代表。那么，我们不免要问，君主原来又是根据什么原则而赋有这种权利呢？

1 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

2 mariners   

海员，水手（mariner的复数形式）

参考例句：

• Mariners were also able to fix their latitude by using an instrument called astrolabe. 海员们还可使用星盘这种仪器确定纬度。
• The ancient mariners traversed the sea. 古代的海员漂洋过海。

3 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

4 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

6 coercing   

v.迫使做( coerce的现在分词 )；强迫；（以武力、惩罚、威胁等手段）控制；支配

参考例句：

• All of the children had atopic dermatis coercing at least 20% of their body surface area. 所有的患儿体表有超过20%的遗传性过敏症皮炎感染。 来自互联网
• I assured him that we had no intention of coercing Israel in response a Soviet threat. 我向他保证，我们无意强迫以色列对苏联的威胁做出反映。 来自互联网

7 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为