精美英文欣赏:A Tribute to the Dog 狗的赞歌

本文是一篇法庭辩护词，作者George Graham (1830-1904) 是美国密苏里州的一个议员，是当时杰出的演讲家和辩论家。本篇是他早年从事法律工作时在法庭上所作，其时他为一位因狗被杀而起诉的人做辩护。辩护时，他没有要求任何证词，只是凭借其辩论就赢得了官司。他辩词的撼人之处在于：拿出人类兽性的一面与狗人性的一面作对比，引起法官们对狗的感激和同情，以及对杀狗人的强烈憎恶。这不仅仅是一篇辩护词，也是一篇优秀的讲演稿，更是对人性的呼唤……

The best friend a man has in the world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name, may become traitors 2 to their faith. The money that a man has he may lose. It flies away from

him, perhaps when he needs it most. A man's reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone 3 to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice 4 when failure settles its cloud upon our heads. The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous 5, is his dog.

A man's dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness.  He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master's side.  He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer; he will lick the wounds and sores that come from encounter with the roughness of the world.  He guards the sleep of his pauper 6 master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains 7. When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journeys through the heavens.

If fortune drives the master forth 8, an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him, to guard him against danger, to fight against his enemies.  And when the last scene of all comes, and death takes the master in its embrace, and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by the grave will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness 9, faithful and true even in death.   

一个人世上最要好的朋友也许会背叛他，成为他的敌人．他尽心养大的儿女也许会忘恩负义．那些我们最亲近的人，那些我们信任，将自己的幸福和名誉托付给他们的人也许会背信弃义．一个人手中的钱会丢失，在他最需要的时刻，钱也许就不翼而飞．一个人的名誉会在他做出一个欠考虑的行为时而成为陪葬品．那些在我们春风得意时逢迎拍马，就算下跪也不无不可的人们却有可能在我们遭遇不测时第一时间落井下石．人在这个自私的世界里拥有的唯一决不会自私，决不会抛弃自己，决不会忘恩负义的朋友就是自己的狗了．

不论这人是富贵还是贫穷，健壮还是病弱，他的狗都会待在他的身旁．哪怕冬日风雪肆虐，只要能待在主任的身旁，狗也会睡在冰冷的地板上．狗会亲吻主人那双没有食物给它的双手，会舔舐主人身上与这残忍的世界抗争时留下的伤口．狗守护着睡着了的贫穷主人，仿佛他是一个王子．当主人所有的朋友都弃之而去时，它留下来了．当主人的财富，名誉一去不复返时，它的爱始终如一，犹如太阳在空中永恒不变的轨迹．

如果主人遭世人遗弃，举目无亲，无家可归时，忠诚的狗除了陪伴在主人左右，保护他不受伤害之外别无他求．当最后一刻终于来到，死神将主人拥入了怀抱，他的身体被丢弃在冰冷的土地里．不管他的朋友们是否都各自离去，在他的墓地旁总能看到他忠诚的狗，头搁在两爪间，眼睛尽管透露出悲哀却睁得大大的，警惕的，忠实的，虔诚的，甚至在它死亡的时侯．

1.rear   vt. 养育, 饲养, 举起, 建立

2.traitor 1   n. 叛徒, 卖国贼

He was surprised to discover that his best friend had turned traitor. 

他惊讶地发现他最好的朋友竟成了叛徒。

3.treacherous  adj. 叛逆的, 危险的

He thinks that she is his friend, but she is treacherous. 

他认为她是他的朋友, 但她是个奸诈的人。

4.wintry   ['wintri] adj. 冬天的, 荒凉的

He drew a picture of wintry scene. 

他画了一幅冬天景色的画。

5.pauper   n. 贫民, 被救济者, 穷人

The King disguised himself in a pauper's clothes.

国王穿上贫儿的衣服以掩盖身份。

6.outcast   ['autkɑ:st]   adj. 被逐出的, 被遗弃的, 无家可归的 n. 被驱逐的人, 流浪人, 无赖

The outcast boy was brought up by the government. 

这个被遗弃的孩子是由政府抚养大的。