日期: 2008-10-12 06:08 分类: 点击:126 评论:2
Eulogy for a Dog
The best friend a man has in this world may turn against him and become his enemy.His son or daughter that he reared with loving care may prove ungrateful.
Those who are nearest and dearest to us,those whom we trust with our happiness and good name,may become traitors 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 sacrifice in a moment because of ill-considered action.
The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure sttles its cloud upon our heads.
The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world,the one that neve deserts him and the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous 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 in encounters with the roughness of the world.He guards the sleep of his paper master as if he were a prince.
When all other friends desert,he remains.When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces,he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.
If fortune drives the master forth an outcast in the world,friendless and homeless,the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard against danger,to fightagainst his enemies;and when the last scene of all comes,and death takes the master if all other friends pursue their way,there by his graveside will the noble dog be found,his head between his paws,his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness,faithful and true,even to death.
这是一篇辩护词。
事情发生在一八七零年的美国密苏里州的沃伦斯堡。波登与杭斯贝两位先生是邻居又是朋友。一天晚上,波登养的一只名叫"老鼓"的狗跑到隔壁杭斯贝家的后院中,不幸被杭斯贝开枪打死,波登悲愤难平,提起控告。这桩狗的官司由地方法院一直打到了最高法院。终审时,参议员佛斯特代表波登向陪审团朗诵了一篇名为《狗的礼赞》的辩护词。陪审团的法官们被这篇千古难寻的奇文深深地感动,最终宣判波登胜诉,以被告赔偿500美元而结案。由于此案在当时引起了轰动,影响面很广,而成为世界著名的法律案件。同样,佛斯特的这篇《狗的礼赞》,把犬对主人最朴素、最纯真、最珍贵的感情表达得淋漓尽致,感人肺腑,因而以其强烈的感染力成为全球养狗爱好者喜爱的经典篇章,倍受推崇,万人争颂,其影响力至今不衰。当地还把此文刻在了为"老鼓"建立的纪念碑上,闻名于世。




