WITHOUT STANDING UP, we stared in the direction of the forest, my hand stopping halfway to my mouth, Ned Land's completing its assignment.
我們向樹林方面看去，但沒有站起來，我的手正拿食物向嘴裡送就停住了，尼德-蘭的手也正好把東西放到嘴中就不動了。
"Stones don't fall from the sky," Conseil said, "or else they deserve to be called meteorites."
康塞爾說：“一塊石頭不能從天上掉下來，不然的話，就應該叫它為隕石了。”
A second well-polished stone removed a tasty ringdove leg from Conseil's hand, giving still greater relevance to his observation.
第二塊石頭，加工的圓形石頭，又落下來，把康塞爾手中好吃的一塊山鳩腿肉打落了，這證明他的看法更有道理，需要我們注意。
We all three stood up, rifles to our shoulders, ready to answer any attack.
我們三人全站起來，把槍扛在肩上，準備立即回答這次-突然的攻擊。
"Apes maybe?" Ned Land exclaimed.
“是一些猿猴嗎？”尼德-蘭喊。
"Nearly," Conseil replied. "Savages."
“可以說是，”康塞爾回答，“他們是野蠻人。”
"Head for the skiff!" I said, moving toward the sea.
“回小艇去。”我說，同時向海邊走。
Indeed, it was essential to beat a retreat because some twenty natives, armed with bows and slings, appeared barely a hundred paces off, on the outskirts of a thicket that masked the horizon to our right.
果然，我們必須向後退走，因為有二十來個土人，拿着弓箭和投石器，從遮住了右方天際的叢林邊緣出來，相距不過一百步左右。
The skiff was aground ten fathoms away from us.
我們的小艇停在離我們二十米遠的海上。
The savages approached without running, but they favored us with a show of the greatest hostility. It was raining stones and arrows.
這些土人並不快跑，慢慢走來；可是他們做種種表示故意的動作。石塊和弓筋像雨點一般打來。
Ned Land was unwilling to leave his provisions behind, and despite the impending danger, he clutched his pig on one side, his kangaroos on the other, and scampered off with respectable speed.
尼德-蘭不願意放棄所有的食物，不顧近在眼前的危險，一邊拿野豬，一邊拿袋鼠，相當快地把食物收拾起來。
In two minutes we were on the strand. Loading provisions and weapons into the skiff, pushing it to sea, and positioning its two oars were the work of an instant. We hadn't gone two cable lengths when a hundred savages, howling and gesticulating, entered the water up to their waists. I looked to see if their appearance might draw some of the Nautilus's men onto the platform. But no. Lying well out, that enormous machine still seemed completely deserted.
兩分鐘後，我們就到了灘上。把食物和武器放在小艇裡，將小艇推人海中，安上兩支槳，這是一瞬間的事。我們還沒有划到二百米遠，一百左右的土人大喊大叫，指手畫腳地一直走到水深至腰間的海水中。我小心地看，以為這些土人的出現一定要把諾第留斯號船上的一些人引到平台上來觀看。可是沒有；這只龐大的機器船睡在海面上，完全看不見人的蹤影。
Twenty minutes later we boarded ship. The hatches were open. After mooring the skiff, we reentered the Nautilus's interior.
二十分鐘後，我們上了船。嵌板是開着的。把小艇放好後，我們又回到了諾第留斯號的裡面來了。
I went below to the lounge, from which some chords were wafting. Captain Nemo was there, leaning over the organ, deep in a musical trance.
我走人客廳，聽到有一些樂聲發出。尼摩船長在那裡，他正彎身向着他的大風琴，沉浸在音樂的極樂情緒中。
"Captain!" I said to him.
“船長！”我對他說。
He didn't hear me.
他好像沒有聽見。
"Captain!" I went on, touching him with my hand.
“船長！”我叉說，同時用手去碰他。
He trembled, and turning around:
他身上微微發抖，回過身來對我說：
"Ah, it's you, professor!" he said to me. "Well, did you have a happy hunt? Was your herb gathering a success?"
“啊！是您，教授。很好，你們打獵好嗎？你們采得很多的植物嗎？”
"Yes, captain," I replied, "but unfortunately we've brought back a horde of bipeds whose proximity worries me."
“是的，很不錯，船長，”我回答，“不過我們很不幸，帶來了一樣兩腿動物，這些動物就在附近，我覺得很不放心。”
"What sort of bipeds?"
“什麼兩腿動物哪？，
"Savages."
“是一些野蠻人呢。”
"Savages!" Captain Nemo replied in an ironic tone. "You set foot on one of the shores of this globe, professor, and you're surprised to find savages there? Where aren't there savages? And besides, are they any worse than men elsewhere, these people you call savages?"
“一些野蠻人！”尼摩船長帶著譏諷的語氣說，“教授，您腳一踏在這地球的陸地上便碰見野蠻人，您覺得奇怪嗎？野蠻人，地上尹。一處沒有野蠻人呢？而且您叫他們為野蠻人的，一定比其他的人還壞嗎？”
"But captain--"
“不過，船長……”
"Speaking for myself, sir, I've encountered them everywhere."
“在我個人來說，先生，我到處都碰見野蠻人。”
"Well then," I replied, "if you don't want to welcome them aboard the Nautilus, you'd better take some precautions!"
“那麼，”我回答，“如果您不願意在諾第留斯號船上接待他們的話，我請您注意，想些辦法。”
"Easy, professor, no cause for alarm."
“您放心吧，教授，這事用不着您擔心。”
"But there are a large number of these natives."
“可是土人的人數很多呢。”
"What's your count?"
“您估計他們有多少？”
"At least a hundred."
“至少有一百左右。”
"Professor Aronnax," replied Captain Nemo, whose fingers took their places again on the organ keys, "if every islander in Papua were to gather on that beach, the Nautilus would still have nothing to fear from their attacks!"
“阿龍納斯先生，”尼摩船長回答，他的手指又擱在大風琴的鍵子上了，“就是巴布亞所有的土人都齊集在這海灘上，諾第留斯號一點也不怕他們的攻擊！”
The captain's fingers then ran over the instrument's keyboard, and I noticed that he touched only its black keys, which gave his melodies a basically Scottish color. Soon he had forgotten my presence and was lost in a reverie that I no longer tried to dispel.
船長的指頭於是又在風琴鍵盤上奔馳了，我看他只是按黑鍵，這使他彈出的和聲主要是帶蘇格蘭樂曲的特色-不久他就忘記了我在他面前，沉浸在一種美夢幻想中，我不敢去驚動他，打攪他。
I climbed onto the platform. Night had already fallen, because in this low latitude the sun sets quickly, without any twilight. I could see Gueboroa Island only dimly. But numerous fires had been kindled on the beach, attesting that the natives had no thoughts of leaving it.
我又回平台上來。黑夜已經來臨，因為在這低緯度的地區，太陽落下得很快，並且沒有黃昏的時候。我看那格波羅爾島很是模糊不清。但有許多火光在海灘上閃耀，證明這些土人不想走開，守在那裡。
For several hours I was left to myself, sometimes musing on the islanders-- but no longer fearing them because the captain's unflappable confidence had won me over--and sometimes forgetting them to marvel at the splendors of this tropical night. My memories took wing toward France, in the wake of those zodiacal stars due to twinkle over it in a few hours. The moon shone in the midst of the constellations at their zenith. I then remembered that this loyal, good-natured satellite would return to this same place the day after tomorrow, to raise the tide and tear the Nautilus from its coral bed. Near midnight, seeing that all was quiet over the darkened waves as well as under the waterside trees, I repaired to my cabin and fell into a peaceful sleep.
我一個人這樣在平台上留了好幾個鐘頭，有時想著這些土人——但並不特別怕他們，因為船長的堅定不移的信．心影響着我——有時忘記了他們，欣賞這熱帶地區的夜間的美麗景象。我的思想飛向法國去了，好像跟着黃道十二宮的星宿一齊去似的，這些星是有好幾個鐘頭照着法國的。月亮在頂上星辰中間輝煌照耀，我於是想到，這座忠實慇勤的地球衛星要在後天回到相同的這個地方來，掀起這些海波，使諾第留斯號脫離它的珊瑚石床。到夜半左右，看見沉黑的海波上一切都很平靜，同時海岸的樹下也一樣沒有聲息，我就回到我的艙房中，安心地睡去。
The night passed without mishap. No doubt the Papuans had been frightened off by the mere sight of this monster aground in the bay, because our hatches stayed open, offering easy access to the Nautilus's interior.
一夜過去，沒有不幸事故發生。巴布亞人可能由於單單看見擱淺在海灣中的大怪物，便不敢前來，因為嵌板仍然開着，他們很容易走進諾第留斯號裡面來。
At six o'clock in the morning, January 8, I climbed onto the platform. The morning shadows were lifting. The island was soon on view through the dissolving mists, first its beaches, then its summits.
早晨六點一一：月8日——我又走上乎台。早晨的陰影散開了。格波羅爾島從消失的霧氣中露出來，首先露出海灘，然後現出山峰。
The islanders were still there, in greater numbers than on the day before, perhaps 500 or 600 of them. Taking advantage of the low tide, some of them had moved forward over the heads of coral to within two cable lengths of the Nautilus. I could easily distinguish them. They obviously were true Papuans, men of fine stock, athletic in build, forehead high and broad, nose large but not flat, teeth white. Their woolly, red-tinted hair was in sharp contrast to their bodies, which were black and glistening like those of Nubians. Beneath their pierced, distended earlobes there dangled strings of beads made from bone. Generally these savages were naked. I noted some women among them, dressed from hip to knee in grass skirts held up by belts made of vegetation. Some of the chieftains adorned their necks with crescents and with necklaces made from beads of red and white glass. Armed with bows, arrows, and shields, nearly all of them carried from their shoulders a sort of net, which held those polished stones their slings hurl with such dexterity.
土人守在那裡，比昨天的人數更多了，大約有五六百人左右。有些土人乘着低潮，來到珊瑚石尖上，離諾第留斯號約四百米遠。我可以清楚地看見他們。他們是真正的巴布亞人，身材高大，體格魁偉，前額寬大高起，鼻子粗大，但不扁平，牙齒潔白。他們像羊毛一般的頭髮作紅顏色，披散在漆黑髮亮的、像非洲紐比人一般的身軀上。他們的耳垂子，割開了和拉長了，掛着骨質的耳環。這些土人通常是光着身子，不穿衣服。我看見他們中間有些女人，從腰至膝穿一件真正草葉做的粗糙裙子，上面用一根草帶子繫起來。有些頭領脖子上帶著一個彎月形的飾物和紅白兩色的玻璃編成的項鏈。差不多全體上人都帶了弓、箭和盾，肩上背着象網一類的東西，網中裝滿他們能巧妙地用投石機投出來的溜圓石塊。
One of these chieftains came fairly close to the Nautilus, examining it with care. He must have been a "mado" of high rank, because he paraded in a mat of banana leaves that had ragged edges and was accented with bright colors.
其中一個頭領走到相當接近諾第留斯號的地方，很敘心地考察這只船。他好像是一個高級的“馬多”，因為他披着一條香蕉樹葉編的圍巾，中邊上織成花樣，並且染了很鮮明的顏色。
I could easily have picked off this islander, he stood at such close range; but I thought it best to wait for an actual show of hostility. Between Europeans and savages, it's acceptable for Europeans to shoot back but not to attack first.
我可以很容易擊斃這個土人，因為他站在很近的地方；但我認為等待他表示出真正故意的攻擊行動之後，再還手才對。
During this whole time of low tide, the islanders lurked near the Nautilus, but they weren't boisterous. I often heard them repeat the word "assai," and from their gestures I understood they were inviting me to go ashore, an invitation I felt obliged to decline.
在整個低潮期間，這些土人在諾第留斯號周圍轉來轉去；但他們並不大聲喧閙。我常常聽到他們一再說“阿洗”這句話，從他們的手勢來看，我懂得他們是要我到島上去，但我想對他們這個邀請還是謝絶的好。
So the skiff didn't leave shipside that day, much to the displeasure of Mr. Land who couldn't complete his provisions. The adroit Canadian spent his time preparing the meat and flour products he had brought from Gueboroa Island. As for the savages, they went back to shore near eleven o'clock in the morning, when the heads of coral began to disappear under the waves of the rising tide. But I saw their numbers swell considerably on the beach. It was likely that they had come from neighboring islands or from the mainland of Papua proper. However, I didn't see one local dugout canoe.
所以這一天小艇不能離大船了，使得尼德-蘭師傅很是失望，他不可能補足他所要的食物了。這個手巧的加拿大人於是利用他的時間，來準備他從格波羅爾島上帶回來舶肉類和麵粉。至于那些土人，在早晨十一點左右，當珊瑚石尖頂開始在上漲的潮水下隱沒不見時，都回到岸上去了。但我看見他們在海灘上的人數大量增加了。大約他們是從鄰近小島來的，或者就是從巴布亞本島來的。不過我還沒有看到一隻上人的獨木舟。
Having nothing better to do, I decided to dredge these beautiful, clear waters, which exhibited a profusion of shells, zoophytes, and open-sea plants. Besides, it was the last day the Nautilus would spend in these waterways, if, tomorrow, it still floated off to the open sea as Captain Nemo had promised.
我因為目前沒有什麼可做的，就想到要在這些清澈的海水中去撈撈看，好像水裡面有豐富的貝殼類、植蟲類和海產植物。並且今天又是諾第留斯號在這一帶海面停留的最後一天了，因為照尼摩船長的諾言，在明天潮漲的時候，船就要浮出去了。
So I summoned Conseil, who brought me a small, light dragnet similar to those used in oyster fishing.
因此我叫康塞爾，他給我拿了一個輕便的小撈器，就像拿來打牡蠣的撈器一般的網。
"What about these savages?" Conseil asked me. "With all due respect to master, they don't strike me as very wicked!"
“那些野蠻人呢？”康塞爾問我，“不怕先生見怪，我覺得他們並不十分凶惡！”
"They're cannibals even so, my boy."
“可是他們要吃人的，老實人。”
"A person can be both a cannibal and a decent man," Conseil replied, "just as a person can be both gluttonous and honorable. The one doesn't exclude the other."
“一個人同時可以是吃人肉的又是老實的，”康塞爾回答“就像一個人同時可以是貪食的又是誠實的一樣，彼此中不對立。”
"Fine, Conseil! And I agree that there are honorable cannibals who decently devour their prisoners. However, I'm opposed to being devoured, even in all decency, so I'll keep on my guard, especially since the Nautilus's commander seems to be taking no precautions. And now let's get to work!"
“對！康塞爾，我同意你的說法，他們是吃人肉的誠實人，他們是老老實實地吃俘虜的肉。不過我不想被他們吞食，即使是老老實實的吞食，我也不願意。我要時時警戒，十分小心，因為諾第留斯號的船長好像一點不注意，不加防範。現在我們動手撈吧。”
For two hours our fishing proceeded energetically but without bringing up any rarities. Our dragnet was filled with Midas abalone, harp shells, obelisk snails, and especially the finest hammer shells I had seen to that day. We also gathered in a few sea cucumbers, some pearl oysters, and a dozen small turtles that we saved for the ship's pantry.
在兩個鐘頭內，我們打魚進行得相當活躍，但沒有打到罕見的珍品。打撈器裡面裝滿了驢耳貝、豎琴貝、河貝子，特別又打到了我今天才看見的最好看的糙魚，我們又打了一些海參，產珍珠的牡蠣和一打左右的小鱉，這些都打來作為船上的食用品。
But just when I least expected it, I laid my hands on a wonder, a natural deformity I'd have to call it, something very seldom encountered. Conseil had just made a cast of the dragnet, and his gear had come back up loaded with a variety of fairly ordinary seashells, when suddenly he saw me plunge my arms swiftly into the net, pull out a shelled animal, and give a conchological yell, in other words, the most piercing yell a human throat can produce.
但是，在絶對的無意中，我卻找到一件珍奇品，我應該說，找到一件自然變形的珍品，這種東西最不容易碰見。康塞爾把打撈器放下去又撈起來的時候，器中裝滿很平常的各種貝類，他忽然看見我的胳膊很快伸進網裡面去，取出一個貝殼來，發出貝類學家的喊聲，即是說，發出人類喉嚨可以發出的最尖鋭的喊聲。
"Eh? What happened to master?" Conseil asked, very startled. "Did master get bitten?"
“哎！先生怎麼啦？”康塞爾問，他非常驚怪，“先生被咬了嗎？”
"No, my boy, but I'd gladly have sacrificed a finger for such a find!"
“沒有，老實人，我實在願意用我的一個指頭來換取我：的發現呢。”
"What find?"
“什麼發現呢？，
"This shell," I said, displaying the subject of my triumph.
“就是這個貝殼。”我手指着我的戰利品說。
"But that's simply an olive shell of the 'tent olive' species, genus Oliva, order Pectinibranchia, class Gastropoda, branch Mollusca--"
“但這不過是一個普通的斑紅橄欖貝，橄欖貝屬，節鰓圖，腹足綱，軟體類門……”
"Yes, yes, Conseil! But instead of coiling from right to left, this olive shell rolls from left to right!"
“對，康塞爾，但這個橄欖貝紋跟普通的不一樣，不是從右往左捲過來，而是從左往右轉過去。”
"It can't be!" Conseil exclaimed.
“可能嗎？”康塞爾喊道。
"Yes, my boy, it's a left-handed shell!"
“一點不錯，老實人，這是一個左卷貝！”
"A left-handed shell!" Conseil repeated, his heart pounding.
“一個左卷貝！”康塞爾重複說，他心跳動着。
"Look at its spiral!"
“你看一看這貝殼的螺旋紋便明白了。”
"Oh, master can trust me on this," Conseil said, taking the valuable shell in trembling hands, "but never have I felt such excitement!"
“啊！先生可以相信我，”康塞爾說，用發抖的手拿着這珍貴的貝殼，“我從沒有感到像現在這樣的一種情緒呢！”
And there was good reason to be excited! In fact, as naturalists have ventured to observe, "dextrality" is a well-known law of nature. In their rotational and orbital movements, stars and their satellites go from right to left. Man uses his right hand more often than his left, and consequently his various instruments and equipment (staircases, locks, watch springs, etc.) are designed to be used in a right-to-left manner. Now then, nature has generally obeyed this law in coiling her shells. They're right-handed with only rare exceptions, and when by chance a shell's spiral is left-handed, collectors will pay its weight in gold for it.
這實在是可以使人情緒激動的！正是，像生物學家所觀察到的一樣，由右向左是自然的法則。天體的行星和它們的衛星公轉和自轉的運動，都是從右向左轉。人類使用右手的機會比使用左手為多，因此，人類的工具和器械、樓梯、鎖鑰、鐘錶的法條等，都配合成由右向左來使用的。大自然對於貝類的捲旋螺紋，通常也是按照這個法則。貝類紋基本是右轉的，很少有例外，偶然有貝紋是左轉的。，愛好的人便以黃金的重階來收買了。
So Conseil and I were deep in the contemplation of our treasure, and I was solemnly promising myself to enrich the Paris Museum with it, when an ill-timed stone, hurled by one of the islanders, whizzed over and shattered the valuable object in Conseil's hands.
康塞爾和我因此都在欣賞我們所得的寶貝，完全陶醉了，我正欣幸我們的博物館又可以多一件珍品了；忽然一個土人投來一個石子，不幸地把康塞爾手中的珍品打碎了。
I gave a yell of despair! Conseil pounced on his rifle and aimed at a savage swinging a sling just ten meters away from him. I tried to stop him, but his shot went off and shattered a bracelet of amulets dangling from the islander's arm.
我發出了一聲絶望的喊聲！康塞爾拿起我的槍，對準在十米外揮動投石機的一個土人，就要打。我正要阻止他，但他的槍彈已經放出去了，粉碎了掛在土人胳膊上的護身靈鐲。
"Conseil!" I shouted. "Conseil!"
“康塞爾！“康塞爾！”我喊。
"Eh? What? Didn't master see that this man-eater initiated the attack?"
“怎麼啦！先生沒有看見這個土人開始攻擊了嗎？-
"A shell isn't worth a human life!" I told him.
“一個貝殼不能跟一個人的性命相比！”我對他說）
"Oh, the rascal!" Conseil exclaimed. "I'd rather he cracked my shoulder!"
“啊！混蛋東西！”康塞爾喊，“他就是打碎我的肩骨，我覺得也比打碎這貝殼好一些！”
Conseil was in dead earnest, but I didn't subscribe to his views. However, the situation had changed in only a short time and we hadn't noticed. Now some twenty dugout canoes were surrounding the Nautilus. Hollowed from tree trunks, these dugouts were long, narrow, and well designed for speed, keeping their balance by means of two bamboo poles that floated on the surface of the water. They were maneuvered by skillful, half-naked paddlers, and I viewed their advance with definite alarm.
康塞爾說的是老實話，不過我不讚同他的意見。可是目前的情形已經很不對了，這一點我們還沒有覺察到。這時，有二十多隻獨木舟正圍繞着諾第留斯號。這種獨木舟是中空的樹身做的，很長，很窄。為了便於行駛，配上兩條浮在水面的竹製長桿，使舟身可以平衡不傾斜地擺動。獨木舟由半光着身體、巧妙使用自由槳板的上人駕駛，我看見他們駛向前來，心中不能不害怕起來。
It was obvious these Papuans had already entered into relations with Europeans and knew their ships. But this long, iron cylinder lying in the bay, with no masts or funnels--what were they to make of it? Nothing good, because at first they kept it at a respectful distance. However, seeing that it stayed motionless, they regained confidence little by little and tried to become more familiar with it. Now then, it was precisely this familiarity that we needed to prevent. Since our weapons made no sound when they went off, they would have only a moderate effect on these islanders, who reputedly respect nothing but noisy mechanisms. Without thunderclaps, lightning bolts would be much less frightening, although the danger lies in the flash, not the noise.
很顯然，這些巴布亞人已經跟歐洲人有過來往，他們見過而且能夠識別歐洲人的船隻。但我們這只躺在灣中的鋼鐵圓錐，沒有桅槁，沒有煙突，他們會怎麼想呢？他們一定認為這是沒有一點好處的壞東西，因為他們首先站在距離相當遠的地方，不敢近前。可是，看見船停住不動，他們漸漸恢復了信心，想法子跟船熟識。正是這種要求熟識的行動，人們應加以阻止。我們的武器沒有砰砰的聲響，對於這些土人只能有一種很平常的效力，因為他們所害怕的是宏大的炮聲，雷電的危險雖然在閃光而不在聲響。但如果沒有隆隆的轟擊，也很少有人害怕。
Just then the dugout canoes drew nearer to the Nautilus, and a cloud of arrows burst over us.
這時候，獨木舟更逼近諾第留斯號了，一陣一陣的箭落在船身上了。
"Fire and brimstone, it's hailing!" Conseil said. "And poisoned hail perhaps!"
“真怪！下雹子了！“康塞爾說，“可能是有毒的雹子呢！”
"We've got to alert Captain Nemo," I said, reentering the hatch.
“應當通知尼摩船長。”我說，同時我就從嵌板中進來。
I went below to the lounge. I found no one there. I ventured a knock at the door opening into the captain's stateroom.
我走到客廳中，客廳裡沒有人。我冒昧敲一敲朝着船長房間開的那扇門。
The word "Enter!" answered me. I did so and found Captain Nemo busy with calculations in which there was no shortage of X and other algebraic signs.
一聲“請進”回答我；我進去，我見船長正聚精會神地作計算，上面有很多X未知數和其它的代數符號。
"Am I disturbing you?" I said out of politeness.
“我打攪您吧？”我有禮貌他說。
"Correct, Professor Aronnax," the captain answered me. "But I imagine you have pressing reasons for looking me up?"
“不錯，阿龍納斯先生，”船長回答我，“不過我想您來見我，一定有緊急重大的事情。”
"Very pressing. Native dugout canoes are surrounding us, and in a few minutes we're sure to be assaulted by several hundred savages."
“對，很緊急，很重大的事，土人的許多獨木舟把我們圍起來了，幾分鐘內，我們一定就要受到好幾百土人的攻擊了。”
"Ah!" Captain Nemo put in serenely. "They've come in their dugouts?"
“啊！”尼摩船長安靜地說，“他們是乘他們的獨木舟來的嗎？”
"Yes, sir."
“是的，先生。
"Well, sir, closing the hatches should do the trick."
“好吧，先生，把嵌板關上就夠了。”
"Precisely, and that's what I came to tell you--"
“正是，我就是來告訴您……”
"Nothing easier," Captain Nemo said.
“再沒有更容易的了。“尼摩船長說。
And he pressed an electric button, transmitting an order to the crew's quarters.
他手按一個電鈕，把命令傳達到船員所在的崗位。
"There, sir, all under control!" he told me after a few moments. "The skiff is in place and the hatches are closed. I don't imagine you're worried that these gentlemen will stave in walls that shells from your frigate couldn't breach?"
“命令執行了，先生，”他過一刻後對我說，“小艇放好了，嵌板關上了。我想，這些鋼鐵牆壁，就是林肯號戰艦的炮彈都不能傷損的，你現在不害怕那些土人先生們會衝進來了吧？”
"No, captain, but one danger still remains."
“不害怕了，船長；但還有一個危險存在。”
"What's that, sir?"
“先生，什麼危險呢？”。
"Tomorrow at about this time, we'll need to reopen the hatches to renew the Nautilus's air."
“就是明天又要打開嵌板來調換諾第留斯號的空氣……”
"No argument, sir, since our craft breathes in the manner favored by cetaceans."
“那不用說，先生，因為我們的船是跟鯨魚類一般呼吸的。”
"But if these Papuans are occupying the platform at that moment, I don't see how you can prevent them from entering."
“可是，如果這個時候，巴布亞人佔據了平台，我真不知。道您怎樣可以不讓他們進來呢。”
"Then, sir, you assume they'll board the ship?"
“那麼，先生，您以為他們可以走上船來嗎？”
"I'm certain of it."
“我想是可以。”
"Well, sir, let them come aboard. I see no reason to prevent them. Deep down they're just poor devils, these Papuans, and I don't want my visit to Gueboroa Island to cost the life of a single one of these unfortunate people!"
“好，先生，讓他們上來好了。我看不出有什麼理由可以阻止他們。實際上，這些已布亞人是很可憐憫的，我在訪問格波羅爾島的過程中，就是隻犧牲一個這樣苦命人的生命，我也不願意！”
On this note I was about to withdraw; but Captain Nemo detained me and invited me to take a seat next to him. He questioned me with interest on our excursions ashore and on our hunting, but seemed not to understand the Canadian's passionate craving for red meat. Then our conversation skimmed various subjects, and without being more forthcoming, Captain Nemo proved more affable.
他說完了這話，我要退出了，但尼摩船長把我留下，要、我坐在他身邊。他很關心地問我們登陸遊蕩的經過，我們打獵的情形，他好像完全不瞭解加拿大人愛吃肉類的那種需要。然後談話轉到各種問題上，尼摩船長雖然並不比從前更容易流露內心情感，但卻露出了比較和藹可親的樣子。
Among other things, we came to talk of the Nautilus's circumstances, aground in the same strait where Captain Dumont d'Urville had nearly miscarried. Then, pertinent to this:
在許多他提到的問題中間，我們談到諾第留斯號目前所處的地位，因為它正擱淺在杜蒙-居維爾几乎要丟了性命的這個海峽中。一會兒，船長對我說起這件事：
"He was one of your great seamen," the captain told me, "one of your shrewdest navigators, that d'Urville! He was the Frenchman's Captain Cook. A man wise but unlucky! Braving the ice banks of the South Pole, the coral of Oceania, the cannibals of the Pacific, only to perish wretchedly in a train wreck! If that energetic man was able to think about his life in its last seconds, imagine what his final thoughts must have been!"
他是你們的偉大海員之一，這位居維爾是你們富有智慧的航海家之一！他是你們法國人的庫克船長。不幸的學者啊！不怕南極的冰層，不伯大洋洲的珊瑚礁，不怕太平洋的吃人肉的土人，經歷了種種危險後，竟在火車失事中多麼不值地丟了性命，多麼可惜啊！如果這個精幹的人在他生存的最後一刻，可能做些思考的活，您想想他最後的智慧會是什麼呢！”
As he spoke, Captain Nemo seemed deeply moved, an emotion I felt was to his credit.
這樣說著，尼摩船長好像情緒很激動的樣子，我被他的這種情緒感染了。
Then, chart in hand, we returned to the deeds of the French navigator: his voyages to circumnavigate the globe, his double attempt at the South Pole, which led to his discovery of the Adélie Coast and the Louis-Philippe Peninsula, finally his hydrographic surveys of the chief islands in Oceania.
然後，手拿着地圖，我們再來看這位法國航海家所做的工作，他的環球航行，他到南極的兩次探險，使他發見阿米利和路易-非力兩個地方，以及他對於大洋洲主要島嶼所做的水道學的記載資料。
"What your d'Urville did on the surface of the sea," Captain Nemo told me, "I've done in the ocean's interior, but more easily, more completely than he. Constantly tossed about by hurricanes, the Zealous and the new Astrolabe couldn't compare with the Nautilus, a quiet work room truly at rest in the midst of the waters!"
“你們的居維爾在海面上所做的，尼摩船長對我說，“我在海洋底下做了，做得比他更方便，更完全，渾天儀號和熱心女號不斷受大風暴所擺動，不能跟諾第留斯號相比，它是安靜的工作室，在海水中間真正安然不動呢！”
"Even so, captain," I said, "there is one major similarity between Dumont d'Urville's sloops of war and the Nautilus."
“不過，船長，”我說，“杜蒙-居維爾的舊式海船跟諾第留斯號有一點相似的地方。”
"What's that, sir?"
“先生，哪一點呢？”
"Like them, the Nautilus has run aground!"
“就是諾第留斯號跟它們一樣擱淺了！”
"The Nautilus is not aground, sir," Captain Nemo replied icily. "The Nautilus was built to rest on the ocean floor, and I don't need to undertake the arduous labors, the maneuvers d'Urville had to attempt in order to float off his sloops of war. The Zealous and the new Astrolabe wellnigh perished, but my Nautilus is in no danger. Tomorrow, on the day stated and at the hour stated, the tide will peacefully lift it off, and it will resume its navigating through the seas."
“諾第留斯號並沒有擱淺，先生，”尼摩船長冷淡地回答我，“諾第留斯號是歇在侮床上的，居維爾要他的船脫離開礁石，重回海上所必須做的艱苦工程，困難動作，我根本不用做。渾天儀號和熱心女號几乎沉沒了，但我的諾第留斯號一點也沒有危險。明天，在我指定的日子，指定的、時刻，潮水把它平安地浮起來，它又穿洋過海地在水中航行了。”
"Captain," I said, "I don't doubt--"
“船長，”我說“我並不懷疑……”
"Tomorrow," Captain Nemo added, standing up, "tomorrow at 2:40 in the afternoon, the Nautilus will float off and exit the Torres Strait undamaged."
“明天，”尼摩船長又說，同時他站起來，“明天，下午兩點四十分，諾第留斯號將浮在海上，毫無損傷地離開托列斯海峽。”
Pronouncing these words in an extremely sharp tone, Captain Nemo gave me a curt bow. This was my dismissal, and I reentered my stateroom.
用乾脆的語氣說完了這些話後，尼摩船長輕輕地點點頭。這是讓我走開的表示，我就回我房中來。
There I found Conseil, who wanted to know the upshot of my interview with the captain.
我見康塞爾在房中，他想知道我跟船長會談的結果
"My boy," I replied, "when I expressed the belief that these Papuan natives were a threat to his Nautilus, the captain answered me with great irony. So I've just one thing to say to you: have faith in him and sleep in peace."
“老實人，”我回答，”當我覺得他的諾第留斯號是要受巴布亞上人的嚴重威脅的時候，船長帶著十足嘲諷的神氣回答了我。所以我只跟你說一點，就是：相信他，安心睡覺。”
"Master has no need for my services?"
“先生沒有事需要我做嗎？”
"No, my friend. What's Ned Land up to?"
“沒有，老實人。尼德-蘭幹什麼去了？”
"Begging master's indulgence," Conseil replied, "but our friend Ned is concocting a kangaroo pie that will be the eighth wonder!"
“請先生原諒我，”康塞爾回答，“尼德好朋友正在做袋：鼠肉餅，這將成為美味的珍品呢！”
I was left to myself; I went to bed but slept pretty poorly. I kept hearing noises from the savages, who were stamping on the platform and letting out deafening yells. The night passed in this way, without the crew ever emerging from their usual inertia. They were no more disturbed by the presence of these man-eaters than soldiers in an armored fortress are troubled by ants running over the armor plate.
我又是獨自一人了，我睡下，但睡不着。我聽到土人所作的聲響，他們發出震耳的叫喊，在乎台上不停地用腳踩踏，一夜便這樣過去，船上人員仍是照常不動，全不理睬。這些土人在他們面前，他們一點也沒有感到不安，就像守在鐵甲堡壘中的兵士全不留心在鐵甲上奔跑的螞蟻一樣。
I got up at six o'clock in the morning. The hatches weren't open. So the air inside hadn't been renewed; but the air tanks were kept full for any eventuality and would function appropriately to shoot a few cubic meters of oxygen into the Nautilus's thin atmosphere.
到六點，我起床來。嵌板並沒有打開，所以船內部的。空氣有調換，但儲藏庫中總是裝滿空氣的，於是及時使用它，把好幾立方米的氧放人諾第留斯號的缺氧空氣中。
I worked in my stateroom until noon without seeing Captain Nemo even for an instant. Nobody on board seemed to be making any preparations for departure.
我在房中工作，直到中午，一刻也沒有看見尼摩船長，好像船沒有作任何開行的準備。
I still waited for a while, then I made my way to the main lounge. Its timepiece marked 2:30. In ten minutes the tide would reach its maximum elevation, and if Captain Nemo hadn't made a rash promise, the Nautilus would immediately break free. If not, many months might pass before it could leave its coral bed.
我又等了些時候，然後到客廳去。大針正指兩點半十分鐘內，海潮就要達到最高點了。如果尼摩船長沒有們狂妄的諾言，那麼諾第留斯號立即就要脫離礁石了。不然的話，那在它能離開珊瑚石床之前，恐怕還要這樣度過不知多少年月呢。
But some preliminary vibrations could soon be felt over the boat's hull. I heard its plating grind against the limestone roughness of that coral base.
可是，不久就在船身上感到有些作為前奏的抖顫。我聽到珊瑚石上石灰質形成的不乎表面在船邊上摩擦，沙沙作響了。
At 2:35 Captain Nemo appeared in the lounge.
兩點三十五分，尼摩船長出現在客廳中。
"We're about to depart," he said.
“我們要開行了。”他說。
"Ah!" I put in.
“啊！”我喊一聲。
"I've given orders to open the hatches."
“我下了命令，要打開嵌板。“
"What about the Papuans?"
“那些巴布亞人呢？”
"What about them?" Captain Nemo replied, with a light shrug of his shoulders.
“哪些巴布亞人？”尼摩船長回答，同時輕輕地聳一聳肩。
"Won't they come inside the Nautilus?"
“他們不是要走進諾第留斯號裡面來嗎？”
"How will they manage that?"
“怎樣進來？”
"By jumping down the hatches you're about to open."
“從您叫人打開的嵌板進來。”
"Professor Aronnax," Captain Nemo replied serenely, "the Nautilus's hatches aren't to be entered in that fashion even when they're open."
“阿龍納斯先生，”尼摩船長安靜地回答，“人們不能這樣隨便從嵌板進來，就是它們開着也不能”
I gaped at the captain.
我眼盯着船長。”
"You don't understand?" he said to me.
“您不明白嗎？”他對我說。
"Not in the least."
“一點不明白。”
"Well, come along and you'll see!"
“那麼，您來吧，您就可以看見了。
I headed to the central companionway. There, very puzzled, Ned Land and Conseil watched the crewmen opening the hatches, while a frightful clamor and furious shouts resounded outside.
我向中央鐵梯走去。尼德-蘭和康塞爾在那裡，他們心中很奇怪，正看著船上的人員把嵌板打開，同時瘋狂可怕的大聲叫喚在外面震天價響。
The hatch lids fell back onto the outer plating. Twenty horrible faces appeared. But when the first islander laid hands on the companionway railing, he was flung backward by some invisible power, lord knows what! He ran off, howling in terror and wildly prancing around.
嵌板的外面放下來了。怕人的二十副臉孔現出來了。但第一個土人，那個把手放在鐵梯扶手上的，馬上被一種神秘不可見的力量推到後面去，他發出怕人的叫喊，做出奇怪的跳躍逃跑。
Ten of his companions followed him. All ten met the same fate.
他的十個同伴陸續前來按扶擋，十個也得到相同的命運，受到打擊，向後逃走。
Conseil was in ecstasy. Carried away by his violent instincts, Ned Land leaped up the companionway. But as soon as his hands seized the railing, he was thrown backward in his turn.
康塞爾樂得發狂了。尼德-蘭由於他急躁的天性所驅使，跑到樓梯上去。但是，一當他兩手抓住扶手的時候，他也被擊慣倒。
"Damnation!" he exclaimed. "I've been struck by a lightning bolt!"
“有鬼！有鬼！”他喊，“我被雷打了！”
These words explained everything to me. It wasn't just a railing that led to the platform, it was a metal cable fully charged with the ship's electricity. Anyone who touched it got a fearsome shock-- and such a shock would have been fatal if Captain Nemo had thrown the full current from his equipment into this conducting cable! It could honestly be said that he had stretched between himself and his assailants a network of electricity no one could clear with impunity.
這句話給我說明了一切。那並不是扶手，那是一根鐵索，通過了船上的電流，直達到平台。誰觸到它，誰都受到一種厲害的震動，如果尼摩船長把他機器中的整個電流都放到這導體中去，另”這種震動就是致命的力量！人們真可以說，在來攻的敵人和他之間，他張掛了一副電網，誰都不徒通過它而不受到懲罰。
Meanwhile, crazed with terror, the unhinged Papuans beat a retreat. As for us, half laughing, we massaged and comforted poor Ned Land, who was swearing like one possessed.
巴布亞人害怕得發狂，都向後退走。我們笑着，安慰不幸的尼德。蘭，用手摩擦他，他像魔鬼附身一樣，大聲地咒罵。
But just then, lifted off by the tide's final undulations, the Nautilus left its coral bed at exactly that fortieth minute pinpointed by the captain. Its propeller churned the waves with lazy majesty. Gathering speed little by little, the ship navigated on the surface of the ocean, and safe and sound, it left behind the dangerous narrows of the Torres Strait.
但在這個時候，諾第留斯號受海水最後的波浪所掀動，就在船長指定的正好是兩點四十分的時候，離開了它的珊瑚石床。它的機輪開始以隆重的緩慢姿態攪打海水。一會兒，速度漸漸增大，向大海面奔馳前去，它安全無恙地把托列斯海峽的危險水道拋在後面了。