海底兩萬里 第203期 第15章 一封邀請信(5)

Without trying to reconcile the contradictions between Captain Nemo's professed horror of continents or islands and his invitation to go hunting in a forest,I was content to reply:

尼摩船長本來是討厭大陸和島嶼的，現(xiàn)在反來邀我們?nèi)チ种写颢C，這矛盾我不想去求得解釋，只是滿意地說。

First let's look into this Crespo Island.

我們先看看克利斯波島是個什么樣的地方。

I consulted the world map; and in latitude 32 degrees 40' north and longitude 167 degrees 50' west, I found an islet that had been discovered in 1801 by Captain Crespo, which old Spanish charts called Rocca de la Plata, in other words, Silver Rock.

我于是查平面地圖，在北緯32度40分，西經(jīng)167度50分的地方，找到一個小島，它是1801年由克利斯波船長發(fā)現(xiàn)的，古老的西班牙地圖叫它洛加·德拉·蒲拉達，意譯過來就是銀石。

So we were about 1,800 miles from our starting point, and by a slight change of heading, the Nautilus was bringing us back toward the southeast.

所以我們現(xiàn)在距出發(fā)點約為一千八百海里，諾第留斯號行駛的方向有些改變了，它現(xiàn)在又向東南方駛?cè)ァ?/p>

I showed my companions this small, stray rock in the middle of the north Pacific.

我把這個處在太平洋北部的小島指給我的同伴看。

If Captain Nemo does sometimes go ashore, I told them, at least he only picks desert islands!

我對他們說：尼摩船長即使偶然想上陸地，他一定也要選擇那些荒涼無人的地方。

Ned Land shook his head without replying; then he and Conseil left me. After supper was served me by the mute and emotionless steward, I fell asleep; but not without some anxieties.

尼德·蘭搖搖頭，不答話，一會，康塞爾和他都走開了。不動聲色的管事人給我端來晚餐,我用過晚餐以后，心里盤算著明天的事，很久才入睡。

When I woke up the next day, November 17, I sensed that the Nautilus was completely motionless. I dressed hurriedly and entered the main lounge.

第二天，11月7日，我醒來，覺得諾第留斯號不動了。我趕忙穿上衣服，走進了客廳。

Captain Nemo was there waiting for me. He stood up, bowed, and asked if it suited me to come along.

尼摩船長已經(jīng)在廳里等著我了，他看見我，使站起來向我招呼，問我們跟他一同去打獵有什么不方便沒有。

Since he made no allusion to his absence the past eight days, I also refrained from mentioning it, and I simply answered that my companions and I were ready to go with him.

既然他一點不提他八天不露面的原因，我也不便打聽，所以只是干脆地回答說，我的同伴和我都很樂意跟他去打獵。

Only, sir, I added, I'll take the liberty of addressing a question to you.

不過，我又補上一句，先生，請允許我向您提一個問題。