This measure was distasteful to me. To my mind it would lead nowhere. We could hope for nothing from the Nautilus's commander but could depend only on ourselves. Besides, for some time now the man had been gloomier, morewithdrawn, less sociable. He seemed to be avoiding me. I encountered him only at rare intervals. He used to take pleasure in explaining the underwater wonders to me; now he left me to my research and no longer entered the lounge.
但我不贊成這種做法。依我看,這種做法是不會奏效的。我們不應該對 “鸚鵡螺號”船上的指揮官抱任何希望,一切只能靠我們自己。再說這段時間以來,這個人變得更陰沉,更深居簡出,更不愛與人交往。他好像在躲避我。我很少碰到他。以前他很樂意向我解釋海底的奇觀;可現(xiàn)在他對我的研究撒手不管,也不再到客廳來了。
What changes had come over him? From what cause? I had no reason to blame myself. Was our presence on board perhaps a burden to him? Even so, I cherished no hopes that the man would set us free.
他到底發(fā)生了什么變化?是因為什么呢?可我并沒有什么需要自責的地方啊。那可能是我們在他船上出現(xiàn)使他為難了吧?然而,我卻不會希望他是那種想給我們自由的人。
So I begged Ned to let me think about it before taking action. If this measure proved fruitless, it could arouse the captain's suspicions, make our circumstances even more arduous, and jeopardize the Canadian's plans. I might add that I could hardly use our state of health as an argument. Except for that grueling ordeal under the Ice Bank at the South Pole, we had never felt better, neither Ned, Conseil, nor I. The nutritious food, life-giving air, regular routine, and uniform temperature kept illness at bay; and for a man who didn't miss his past existence on land, for a Captain Nemo who was at home here, who went where he wished, who took paths mysterious to others if not himself in attaining his ends, I could understand such a life.
于是,我請求尼德在行動之前讓我好好地想一想。如果這一步?jīng)]取得任何效果的話,這樣會引起他的疑心,而使我們的處境變得更艱難甚至破壞加拿大人的計劃。我補充說我們無論如何也不能以我們的身體健康狀況為理由,提出離開這里。因為既然我們能忍受得住南極大浮冰下的艱苦考驗,那我們——不論是加拿大人、康塞爾,還是我——就什么都能挺得住。像現(xiàn)在這種衛(wèi)生的飲食,這樣有益于健康的空氣,這般有規(guī)律的生活,如此恒定的溫度,是不會讓人生病的。而且對于一個離開了陸地生活而心中無悔的人來說對于尼摩船長來說,他現(xiàn)在是在自己的家里,來去自由,可以行蹤鬼秘地——對于其他人來說是的而對于他自己來說則不是——去他想去的地方,我理解這樣的生活。