海底兩萬里 第63期 第6章 開足馬力(5)

Maybe, I added, it's no more approachable than an electric eel or an electric ray!

也許，我又說，我們不能接近它，就像不能接近一條電鰻，或一個水雷那樣!

Right, the commander replied. And if it has their power to electrocute, it's surely the most dreadful animal ever conceived by our Creator.

的確，艦長答，它身上有雷電般的力量，它一定是造物者造出來的最可怕的動物了。

That's why I'll keep on my guard, sir.

就是因為這個理由，先生，我才不得不十分小心在意。

The whole crew stayed on their feet all night long. No one even thought of sleeping.

全體船員在夜間都站著守望，沒有一個人想到睡眠。

Unable to compete with the monster's speed, the Abraham Lincoln slowed down and stayed at half steam.

林肯號在速度上敵不過這個怪物，只好保持著低速度慢慢行駛。

For its part, the narwhale mimicked the frigate, simply rode with the waves, and seemed determined not to forsake the field of battle.

而獨角鯨也模仿戰(zhàn)艦，在波濤上隨意擺動者，好象還不打算離開這個比武場。

However, near midnight it disappeared, or to use a more appropriate expression, it went out, like a huge glowworm.

不過，快到半夜的時候，它不見了，或用一句更準確的話說，它像一只大螢火蟲一樣不發(fā)光了。

Had it fled from us? We were duty bound to fear so rather than hope so.

它逃了嗎?我介就怕它逃，我們不希望它逃。

But at 12:53 in the morning, a deafening hiss became audible, resembling the sound made by a waterspout expelled with tremendous intensity.

但到早晨零點五十三分的時候傳來一種震耳欲聾的嘯聲，好橡被極強的壓力擠出的水柱所發(fā)的嘯聲那樣。