海底兩萬里 第352期 第23章 珊瑚王國(51)
And who says it will circle Africa, professor? What's this talk about doubling the Cape of Good Hope?
教授誰告訴您，它要繞非洲一周呢？誰告訴您，它要經(jīng)過好望角呢？
But unless the Nautilus navigates on dry land and crosses over the isthmus-
除非是它在陸地上行駛，和從地峽上面過去，那…
Or under it, Professor Aronnax.
或從底下穿過去，阿龍納斯先生。
Under it?
從底下穿過去嗎？
Surely, Captain Nemo replied serenely. Under that tongue of land, nature long ago made what man today is making on its surface.
當(dāng)然，尼摩船長用很安靜的語氣回答，很久以來，人們在這舌形地面上所做的，大自然早就在它底下做了。
What! There's a passageway?
怎么！原來底下有條通路！
Yes, an underground passageway that I've named the Arabian Tunnel. It starts below Suez and leads to the Bay of Pelusium.
是的、底下有一條地道，我稱它為阿拉伯海底地道。地道在蘇伊士下面，通到北路斯海灣。
But isn't that isthmus only composed of quicksand?
那么，這地峽只是由松動的沙土形成的嗎？
To a certain depth. But at merely fifty meters, one encounters a firm foundation of rock.
由沙上形成的部分達到某種深度。但是到了五十米以下，就有一層很堅固的不可動的巖石。
And it's by luck that you discovered this passageway? I asked, more and more startled.
您發(fā)現(xiàn)這地道是由于偶然的機會嗎？我愈來愈驚奇地問。
Luck plus logic, professor, and logic even more than luck.
由于偶然的機會，同時也由于推理，教授，甚至推理的：多于偶然的成分。
Captain, I hear you, but I can't believe my ears.
船長，我心里雖然在聽您講，但我的耳朵卻抗拒它聽到的話。
