AT SUNRISE the next morning, February 12, the Nautilus rose to the surface of the waves.
第二天,2月12日,天一亮的時(shí)候,諾第留斯號(hào)就浮出水面。
I rushed onto the platform. The hazy silhouette of Pelusium was outlined three miles to the south.
我立即跑到平臺(tái)上去。南邊三海里的地方,隱約瑰出北路斯城的側(cè)影。
A torrent had carried us from one sea to the other. But although that tunnel was easy to descend, going back up must have been impossible.
一道急流把我們從這一個(gè)海帶到另一個(gè)海來了。不過,這地道順流而下很容易,逆流而上恐怕就不可能。
Near seven o'clock Ned and Conseil joined me. Those two inseparable companions had slept serenely, utterly unaware of the Nautilus's feat.
七點(diǎn)左右,尼德·蘭和康塞爾也上來了。這兩個(gè)分不開的同伴只知安安靜靜地睡了一覺,全沒有留心到諾第留斯號(hào)所完成的大膽事業(yè)。
Well, Mr. Naturalist, the Canadian asked in a gently mocking tone, and how about that Mediterranean?
那么,生物學(xué)專家,加拿大人以略帶嘲笑的語氣問,您那地中海呢?
We're floating on its surface, Ned my friend.
我們現(xiàn)在就在它的水面上了,尼德朋友。
What! Conseil put in. Last night...?
嗯!康塞爾哼了一聲,就是昨夜嗎?
Yes, last night, in a matter of minutes, we cleared that insuperable isthmus.
對(duì),就是昨夜,幾分鐘內(nèi),我們便走過了這不能走過的地峽。
I don't believe a word of it, the Canadian replied.
我不能相信這事。加拿大人回答。
And you're in the wrong, Mr. Land, I went on. That flat coastline curving southward is the coast of Egypt.
您錯(cuò)了,蘭師傅,我立即說,那向南方彎下去的低低的海岸,就是埃及海岸了。
Tell it to the marines, sir, answered the stubborn Canadian.
先生,您向別人說去吧。固執(zhí)的加拿大人回答。
But if master says so, Conseil told him, then so be it.
既然先生肯定了,康塞爾對(duì)他說,那就要相信先生哩。
What's more, Ned, I said, Captain Nemo himself did the honors in his tunnel, and I stood beside him in the pilothouse while he steered the Nautilus through that narrow passageway.
尼德,尼摩船長(zhǎng)還很客氣地讓我看了他的地道,當(dāng)他親自指揮諾第留斯號(hào)通過這條狹窄地道的時(shí)候,我在他面前,在領(lǐng)航人的籠間里。
You hear, Ned? Conseil said.
尼德,您明白了嗎?康塞爾說。
And you, Ned, who have such good eyes, I added, you can spot the jetties of Port Said stretching out to sea.
您的眼力是很好的,我又說,尼德,您可以望見那伸出在海中的塞得港長(zhǎng)堤。
The Canadian looked carefully.
加拿大人很用心地看了一下。他說:
Correct, he said. You're right, professor, and your captain's a superman.
果然,教授,您說得對(duì)。您的那位船長(zhǎng)是一位杰出人物。
We're in the Mediterranean. Fine. So now let's have a chat about our little doings, if you please, but in such a way that nobody overhears.
我們現(xiàn)在是在地中海了。很好。我們來商談一下我們的小事情吧,但不要使人們聽到我們的談話。