海底兩萬里 第521期 第32章 海灣暖流(11)
But my companions and I would be willing to safeguard this manuscript, and if you give us back our freedom...
“但我，我的同伴，我們隨時準(zhǔn)備著保護(hù)這本手稿，如果您讓我們自由的話……”
Your freedom! Captain Nemo put in, standing up.
"Yes, sir, and that's the subject on which I wanted to confer with you. For seven months we've been aboard your vessel, and I ask you today, in the name of my companions as well as myself, if you intend to keep us here forever."
“是的，先生，我來正是想跟您談?wù)勥@個問題。我們在您的船上已經(jīng)呆了七個月，今天我以我和我的同伴的名義問您，您是否想永遠(yuǎn)把我們留在這里?！?/p>
Professor Aronnax, Captain Nemo said, "I'll answer you today just as I did seven months ago: whoever boards the Nautilus must never leave it."
“阿龍納斯教授，”尼摩船長說，“我今天的回答和我七個月前對您說過的那些話一樣：進(jìn)了‘鸚鵡螺號’，就再也不能出去。”
What you're inflicting on us is outright slavery!
“您正向我們施加奴隸制?！?/p>
Call it anything you like.
“隨便您怎么說好了?！?/p>
But every slave has the right to recover his freedom! By any worthwhile, available means!
“可奴隸有恢復(fù)自由的權(quán)利！不管以什么方式獲得自由，他都會認(rèn)為自己是對的！”
Who has denied you that right? Captain Nemo replied. "Did I ever try to bind you with your word of honor?"
“這個權(quán)利，”尼摩船長回答說，“誰說過您沒有？我有想過用誓言把你們約束住嗎？”
The captain stared at me, crossing his arms.
船長看著我，雙手交叉在胸前。
Sir, I told him, "to take up this subject a second time would be distasteful to both of us. So let's finish what we've started. I repeat: it isn't just for myself that I raise this issue. To me, research is a relief, a potent diversion, an enticement, a passion that can make me forget everything else. Like you, I'm a man neglected and unknown, living in the faint hope that someday I can pass on to future generations the fruits of my labors—figuratively speaking, by means of some contrivance left to the luck of winds and waves.
“先生，”我對他說，“我們第二次回到這個我本不想談您也不想談的問題上吧。既然我們已經(jīng)談到了，就讓我們說個痛快吧。我向您重復(fù)說一次，這是一個不僅僅涉及到我個人的問題。對于我來說，搞研究就是一種救助， 一種有效的消遣，一種動力，一種能讓我忘掉一切的情愫。我像您一樣，是一個不求人知，只求默默無聞地生活的人。我們都抱著一種微弱的希望，希望有朝一日把自己的工作成果放進(jìn)一個不可靠的小盒子，托付給風(fēng)浪，隨風(fēng)而去，留給后人。
