28 惊奇还是意外(10)

Yes, Ned Land repeated, "so long as we get out!"

“是的,”尼德•兰重复道,“只要我们能出去!”

I strolled for a little while from the lounge into the library. My companions kept their seats and didn't move. Soon I threw myself down on a couch and picked up a book, which my eyes skimmed mechanically.

我从客厅到图书室来回地走了一些时候。我的同伴们坐着,一言不发。不久我躺在长沙发上,拿着一本书,两眼机械地看下去。

A quarter of an hour later, Conseil approached me, saying:

一刻钟后,康塞尔走近前来,对我说:

Is it deeply fascinating, this volume master is reading?

“先生看的书很有趣吗?”

Tremendously fascinating, I replied.

“很有趣。"我回答。

I believe it. Master is reading his own book!

“我想是很有趣。先生看的书是先生写的书哩!”

My own book?

“我写的书吗?”

Indeed, my hands were holding my own work on the great ocean depths. I hadn't even suspected. I closed the book and resumed my strolling. Ned and Conseil stood up to leave.

正是,我手中拿着的是那本《海底的神秘》。我真是没有想到呢。我把书合起来,我又来回地走起来了。尼德•兰和康塞尔两人站起来,要走开。

Stay here, my friends, I said, stopping them. "Let's stay together until we're out of this blind alley."

“朋友们,请留下,”我拉住他们说,“我们留在直到我们退出这条走不通的道路。

As master wishes, Conseil replied.

“如您所愿,”康塞尔答道,

The hours passed. I often studied the instruments hanging on the lounge wall. The pressure gauge indicated that the Nautilus stayed at a constant depth of 300 meters, the compass that it kept heading south, the log that it was traveling at a speed of twenty miles per hour, an excessive speed in such a cramped area. But Captain Nemo knew that by this point there was no such thing as too fast, since minutes were now worth centuries.

“几小时过去了,我时常看那挂在客厅墙壁上的机械压力表指出,诺第留 斯号保持在三百米深的一定水层中,罗盘总是指向南,测程器的记录是速度每小时二十海里,在紧窄的水道中来说,这是过快的速度。尼摩船长知道船行不能过快, 但这时候,几分钟简直等于几世纪呢。

At 8:25 a second collision took place. This time astern. I grew pale. My companions came over. I clutched Conseil's hand. Our eyes questioned each other, and more directly than if our thoughts had been translated into words.

八点二十五分,第二次冲捡发生了。这一次是在船后部。我面发白了。我的同伴们走到我身边来。我拉着康塞尔的手。我们面面相觑,拿眼光来代替说话,这比用语言来表示我们的思想,好像更为直接些,

Just then the captain entered the lounge. I went to him.

这个时候,尼摩船长走进厅中来,我迎向前去。

Our path is barred to the south? I asked him.

我问他:“南边的路也堵住了吗?”

Yes, sir. When it overturned, that iceberg closed off every exit.

“是的,先生。冰山翻倒的时候把所有的出口都堵住了。”

We're boxed in? Yes.

“我们是被封锁了吗?”“是的。”

End of chapter 15

第十五完