7 一种从未见过的鱼(6)

Lastly, I can vouch-as improbable as it seems--that even if I had wanted to destroy all myillusions, 最后,我还要肯定一点—这看来像是不可能的—即使我要打破我心中的一切幻想,

even if I had been willing to "give in to despair," I could not have done so!

即使我要绝望,现在也办不到!

The cetacean had rammed our frigate at about eleven o'clock in the evening.

战舰跟那鲸鱼冲撞的时间是在夜间十一点钟左右。

I therefore calculated on eight hours of swimming until sunrise.

所以到太升起,我们还得游泳八个小时。

A strenuous task, but feasible, thanks to our relieving each other.

我们替换着游,游八小时必然可以做到。

The sea was pretty smooth and barely tired us.

海面相当平静,我们还不至于过度疲劳。

Sometimes I tried to peer through the dense gloom, which was broken only by thephosphorescent flickers coming from our movements.

有时,我的眼光想看透深沉的黑暗,但什么也看不见,只有那由于我们游泳动作激起的花透出一点闪光来。

I stared at the luminous ripples breaking over my hands, shimmering sheets spattered withblotches of bluish gray.

在我手下破碎的明亮的水波,点缀在镜子般闪闪的水而上,就好像一块块青灰的金属片。

It seemed as if we'd plunged into a pool of quicksilver.

真可以说,我们是在水银中游泳了。

Near one o'clock in the morning, I was overcome with tremendous exhaustion.

到早晨一点左右,我感到极端疲倦。

My limbs stiffened in the grip of intense cramps.

我的四肢痉挛得很厉害,渐渐发硬,不能灵活运用了。