海底两万里》第21期 第2章 正与反(10)

But, as it always happens, just when a decision had been made to chase the monster, the monster put in no further appearances.

事情往往就是这样，等人们决定要追赶这怪物的时候。怪物再也不出现了。

For two months nobody heard a word about it. Not a single ship encountered it.

在两个月的时间内，谁都没有得到怪物的消息，也没有海船碰见它。

Apparently the unicorn had gotten wise to these plots being woven around it.

好像这条海麒麟已经得到了人们准备进攻它的情报。

People were constantly babbling about the creature, even via the Atlantic Cable!

因为大家说得大多了，甚至于用大西洋的海底电线来说!

Accordingly, the wags claimed that this slippery rascal had waylaid some passing telegram and was making the most of it.

所以，喜欢说笑话的人说，这个精灵的东西一定在中途偷听了电报，现在它启己有了防备。

So the frigate was equipped for a far-off voyage and armed with fearsome fishing gear, but nobody knew where to steer it.

不再随便出来。因此，这艘用作远征而且装有强大打鱼机的二级战舰,现在不知道向哪里开才好。

And impatience grew until, on June 2, word came that the Tampico, a steamer on the San Francisco line sailing from California to Shanghai, had sighted the animal again, three weeks before in the northerly seas of the Pacific.

大家越来越不耐烦了，忽然，7月2日，旧金山轮船公司从加利福尼亚开往上海的一只汽船唐比葛号，三星期前在太平洋北部的海面上又看见了这个东西。

This news caused intense excitement. Not even a 24-hour breather was granted to Commander Farragut. His provisions were loaded on board.

这消息引起了极大的骚动。