海底两万里 第64期 第6章 开足马力(6)

By then Commander Farragut, Ned Land, and I were on the afterdeck, peering eagerly into the profound gloom.

法拉古舰长、尼德·兰和我当时都在尾楼上，聚精会神地凝视着深沉的黑暗。

Ned Land, the commander asked, you've often heard whales bellowing?

尼德·兰，舰长问，您听到鲸鱼叫过吗?

Often, sir, but never a whale like this, whose sighting earned me 2,000.00.

时常听到，先生，但我从没有听过像现在这条使我获得二千美元奖金的鲸鱼那样的叫声。

Correct, the prize is rightfully yours. But tell me, isn't that the noise cetaceans make when they spurt water from their blowholes?

不错，您应获得这笔奖金。不过，请您告诉我，这声音是不是那鲸鱼类动物鼻孔吐水时所发出来的声音呢?

The very noise, sir, but this one's way louder. So there can be no mistake. There's definitely a whale lurking in our waters.

正是那声音，先生，不过现在这声音不知要大多少倍。所以谁也不会弄错.我们面前海里的东西无疑是一条鲸鱼类动物。

With your permission, sir, the harpooner added, tomorrow at daybreak we'll have words with it.

这位鱼叉手又说，请您容许我，先生，明天天亮时，我们对它说几句话。

If it's in a mood to listen to you, Mr. Land, I replied in a tone far from convinced.

恐怕它不会有那样的耐心听您的话，尼德·兰师傅。汐我用半信半疑的声调回答。

Let me get within four harpoon lengths of it, the Canadian shot back, and it had better listen!

假使我离它只有四鱼叉那么远，这位加拿大人答，那时候它非听我的话不可!