海底两万里 第65期 第6章 开足马力(7)

But to get near it, the commander went on, I'd have to put a whaleboat at your disposal?

不过你去挨近它的时候，舰长说，我得给一只捕鲸艇供您使用吧?

Certainly, sir.

当然要有一只，先生。

That would be gambling with the lives of my men.

坐小船岂不是拿我的人员的生命去冒险?

And with my own! the harpooner replied simply.

我的命不算命吗?这位鱼叉手干脆地回答。

Near two o'clock in the morning, the core of light reappeared, no less intense, five miles to windward of the Abraham Lincoln.

到早晨两点左右，这发光的焦点，在跟林肯号前面相距五海里远的海面，又发出同样强烈的光。

Despite the distance, despite the noise of wind and sea, we could distinctly hear the fearsome thrashings of the animal's tail, and even its panting breath.

虽然距离大，虽然有风声和浪声，我们还是清楚地听到这动物尾巴的搅水声。

Seemingly, the moment this enormous narwhale came up to breathe at the surface of the ocean,

并且听到它的喘息声。这只巨大的独角鲸到洋面上来呼吸的时候，

air was sucked into its lungs like steam into the huge cylinders of a 2,000-horsepower engine.

空气吸人它肺中，就像水蒸气送到两千马力机器的大圆筒里面去那样。

Hmm! I said to myself. A cetacean as powerful as a whole cavalry regiment-now that's a whale of a whale!

晤!我想，这强大得像一队骑兵的鲸鱼，一定是一条了不得的鲸鱼!