海底两万里 第348期 第23章 珊瑚王国(47)

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Agreed, I said. And steam seems to have killed off all gratitude in seamen's hearts.

这样一个秘密要跟它的发明人一同消逝，是多么不幸：尼摩船长并不回答我的话。

But since you seem to have made a special study of this sea, captain, can you tell me how it got its name?

静默了几分钟后，我问：船长，您好像是特别研究过这海，您可以让我知道红海这名字的来源吗？

Many explanations exist on the subject, Professor Aronnax. Would you like to hear the views of one chronicler in the 14th century?

阿龙纳斯先生，关于这问题有很多的解释。您愿意知道一个十四世纪的史学家的意见吗？

Gladly.

当然愿意知道。

This fanciful fellow claims the sea was given its name after the crossing of the Israelites, when the Pharaoh perished in those waves that came together again at Moses' command:

这位空想家认为‘红海’这个名字是在以色列人走过这海之后才有的，当时法老军队追赶他们到海上，海听到摩西的声音就涌上来，把法老军队淹没了：

To mark that miraculous sequel, the sea turned a red without equal.

为表示这种神奇，变成为鲜红的海，

Thus no other course would do but to name it for its hue.

自后除了红海’的称呼再不能叫它别的名字了。

An artistic explanation, Captain Nemo, I replied, but I'm unable to rest content with it. So I'll ask you for your own personal views.

尼摩船长，我回答，这是诗人的解释，我不能满足。所以我要问问您个人的意见。

Here they come. To my thinking, Professor Aronnax, this 'Red Sea' designation must be regarded as a translation of the Hebrew word 'Edrom,' and if the ancients gave it that name, it was because of the unique color of its waters.

阿龙纳斯先生，照我的意思，我们要把红海名字看作为希伯来语‘爱德龙’一词的转译，古代的人所以称它这个名字，是由于这海的水有一种特殊颜色。

Until now, however, I've seen only clear waves, without any unique hue.

可是，直到目前，我看见的都是清澈的水波，没有什么特殊颜色。

Surely, but as we move ahead to the far end of this gulf, you'll note its odd appearance. I recall seeing the bay of El Tur completely red, like a lake of blood.

当然，不过您走进这海湾的内部时，您就会看到这奇异现象。我回想起从前看过的多尔湾，完全红色，好像血湖一样。

And you attribute this color to the presence of microscopic algae?

这颜色，您认为是由于海中有某种微生海藻的存在吗？

Yes. It's a purplish, mucilaginous substance produced by those tiny buds known by the name trichodesmia, 40,000 of which are needed to occupy the space of one square millimeter. Perhaps you'll encounter them when we reach El Tur.

是的。那是称为三棱藻的细小植物所产生的朱红色的粘性物质，四万个这种植物，才占面积一平方厘米。说不定我们到多尔湾的时候，您就可以看到这些植物。