英语听书《海底两万里》第303期 第22章 强逼睡眠(8)

 　　You're in command, I answered, gaping¹ at him. But may I address a question to you? 您是主人，我眼盯着他回答，我可以向您提一个问题吗？

　　You may not, sir. 不，先生。

　　After that, I stopped objecting and started obeying, since resistance was useless. 听了这活，我没有可争论的，只有服从了，因为所有的抗拒都是不可能的。

　　I went below to the cabin occupied by Ned Land and Conseil, and I informed them of the captain's decision. 我走到尼德·兰和康塞尔所住的舱房中，告诉他们船长所作的决定。

　　I'll let the reader decide how this news was received by the Canadian. In any case, there was no time for explanations.  读者可以想象加拿大人得到这消息时是怎样情形。此外，我们也没有时间对这事作解释。

　　Four crewmen were waiting at the door, and they led us to the cell where we had spent our first night aboard the Nautilus. 四个船员早就等在门口，他们领我们到我们第一夜在诺第留斯号船上住过的那个房间里。

　　Ned Land tried to lodge² a complaint, but the only answer he got was a door shut in his face. 尼德·兰想质问，但他一进来，门就关上了，当然也得不到回答。

　　Will master tell me what this means? Conseil asked me. 先生可以给我说明这是什么意思吗？康塞尔问我。

　　I told my companions what had happened. They were as astonished as I was, but no wiser. 我把事情的经过告诉了我的同伴。他们跟我一样惊奇，但也一样得不到解释。

　　Then I sank into deep speculation³, and Captain Nemo's strange facial seizure⁴ kept haunting me.  同时，我作了无穷无尽的思考，尼摩船长面容上所有的那种奇异疑虑老是在我思想中纠缠着，解脱不开。

　　I was incapable⁵ of connecting two ideas in logical order, and I had strayed into the most absurd hypotheses,  我简直不能把两个合理的观念结合起来，我迷在最荒谬无理的假设中，

　　when I was snapped out of my mental struggles by these words from Ned Land: 这个时候，我被尼德·兰的下面一句话惊醒，从苦心思索中解脱出来了。他说：

　　Well, look here! Lunch is served! 瞧！午餐端来了！

　　Indeed, the table had been laid. Apparently⁶ Captain Nemo had given this order at the same time he commanded the Nautilus to pick up speed. 可不是，饭桌上都摆好了。显然是尼摩船长下了开饭的命令，同时他加大诺第留斯号的速度。

　　Will master allow me to make him a recommendation? Conseil asked me. 先生答应我说句劝告的话吗？康塞尔问我。

　　Yes, my boy, I replied. 你可以说，老好人。我回答。

　　Well, master needs to eat his lunch! It's prudent⁷, because we have no idea what the future holds. 就是请先生快用饭！这样比较妥当些，因为我们不切道会发生些什么事呢。

　　You're right, Conseil. 你说得对，康塞尔。

　　Unfortunately, Ned Land said, they've only given us the standard menu. 很可惜，尼德·兰说，人们只 给我吃船上的菜。

　　Ned my friend, Conseil answered, what would you say if they'd given us no lunch at all? 尼德好朋友，康塞尔回答，如果午餐完全没有，你又将怎样呢？

1 gaping   

adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大

参考例句：

• Ahead of them was a gaping abyss. 他们前面是一个巨大的深渊。
• The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 lodge   

v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆

参考例句：

• Is there anywhere that I can lodge in the village tonight?村里有我今晚过夜的地方吗？
• I shall lodge at the inn for two nights.我要在这家小店住两个晚上。

3 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

4 seizure   

n.没收；占有；抵押

参考例句：

• The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
• The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。

5 incapable   

adj.无能力的，不能做某事的

参考例句：

• He would be incapable of committing such a cruel deed.他不会做出这么残忍的事。
• Computers are incapable of creative thought.计算机不会创造性地思维。

6 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

7 prudent   

adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的

参考例句：

• A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
• You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。