英语听书《海底两万里》第369期 第24章 希腊群岛(4)

 And what thinks our friend Conseil? Ned Land asked. 康塞尔朋友怎样想呢？尼德兰问。

Your friend Conseil, the fine lad replied serenely¹, has nothing to say for himself.  康塞尔朋友，这个老实人安静地回答，康塞尔朋友没有什么可说的，

He's a completely disinterested² party on this question. Like his master, like his comrade Ned, he's a bachelor.  他在这个问题上，是绝对无所谓的。跟他的主人一样，跟他的同伴尼德一样，他是独身的。

Neither wife, parents, nor children are waiting for him back home.  没有女人，没有父母，没有子女在故乡等着他。

He's in master's employ, he thinks like master, he speaks like master, and much to his regret, he can't be counted on to form a majority.  他给先生做事，他同先生一样想，他同先生一样说，他很遗憾，人们不能把他算作一票，凑成大多数。

Only two persons face each other here: master on one side, Ned Land on the other. That said, your friend Conseil is listening, and he's ready to keep score. 现在单单有两个人出席，一边是先生，一边是尼德·兰。这话说过后，康塞尔朋友静听着，他准备记分。

I couldn't help smiling as Conseil wiped himself out of existence.  我看见康塞尔完全取消了他自己，不能不发出微笑。

Deep down, the Canadian must have been overjoyed at not having to contend³ with him. 实际上，加拿大人，看到他不来反对自己，也应该很高兴。

Then, sir, Ned Land said, since Conseil is no more, we'll have this discussion between just the two of us. I've talked, you've listened. What's your reply? 那么，尼德·兰说，先生，既然康塞尔不存在，我们俩来讨论这问题吧。我说过了，您听到我的诺了。您有话回答吗？

It was obvious that the matter had to be settled, and evasions⁴ were distasteful to me. 很明显，要结束一下，作出结论来，躲躲闪闪是我所不愿意的。

Ned my friend, I said, here's my reply. You have right on your side and my arguments can't stand up to yours.  我说：尼德朋友，我的答复是这样。您反对我，您对。

It will never do to count on Captain Nemo's benevolence⁵. The most ordinary good sense would forbid him to set us free.  我的论证在您的面前站不祝我们不能指望尼摩船长甘心情愿，恢复我们的自由。

On the other hand, good sense decrees⁶ that we take advantage of our first opportunity to leave the Nautilus. 一般人最常有的谨慎也使他不会让我们自由的。反过来，小心谨慎也要我们来利用第一次机会，脱离诺第留斯号。

Fine, Professor Aronnax, that's wisely said. 对，阿龙纳斯先生，您这些话说得好。

But one proviso, I said, just one. The opportunity must be the real thing.  不过，我说，我要提出一点，单单一点。机会一定要很有把握。

Our first attempt to escape must succeed, because if it misfires, we won't get a second chance, and Captain Nemo will never forgive us. 第一次逃走计划一定要成功。因为，如果失败了，我们就找不到再来一次的机会了，同时尼摩船长也不原谅我们了。

1 serenely   

adv.安详地，宁静地，平静地

参考例句：

• The boat sailed serenely on towards the horizon.小船平稳地向着天水交接处驶去。
• It was a serenely beautiful night.那是一个宁静美丽的夜晚。

2 disinterested   

adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的

参考例句：

• He is impartial and disinterested.他公正无私。
• He's always on the make,I have never known him do a disinterested action.他这个人一贯都是唯利是图，我从来不知道他有什么无私的行动。

3 contend   

vi.竞争，搏斗，声称，主张；vt.坚持主张

参考例句：

• The firm is too small to contend against large international companies.这家公司太小，无法与国际性的大公司竞争。
• Let a hundred flowers blossom,let a hundred schools of thought contend.百花齐放，百家争鸣。

4 evasions   

逃避( evasion的名词复数 )； 回避； 遁辞； 借口

参考例句：

• A little overwhelmed, I began the generalized evasions which that question deserves. 我有点不知所措，就开始说一些含糊其词的话来搪塞。
• His answers to my questions were all evasions. 他对我的问题的回答均为遁词。

5 benevolence   

n.慈悲，捐助

参考例句：

• We definitely do not apply a policy of benevolence to the reactionaries.我们对反动派决不施仁政。
• He did it out of pure benevolence. 他做那件事完全出于善意。

6 decrees   

命令( decree的名词复数 )； 法令； （法院的）裁定； 教令

参考例句：

• The emperor's decrees and letters were in the national archives. 皇帝的御令和信件保存在国家档案馆里。
• The emperor's decrees and letters were kept in the national archives. 皇帝的御令和信件保存在国家档案馆里。