英语听书《海底两万里》第411期 第25章 地中海四十八小时(38)

 From this moment on, for nineteen days from February 23 to March 12, the Nautilus stayed in the middle of the Atlantic, hustling¹ us along at a constant speed of 100 leagues every twenty-four hours.  自此以后，从2月23日至3月12日十丸天中，诺第留斯号在大西洋中间，带着我们走的经常速度为每二十四小时，一百里。

It was obvious that Captain Nemo wanted to carry out his underwater program, and I had no doubt that he intended, after doubling Cape² Horn, to return to the Pacific South Seas. 尼摩船长很显然要完成他海底周游的计划；我并不怀疑他绕过了合恩角后，打算再回到太平洋的南极海来。

So Ned Land had good reason to worry. In these wide seas empty of islands, it was no longer feasible to jump ship. Nor did we have any way to counter Captain Nemo's whims³.  所以尼德·兰的惧怕是有理由的。在这些海面上，没有岛屿，逃走的企图是不用再想了。

We had no choice but to acquiesce⁴; but if we couldn't attain⁵ our end through force or cunning, I liked to think we might achieve it through persuasion⁶.  要反对尼摩船长的意志，更没有什么方法；唯一的办法就是服从。因为一件不可能从强力或计谋得到的事情，我喜欢想，或者是可以用说服的方法得到的。

Once this voyage was over, might not Captain Nemo consent to set us free in return for our promise never to reveal his existence?  这次旅行结束后，尼摩船长有我们发誓不泄露他的生活秘密的保证，难道还不让我们自由吗？

Our word of honor, which we sincerely would have kept.  这是拿名誉来担保的誓言，我们必然遵守。

However, this delicate question would have to be negotiated with the captain. But how would he receive our demands for freedom?  不过这个微妙问题需要跟船长商谈。那我去要求恢复自由，是不是合适，受欢匹呢？

At the very outset and in no uncertain terms, hadn't he declared that the secret of his life required that we be permanently⁷ imprisoned⁸ on board the Nautilus?  他本人在当初不是已正式说过，他的生活的秘密，是需要我们永远禁闭在诺第留斯号船上来得到保证吗？

Wouldn't he see my four-month silence as a tacit acceptance of this situation?  四个月来，我对于这事的沉默，在他看来，不就是我对于自己所处地位的默认吗？

1 hustling   

催促（hustle的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• Our quartet was out hustling and we knew we stood good to take in a lot of change before the night was over. 我们的四重奏是明显地卖座的， 而且我们知道在天亮以前，我们有把握收入一大笔钱。
• Men in motors were hustling to pass one another in the hustling traffic. 开汽车的人在繁忙的交通中急急忙忙地互相超车。

2 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

3 WHIMS   

虚妄，禅病

参考例句：

• The mate observed regretfully that he could not account for that young fellow's whims. 那位伙伴很遗憾地说他不能说出那年轻人产生怪念头的原因。
• The rest she had for food and her own whims. 剩下的钱她用来吃饭和买一些自己喜欢的东西。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

4 acquiesce   

vi.默许，顺从，同意

参考例句：

• Her parents will never acquiesce in such an unsuitable marriage.她的父母决不会答应这门不相宜的婚事。
• He is so independent that he will never acquiesce.他很有主见，所以绝不会顺从。

5 attain   

vt.达到，获得，完成

参考例句：

• I used the scientific method to attain this end. 我用科学的方法来达到这一目的。
• His painstaking to attain his goal in life is praiseworthy. 他为实现人生目标所下的苦功是值得称赞的。

6 persuasion   

n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派

参考例句：

• He decided to leave only after much persuasion.经过多方劝说，他才决定离开。
• After a lot of persuasion,she agreed to go.经过多次劝说后，她同意去了。

7 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

8 imprisoned   

下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
• They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。