英语听书《海底两万里》第502期 第31章 章鱼(10)

 Aristotle put the dimensions of one squid at five cubits, or 3.1 meters. 亚历士多德曾经确证过一条长3.1米的枪乌贼。

Our fishermen frequently see specimens¹ over 1.8 meters long.  我们现在的渔夫也经常看到一些长超过1.8米的枪乌贼。

The museums in Trieste and Montpellier have preserved some devilfish carcasses measuring two meters.  特里艾斯特和蒙特普利的博物馆，里就收藏着一些长2米的章鱼骨胳。

Besides, according to the calculations of naturalists², one of these animpas only six feet long would have tentacles³ as long as twenty-seven. 此外，按博物学家的推算，一只这样的动物，长只有6英尺，它的触须就可能长达27英尺。

Which is enough to make a fearsome monster." 这就足以让它成为可怕的怪物。”

Does anybody fish for 'em nowadays? the Canadian asked. “现在有人捕捉过吗？”加拿大人问。

If they don't fish for them, sailors at least sight them.  “即使没人捕捉过，水手至少也会看过。

A friend of mine, Captain Paul Bos of Le Havre, 我的一个朋友，哈夫尔港的保罗·保斯船长，

has often sworn to me that he encountered one of these monsters of colossal⁴ size in the seas of the East Indies. 他经常向我肯定说他在印度海里碰到一只身体巨大的怪物。

But the most astonishing event, which proves that these gigantic animals undeniably exist, took place a few years ago in 1861. 但最令人吃惊、最让人不能否认这种怪物存在的事实，是发生在几年前1861年。”

What event was that? Ned Land asked. “什么事实？”尼德·兰问。

Just this. In 1861, to the northeast of Tenerife and fairly near the latitude⁵ where we are right now,  “是这样。1861年，在特内里夫岛东北方，与我们现在所处差不多的纬度上，

the crew of the gunboat Alecto spotted⁶ a monstrous⁷ squid swimming in their waters. 护卫舰‘阿利敦号’船上的一个船员看到了一只巨大的枪乌贼在海水中游动，

Commander Bouguer approached the animal and attacked it with blows from harpoons⁸ and blasts from rifles,  他用鱼叉和枪去打它，

but without much success because bullets and harpoons crossed its soft flesh as if it were semiliquid jelly. 但没什么大用，因为鱼叉和子弹穿进它软绵绵的肉里，就像穿进松软的果冻中一样。After several fruitless attempts, the crew managed to slip a noose⁹ around the mollusk's body.  好几次无果的尝试之后，船员终于用绳结扣在这只软体动物的身上。

This noose slid as far as the caudal fins¹⁰ and came to a halt. 这个绳结一直滑到尾鳍就停了下来。

Then they tried to haul the monster on board, 于是人们尝试着把这只怪物拉到船上，

but its weight was so considerable that when they tugged¹¹ on the rope, the animal parted company with its tail; 但它重得吓人，以致于在绳子的拉力下，把尾巴揪断了，

and deprived of this adornment¹², it disappeared beneath the waters." 它就拉着没尾巴的身体消失在水中。”

"Finally, an actual event," Ned Land said. “这总算是个事实。”尼德·兰说。

"An indisputable event, my gallant¹³ Ned. “一个无可争议的事实，我老实的尼德。

Accordingly, people have proposed naming this devilfish Bouguer's Squid." 因此人们建议把章鱼名做‘布格尔的枪乌贼’。” 

"And how long was it?" the Canadian asked. “那它有多长？”加拿大人问。

"Didn't it measure about six meters?" said Conseil, who was stationed at the window and examining anew the crevices¹⁴ in the cliff. “它不是长约6米吗？”康塞尔靠到玻璃窗上说，重新审视着那凹凸不平的悬崖。

"Precisely¹⁵," I replied. “准确无误，”我回答。

"Wasn't its head," Conseil went on, "crowned by eight tentacles that quivered in the water like a nest of snakes?" "Precisely." “它的头，”康塞尔回答说，“上面不是长着八根在水中犹如蛇群般的触须吗？”“准确无误。”

"Weren't its eyes prominently placed and considerably¹⁶ enlarged?" "Yes, Conseil." “它的眼睛长在花丛般的脑袋上，而巨眼睛很大，是吗？”“是的，康塞尔。”

"And wasn't its mouth a real parrot's beak¹⁷ but of fearsome size?" "Correct, Conseil." “它的嘴巴，不是真的一只鹦鹉嘴，而是大得吓人，是吗？”“确实如此，康塞尔。” 

"Well, with all due respect to master," Conseil replied serenely¹⁸, "if this isn't Bouguer's Squid, it's at least one of his close relatives!" “那好！请先生原谅，”康塞尔平静地回答说，“如果这不是‘布格尔的枪乌贼’，那至少是它的兄弟。”

I stared at Conseil. Ned Land rushed to the window. 我看了看康塞尔。尼德·兰急忙跑到玻璃前。

"What an awful animal!" he exclaimed. “吓人的怪物！”他喊道。

1 specimens   

n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人

参考例句：

• Astronauts have brought back specimens of rock from the moon. 宇航员从月球带回了岩石标本。
• The traveler brought back some specimens of the rocks from the mountains. 那位旅行者从山上带回了一些岩石标本。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 naturalists   

n.博物学家( naturalist的名词复数 )；（文学艺术的）自然主义者

参考例句：

• Naturalists differ much in determining what characters are of generic value. 自然学者对于不同性状决定生物的属的含义上，各有各的见解。 来自辞典例句
• This fact has led naturalists to believe that the Isthmus was formerly open. 使许多自然学者相信这个地蛱在以前原是开通的。 来自辞典例句

3 tentacles   

n.触手( tentacle的名词复数 )；触角；触须；触毛

参考例句：

• Tentacles of fear closed around her body. 恐惧的阴影笼罩着她。
• Many molluscs have tentacles. 很多软体动物有触角。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 colossal   

adj.异常的，庞大的

参考例句：

• There has been a colossal waste of public money.一直存在巨大的公款浪费。
• Some of the tall buildings in that city are colossal.那座城市里的一些高层建筑很庞大。

5 latitude   

n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区

参考例句：

• The latitude of the island is 20 degrees south.该岛的纬度是南纬20度。
• The two cities are at approximately the same latitude.这两个城市差不多位于同一纬度上。

6 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

7 monstrous   

adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的

参考例句：

• The smoke began to whirl and grew into a monstrous column.浓烟开始盘旋上升，形成了一个巨大的烟柱。
• Your behaviour in class is monstrous!你在课堂上的行为真是丢人！

8 harpoons   

n.鱼镖，鱼叉( harpoon的名词复数 )v.鱼镖，鱼叉( harpoon的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Greenpeace hopes to position its boats between the harpoons and the whales. 绿色和平希望他们的船能开到港口与鲸鱼群之间的地方。 来自互联网
• NIV Can you fill his hide with harpoons or his head with fishing spears? 7[和合]你能用倒钩枪扎满它的皮，能用鱼叉叉满它的头吗？ 来自互联网

9 noose   

n.绳套，绞索（刑）；v.用套索捉；使落入圈套；处以绞刑

参考例句：

• They tied a noose round her neck.他们在她脖子上系了一个活扣。
• A hangman's noose had already been placed around his neck.一个绞刑的绳圈已经套在他的脖子上。

10 fins   

[医]散热片；鱼鳍；飞边；鸭掌

参考例句：

• The level of TNF-α positively correlated with BMI,FPG,HbA1C,TG,FINS and IRI,but not with SBP and DBP. TNF-α水平与BMI、FPG、HbA1C、TG、FINS和IRI呈显著正相关，与SBP、DBP无相关。 来自互联网
• Fins are a feature specific to fish. 鱼鳍是鱼类特有的特征。 来自辞典例句

11 tugged   

v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She tugged at his sleeve to get his attention. 她拽了拽他的袖子引起他的注意。
• A wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. 他的嘴角带一丝苦笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 adornment   

n.装饰；装饰品

参考例句：

• Lucie was busy with the adornment of her room.露西正忙着布置她的房间。
• Cosmetics are used for adornment.化妆品是用来打扮的。

13 gallant   

adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的

参考例句：

• Huang Jiguang's gallant deed is known by all men. 黄继光的英勇事迹尽人皆知。
• These gallant soldiers will protect our country.这些勇敢的士兵会保卫我们的国家的。

14 crevices   

n.（尤指岩石的）裂缝，缺口( crevice的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• It has bedded into the deepest crevices of the store. 它已钻进了店里最隐避的隙缝。 来自辞典例句
• The wind whistled through the crevices in the rock. 风呼啸着吹过岩石的缝隙。 来自辞典例句

15 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

16 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

17 beak   

n.鸟嘴，茶壶嘴，钩形鼻

参考例句：

• The bird had a worm in its beak.鸟儿嘴里叼着一条虫。
• This bird employs its beak as a weapon.这种鸟用嘴作武器。

18 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。