It's as alien to the earth as the planets accompanying our globe around the sun, and we'll never become familiar with the work of scientists on Saturn or Jupiter.  就像陪着地球环绕太阳的各个行星对于地球上一样，从来也没有人知道土星和木垦中的学者们所做的工作。

　　But since fate has linked our two lives, I can reveal the results of my observations to you. 但是，既然偶然的机会把我们二人拉在一起，我可以把我观察所得的结果告诉您。

　　I'm all attention, captain. 我静听您的指教，船长。

　　You're aware, professor, that salt water is denser than fresh water, but this density isn't uniform.  教授，您知道海水比淡水的密度大，但海水的密度并不是各处完全一律。

　　In essence, if I represent the density of fresh water by 1.000,  比方，我拿一作为淡水的密度，

　　then I find 1.028 for the waters of the Atlantic, 1.026 for the waters of the Pacific, 1.030 for the waters of the Mediterranean. 那太平洋海水的密度是一又千分之二十八，地中海的海水，一又千分之三十…

　　Aha, I thought, so he ventures into the Mediterranean? 啊：我想，他也冒险到地中海去吗？

　　1.018 for the waters of the Ionian Sea, and 1.029 for the waters of the Adriatic. 爱奥尼亚海水是一又千分之十八，亚德里亚海水是一又千分之二十九。

　　Assuredly, the Nautilus didn't avoid the heavily traveled seas of Europe, and from this insight I concluded that the ship would take us back-perhaps very soon-to more civilized shores. I expected Ned Land to greet this news with unfeigned satisfaction. 很显然，诺第留斯号并不逃避多人往来的欧洲海面，我因此可以说—或者不久—它要把我们带到比较文明的陆地海中去。我想尼德·兰听到这个特别消息，一定非常满意。

　　For several days our work hours were spent in all sorts of experiments, on the degree of salinity in waters of different depths, or on their electric properties, coloration,  在好几天内，我们长时间都在做各种各样的实验，研究不同深度水层的盐分含量，海水的感电作用，海水的染色作用，

　　and transparency, and in every instance Captain Nemo displayed an ingenuity equaled only by his graciousness toward me.  海水的透明传光作用。在所有这些情况中，尼摩船长处处显示出他的奇特才能，也处处都显示出他对我的好感。

　　Then I saw no more of him for some days and again lived on board in seclusion. 以后，在几天内，我看不见他了，我在他船上又像孤独的人一样了。

　　On January 16 the Nautilus seemed to have fallen asleep just a few meters beneath the surface of the water.  l月16日， 诺第留斯号好像昏睡在海面下仅仅几米深的地方。

　　Its electric equipment had been turned off, and the motionless propeller let it ride with the waves.  船上的电力机械不走，机轮停着不动，让船随着海水游来游去。

　　I assumed that the crew were busy with interior repairs, required by the engine's strenuous mechanical action. 我心中想，船上船员恐怕正在作内部修理工作，由于机件的机械运动很激烈，修理是必要的。