英语听书《海底两万里》第20期 第2章 正与反(9)

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　　我又让自己浸沉在种种空想中了!

　　Enough of these fairy tales that time has changed for me into harsh realities.

　　现在要停止这些空想，因为，在我看来，时间已经把这些空想变成为可怕的现实。

　　I repeat: opinion had crystallized as to the nature of this phenomenon, and the public accepted without argument the existence of a prodigious¹ creature that had nothing in common with the fabled² sea serpent.

　　我再说一次，当时对于这件怪事的性质有这一种意见，就是大家都一致承认有一种神奇东西的存在，而这种东西和怪诞的大海蛇并没有丝毫共同之点。

　　Yet if some saw it purely³ as a scientific problem to be solved, more practical people, especially in America and England, were determined⁴ to purge⁵ the ocean of this daunting⁶ monster, to insure the safety of transoceanic travel. The industrial and commercial newspapers dealt with the question chiefly from this viewpoint.

　　可是，尽管有一些人把这事看成是一个待解决的纯粹科学问题，但另一些比较注意实利的人，特别在美国和英国，这类人很多，他们主张把海洋上这个可怕的怪物清除掠，使海上交通的安全获得保障。

　　The Shipping⁷ & Mercantile Gazette, the Lloyd's List, France's Packetboat and Maritime⁸ & Colonial Review, all the rags devoted⁹ to insurance companies,who threatened to raise their premium¹⁰ rates,were unanimous on this point.

　　特别是工商界的报刊，都从这个观点来研究这个问题。《航业商情杂志》,《来依特公司航海杂志》、《邮船杂志》、《海洋殖民杂志》以及为保险公司宣传公司要提高保险费的那些报纸，对于清除怪物这一点，都一致表示同意。

　　Public opinion being pronounced, the States of the Union were the first in the field.

　　公众的意见一提出来，北美合众国首先发表了声明，

　　In New York preparations were under way for an expedition designed to chase this narwhale.

　　要在纽约作准备，组织清除独角鲸的远征队。

　　A high-speed frigate¹¹, the Abraham Lincoln, was fitted out for putting to sea as soon as possible.

　　一艘装有冲角的高速度的二级战舰林肯号定于最近的期间驶出海面。

　　The naval¹² arsenals¹³ were unlocked for Commander Farragut, who pressed energetically forward with the arming of his frigate.

　　各造船厂都给法拉古司令宫以种种便利，帮助他早一天把这艘二级战舰装备起来。

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