英语听书《海底两万里》第192期 第14章 黑潮暖流(6)

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　　现在一切真要完蛋了！尼德·兰说。

　　order Hydromedusa, Conseil muttered.

　　水母目！康塞尔低声说。

　　Suddenly, through two oblong openings, daylight appeared on both sides of the lounge. The liquid masses came into view, brightly lit by the ship's electric outpourings. We were separated from the sea by two panes¹ of glass. Initially² I shuddered³ at the thought that these fragile partitions could break; but strong copper⁴ bands secured them, giving them nearly infinite resistance.

　　忽然，光线穿过两个长方形的孔洞，从容厅的备方面射进。海水受电光的照耀，通体明亮地显现出来。两块玻璃晶片把我们和海水分开。初时我想到这种脆弱的隔板可能碎裂，心中害怕得发抖；但由于有红铜的结实框架顶住，使它差不多有无限的抵抗力。

　　The sea was clearly visible for a one-mile radius⁵ around the Nautilus. What a sight! What pen could describe it? Who could portray⁶ the effects of this light through these translucent⁷ sheets of water, the subtlety⁸ of its progressive shadings into the ocean's upper and lower strata⁹?

　　在诺第留斯号周围一海里内的海水，现在都可以清楚’地看见。多么光怪陆离的景象呵！无论多么高明的妙笔也描写不出来！谁能描绘光线穿过透明的水流所产生的新奇景色呢守谁能描绘那光线照在海洋上下两方，渐次递减的柔和光度呢！

　　The transparency of salt water has long been recognized. Its clarity is believed to exceed that of spring water. The mineral and organic substances it holds in suspension actually increase its translucency¹⁰. In certain parts of the Caribbean Sea, you can see the sandy bottom with startling distinctness as deep as 145 meters down, and the penetrating¹¹ power of the sun's rays seems to give out only at a depth of 300 meters. But in this fluid setting traveled by the Nautilus, our electric glow was being generated in the very heart of the waves. It was no longer illuminated¹² water, it was liquid light.

　　我们认得海洋的透明性，我们知道海水的清澈超过山间清泉。海水中所含有的矿物质和有机物质，甚至于可队增加它的透明性。在太平洋中的某部分，例如在安的列斯群岛，一百四十五米深的海水可以让人看见水底下面的沙床，十分清澈，而阳光的照射力好像直至三百米的深度方才停止。但是，在诺第留斯号所走过的海水中，电光就在水波：中间照耀。这不是明亮的水，而是流动的光了。

　　If we accept the hypotheses of the microbiologist Ehrenberg-who believes that these underwater depths are lit up by phosphorescent organisms--nature has certainly saved one of her most prodigious¹³ sights for residents of the sea, and I could judge for myself from the thousandfold play of the light. On both sides I had windows opening over these unexplored depths. The darkness in the lounge enhanced the brightness outside, and we stared as if this clear glass were the window of an immense aquarium¹⁴.

　　如果我们承认爱兰伯的假设，认为海底是有辉煌的磷光照耀的，那么，大自然一定给海中的居民保留下一种最出奇的景象，我现在看见这种光的无穷变化，就可以想到这景象是多么美丽。客厅每边都有窗户开向这未曾经过探测的深渊。厅中的黑暗愈显出外面的光辉，我们细看，好像这片纯晶体，真就是那大到了不得的养鱼缸的玻璃一样。

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