英语听书《海底两万里》第299期 第22章 强逼睡眠(4)

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　　a hazy² darkness reigned³ in the midst of the waters. Covered with heavy clouds, the stormy sky gave only the faintest light to the ocean's upper strata⁴. 水中充满模模糊糊的阴暗。骚动的和遮满密云的天空照在海洋上部水层中的，是一种迷糊不足的光线。

　　I was observing the state of the sea under these conditions, and even the largest fish were nothing more than ill-defined shadows,  我在这种条件下观察海中的情形，最粗大的鱼看来也就像模糊不清的阴影一样，

　　when the Nautilus was suddenly transferred into broad daylight.  这个时候，诺第留斯号忽然转入完全光明中了。

　　At first I thought the beacon had gone back on and was casting its electric light into the liquid mass.  我初时以为是探照灯亮起来，把电力的光辉照在海水中。

　　I was mistaken, and after a hasty examination I discovered my error. 其实我弄错了，经过很快的观察，我认识到我的看法的错误。

　　The Nautilus had drifted into the midst of some phosphorescent strata, which, in this darkness, came off as positively⁵ dazzling.  诺第留斯号浮游在一层磷光里面，在海水阴暗中，磷火也变得光辉夺目了。

　　This effect was caused by myriads⁶ of tiny, luminous⁷ animals whose brightness increased when they glided⁸ over the metal hull⁹ of our submersible.  这光由无数的发光微生动物所产生，因为它们在金属板的船身上溜过，闪光就更加增强。

　　In the midst of these luminous sheets of water,  这时，我在阵阵光明的水层中间，

　　I then glimpsed flashes of light, like those seen inside a blazing furnace from streams of molten lead or from masses of metal brought to a white heat 突然看到了这些闪光，好像熔在大火炉中的铅铁流一样，或跟烧到白热的金属块一样；由于对立作用，在这火红光下有些明亮的部分也变成阴影了。

　　flashes so intense that certain areas of the light became shadows by comparison, in a fiery¹⁰ setting from which every shadow should seemingly have been banished¹¹.  在这环境中间所有阴影好像都不应当存在。

　　No, this was no longer the calm emission¹² of our usual lighting¹³! This light throbbed¹⁴ with unprecedented¹⁵ vigor¹⁶ and activity! You sensed that it was alive! 不！这不是我们通常的燃烧发光体的辐射光！在这光中有一种不平常的精力和运动！这光，人们感到它是生动的！活泼的！

　　In essence, it was a cluster of countless¹⁷ open-sea infusoria, of noctiluca an eighth of an inch wide,  是的，这是海中点滴微虫和粟粒夜光虫无穷无尽的集体的结合，

　　actual globules of transparent¹⁸ jelly equipped with a threadlike tentacle¹⁹, up to 25,000 of which have been counted in thirty cubic centimeters of water.  是有细微触须的真正透明小胶球，在三十立方厘的水中，它们的数目可以有二万五千。

　　And the power of their light was increased by those glimmers²⁰ unique to medusas, starfish, common jellyfish, angel-wing clams,  又因为有水母、海盘、章鱼、海枣以及其他发光植虫动物特别产生的微光，

　　and other phosphorescent zoophytes, which were saturated²¹ with grease from organic matter decomposed²² by the sea, and perhaps with mucus secreted²³ by fish. 它们的光更加增强。

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