英语听书《海底两万里》第436期 第26章 大头鲸和长须鲸(17)

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The marvelous talents of his Nautilus would be put to work once again in this superhuman undertaking¹! 诺第留斯号的神奇本质又在这一次的超人事业中为他服务，成全他了。

I can see we're starting to understand each other, professor, Captain Nemo told me with a half smile.  我看到、我们彼此开始了解了，教授，船长微笑地对我说，

You already glimpse the potential--myself, I'd say the success-of this attempt.  您现在已经看到这个企图的可能——我个人，我要说这个企图的成功。

Maneuvers² that aren't feasible for an ordinary ship are easy for the Nautilus.  在一只平常的船是办不到的，在诺第留斯号就容易办到。

If a continent emerges at the pole, we'll stop at that continent.  如果在南极浮出一个大陆，它是要在它面前停住的。

But on the other hand, if open sea washes the pole, we'll go to that very place! 但是相反，如果南极是自由的海，它就要到南极点上去！

Right, I said, carried away by the captain's logic³.  是的，我说，受船长论证力量的提示，

Even though the surface of the sea has solidified⁴ into ice, its lower strata⁵ are still open, thanks to that divine justice that puts the maximum density⁶ of salt water one degree above its freezing point.  如果海面被冰冻结凝固了，它的下层是自由通行的，因为下面有天从人愿的自然理由，那就是海水的极大密度是比冰冻时高出一度。

And if I'm not mistaken, the submerged part of this Ice Bank is in a four-to-one ratio to its emerging part. 如果我没有错的话，那就是冰山的沉人部分对它的浮出部分之比是四比一！

Very nearly, professor.  差不多是这样，教授。

For each foot of iceberg⁷ above the sea, there are three more below.  冰山在海面上有一英尺，在下面就有三英尺。

Now then, since these ice mountains don't exceed a height of 100 meters, they sink only to a depth of 300 meters. And what are 300 meters to the Nautilus? 并且，因为这些冰山不超过一百米高，它们当然不至于深入到三百米。三百米对诺第留斯号来说算什么呢？ 

A mere⁸ nothing, sir. 不算什么，先生。

We could even go to greater depths and find that temperature layer common to all ocean water, and there we'd brave with impunity⁹ the -30 degrees or -40 degrees cold on the surface. 它并且可以潜入更深的水层厂到那海水中温度一律不变的所在，在那里，我们可以安全支持海面的零下三十度或四十度的寒冷。

True, sir, very true, I replied with growing excitement. 对，先生，很对。我很激动地回答。

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