海底兩萬里》第21期 第2章 正與反(10)

But, as it always happens, just when a decision had been made to chase the monster, the monster put in no further appearances.

事情往往就是這樣，等人們決定要追趕這怪物的時候。怪物再也不出現(xiàn)了。

For two months nobody heard a word about it. Not a single ship encountered it.

在兩個月的時間內(nèi)，誰都沒有得到怪物的消息，也沒有海船碰見它。

Apparently the unicorn had gotten wise to these plots being woven around it.

好像這條海麒麟已經(jīng)得到了人們準(zhǔn)備進攻它的情報。

People were constantly babbling about the creature, even via the Atlantic Cable!

因為大家說得大多了，甚至于用大西洋的海底電線來說!

Accordingly, the wags claimed that this slippery rascal had waylaid some passing telegram and was making the most of it.

所以，喜歡說笑話的人說，這個精靈的東西一定在中途偷聽了電報，現(xiàn)在它啟己有了防備。

So the frigate was equipped for a far-off voyage and armed with fearsome fishing gear, but nobody knew where to steer it.

不再隨便出來。因此，這艘用作遠征而且裝有強大打魚機的二級戰(zhàn)艦,現(xiàn)在不知道向哪里開才好。

And impatience grew until, on June 2, word came that the Tampico, a steamer on the San Francisco line sailing from California to Shanghai, had sighted the animal again, three weeks before in the northerly seas of the Pacific.

大家越來越不耐煩了，忽然，7月2日，舊金山輪船公司從加利福尼亞開往上海的一只汽船唐比葛號，三星期前在太平洋北部的海面上又看見了這個東西。

This news caused intense excitement. Not even a 24-hour breather was granted to Commander Farragut. His provisions were loaded on board.

這消息引起了極大的騷動。