海底兩萬里第 69期 第6章 開足馬力(11)

The crew were waiting impatiently for orders from their leader. The latter, after carefully observing the animal, called for his engineer. The engineer raced over.

船上人員等他們首長(zhǎng)的命令等得不耐煩了。艦長(zhǎng)注意地觀察了這個(gè)動(dòng)物后，叫來了工程師。工程師跑來了。

Sir, the commander said, are you up to pressure?

艦長(zhǎng)問:先生，氣壓足了嗎?

Aye, sir, the engineer replied.

足了，先生。工程師答。

Fine. Stoke your furnaces and clap on full steam!

好，增大火力，全力駛?cè)?

Three cheers greeted this order. The hour of battle had sounded.

大家歡呼三聲來迎接這道命令。戰(zhàn)斗的號(hào)角響了。

A few moments later, the frigate's two funnels vomited torrents of black smoke, and its deck quaked from the trembling of its boilers.

過了一些時(shí)候，戰(zhàn)艦上兩個(gè)煙囪吐出一道一道的黑煙，甲板在汽鍋的震動(dòng)下震動(dòng)起來。

Driven forward by its powerful propeller, the Abraham Lincoln headed straight for the animal.

林肯號(hào)在機(jī)輪的猛力推送下，一直向這怪物沖去，這怪物一點(diǎn)也不在意，

Unconcerned, the latter let us come within half a cable length; then, not bothering to dive, it got up a little speed, retreated, and was content to keep its distance.

戰(zhàn)艦離它半錨鏈左右的時(shí)候，它還不潛入水中，僅略作逃避的樣子，不走遠(yuǎn)，只是保持著這樣的距離。

This chase dragged on for about three-quarters of an hour without the frigate gaining twofathoms on the cetacean.

這樣若即若離的追逐，延長(zhǎng)了三刻鐘左右，就是戰(zhàn)艦想多接近這條鯨魚四米也不可能。

At this rate, it was obvious that we would never catch up with it.很明白，這樣迫下去，永遠(yuǎn)追不上它。