海底兩萬里 第367期 第24章 希臘群島(4)
And what thinks our friend Conseil? Ned Land asked.
康塞爾朋友怎樣想呢？尼德蘭問。
Your friend Conseil, the fine lad replied serenely, has nothing to say for himself.
康塞爾朋友，這個老實人安靜地回答，康塞爾朋友沒有什么可說的，
He's a completely disinterested party on this question. Like his master, like his comrade Ned, he's a bachelor.
他在這個問題上，是絕對無所謂的。跟他的主人一樣，跟他的同伴尼德一樣，他是獨身的。
Neither wife, parents, nor children are waiting for him back home.
沒有女人，沒有父母，沒有子女在故鄉(xiāng)等著他。
He's in master's employ, he thinks like master, he speaks like master, and much to his regret, he can't be counted on to form a majority.
他給先生做事，他同先生一樣想，他同先生一樣說，他很遺憾，人們不能把他算作一票，湊成大多數(shù)。
Only two persons face each other here: master on one side, Ned Land on the other. That said, your friend Conseil is listening, and he's ready to keep score.
現(xiàn)在單單有兩個人出席，一邊是先生，一邊是尼德·蘭。這話說過后，康塞爾朋友靜聽著，他準(zhǔn)備記分。
I couldn't help smiling as Conseil wiped himself out of existence.
我看見康塞爾完全取消了他自己，不能不發(fā)出微笑。
Deep down, the Canadian must have been overjoyed at not having to contend with him.
實際上，加拿大人，看到他不來反對自己，也應(yīng)該很高興。
Then, sir, Ned Land said, since Conseil is no more, we'll have this discussion between just the two of us. I've talked, you've listened. What's your reply?
那么，尼德·蘭說，先生，既然康塞爾不存在，我們倆來討論這問題吧。我說過了，您聽到我的諾了。您有話回答嗎？
It was obvious that the matter had to be settled, and evasions were distasteful to me.
很明顯，要結(jié)束一下，作出結(jié)論來，躲躲閃閃是我所不愿意的。
Ned my friend, I said, here's my reply. You have right on your side and my arguments can't stand up to yours.
我說：尼德朋友，我的答復(fù)是這樣。您反對我，您對。
It will never do to count on Captain Nemo's benevolence. The most ordinary good sense would forbid him to set us free.
我的論證在您的面前站不祝我們不能指望尼摩船長甘心情愿，恢復(fù)我們的自由。
On the other hand, good sense decrees that we take advantage of our first opportunity to leave the Nautilus.
一般人最常有的謹(jǐn)慎也使他不會讓我們自由的。反過來，小心謹(jǐn)慎也要我們來利用第一次機會，脫離諾第留斯號。
Fine, Professor Aronnax, that's wisely said.
對，阿龍納斯先生，您這些話說得好。
But one proviso, I said, just one. The opportunity must be the real thing.
不過，我說，我要提出一點，單單一點。機會一定要很有把握。
Our first attempt to escape must succeed, because if it misfires, we won't get a second chance, and Captain Nemo will never forgive us.
第一次逃走計劃一定要成功。因為，如果失敗了，我們就找不到再來一次的機會了，同時尼摩船長也不原諒我們了。
