海底兩萬(wàn)里 第521期 第32章 海灣暖流(11)
But my companions and I would be willing to safeguard this manuscript, and if you give us back our freedom...
“但我，我的同伴，我們隨時(shí)準(zhǔn)備著保護(hù)這本手稿，如果您讓我們自由的話……”
Your freedom! Captain Nemo put in, standing up.
"Yes, sir, and that's the subject on which I wanted to confer with you. For seven months we've been aboard your vessel, and I ask you today, in the name of my companions as well as myself, if you intend to keep us here forever."
“是的，先生，我來(lái)正是想跟您談?wù)勥@個(gè)問(wèn)題。我們?cè)谀拇弦呀?jīng)呆了七個(gè)月，今天我以我和我的同伴的名義問(wèn)您，您是否想永遠(yuǎn)把我們留在這里。”
Professor Aronnax, Captain Nemo said, "I'll answer you today just as I did seven months ago: whoever boards the Nautilus must never leave it."
“阿龍納斯教授，”尼摩船長(zhǎng)說(shuō)，“我今天的回答和我七個(gè)月前對(duì)您說(shuō)過(guò)的那些話一樣：進(jìn)了‘鸚鵡螺號(hào)’，就再也不能出去?！?/p>
What you're inflicting on us is outright slavery!
“您正向我們施加奴隸制?！?/p>
Call it anything you like.
“隨便您怎么說(shuō)好了?！?/p>
But every slave has the right to recover his freedom! By any worthwhile, available means!
“可奴隸有恢復(fù)自由的權(quán)利！不管以什么方式獲得自由，他都會(huì)認(rèn)為自己是對(duì)的！”
Who has denied you that right? Captain Nemo replied. "Did I ever try to bind you with your word of honor?"
“這個(gè)權(quán)利，”尼摩船長(zhǎng)回答說(shuō)，“誰(shuí)說(shuō)過(guò)您沒(méi)有？我有想過(guò)用誓言把你們約束住嗎？”
The captain stared at me, crossing his arms.
船長(zhǎng)看著我，雙手交叉在胸前。
Sir, I told him, "to take up this subject a second time would be distasteful to both of us. So let's finish what we've started. I repeat: it isn't just for myself that I raise this issue. To me, research is a relief, a potent diversion, an enticement, a passion that can make me forget everything else. Like you, I'm a man neglected and unknown, living in the faint hope that someday I can pass on to future generations the fruits of my labors—figuratively speaking, by means of some contrivance left to the luck of winds and waves.
“先生，”我對(duì)他說(shuō)，“我們第二次回到這個(gè)我本不想談您也不想談的問(wèn)題上吧。既然我們已經(jīng)談到了，就讓我們說(shuō)個(gè)痛快吧。我向您重復(fù)說(shuō)一次，這是一個(gè)不僅僅涉及到我個(gè)人的問(wèn)題。對(duì)于我來(lái)說(shuō)，搞研究就是一種救助， 一種有效的消遣，一種動(dòng)力，一種能讓我忘掉一切的情愫。我像您一樣，是一個(gè)不求人知，只求默默無(wú)聞地生活的人。我們都抱著一種微弱的希望，希望有朝一日把自己的工作成果放進(jìn)一個(gè)不可靠的小盒子，托付給風(fēng)浪，隨風(fēng)而去，留給后人。
