THREE SECONDS before the arrival of J. B. Hobson's letter, I no more dreamed of chasing the unicorn than of trying for the Northwest Passage. Three seconds after reading this letter from the honorable Secretary of the Navy, I understood at last that my true vocation, my sole purpose in life, was to hunt down this disturbing monster and rid the world of it.
在收到何伯遜部長的信之前三秒鐘，我還像不願意去北冰洋旅行一樣不願意去追逐海麒麟。讀了這位海軍部長的來信，三秒鐘之後，我才理解到我的真正志願，我生平的唯一目的，就是要捕捉這樣搗亂的怪物，把它從世界上清除出去。
Even so, I had just returned from an arduous journey, exhausted and badly needing a rest. I wanted nothing more than to see my country again, my friends, my modest quarters by the Botanical Gardens, my dearly beloved collections! But now nothing could hold me back. I forgot everything else, and without another thought of exhaustion, friends, or collections, I accepted the American government's offer.
可是我剛剛長途跋涉回來，很疲倦，非常需要休息。我只想回去，回祖國去，看看朋友，看看我在植物園內的小房子和我收藏的珍貴標本。但現在什麼也不能阻止我。我忘記了一切，忘記了疲倦、朋友、珍藏，我毫不猶豫就接受了美國政府的邀請。
"Besides," I mused, "all roads lead home to Europe, and our unicorn may be gracious enough to take me toward the coast of France! That fine animal may even let itself be captured in European seas--as a personal favor to me--and I'll bring back to the Museum of Natural History at least half a meter of its ivory lance!"
而且，我還有這樣一個想法，反正條條道路都可以回到歐洲，海麒麟也許客客氣氣地把我引到法國海岸邊！這個有名的動物一也許討我喜歡——要讓我在歐洲海中捉到它，那麼，我至少也要拿上半米以上的牙戟帶給自然科學博物館。
But in the meantime I would have to look for this narwhale in the northern Pacific Ocean; which meant returning to France by way of the Antipodes.
不過，目前我必須到太平洋的北部去找這個海麒麟，這。和我要回法國去，卻是背道而馳了。
"Conseil!" I called in an impatient voice.
“康塞爾！”我用不耐煩偽聲音叫着。
Conseil was my manservant. A devoted lad who went with me on all my journeys; a gallant Flemish boy whom I genuinely liked and who returned the compliment; a born stoic, punctilious on principle, habitually hardworking, rarely startled by life's surprises, very skillful with his hands, efficient in his every duty, and despite his having a name that means "counsel," never giving advice-- not even the unsolicited kind!
康塞爾是我的僕人。他一向陪我出去旅行。這誠實的青年是佛蘭蒙人，我很喜歡他，他對我也很好。他是一個生牲冷淡、循規蹈矩、一貫熱心的人，對於生活中的突然事件並不驚奇，他的兩手很靈巧，什麼事都做得來，雖然他的名字叫做康塞爾（“勸告”的意思），可是人家不問他的時候，他決不發表意見。
From rubbing shoulders with scientists in our little universe by the Botanical Gardens, the boy had come to know a thing or two. In Conseil I had a seasoned specialist in biological classification, an enthusiast who could run with acrobatic agility up and down the whole ladder of branches, groups, classes, subclasses, orders, families, genera, subgenera, species, and varieties. But there his science came to a halt. Classifying was everything to him, so he knew nothing else. Well versed in the theory of classification, he was poorly versed in its practical application, and I doubt that he could tell a sperm whale from a baleen whale! And yet, what a fine, gallant lad!
因為跟植物園裡學術界人士經常接觸，康塞爾漸漸學了些東西〕我可以說他簡直是一個專家，他對於生物學的分類十分熟悉，他能像雜技演員爬梯子一樣熟練地從門、類、綱、亞綱、目、科、屬、亞屬、種、變種，一直數到最後的一個類別。可是他的學問只侷限在分類學上。分類就是他的生活，除此以外他什麼都不知道。他對於分類的理論很有研究，但缺乏實踐，我想，他大概連大頭鯨和長鬚鯨都分不出來！總之，他是個忠實正直的人：
For the past ten years, Conseil had gone with me wherever science beckoned. Not once did he comment on the length or the hardships of a journey. Never did he object to buckling up his suitcase for any country whatever, China or the Congo, no matter how far off it was. He went here, there, and everywhere in perfect contentment. Moreover, he enjoyed excellent health that defied all ailments, owned solid muscles, but hadn't a nerve in him, not a sign of nerves-- the mental type, I mean.
十年來，直到現在，凡我為科學而去的地方，康塞爾都跟我去。他自己從不想到旅行的長久或疲勞。不管有多遠，不管去什麼地方，去中國或是去剛果，他總是提起他的行李箱立即出發①他到哪裡去都一樣，連問也不問。他身體健康，肌肉結實，不在乎疾病，一點也不神經質，就是好像不會用腦子似的，至于思考能力，那就更談不到了。
The lad was thirty years old, and his age to that of his employer was as fifteen is to twenty. Please forgive me for this underhanded way of admitting I had turned forty.
這個人二十歲了，他的年齡跟他主人的年齡的比例是十五比二十。請讀者原諒我用這種說法來說我現在是四十歲
But Conseil had one flaw. He was a fanatic on formality, and he only addressed me in the third person--to the point where it got tiresome.
可是康塞爾有1缺點，過份講究禮貌，他總是用第三人稱跟我說話，有時甚至叫人聽了厭煩。
"Conseil!" I repeated, while feverishly beginning my preparations for departure.
“康塞爾！”我又叫了一聲，我手裡忙着準備出發的行裝。
To be sure, I had confidence in this devoted lad. Ordinarily, I never asked whether or not it suited him to go with me on my journeys; but this time an expedition was at issue that could drag on indefinitely, a hazardous undertaking whose purpose was to hunt an animal that could sink a frigate as easily as a walnut shell! There was good reason to stop and think, even for the world's most emotionless man. What would Conseil say?
當然，對於這樣一個忠心的僕人我是信任的。通常我從不問他是不是願意跟我去旅行，但這次旅行有點不同，是一次期限可以無限延長的遠征，是凶多吉少的冒險，是追趕能像敲碎核桃殻一樣撞沉一艘二級戰艦的動物：就是最沒有感覺的人，對這問題也得考慮考慮吧！康塞爾會有什麼意見呢？
"Conseil!" I called a third time.
“康塞爾！”我第三次叫他。
Conseil appeared.
康塞爾出來了。”
"Did master summon me?" he said, entering.
“先生，叫我嗎？”他進來的時候說。
"Yes, my boy. Get my things ready, get yours ready. We're departing in two hours."
“是我叫你。快給我準備，你自己也趕快準備，我們兩小時以後就要出發。”
"As master wishes," Conseil replied serenely.
“隨您先生的便。”康塞爾安靜地回答。
"We haven't a moment to lose. Pack as much into my trunk as you can, my traveling kit, my suits, shirts, and socks, don't bother counting, just squeeze it all in--and hurry!"
“一點時間也不能放過。所有的旅行用具、衣服、襯衣，襪子，都不必點數，”儘量地拿了，放在我的大箱裡，快，趕快！
"What about master's collections?" Conseil ventured to observe.
”先生的標本怎麼辦呢？”康塞爾說。
"We'll deal with them later."
“以後再整理好了。”
"What! The archaeotherium, hyracotherium, oreodonts, cheiropotamus, and master's other fossil skeletons?"
“先生的那些奇形怪狀的動物、植物，大馬、大蛇以及其他骨胳，又怎麼辦呢？”
"The hotel will keep them for us."
“暫時寄放在旅館裡。”
"What about master's live babirusa?"
“先生的那只活野豬呢？，
"They'll feed it during our absence. Anyhow, we'll leave instructions to ship the whole menagerie to France."
“我們不在的時候，託人餵牠。另外還要託人將我們的那群動物運回法國去。，
"Then we aren't returning to Paris?" Conseil asked.
“我們不回巴黎去嗎？”康塞爾問。
"Yes, we are . . . certainly . . . ," I replied evasively, "but after we make a detour."
“當然……要回去……”我含糊地回答，“不過要繞一個彎。”
"Whatever detour master wishes."
“先生，您喜歡繞這個彎？”
"Oh, it's nothing really! A route slightly less direct, that's all. We're leaving on the Abraham Lincoln."
“呵！那算不了什麼！不過是一條不那麼直捷的路而已。我們要搭林肯號出發。，
"As master thinks best," Conseil replied placidly.
“只要先生覺得合適就成了。”康塞爾安然地回答。
"You see, my friend, it's an issue of the monster, the notorious narwhale. We're going to rid the seas of it! The author of a two-volume work, in quarto, on The Mysteries of the Great Ocean Depths has no excuse for not setting sail with Commander Farragut. It's a glorious mission but also a dangerous one! We don't know where it will take us! These beasts can be quite unpredictable! But we're going just the same! We have a commander who's game for anything!"
“朋友，你知道，這是關於那個怪物的問題……那條有名的獨角鯨的問題……我們要把它從海上清除出去！……兩本人開本的著作《海底的神秘》的作者。不能不跟法拉古司令一同出發。這是光榮的任務，但是……也是危險的任務！我們不曉得要到什麼地方去！這怪物可能很任性！但我們仍然要去！我們船上有一位眼光敏鋭的艦長！……”
"What master does, I'll do," Conseil replied.
“先生怎麼做，我就怎麼做。”康塞爾回答。
"But think it over, because I don't want to hide anything from you. This is one of those voyages from which people don't always come back!"
“你好好想一想，因為我對你什麼也不隱瞞。這次旅行也許是最後一次，說不定口不來哩！”
"As master wishes."
“隨您先生的便。”
A quarter of an hour later, our trunks were ready. Conseil did them in a flash, and I was sure the lad hadn't missed a thing, because he classified shirts and suits as expertly as birds and mammals.
一刻鐘以後，康塞爾把箱子整理好了，我相信什麼也不會缺少，因為這個人對襯衣和衣服的分類，跟對鳥類或哺侞類動物的分類一樣能幹。
The hotel elevator dropped us off in the main vestibule on the mezzanine. I went down a short stair leading to the ground floor. I settled my bill at that huge counter that was always under siege by a considerable crowd. I left instructions for shipping my containers of stuffed animals and dried plants to Paris, France. I opened a line of credit sufficient to cover the babirusa and, Conseil at my heels, I jumped into a carriage.
旅館的升降機把我們送到二樓下的大廳中。我步行數級，到了地面一層，在常有一大群人圍住的大櫃檯上，我算清了賬目，付了錢。我託人把一捆一捆打好包的動、植物標本運回巴黎（法國），還留下一筆錢，託人喂養我的野豬。僚塞爾跟着我走出了旅館，上了一輛馬車。
For a fare of twenty francs, the vehicle went down Broadway to Union Square, took Fourth Ave. to its junction with Bowery St., turned into Katrin St. and halted at Pier 34. There the Katrin ferry transferred men, horses, and carriage to Brooklyn, that great New York annex located on the left bank of the East River, and in a few minutes we arrived at the wharf next to which the Abraham Lincoln was vomiting torrents of black smoke from its two funnels.
馬車從百老匯路直到團結廣場，再經過第四號路到包法利街的十字路口，走人加上林街，停在三十四號碼頭，這一趟車費是二十法郎。碼頭邊，加上林輪渡把我們（人、馬和車）送到布洛克林。布洛克林是紐約的一個區，位於東河左岸，走了幾分鐘，我們便抵達停泊林肯號的碼頭，林肯號的兩座煙囪正噴出濃密的黑煙。
Our baggage was immediately carried to the deck of the frigate. I rushed aboard. I asked for Commander Farragut. One of the sailors led me to the afterdeck, where I stood in the presence of a smart-looking officer who extended his hand to me.
立刻有人把我們的行李搬到達艘大船的甲板上。我趕緊上船，問法拉古司令在什麼地方。一個水手領我到船尾樓上見他。這位軍官氣色很好，他向我伸手，對我說：
"Professor Pierre Aronnax?" he said to me.
“彼埃爾，阿龍納斯先生嗎？”
"The same," I replied. "Commander Farragut?"
“對，”我答，“您是法拉古司令嗎？”
"In person. Welcome aboard, professor. Your cabin is waiting for you."
①是。歡迎歡迎，教授。您的艙房早等着您了。”
I bowed, and letting the commander attend to getting under way, I was taken to the cabin that had been set aside for me.
我行個禮，讓司令去作開船的準備，另外有人領我到給我預備的艙房。
The Abraham Lincoln had been perfectly chosen and fitted out for its new assignment. It was a high-speed frigate furnished with superheating equipment that allowed the tension of its steam to build to seven atmospheres. Under this pressure the Abraham Lincoln reached an average speed of 18.3 miles per hour, a considerable speed but still not enough to cope with our gigantic cetacean.
林肯號是為著它的新目標而特選和裝備好的。它是一般速度很快的二級戰艦，裝有高壓蒸汽機，可以使氣壓增加到七個大氣壓力。在這個壓力下，林肯號的速度平均可以達到每小時十八點三海里，這是很快的速度，但跟那只巨大的鯨魚類動物搏鬥還是不夠的。
The frigate's interior accommodations complemented its nautical virtues. I was well satisfied with my cabin, which was located in the stern and opened into the officers' mess.
戰艦內部的裝備完全合乎這次航海任務的要求。我很滿意我所住的艙房，它位於船的後部，房門對著軍官們的餐室。
"We'll be quite comfortable here," I told Conseil.
“我們這艙房很舒服。”我對康塞爾說。
"With all due respect to master," Conseil replied, "as comfortable as a hermit crab inside the shell of a whelk."
“先生不要見怪，一康塞爾回答，“住在這裡跟寄生蟹住在海螺殻中一樣舒服。”
I left Conseil to the proper stowing of our luggage and climbed on deck to watch the preparations for getting under way.
我留下康塞爾安頓我們的箱子，獨自一個人上了甲板，觀看準備開船的躁作。
Just then Commander Farragut was giving orders to cast off the last moorings holding the Abraham Lincoln to its Brooklyn pier. And so if I'd been delayed by a quarter of an hour or even less, the frigate would have gone without me, and I would have missed out on this unearthly, extraordinary, and inconceivable expedition, whose true story might well meet with some skepticism.
這時候，法拉古艦長正要人解開布洛克林碼頭纜柱上拴住林肯號的最後幾根鐵索。看來如果我遲到一刻鐘，半刻鐘，船就會開走，我也就不能參加這次出奇的、神秘的、難以相信的遠徵了。這次遠征的經過，雖然是真實記錄，將來可能還會有人懷疑的。
But Commander Farragut didn't want to waste a single day, or even a single hour, in making for those seas where the animal had just been sighted. He summoned his engineer.
法拉古艦長不願意耽擱一天甚至一小時，他要趕快把船開到那個動物所在的海中。他把船上的工程師叫來了。
"Are we up to pressure?" he asked the man.
“蒸汽燒足了嗎？”艦長問他。
"Aye, sir," the engineer replied.
“燒足了，艦長。”工程師答。
"Go ahead, then!" Commander Farragut called.
“開船！”法拉古艦長喊。
At this order, which was relayed to the engine by means of a compressed-air device, the mechanics activated the start-up wheel. Steam rushed whistling into the gaping valves. Long horizontal pistons groaned and pushed the tie rods of the drive shaft. The blades of the propeller churned the waves with increasing speed, and the Abraham Lincoln moved out majestically amid a spectator-laden escort of some 100 ferries and tenders.
開船的命令通過話筒傳到機器房，輪機人員接到命令，立即讓機輪轉動起來。蒸汽湧入半開的機關中；發出呼呼的嘯聲。一排排橫列的活塞發出格格的聲響，推動機軸的槓桿。推進器的輪翼不斷加大速率，攪動海水，於是林肯號在上百隻滿載觀眾前來送別的渡輪和汽艇的行列中，莊嚴地向前行駛着、
The wharves of Brooklyn, and every part of New York bordering the East River, were crowded with curiosity seekers. Departing from 500,000 throats, three cheers burst forth in succession. Thousands of handkerchiefs were waving above these tightly packed masses, hailing the Abraham Lincoln until it reached the waters of the Hudson River, at the tip of the long peninsula that forms New York City.
布洛克林碼頭和東河沿岸的整個紐約地區都擠滿了好奇的人們。從五千萬人胸中發出的歡呼聲，震動了天地。成千上萬塊手帕在擠得緊緊的群眾頭上招展，不停地向林肯號敬禮，直到船抵達赫德森河口，紐約城所在的長形半島的尖端，人群才漸漸散去。
The frigate then went along the New Jersey coast--the wonderful right bank of this river, all loaded down with country homes-- and passed by the forts to salutes from their biggest cannons. The Abraham Lincoln replied by three times lowering and hoisting the American flag, whose thirty-nine stars gleamed from the gaff of the mizzen sail; then, changing speed to take the buoy-marked channel that curved into the inner bay formed by the spit of Sandy Hook, it hugged this sand-covered strip of land where thousands of spectators acclaimed us one more time.
這時候，大船沿著新西州海岸行駛，河的右岸都是別墅，從炮台中間穿過時，炮台鳴禮炮向大船致敬。林肯號方了向它們答禮，把美國國旗連升三次，那三＋九顆星在後桅。橫木上閃閃發光。後來大船改變方向，駛進設有浮標的航道。大船掠過沙洲，洲上有數千觀眾，對船作最後一次的歡呼。
The escort of boats and tenders still followed the frigate and only left us when we came abreast of the lightship, whose two signal lights mark the entrance of the narrows to Upper New York Bay.
護送大船的渡輪和汽艇老是緊跟着行駛，直到燈船附近，有兩道燈光標明紐約航路的出口的地方，它們才離開大船回去。
Three o'clock then sounded. The harbor pilot went down into his dinghy and rejoined a little schooner waiting for him to leeward. The furnaces were stoked; the propeller churned the waves more swiftly; the frigate skirted the flat, yellow coast of Long Island; and at eight o'clock in the evening, after the lights of Fire Island had vanished into the northwest, we ran at full steam onto the dark waters of the Atlantic.
這時正是下午三點。領港人從大船下來，上了他的小。艇，駛到在下風等着他的一艘小快船那邊。煤火添起來了，機輪更急地攪動水波，大船沿長島低低的黃色海岸行駛，在晚間八點的時候，西北方不見了火島的燈光，船便開足馬力，在大西洋黑沉沉的波濤上奔馳了。