海底兩萬里 第356期 第23章 珊瑚王國(55)

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That word siren put me back on track, and I realized that the animal belonged to the order Sirenia:

人魚這個名字使我摸到了們路，我明白了這個動物是。

marine creatures that legends have turned into mermaids, half woman, half fish.

屬于這一目的海中動物，就是神話中當它是魚美人的人魚水怪。

No, I told Conseil, that's no mermaid, it's an unusual creature of which only a few specimens are left in the Red Sea. That's a dugong.

不，我對康塞爾說，這不是人魚，是一只奇怪的動物，在紅海中并不見得有多少。這是海馬。

Order Sirenia, group Pisciforma, subclass Monodelphia, class Mammalia, branch Vertebrata, Conseil replied.

人魚目，魚形類，單官哺乳亞綱，哺乳綱，脊椎動物門。康塞爾回答。

And when Conseil has spoken, there's nothing else to be said.

康奏爾這樣說過后，那就沒有什么可以說的了。

Meanwhile Ned Land kept staring. His eyes were gleaming with desire at the sight of that animal.

可是尼德·蘭老是注視著。他的眼睛看見這東西，閃出要把它捉到手的貪婪光芒。

His hands were ready to hurl a harpoon. You would have thought he was waiting for the right moment to jump overboard and attack the creature in its own element.

他的手像是要去叉它?？此臉幼?，真是讓人要說，他是等待時機，躍人海中，到水里面去攻打它。

Oh, sir, he told me in a voice trembling with excitement, I've never killed anything like that!

呵！先生，他情緒激動，聲音發(fā)抖地說，我從沒有打到過這種東西。

His whole being was concentrated in this last word.

魚叉手的全部心意都表現(xiàn)在這一句話里面。

Just then Captain Nemo appeared on the platform. He spotted the dugong. He understood the Canadian's frame of mind and addressed him directly:

這時候，尼摩船長在平臺上出現(xiàn)。他望見了海馬。他朋白了加拿大人的姿態(tài)，立即對魚叉手說：

If you held a harpoon, Mr. Land, wouldn't your hands be itching to put it to work?

蘭師傅，您要是手拿魚又，一定會手癢得難過，要試一下嗎？

Positively, sir.

您說得正對，先生。

And just for one day, would it displease you to return to your fisherman's trade and add this cetacean to the list of those you've already hunted down?

將來您再操叉魚這一行的時候，把這只鯨科動物加在您曾經(jīng)打過的鯨魚賬上，您不會不高興吧？

It wouldn't displease me one bit.

這樣我決不會不高興。

All right, you can try your luck!

那么您可以試一試。

Thank you, sir, Ned Land replied, his eyes ablaze.

謝謝您，先生。尼德·蘭回答，眼睛亮起來了。

Only, the captain went on, I urge you to aim carefully at this animal, in your own personal interest.

不過，船長立即又說，我請您不要放走這東西，這對您有利呢。

Is the dugong dangerous to attack? I asked, despite the Canadian's shrug of the shoulders.

打這海馬有危險嗎。"我問，我并不理會加拿大人做著聳肩的姿態(tài)。

Yes, sometimes, the captain replied. These animals have been known to turn on their assailants and capsize their longboats.

是，有時候有危險，船長回答，這東西向攻打它的人轉(zhuǎn)過身來，把他的小艇撞翻。

But with Mr. Land that danger isn't to be feared. His eye is sharp, his arm is sure.

但對蘭師傅來說，這種危險用不著害怕。他的眼光很敏捷，他的胳膊很準確。

If I recommend that he aim carefully at this dugong, it's because the animal is justly regarded as fine game, and I know Mr. Land doesn't despise a choice morsel.

我所以勸他留心，不要放走這海馬，是因為人們把這東西看作一種美味好吃的獵物，我也知道，蘭師傅決不至討厭一大塊一大塊好吃的肥肉。