The winter season set in with the month of June, which corresponds with the month of December in the Northern Hemisphere. —
冬季于六月份开始，北半球对应于十二月份。 —

It began with showers and squalls, which succeeded each other without intermission. —
开始时降雨和狂风不断交替。 —

The tenants of Granite House could appreciate the advantages of a dwelling which sheltered them from the inclement weather. —
花岗岛上的租户能够感受到住所为他们带来的避风港利益。 —

The Chimneys would have been quite insufficient to protect them against the rigor of winter, and it was to be feared that the high tides would make another irruption. —
Chimneys烟囱对抗严寒是不够的，人们担心高潮会再次袭击。 —

Cyrus Harding had taken precautions against this contingency, so as to preserve as much as possible the forge and furnace which were established there.
赛勒斯•哈丁为此采取了预防措施，以尽可能保护建立在那里的锻炉和火炉。

During the whole of the month of June the time was employed in different occupations, which excluded neither hunting nor fishing, the larder being, therefore, abundantly supplied. —
六月份全程忙于不同的活动，包括狩猎和捕鱼，所以储备风味丰富。 —

Pencroft, so soon as he had leisure, proposed to set some traps, from which he expected great results. —
Pencroft有空就提议设置一些陷阱，期望大收获。 —

He soon made some snares with creepers, by the aid of which the warren henceforth every day furnished its quota of rodents. —
他很快用藤蔓做了一些陷阱，于是兔道每天都提供了一定数量的啮齿动物。 —

Neb employed nearly all his time in salting or smoking meat, which insured their always having plenty of provisions. —
Neb几乎全天用于腌制或熏制肉食，确保他们随时有充足的粮食。 —

The question of clothes was now seriously discussed, the settlers having no other garments than those they wore when the balloon threw them on the island. —
现在开始认真讨论衣物问题，因为移民只有在气球将他们投放到岛上时穿的那些衣物。 —

These clothes were warm and good; they had taken great care of them as well as of their linen, and they were perfectly whole, but they would soon need to be replaced. —
这些衣物保暖又好，他们精心保持着这些衣物和亚麻布，都完好如初，但很快就需要更换。 —

Moreover, if the winter was severe, the settlers would suffer greatly from cold.
此外，如果冬天很严寒，移民会严重受寒。

On this subject the ingenuity of Harding was at fault. —
对于这个问题，哈丁的聪明才智失灵了。 —

They must provide for their most pressing wants, settle their dwelling, and lay in a store of food; —
他们必须满足最紧迫的需求，安置他们的住所，并囤积食物； —

thus the cold might come upon them before the question of clothes had been settled. —
这样，寒冷可能会在他们解决衣物问题之前来临。 —

They must therefore make up their minds to pass this first winter without additional clothing. —
因此，他们必须下定决心在这个第一个冬天里不要再添加衣物。 —

When the fine season came round again, they would regularly hunt those musmons which had been seen on the expedition to Mount Franklin, and the wool once collected, the engineer would know how to make it into strong warm stuff. —
当明年再次迎来好天气时，他们会定期猎捕那些在前往弗兰克林山途中看到的羊羚兽，并且一旦收集到羊毛，工程师会知道如何将其制成结实暖和的材料。 —

… How? He would consider.
… 怎么做？他会考虑。

“Well, we are free to roast ourselves at Granite House!” said Pencroft. —
“嗯，我们可以在花岗岩屋里自己烤身子！” 本克罗夫特说。 —

“There are heaps of fuel, and no reason for sparing it.”
“那里有一大堆燃料，没有必要吝惜它。”

“Besides,” added Gideon Spilett, “Lincoln Island is not situated under a very high latitude, and probably the winters here are not severe. —
“此外,” 吉迪恩·斯皮莱特补充道，“林肯岛并不位于非常高的纬度，可能这里的冬天并不严寒。 —

Did you not say, Cyrus, that this thirty-fifth parallel corresponded to that of Spain in the other hemisphere?”
你不是说，赛勒斯，这个35纬度对应另一个半球中的西班牙吗？”

“Doubtless,” replied the engineer, “but some winters in Spain are very cold! —
“毫无疑问，” 工程师回答说，”但在西班牙有些冬天是非常寒冷的！ —

No want of snow and ice; and perhaps Lincoln Island is just as rigourously tried. —
冰雪覆盖，也许林肯岛同样受到严寒的考验。 —

However, it is an island, and as such, I hope that the temperature will be more moderate.”
不过，这是一个岛屿，作为这样一个情况，我希望气温会更为温和。”

“Why, captain?” asked Herbert.
“为什么，队长？” 赫伯特问道。

“Because the sea, my boy, may be considered as an immense reservoir, in which is stored the heat of the summer. —
“因为，我的孩子，海洋可以被认为是一个巨大的蓄热器，夏天的热量储存在其中。 —

When winter comes, it restores this heat, which insures for the regions near the ocean a medium temperature, less high in summer, but less low in winter.”
冬天来临时，它释放这种热量，这就确保了靠近海洋的地区有一个中等温度，夏天不那么高，但冬天也不那么低。

“We shall prove that,” replied Pencroft. “But I don’t want to bother myself about whether it will be cold or not. —
“我们会证明这一点，” 本克罗夫特回答说。”但我不想为天气是冷是暖而烦恼。 —

One thing is certain, that is that the days are already short, and the evenings long. —
有一件事是肯定的，那就是白天已经变短，晚上变长了。 —

Suppose we talk about the question of light.”
假设我们谈谈关于光的问题。”

“Nothing is easier,” replied Harding.
“没有比这更容易的事情，”哈定回答说。

“To talk about?” asked the sailor.
“谈论光？”水手问道。

“To settle.”
“解决这个问题。”

“And when shall we begin?”
“那我们什么时候开始呢？”

“To-morrow, by having a seal hunt.”
“明天，搞一场海豹狩猎。”

“To make candles?”
“制作蜡烛？”

“Yes.”
“是的。”

Such was the engineer’s project; and it was quite feasible, since he had lime and sulphuric acid, while the amphibians of the islet would furnish the fat necessary for the manufacture.
工程师的计划就是如此，而且这是完全可行的，因为他有石灰和硫酸，而岛上的两栖动物将提供脂肪以供制造。

They were now at the 4th of June. It was Whit Sunday and they agreed to observe this feast. —
现在是6月4日。这是五旬节，他们决定庆祝这个节日。 —

All work was suspended, and prayers were offered to Heaven. —
所有工作都暂停了，向上天献上祈祷。 —

But these prayers were now thanksgivings. —
但这些祈祷现在已经变成了感恩。 —

The settlers in Lincoln Island were no longer the miserable castaways thrown on the islet. —
林肯岛上的定居者不再是被抛到小岛上的可怜流亡者。 —

They asked for nothing more–they gave thanks. —
他们不再索求更多–他们开始感恩。 —

The next day, the 5th of June, in rather uncertain weather, they set out for the islet. —
第二天，6月5日，天气有些不稳定，他们出发前往小岛。 —

They had to profit by the low tide to cross the Channel, and it was agreed that they would construct, for this purpose, as well as they could, a boat which would render communication so much easier, and would also permit them to ascend the Mercy, at the time of their grand exploration of the southwest of the island, which was put off till the first fine days.
他们必须利用低潮来跨越海峡，他们商定建造一艘船，以便更轻松地进行交通，并且也会使他们在岛的西南部进行宏大探险时，能够在首个晴朗的日子里沿着米西河向上前进。

The seals were numerous, and the hunters, armed with their iron-tipped spears, easily killed half-a-dozen. —
海豹数量众多，猎人们手持装有铁尖的长矛，轻易杀死了六只。 —

Neb and Pencroft skinned them, and only brought back to Granite House their fat and skin, this skin being intended for the manufacture of boots.
尼布和本克罗夫特为它们剥皮，只带回了它们的脂肪和皮毛，这皮毛用于制作靴子。

The result of the hunt was this: nearly three hundred pounds of fat, all to be employed in the fabrication of candles.
狩猎的结果是：将近三百磅的脂肪，全部将用于蜡烛的制作。

The operation was extremely simple, and if it did not yield absolutely perfect results, they were at least very useful. —
这个操作非常简单，虽然不能完全得到完美的结果，但仍然非常有用。 —

Cyrus Harding would only have had at his disposal sulphuric acid, but by heating this acid with the neutral fatty bodies he could separate the glycerine; —
塞勒斯·哈丁只能使用硫酸来进行操作，但通过用中性脂肪物质和热硫酸反应，可以分离出甘油。 —

then from this new combination, he easily separated the olein, the margarin, and the stearin, by employing boiling water. —
然后通过这种新的组合，他很容易用沸水将亚油酸、硬脂酸和硬脂酸甘油酯分离出来。 —

But to simplify the operation, he preferred to saponify the fat by means of lime. —
但为了简化操作，他更倾向于用石灰皂化脂肪。 —

By this he obtained a calcareous soap, easy to decompose by sulphuric acid, which precipitated the lime into the state of sulphate, and liberated the fatty acids.
通过这种方法，他得到了一种易于硫酸分解的钙皂，可以将钙沉淀为硫酸盐，同时释放出脂肪酸。

From these three acids-oleic, margaric, and stearic-the first, being liquid, was driven out by a sufficient pressure. —
从这三种酸中——亚油酸、硬脂酸和硬脂酸，液态的亚油酸可以通过足够的压力被挤出。 —

As to the two others, they formed the very substance of which the candles were to be molded.
至于另外两种酸，它们组成了蜡烛的主要成份。

This operation did not last more than four and twenty hours. —
这个操作只持续了不到二十四个小时。 —

The wicks, after several trials, were made of vegetable fibers, and dipped in the liquefied substance, they formed regular stearic candles, molded by the hand, which only wanted whiteness and polish. —
经过几次尝试，蜡烛芯由植物纤维制成，并浸入液态物质中，形成了规则的硬脂蜡烛，由手工制成，只需增加白色和光泽。 —

They would not doubtless have the advantages of the wicks which are impregnated with boracic acid, and which vitrify as they burn and are entirely consumed, but Cyrus Harding having manufactured a beautiful pair of snuffers, these candles would be greatly appreciated during the long evenings in Granite House.
它们可能没有浸渍硼酸并在燃烧时变成玻璃状并完全燃烧的蜡烛芯的优点，但是塞勒斯·哈丁制作了一对美丽的蜡烛剪，这些蜡烛在格兰特庄园的漫长夜晚将会倍受欢迎。

During this month there was no want of work in the interior of their new dwelling. —
在这个月里，他们的新居内部工作缺乏不了。 —

The joiners had plenty to do. They improved their tools, which were very rough, and added others also.
木工们有很多事情要做。他们改进了他们的工具，这些工具非常粗糙，还添加了其他工具。

Scissors were made among other things, and the settlers were at last able to cut their hair, and also to shave, or at least trim their beards. —
剪刀是其中一种制造的工具，定居者们终于能够理发，也能修剪胡须。 —

Herbert had none, Neb but little, but their companions were bristling in a way which justified the making of the said scissors.
赫伯特头发不多，奈布也不多，但他们的同伴看起来很刺痛，正因为此他们才制作了那把剪刀。

The manufacture of a hand-saw cost infinite trouble, but at last an instrument was obtained which, when vigorously handled, could divide the ligneous fibers of the wood. —
制作手锯耗费了无穷的劳力，但最终获得了一件工具，当大力使用时，可以切开木头的纤维。 —

They then made tables, seats, cupboards, to furnish the principal rooms, and bedsteads, of which all the bedding consisted of grass mattresses. —
他们制作了桌子、椅子、橱柜，装饰了主要房间，还有床架，所有的床上用品都是用草垫。 —

The kitchen, with its shelves, on which rested the cooking utensils, its brick stove, looked very well, and Neb worked away there as earnestly as if he was in a chemist’s laboratory.
厨房里的搁板上放着烹饪用具，有砖砌炉，样子很好，奈布在那里认真地工作着，就像在一个化验室里一样。

But the joiners had soon to be replaced by carpenters. —
但是很快木工们被木匠们取代了。 —

In fact, the waterfall created by the explosion rendered the construction of two bridges necessary, one on Prospect Heights, the other on the shore. —
事实上，爆炸造成的瀑布使得需要修建两座桥，一座在前景岭，另一座在岸边。 —

Now the plateau and the shore were transversely divided by a watercourse, which had to be crossed to reach the northern part of the island. —
岛上高原和岸边被一条需要跨越的小溪纵横分隔开来，以到达岛屿的北部。 —

To avoid it the colonists had been obliged to make a considerable detour, by climbing up to the source of the Red Creek. The simplest thing was to establish on the plateau, and on the shore, two bridges from twenty to five and twenty feet in length. —
为了避免这条小溪，殖民者们被迫绕道，爬到了红溪的水源处。最简单的方法是在高原和岸边，建立长度在二十到二十五英尺的两座桥。 —

All the carpenter’s work that was needed was to clear some trees of their branches: —
需要的所有木匠工作就是清理一些树枝：这是个持续几天的工作。 —

this was a business of some days. Directly the bridges were established, Neb and Pencroft profited by them to go to the oyster-bed which had been discovered near the downs. —
一旦桥梁建成，奈布和潘克罗夫就利用这些桥梁前往在丘陵附近发现的牡蛎床。 —

They dragged with them a sort of rough cart, which replaced the former inconvenient hurdle, and brought back some thousands of oysters, which soon increased among the rocks and formed a bed at the mouth of the Mercy. These molluscs were of excellent quality, and the colonists consumed some daily.
他们拖着一种简陋的推车，取代了以前不方便的担架，并带回了几千只牡蛎，很快在岩石间增多，并形成了一个在梅西河口的床。这些软体动物质量很好，殖民者每天都会吃一些。

It has been seen that Lincoln Island, although its inhabitants had as yet only explored a small portion of it, already contributed to almost all their wants. —
已经看到，尽管林肯岛的居民目前仅探索了一小部分，它已经基本满足了他们几乎所有的需求。 —

It was probable that if they hunted into its most secret recesses, in all the wooded part between the Mercy and Reptile Point, they would find new treasures.
很可能如果他们深入探索梅西河和爬行动物角之间的所有树林中最隐秘的角落，他们会找到新的宝藏。

The settlers in Lincoln Island had still one privation. —
林肯岛的定居者仍然有一个困难。 —

There was no want of meat, nor of vegetable products; —
不缺肉食，也不缺蔬菜产品; —

those ligneous roots which they had found, when subjected to fermentation, gave them an acid drink, which was preferable to cold water; —
那些木根在发酵后提供了一种酸性饮料，比冷水更好; —

they also made sugar, without canes or beet- roots, by collecting the liquor which distils from the “acer saceharinum,” a son of maple-tree, which flourishes in all the temperate zones, and of which the island possessed a great number; —
他们还制作了糖，没有甘蔗或甜菜根，通过收集从枫树子“acer saceharinum”中滴落的液体，枫树子在所有温带地区都盛行，岛上有很多; —

they made a very agreeable tea by employing the herbs brought from the warren; —
他们用从兔子洞带来的草药制作了一种非常可口的茶; —

lastly, they had an abundance of salt, the only mineral which is used in food . —
最后，他们有大量的盐，食物中唯一使用的矿物质。 —

. . but bread was wanting.
但缺了面包。

Perhaps in time the settlers could replace this want by some equivalent, it was possible that they might find the sago or the breadfruit tree among the forests of the south, but they had not as yet met with these precious trees. —
也许在未来，定居者可以用一些同等物替代这一需求，他们可能会在南部森林中找到西槟榔或面包树，但他们尚未找到这些珍贵的树木。 —

However, Providence came directly to their aid, in an infinitesimal proportion it is true, but Cyrus Harding, with all his intelligence, all his ingenuity, would never have been able to produce that which, by the greatest chance, Herbert one day found in the lining of his waistcoat, which he was occupied in setting to rights.
但是，命运以微不足道的比例直接帮助了他们，尽管这是事情上的，但是赛勒斯·哈丁，尽管具有所有的智慧和机智，也永远不会能够制造出赫伯特在整理时某一天在他的马甲里发现的东西。

On this day, as it was raining in torrents, the settlers were assembled in the great hall in Granite House, when the lad cried out all at once,–
就在这一天，因为雨倾盆而下，定居者们聚集在花岗岩屋的大厅里，这时，少年忽然喊道：

“Look here, captain–A grain of corn!”
“船长，看这里-一粒玉米!”

And he showed his companions a grain–a single grain–which from a hole in his pocket had got into the lining of his waistcoat.
他向同伴展示了一粒-唯一一粒-从口袋里掉进他马甲内衬的玉米粒。

The presence of this grain was explained by the fact that Herbert, when at Richmond, used to feed some pigeons, of which Pencroft had made him a present.
这颗玉米粒之所以出现，是因为在里士满时，赫伯特喂养了一些鸽子，彭克罗夫送给了他一份。

“A grain of corn?” said the engineer quickly.
“一粒玉米?”工程师迅速说道。

“Yes, captain; but one, only one!”
“是的，船长; 但只有一颗!“

“Well, my boy,” said Pencroft, laughing, “we’re getting on capitally, upon my word! —
“哈哈，我的孩子，”潘克洛夫笑着说，“我们进展得很顺利，真的！” —

What shall we make with one grain of corn?”
“用一粒玉米做什么呢？”

“We will make bread of it,” replied Cyrus Harding.
“我们将用它做面包，”西里斯·哈丁回答道。

“Bread, cakes, tarts!” replied the sailor. —
“面包，糕点！”海员回答道。 —

“Come, the bread that this grain of corn will make won’t choke us very soon!”
“来吧，这粒玉米能做成的面包不会让我们很快被呛死！”

Herbert, not attaching much importance to his discovery, was going to throw away the grain in question; —
赫伯特并不觉得自己的发现很重要，准备把疑问的这粒玉米扔掉； —

but Harding took it, examined it, found that it was in good condition, and looking the sailor full in the face– “Pencroft,” he asked quietly, “do you know how many ears one grain of corn can produce?”
但哈丁拿走它，检查了一下，发现它状态良好，并正视着海员的脸问道——“潘克洛夫，你知道一粒玉米可以产生多少穗吗？”

“One, I suppose!” replied the sailor, surprised at the question.
“我想应该是一穗吧！”海员惊讶地回答道。

“Ten, Pencroft! And do you know how many grains one ear bears?”
“十穗，潘克洛夫！你知道一穗玉米能产生多少粒吗？”

“No, upon my word.”
“不知道，发誓！”

“About eighty!” said Cyrus Harding. “Then, if we plant this grain, at the first crop we shall reap eight hundred grains which at the second will produce six hundred and forty thousand; —
“大约八十粒！”西里斯·哈丁说道。”那么，如果我们种下这粒玉米，第一次收割就会得到八百粒，第二次会产生六十四万粒； —

at the third, five hundred and twelve millions; —
在第三次，将会有五亿一千两百万粒； —

at the fourth, more than four hundred thousands of millions! —
在第四次，将会有超过四百万亿粒！” —

There is the proportion.”
哈丁的同伴们静静地听着。

Harding’s companions listened without answering. —
身边的同伴没作答。 —

These numbers astonished them. They were exact, however.
这些数字让他们感到惊讶。然而，它们是准确的。

“Yes, my friends,” continued the engineer, “such are the arithmetical progressions of prolific nature; —
“是的，我的朋友们，”工程师继续说道，”这就是多产自然的等差数列； —

and yet what is this multiplication of the grain of corn, of which the ear only bears eight hundred grains, compared to the poppy-plant, which bears thirty-two thousand seeds; —
而将一粒玉米种子繁殖为只有八百颗的玉米粒相比，还有虞美人植物每年能结出三万两千粒的种子； —

to the tobacco- plant, which produces three hundred and sixty thousand? —
还有烟草植物，每年产生三十六万颗？ —

In a few years, without the numerous causes of destruction, which arrests their fecundity, these plants would overrun the earth.”
如果没有那些阻止它们繁殖的各种原因，这些植物可以迅速占领整个地球。

But the engineer had not finished his lecture.
但是工程师并没有结束他的讲课。

“And now, Pencroft,” he continued, “do you know how many bushels four hundred thousand millions of grains would make?”
“现在，潘克罗夫，”他继续说道，”你知道四百亿颗种子能制成多少蒲式耳吗？

“No,” replied the sailor; “but what I do know is, that I am nothing better than a fool!”
“不，”水手回答道，”我知道的是我简直就是个傻瓜！”

“Well, they would make more than three millions, at a hundred and thirty thousand a bushel, Pencroft.”
“好吧，四十亿颗种子可以制成超过三百万蒲式耳，潘克罗夫。”

“Three millions!” cried Pencroft.
“三百万！”潘克罫哇。

“Three millions.”
“三百万。”

“In four years?”
“四年内？”

“In four years,” replied Cyrus Harding, “and even in two years, if, as I hope, in this latitude we can obtain two crops a year.”
“四年内，”塞勒斯·哈丁回答说，”而且如果我们在这个纬度能一年收割两次的话，甚至两年内也可以实现。”

At that, according to his usual custom, Pencroft could not reply otherwise than by a tremendous hurrah.
这时，一如既往，潘克罗夫只能用一声震天的欢呼来回答。

“So, Herbert,” added the engineer, “you have made a discovery of great importance to us. —
“所以，赫伯特，”工程师补充道，”你为我们发现了一项重要的发现。” —

Everything, my friends, everything can serve us in the condition in which we are. —
一切，我的朋友，一切都可以在我们目前的情况下帮助我们。 —

Do not forget that, I beg of you.”
我恳求你们，不要忘记这点。

“No, captain, no, we shan’t forget it,” replied Pencroft; —
“不，船长，不，我们不会忘记的，”潘克罗夫回答说； —

“and if ever I find one of those tobacco-seeds, which multiply by three hundred and sixty thousand, I assure you I won’t throw it away! —
“如果我找到那种可以成千上万地繁殖的烟草种子，我向你保证我不会扔掉它！ —

And now, what must we do?”
那么现在，我们应该做什么？

“We must plant this grain,” replied Herbert.
“我们必须种下这粒种子，”赫伯特回答道。

“Yes,” added Gideon Spilett, “and with every possible care, for it bears in itself our future harvests.”
“是的，”吉德恩·斯比莱特补充说，”并且必须非常小心，因为它承载着我们未来的收获。

“Provided it grows!” cried the sailor.
“只要它长得出来！”水手们喊道。

“It will grow,” replied Cyrus Harding.
“它会长得出来的，”赛勒斯·哈丁回答道。

This was the 20th of June. The time was then propitious for sowing this single precious grain of corn. —
这是六月二十日。此时正是种植这一粒珍贵的玉米种子的时机。 —

It was first proposed to plant it in a pot, but upon reflection it was decided to leave it to nature, and confide it to the earth. —
最初计划把它种在盆里，但经过考虑决定把它交给大自然，并托付给大地。 —

This was done that very day, and it is needless to add, that every precaution was taken that the experiment might succeed.
当天就这样做了，必须补充的是，为了确保试验成功，采取了一切必要的预防措施。

The weather having cleared, the settlers climbed the height above Granite House. There, on the plateau, they chose a spot, well sheltered from the wind, and exposed to all the heat of the midday sun. —
天气放晴后，定居者们爬上花岗石屋上方的高地。在高台上，他们选择了一个远离风，并暴露在中午太阳照射下的地方。 —

The place was cleared, carefully weeded, and searched for insects and worms; —
该地方经过清理、仔细除草和清除昆虫和蠕虫； —

then a bed of good earth, improved with a little lime, was made; —
然后铺设了一层好土，加入一点石灰。 —

it was surrounded by a railing; and the grain was buried in the damp earth.
它被栏杆围起来；粮食被埋在潮湿的土壤中。

Did it not seem as if the settlers were laying the first stone of some edifice? —
难道不是好像殖民者正在奠定某座建筑的第一块石头吗？ —

It recalled to Pencroft the day on which he lighted his only match, and all the anxiety of the operation. —
这让潘克罗夫想起他点燃自己唯一一支火柴的那一天，以及整个操作过程的焦虑。 —

But this time the thing was more serious. —
但这一次事情更加严重。 —

In fact, the castaways would have been always able to procure fire, in some mode or other, but no human power could supply another grain of corn, if unfortunately this should be lost!
事实上，遇难者们总是能以某种方式取得火，但如果不幸丢失玉米种子的话，任何人都无法再提供另一粒种子！