“Poor man!” said Herbert, who had rushed to the door, but returned, having seen Ayrton slide down the rope on the lift and disappear in the darkness.
“可怜的人！”赫伯特说道，他冲到门口看见艾尔顿顺着绞盘上的绳子滑下去，然后消失在黑暗中后返回。

“He will come back,” said Cyrus Harding.
“他会回来的，”赛勒斯·哈丁说道。

“Come, now, captain,” exclaimed Pencroft, “what does that mean? What! —
“来吧，船长，”潘克罗夫大喊道，“这是什么意思？什么！难道不是艾尔顿把瓶子扔进海里的吗？那是谁？” —

wasn’t it Ayrton who threw that bottle into the sea? Who was it then?”
毫无疑问，如果有一个需要提出的问题，这肯定是一个！

Certainly, if ever a question was necessary to be made, it was that one!
“是他，”尼布回答道，“只不过可怜的人已经神志不清。”

“It was he,” answered Neb, “only the unhappy man was half-mad.”
“是的！”赫伯特说，“他已经不再意识到自己在做什么。”

“Yes!” said Herbert, “and he was no longer conscious of what he was doing.”
“这是什么意思？” Pencroft问向哈尔哥内，当他看着艾尔顿从绞盘上滑下去，消失在黑暗中后。

“It can only be explained in that way, my friends,” replied Harding quickly, “and I understand now how Ayrton was able to point out exactly the situation of Tabor Island, since the events which had preceded his being left on the island had made it known to him.”
“只有这样才能解释，我的朋友们，”哈丁迅速回答道，“我现在明白艾尔顿是如何能够准确指出塔伯岛的位置的，因为他被留在这个岛上之前发生的事件已经让他知道了。”

“However,” observed Pencroft, “if he was not yet a brute when he wrote that document, and if he threw it into the sea seven or eight years ago, how is it that the paper has not been injured by damp?”
“然而，”彭克罗夫观察到，“如果他在写那份文件时还不是一个野兽，而且把它丢进海里七八年前，那么为什么这张纸没有被潮湿破坏呢？”

“That proves,” answered Cyrus Harding, “that Ayrton was deprived of intelligence at a more recent time than he thinks.”
“这证明了，”赛勒斯·哈丁回答道，“艾尔顿失去智力的时间比他认为的更近一些。”

“Of course it must be so,” replied Pencroft, “without that the fact would be unaccountable.”
“当然，一定是这样，”彭克罗夫回答道，“否则这件事就解释不了。”

“Unaccountable indeed,” answered the engineer, who did not appear desirous to prolong the conversation.
“的确解释不了，”工程师回答道，似乎不想延长对话。

“But has Ayrton told the truth?” asked the sailor.
“但是艾尔顿说的是真的吗？”水手问道。

“Yes,” replied the reporter. “The story which he has told is true in every point. —
“是的，”记者回答道，“他所讲的故事每一点都是真的。 —

I remember quite well the account in the newspapers of the yacht expedition undertaken by Lord Glenarvan, and its result.”
我还清楚记得报纸上关于格伦阿文勋爵的游艇远征及其结果的报道。”

“Ayrton has told the truth,” added Harding. —
“艾尔顿说的是真话，”哈丁补充道。 —

“Do not doubt it, Pencroft, for it was painful to him. —
“不要怀疑，彭克罗夫，因为对他来说这是痛苦的。 —

People tell the truth when they accuse themselves like that!”
人们自己指责自己时总是讲真话！”

The next day–the 21st of December–the colonists descended to the beach, and having climbed the plateau they found nothing of Ayrton. —
第二天–12月21日–殖民者们下到海滩，登上高原后找不到艾尔顿。 —

He had reached his house in the corral during the night and the settlers judged it best not to agitate him by their presence. —
他在夜里已经赶到了围栏里的房子，殖民者们认为最好不要以自己的在场来激动他。 —

Time would doubtless perform what sympathy had been unable to accomplish.
时间无疑会完成同情无法实现的目标。

Herbert, Pencroft, and Neb resumed their ordinary occupations. —
赫伯特、彭克罗夫和尼布恢复了他们的日常职责。 —

On this day the same work brought Harding and the reporter to the workshop at the Chimneys.
在这一天，哈丁和记者来到了烟囱上的车间。

“Do you know, my dear Cyrus,” said Gideon Spilett, “that the explanation you gave yesterday on the subject of the bottle has not satisfied me at all! —
“你知道，我亲爱的赛勒斯，”吉迪恩·斯派莱特说道，“你昨天关于瓶子的解释一点也没有让我满意！” —

How can it be supposed that the unfortunate man was able to write that document and throw the bottle into the sea without having the slightest recollection of it?”
该不会假定那不幸的男子能够在没有任何记忆的情况下写下那份文件并把瓶子扔进大海吧？”

“Nor was it he who threw it in, my dear Spilett.”
“我亲爱的斯派莱特，扔进海里的不是他。”

“You think then–”
“那么你认为–”

“I think nothing, I know nothing!” interrupted Cyrus Harding. —
“我什么也不认为，我什么也不知道！”赛勒斯·哈丁打断道。 —

“I am content to rank this incident among those which I have not been able to explain to this day!”
“至今我至今无法解释的事件中，我愿意把这一事件归入其中！”

“Indeed, Cyrus,” said Spilett, “these things are incredible! —
“确实，赛勒斯，”斯派莱特说，“这些事情难以置信！” —

Your rescue, the case stranded on the sand, Top’s adventure, and lastly this bottle. —
“你的救援，陷在沙滩上的箱子，托普的冒险，最后是这个瓶子。” —

.. Shall we never have the answer to these enigmas?”
“难道我们永远解不开这些谜团吗？”

“Yes!” replied the engineer quickly, “yes, even if I have to penetrate into the bowels of this island!”
“是的！”工程师迅速回答道，“是的，即使我不得不深入这个岛屿的深处！”

“Chance will perhaps give us the key to this mystery!”
“或许机会会给我们这个谜团的答案！”

“Chance! Spilett! I do not believe in chance, any more than I believe in mysteries in this world. —
“机会！斯派莱特！我不相信机会，就像我不相信这个世界上有神秘。 —

There is a reason for everything unaccountable which has happened here, and that reason I shall discover. —
这里发生的所有无法解释的事情都有原因，而那个原因我会发现的。 —

But in the meantime we must work and observe.”
“但与此同时，我们必须工作和观察。”

The month of January arrived. The year 1867 commenced. —
一月份到了，1867年开始了。 —

The summer occupations were assiduously continued. —
夏天的工作仍在如火如荼地进行。 —

During the days which followed, Herbert and Spilett having gone in the direction of the corral, ascertained that Ayrton had taken possession of the habitation which had been prepared for him. —
随后几天，赫伯特和斯皮莱特前往畜栏的方向，发现艾尔顿已经占据了为他准备的住所。 —

He busied himself with the numerous flock confided to his care, and spared his companions the trouble of coming every two or three days to visit the corral. —
他忙于照料交给他的众多牲畜，并减轻了同伴们每两三天要来一次畜栏的麻烦。 —

Nevertheless, in order not to leave Ayrton in solitude for too long a time, the settlers often paid him a visit.
然而，为了不让艾尔顿长时间孤独，定居者们经常去拜访他。

It was not unimportant either, in consequence of some suspicions entertained by the engineer and Gideon Spilett, that this part of the island should be subject to a surveillance of some sort, and that Ayrton, if any incident occurred unexpectedly, should not neglect to inform the inhabitants of Granite House of it.
工程师和吉迪恩·斯皮莱特怀疑，为了柯林岛的秘密，这座岛屿的这一部分应该得到某种监视；如果有意外事件发生，艾尔顿不应忽略通知格兰特别墅的居民。

Nevertheless it might happen that something would occur which it would be necessary to bring rapidly to the engineer’s knowledge. —
然而，可能发生一些需要迅速通知工程师的事件。 —

Independently of facts bearing on the mystery of Lincoln Island, many others might happen, which would call for the prompt interference of the colonists,–such as the sighting of a vessel, a wreck on the western coast, the possible arrival of pirates, etc.
除了与林肯岛的神秘有关的事实，还可能发生许多其他事件，需要定居者们迅速干预，比如看到一艘船，西海岸的沉船，海盗的可能到来等。

Therefore Cyrus Harding resolved to put the corral in instantaneous communication with Granite House.
因此，赛勒斯·哈丁决定让畜栏与格兰特别墅立即通信。

It was on the 10th of January that he made known his project to his companions.
他于1月10日向同伴们宣布了他的计划。

“Why! how are you going to manage that, captain?” asked Pencroft. —
“那你打算怎么做，船长？” 彭克罗夫问。 —

“Do you by chance happen to think of establishing a telegraph?”
“难道你想建立一条电报线吗？”

“Exactly so,” answered the engineer.
“确切如此。” 工程师回答道。

“Electric?” cried Herbert.
“电的？” 赫伯特叫道。

“Electric,” replied Cyrus Harding. “We have all the necessary materials for making a battery, and the most difficult thing will be to stretch the wires, but by means of a drawplate I think we shall manage it.”
“电的，” 赛勒斯·哈丁回答说，“我们有制作电池所需的所有材料，最困难的部分将是拉伸导线，但是借助拉盘，我认为我们可以做到。”

“Well, after that,” returned the sailor, “I shall never despair of seeing ourselves some day rolling along on a railway!”
“那么，在那之后，”水手回答道，“我绝对不会再绝望地想象我们有一天会在铁路上滚动！”

They then set to work, beginning with the most difficult thing, for, if they failed in that, it would be useless to manufacture the battery and other accessories.
他们开始工作，从最困难的事情开始，因为如果他们失败了，制造电池和其他配件就没有意义。

The iron of Lincoln Island, as has been said, was of excellent quality, and consequently very fit for being drawn out. —
林肯岛的铁质素质出色，非常适合拉伸。 —

Harding commenced by manufacturing a drawplate, that is to say, a plate of steel, pierced with conical holes of different sizes, which would successively bring the wire to the wished-for tenacity. —
哈定开始制造拉丝板，也就是说，用不同尺寸的锥形孔穿过的钢板，将线逐渐拉伸到期望的韧性。 —

This piece of steel, after having been tempered, was fixed in as firm a way as possible in a solid framework planted in the ground, only a few feet from the great fall, the motive power of which the engineer intended to utilize. —
这块经过淬火的钢铁被固定在一个实体框架中，紧挨着研究员打算利用的大瀑布，该机构利用瀑布的动力。 —

In fact as the fulling- mill was there, although not then in use, its beam moved with extreme power would serve to stretch out the wire by rolling it round itself. —
事实上，由于压榨磨仍在那里，尽管当时没有使用，其梁具有极大的力量，可以将线拉伸出来，使其围绕自身卷曲。 —

It was a delicate operation, and required much care. —
这是一个细致的操作，需要非常小心。 —

The iron, prepared previously in long thin rods, the ends of which were sharpened with the file, having been introduced into the largest hole of the drawplate, was drawn out by the beam which wound it round itself, to a length of twenty-five or thirty feet, then unrolled, and the same operation was performed successively through the holes of a less size. —
钢铁事先准备成长而细的棒状，其末端被文件削尖，被引入拉丝板的最大孔中，由梁绕着自身旋转将其拉出，长度为二十五至三十英尺，然后展开，然后通过一个较小大小的孔 逐次进行相同的操作。 —

Finally, the engineer obtained wires from forty to fifty feet long, which could be easily fastened together and stretched over the distance of five miles, which separated the corral from the bounds of Granite House.
最后，工程师获得了四十至五十英尺长的金属丝，可以轻松地拼接在一起，拉伸到将牛栏与花岗岩屋之间隔离的五英里距离。

It did not take more than a few days to perform this work, and indeed as soon as the machine had been commenced, Cyrus Harding left his companions to follow the trade of wiredrawers, and occupied himself with manufacturing his battery.
这项工作只花了几天时间就完成了，事实上，一旦机器启动，赛勒斯·哈定就离开了他的同伴，继续做拉丝工作，并忙着制造他的电池。

It was necessary to obtain a battery with a constant current. —
获得一个恒定电流的电池是必要的。 —

It is known that the elements of modern batteries are generally composed of retort coal, zinc, and copper. —
众所周知，现代电池的成分通常由回转煤、锌和铜组成。 —

Copper was absolutely wanting to the engineer, who, notwithstanding all his researches, had never been able to find any trace of it in Lincoln Island, and was therefore obliged to do without it. —
铜对于工程师来说是绝对必需的，尽管他尽最大努力，但在林肯岛上从未找到过任何痕迹，因此不得不作罢。 —

Retort coal, that is to say, the hard graphite which is found in the retorts of gas manufactories, after the coal has been dehydrogenized, could have been obtained, but it would have been necessary to establish a special apparatus, involving great labor. —
提炼煤，也就是说，在煤气厂回转炉中找到的经过脱氢化的坚硬石墨，可以获得，但这将需要建立一种涉及大量劳动的特殊装置。 —

As to zinc, it may be remembered that the case found at Flotsam Point was lined with this metal, which could not be better utilized than for this purpose.
至于锌，可能记得，在漂流点找到的箱子内衬有这种金属，这种金属用于此目的再合适不过了。

Cyrus Harding, after mature consideration, decided to manufacture a very simple battery, resembling as nearly as possible that invented by Becquerel in 1820, and in which zinc only is employed. —
考虑成熟后，赛勒斯·哈丁决定制造一个非常简单的电池，尽可能地类似于贝克勒尔于1820年发明的那种，其中只使用锌。 —

The other substances, azotic acid and potash, were all at his disposal.
其他物质，如硝酸和酸钾，都在他的支配之下。

The way in which the battery was composed was as follows, and the results were to be attained by the reaction of acid and potash on each other. —
这个电池的组成方法如下，结果是通过酸和酸钾彼此反应所实现的。 —

A number of glass bottles were made and filled with azotic acid. —
制作了许多玻璃瓶，并装满了硝酸。 —

The engineer corked them by means of a stopper through which passed a glass tube, bored at its lower extremity, and intended to be plunged into the acid by means of a clay stopper secured by a rag. —
工程师通过一个穿过一个玻璃管的塞子将它们塞住，管底挖有孔，意图通过用布固定的粘土塞将其浸入酸中。 —

Into this tube, through its upper extremity, he poured a solution of potash, previously obtained by burning and reducing to ashes various plants, and in this way the acid and potash could act on each other through the clay.
然后，他通过管的上端倒入了事先通过烧毁和还原各种植物制得的酒石酸溶液，这样可使酸和酸钾通过粘土彼此作用。

Cyrus Harding then took two slips of zinc, one of which was plunged into azotic acid, the other into a solution of potash. —
赛勒斯·哈丁随后取了两块锌片，一块浸入硝酸中，另一块浸入酸钾溶液中。 —

A current was immediately produced, which was transmitted from the slip of zinc in the bottle to that in the tube, and the two slips having been connected by a metallic wire the slip in the tube became the positive pole, and that in the bottle the negative pole of the apparatus. —
立即产生了电流，由瓶中的锌片传递到管中的锌片，两个锌片通过金属丝连接后，管中的锌片成为正极，瓶中的锌片成为电池的负极。 —

Each bottle, therefore, produced as many currents as united would be sufficient to produce all the phenomena of the electric telegraph. —
因此，每个瓶子产生的电流足以产生电报的所有现象。 —

Such was the ingenious and very simple apparatus constructed by Cyrus Harding, an apparatus which would allow them to establish a telegraphic communication between Granite House and the corral.
这就是由赛勒斯·哈丁构建的巧妙而非常简单的装置，这个装置将使他们能够在花岗岩屋和围栏之间建立电报通信。

On the 6th of February was commenced the planting along the road to the corral, of posts furnished with glass insulators, and intended to support the wire. —
2月6日，开始沿着通往围栏的道路种植带有玻璃绝缘子的支柱，并用于支撑电线。 —

A few days after, the wire was extended, ready to produce the electric current at a rate of twenty thousand miles a second.
几天后，电线被延伸，准备每秒以2万英里的速度产生电流。

Two batteries had been manufactured, one for Granite House, the other for the corral; —
制造了两个电池，一个用于花岗岩屋，另一个用于围栏； —

for if it was necessary the corral should be able to communicate with Granite House it might also be useful that Granite House should be able to communicate with the corral.
因为如果围栏需要能够与花岗岩屋通信，花岗岩屋也能够与围栏通信可能会有用。

As to the receiver and manipulator, they were very simple. —
至于接收器和操作器，它们非常简单。 —

At the two stations the wire was wound round a magnet, that is to say, round a piece of soft iron surrounded with a wire. —
在这两个站点，电线绕在一个磁铁上，也就是说，绕在一个被包围着电线的软铁块上。 —

The communication was thus established between the two poles; —
这样就在两极之间建立了通信。 —

the current, starting from the positive pole, traversed the wire, passed through the magnet which was temporarily magnetized, and returned through the earth to the negative pole. —
电流从正极开始，穿过电线，通过临时磁化的磁铁，然后通过地球返回到负极。 —

If the current was interrupted, the magnet immediately became unmagnetized. —
如果电流中断，磁铁立即失去磁性。 —

It was sufficient to place a plate of soft iron before the magnet, which, attracted during the passage of the current, would fall back when the current was interrupted. —
只需在磁铁前放一个软铁板，它在电流通过时会被吸引，当电流中断时会落下。 —

This movement of the plate thus obtained, Harding could easily fasten to it a needle arranged on a dial, bearing the letters of the alphabet, and in this way communicate from one station to the other.
Harding 可以轻松地将板的这种运动连接到一个安排在表盘上的指针上，表盘上有字母，这样就可以实现从一个站点到另一个站点的通信。

All was completely arranged by the 12th of February. —
到了 2 月 12 日，一切都完全准备好了。 —

On this day, Harding, having sent the current through the wire, asked if all was going on well at the corral, and received in a few moments a satisfactory reply from Ayrton. —
在这一天，Harding 经过电线发送电流，问 corral 里一切进展顺利，并在几分钟内收到了 Ayrton 的满意回答。 —

Pencroft was wild with joy, and every morning and evening he sent a telegram to the corral, which always received an answer.
Pencroft 欣喜若狂，每天早晚向 corral 发送一条电报，总是得到回应。

This mode of communication presented two very real advantages: —
这种通信方式具有两个非常明显的优点： —

firstly, because it enabled them to ascertain that Ayrton was at the corral; —
首先，它让他们能够确定 Ayrton 在 corral； —

and secondly, that he was thus not left completely isolated. —
其次，这样他就不会被彻底孤立。 —

Besides, Cyrus Harding never allowed a week to pass without going to see him, and Ayrton came from time to time to Granite House, where he always found a cordial welcome.
此外，Cyrus Harding 每周都会去看他一次，而 Ayrton 也会不时地来到花岗岩屋，总是受到热烈欢迎。

The fine season passed away in the midst of the usual work. —
在通常的工作中，一个又一个优美的季节过去了。 —

The resources of the colony, particularly in vegetables and corn, increased from day to day, and the plants brought from Tabor Island had succeeded perfectly.
殖民地的资源，尤其是蔬菜和谷物，日益增加，从塔伯岛带来的植物也成功地生长了。

The plateau of Prospect Heights presented an encouraging aspect. —
Prospect Heights 的高地呈现出令人鼓舞的景象。 —

The fourth harvest had been admirable and it may be supposed that no one thought of counting whether the four hundred thousand millions of grains duly appeared in the crop. —
第四次收获是令人赞赏的，可以想象没有人会去数四十亿粒谷粒是否都应运而生。 —

However, Pencroft had thought of doing so, but Cyrus Harding having told him that even if he managed to count three hundred grains a minute, or nine thousand an hour, it would take him nearly five thousand five-hundred years to finish his task, the honest sailor considered it best to give up the idea.
但是，潘克罗夫考虑过这个问题，但是赛勒斯·哈丁告诉他，即使他每分钟能数到三百粒，或者每小时能数到九千粒，他也需要花费将近五千五百年来完成这个任务，因此这位诚实的水手认为最好放弃这个想法。

The weather was splendid, the temperature very warm in the day time, but in the evening the sea-breezes tempered the heat of the atmosphere and procured cool nights for the inhabitants of Granite House. There were, however, a few storms, which, although they were not of long duration, swept over Lincoln Island with extraordinary fury. —
天气很好，白天气温很暖和，但晚上海风缓和了大气的炎热，为格兰特别墅的居民带来清凉的夜晚。然而，还是有一些暴风雨，虽然持续时间不长，但却带着极大的狂暴扫过林肯岛。 —

The lightning blazed and the thunder continued to roll for some hours.
闪电闪烁，雷声持续了几个小时。

At this period the little colony was extremely prosperous.
在这个时期，小殖民地非常繁荣。

The tenants of the poultry-yard swarmed, and they lived on the surplus, but it became necessary to reduce the population to a more moderate number. —
养鸡场的租户们繁衍生息，他们以剩余物为食，但必须减少人口以维持适中的数量。 —

The pigs had already produced young, and it may be understood that their care for these animals absorbed a great part of Neb and Pencroft’s time. —
猪已经生下幼仔，可以理解他们对这些动物的关怀占据了尼布和潘克罗夫特大部分的时间。 —

The onagers, who had two pretty colts, were most often mounted by Gideon Spilett and Herbert, who had become an excellent rider under the reporter’s instruction, and they also harnessed them to the cart either for carrying wood and coal to Granite House, or different mineral productions required by the engineer.
痩马生了两匹可爱的小马，吉迪恩·斯皮莱特和赫伯特经常骑在它们上面，后者在记者的指导下已成为一名优秀的骑手，他们也把它们套上车，用于将木材和煤炭运送到格兰特别墅，或者工程师需要的各种矿产品。

Several expeditions were made about this time into the depths of the Far West Forests. —
在这段时间里，进行了多次深入西部森林的探险活动。 —

The explorers could venture there without having anything to fear from the heat, for the sun’s rays scarcely penetrated through the thick foliage spreading above their heads. —
探险者们可以毫无畏惧地去那里，因为阳光的光线几乎无法透过头顶上蔓延的浓密树叶。 —

They thus visited all the left bank of the Mercy, along which ran the road from the corral to the mouth of Falls River.
他们游览了梅西河左岸的所有地方，沿路有从畜栏到瀑布河口的道路。

But in these excursions the settlers took care to be well armed, for they met with savage wild boars, with which they often had a tussle. —
但在这些远足中，定居者们小心翼翼地带着武器，因为他们遇到了野蛮的野猪，经常与它们发生搏斗。 —

They also, during this season, made fierce war against the jaguars. —
他们在这个季节还与美洲虎展开了激烈的战斗。 —

Gideon Spilett had vowed a special hatred against them, and his pupil Herbert seconded him well. —
吉迪恩·斯皮莱特对它们发誓报仇，而他的门徒赫伯特也给予了他很好的支持。 —

Armed as they were, they no longer feared to meet one of those beasts. —
武装到了牙齿，他们不再害怕遇到这些野兽。 —

Herbert’s courage was superb, and the reporter’s sang-froid astonishing. —
赫伯特的勇气非常出色，记者的镇定令人吃惊。 —

Already twenty magnificent skins ornamented the dining-room of Granite House, and if this continued, the jaguar race would soon be extinct in the island, the object aimed at by the hunters.
Granite House的餐厅已经装饰了二十张华丽的兽皮，如果继续这样下去，美洲豹种群很快就会在这个岛上灭绝，这是猎人们的目标。

The engineer sometimes took part in the expeditions made to the unknown parts of the island, which he surveyed with great attention. —
工程师有时会参加前往岛屿未知地区的远征活动，并且非常仔细地勘察。 —

It was for other traces than those of animals that he searched the thickets of the vast forest, but nothing suspicious ever appeared. —
他在茂密的森林里搜索的并不是动物的痕迹，但从未发现任何可疑的东西。 —

Neither Top nor Jup, who accompanied him, ever betrayed by their behavior that there was anything strange there, and yet more than once again the dog barked at the mouth of the well, which the engineer had before explored without result.
他带着Top和Jup，两者的行为都没有表现出有什么奇怪的事情，尽管有好几次狗会对工程师之前勘探过而没有结果的井口吠叫。

At this time Gideon Spilett, aided by Herbert, took several views of the most picturesque parts of the island, by means of the photographic apparatus found in the cases, and of which they had not as yet made any use.
这时盖迪恩·斯普莱特在赫伯特的帮助下，利用案中找到的摄影设备，拍摄了岛上最风景如画的部分。

This apparatus, provided with a powerful object-glass, was very complete. —
这台装备配有强大的物镜，非常完善。 —

Substances necessary for the photographic reproduction, collodion for preparing the glass plate, nitrate of silver to render it sensitive, hyposulfate of soda to fix the prints obtained, chloride of ammonium in which to soak the paper destined to give the positive proof, acetate of soda and chloride of gold in which to immerse the paper, nothing was wanting. —
用于摄影复制的物质，用来制备玻璃板的碘胶，使其敏感的硝酸银，用来固定所得的照片的次砜酸钠，用来浸泡调整阳性证明的纸的氯化铵，乙酸钠和氯化金，用来浸泡纸张，一应俱全。 —

Even the papers were there, all prepared, and before laying in the printing-frame upon the negatives, it was sufficient to soak them for a few minutes in the solution of nitrate of silver.
甚至连纸张也已准备好，只需将其浸泡几分钟在硝酸银溶液中，然后放在底片上就行了。

The reporter and his assistant became in a short time very skilful operators, and they obtained fine views of the country, such as the island, taken from Prospect Heights with Mount Franklin in the distance, the mouth of the Mercy, so picturesquely framed in high rocks, the glade and the corral, with the spurs of the mountain in the background, the curious development of Claw Cape, Flotsam Point, etc.
记者和他的助手很快成为非常熟练的操作者，他们获得了美丽的景色，如从展望高地拍摄的岛屿，远处可见富兰克林山，展望高地拍摄的美丽的岛屿，显示在高岩石中的赦免之口，草地和畜栏，背景是山脉的山脚，克劳角的奇特发展，漂流点等。

Nor did the photographers forget to take the portraits of all the inhabitants of the island, leaving out no one.
摄影师们不忘记拍摄岛上的所有居民的像，一名也没有漏掉。

“It multiplies us,” said Pencroft.
“这让我们倍增了,” 本克罗夫特说。

And the sailor was enchanted to see his own countenance, faithfully reproduced, ornamenting the walls of Granite House, and he stopped as willingly before this exhibition as he would have done before the richest shop-windows in Broadway.
而这名水手很高兴地看到自己的面庞，被真实地再现，装饰在Granite House的墙壁上，他愿意停下来观赏这个展览，就像他愿意停下来观赏布劳德街最富有的店铺橱窗一样。

But it must be acknowledged that the most successful portrait was incontestably that of Master Jup. Master Jup had sat with a gravity not to be described, and his portrait was lifelike!
不过必须承认，最成功的一幅画无疑是朱普大师的。朱普大师坐得非常严肃，他的画像栩栩如生！

“He looks as if he was just going to grin!” exclaimed Pencroft.
“彭克罗夫惊呼，他看起来好像只是要咧嘴笑！”

And if Master Jup had not been satisfied, he would have been very difficult to please; —
“如果猴子先生不满意的话，那就真的很难取悦他了；” —

but he was quite contented and contemplated his own countenance with a sentimental air which expressed some small amount of conceit.
“但他很满足，带着一丝自负的情绪，沉思着自己的面容。”

The summer heat ended with the month of March. The weather was sometimes rainy, but still warm. —
“夏天的热量在三月份结束了。天气有时雨天，但依然温暖。” —

The month of March, which corresponds to the September of northern latitudes, was not so fine as might have been hoped. —
“对于北纬地区的九月份应该期望的天气，在三月份并不那么好。” —

Perhaps it announced an early and rigorous winter.
“也许它预示着一个早期和严寒的冬天。”

It might have been supposed one morning–the 21 st–that the first snow had already made its appearance. —
“有一天早晨-21日-或许人们会认为第一场雪已经降临了。” —

In fact Herbert looking early from one of the windows of Granite House, exclaimed,–
“事实上，赫伯特早早看着格兰特府的窗户之一，惊呼道-”

“Hallo! the islet is covered with snow!”
“喂！小岛被雪覆盖了！”

“Snow at this time?” answered the reporter, joining the boy.
“此时下雪吗？” 记者在旁边回答道，加入了男孩。

Their companions were soon beside them, but could only ascertain one thing, that not only the islet but all the beach below Granite House was covered with one uniform sheet of white.
“很快其他同伴也来到他们身边，但只能确认一件事，不仅小岛，而且格兰特府下面的整个海滩都被白雪覆盖。”

“It must be snow!” said Pencroft.
“一定是雪！” 彭克罗夫说。

“Or rather it’s very like it!” replied Neb.
“或者更确切地说，很像！” 尼布回答道。

“But the thermometer marks fifty-eight degrees!” observed Gideon Spilett.
“但温度计标记着五十八度！” 吉迪恩·斯派莱特观察到。

Cyrus Harding gazed at the sheet of white without saying anything, for he really did not know how to explain this phenomenon, at this time of year and in such a temperature.
塞勒斯·哈丁默默地凝视着这一片白色，因为他真的不知道如何解释这种现象，在这个季节和这种温度下。”

“By Jove!” exclaimed Pencroft, “all our plants will be frozen!”
“吹啊！”彭克罗夫惊叫道，“我们所有的植物都会冻死！”

And the sailor was about to descend, when he was preceded by the nimble Jup, who slid down to the sand.
正要下去时，水手被灵活的朱普赶了下来，滑到沙滩上。

But the orang had not touched the ground, when the snowy sheet arose and dispersed in the air in such innumerable flakes that the light of the sun was obscured for some minutes.
但是在猩猩还没有着地时，那一层雪白的薄片升腾起来，分散在空中的无数雪花使太阳光被遮蔽了几分钟。

“Birds!” cried Herbert.
“鸟！”赫伯特喊道。

They were indeed swarms of sea-birds, with dazzling white plumage. —
他们确实是一群群羽毛耀眼的海鸟。 —

They had perched by thousands on the islet and on the shore, and they disappeared in the distance, leaving the colonists amazed as if they had been present at some transformation scene, in which summer succeeded winter at the touch of a fairy’s wand. —
它们数以千计地停在小岛和海岸上，然后消失在远处，使殖民者惊讶不已，仿佛他们目睹了一场变形幻景，夏季在仙女的法杖触碰下代替了冬季。 —

Unfortunately the change had been so sudden, that neither the reporter nor the lad had been able to bring down one of these birds, of which they could not recognize the species.
不幸的是，变化发生得如此突然，以至于记者和男孩们都没能击落一只这种鸟，他们无法辨认出这种物种。

A few days after came the 26th of March, the day on which, two years before, the castaways from the air had been thrown upon Lincoln Island.
几天后是3月26日，正是两年前空中遗弃者被抛到林肯岛上的日子。