Three seconds before the arrival of J. B. Hobson’s letter, I no more thought of pursuing the unicorn than of attempting the passage of the North Sea. Three seconds after reading the letter of the honourable Secretary of Marine, I felt that my true vocation, the sole end of my life, was to chase this disturbing monster, and purge it from the world.
J·B·霍布森的信件还有三秒钟到达之前，我对追逐独角兽的想法比起试图穿越北海更加不可能。在阅读了尊敬的海军部长的信三秒后，我感到我的真正职业，生活的唯一目标，就是追逐这个令人不安的怪物，并将它从世界上驱逐出去。

But I had just returned from a fatiguing journey, weary and longing for repose.
但是我刚刚结束一次劳累的旅程，渴望休息。 —

I aspired to nothing more than again seeing my country, my friends, my little lodging by the Jardin des Plantes, my dear and precious collections.
我渴望的只是再次见到我的国家、我的朋友、我在植物园旁边的小住处，我亲爱而宝贵的藏品。 —

But nothing could keep me back! I forgot all—fatigue, friends and collections—and accepted without hesitation the offer of the American Government.
但是什么都无法阻止我！我忘记了一切——疲劳、朋友和收藏品——毫不犹豫地接受了美国政府的邀请。

“Besides,” thought I, “all roads lead back to Europe (for my particular benefit), and I will not hurry me towards the coast of France.
“而且，”我想，“所有的道路最终都会通往欧洲（对我来说），我不会急着赶往法国的海岸。” —

This worthy animal may allow itself to be caught in the seas of Europe (for my particular benefit), and I will not bring back less than half a yard of his ivory halberd to the Museum of Natural History.
这个值得赞赏的动物可能会被捕获在欧洲的海中（为了我的特定利益），我不会带回博物馆不少于半码的他的象牙戟。 —

” But in the meanwhile I must seek this narwhal in the North Pacific Ocean, which, to return to France, was taking the road to the antipodes.
“但与此同时，我必须寻找这只北太平洋的独角鲸，它正走向恒系星域才返回法国。

“Conseil,” I called in an impatient voice.
“康塞尔，”我不耐烦地喊道。

Conseil was my servant, a true, devoted Flemish boy, who had accompanied me in all my travels.
康塞尔是我的仆人，一个忠实的弗拉芒小伙子，他在我所有的旅行中都陪伴着我。 —

I liked him, and he returned the liking well.
我喜欢他，他也喜欢我。 —

He was phlegmatic by nature, regular from principle, zealous from habit, evincing little disturbance at the different surprises of life, very quick with his hands, and apt at any service required of him;
他天性稳重，遵循原则，习惯上热心，对生活中的各种惊喜很少有动摇，双手非常灵巧，擅长各种所需的服务； —

and, despite his name, never giving advice—even when asked for it.
尽管他叫这个名字，甚至在被问及时也从不提供建议。

Conseil had followed me for the last ten years wherever science led.
康塞尔在过去的十年里一直跟随着我，不论科学带我去哪里。 —

Never once did he complain of the length or fatigue of a journey, never make an objection to pack his portmanteau for whatever country it might be, or however far away, whether China or Congo. Besides all this, he had good health, which defied all sickness, and solid muscles, but no nerves;
他从未抱怨过旅程的漫长或疲劳，从未对不管是去中国还是刚果的任何国家的行李箱提出异议，无论距离有多远。除此之外，他身体健康，从未生过病，肌肉健实，但没有神经。 —

good morals are understood. This boy was thirty years old, and his age to that of his master as fifteen to twenty.
好品德是可以理解的。这个男孩三十岁了，他的年龄与主人的年龄之比为十五比二十。 —

May I be excused for saying that I was forty years old?
我说我四十岁了，可以原谅吗？

But Conseil had one fault: he was ceremonious to a degree, and would never speak to me but in the third person, which was sometimes provoking.
但是康塞尔有一个缺点：他过于拘谨，从来不会直接跟我讲话，总是用第三人称，有时让人生气。

“Conseil,” said I again, beginning with feverish hands to make preparations for my departure.
“康塞尔，”我又说了一次，开始用发热的手准备离开。

Certainly I was sure of this devoted boy. As a rule, I never asked him if it were convenient for him or not to follow me in my travels;
毫无疑问，我信任这个忠诚的男孩。通常情况下，我从不问他跟随我旅行是否方便； —

but this time the expedition in question might be prolonged, and the enterprise might be hazardous in pursuit of an animal capable of sinking a frigate as easily as a nutshell.
但是这次的探险可能会延长，而且追逐一只能够轻易击沉一艘战舰的动物的企业可能是危险的，就像轻易击沉坚果一样。 —

Here there was matter for reflection even to the most impassive man in the world.
对于这个世界上最冷静的人来说，这里是需要深思熟虑的事情。 —

What would Conseil say?
康谢尔会说什么呢？

“Conseil,” I called a third time.
“康谢尔，”我第三次叫道。

Conseil appeared.
康谢尔出现了。

“Did you call, sir?” said he, entering.
“你在叫我吗，先生？”他走了进来。

“Yes, my boy; make preparations for me and yourself too.
“是的，我的孩子；为我和你自己准备一下。 —

We leave in two hours.”
两个小时后我们出发。”

“As you please, sir,” replied Conseil, quietly.
“随你的便，先生，”康谢尔平静地回答道。

“Not an instant to lose;
“没有一刻可以浪费； —

—lock in my trunk all travelling utensils, coats, shirts, and stockings—without counting, as many as you can, and make haste.”
把我所有的旅行用具、外套、衬衫和袜子都锁进我的行李箱里——不计其数，尽可能多的，然后赶快动手吧。”

“And your collections, sir?” observed Conseil.
“那您的收藏，先生？”康谢尔提醒道。

“We will think of them by and by.”
“我们以后再想办法。”

“What! the archiotherium, the hyracotherium, the oreodons, the cheropotamus, and the other skins?”
“什么！那些古代猪獾、原马、山兔和其他的皮毛呢？”

“They will keep them at the hotel.”
“他们会把它们保留在旅馆的。”

“And your live Babiroussa, sir?”
“那您的巴比鲁萨猪呢，先生？”

“They will feed it during our absence; besides, I will give orders to forward our menagerie to France.”
“我们离开期间他们会喂养它；此外，我会命令将我们的动物园转运到法国。”

“We are not returning to Paris, then?” said Conseil.
“那么我们不返回巴黎了？”Conseil说道。

“Oh! certainly,” I answered, evasively, “by making a curve.”
“哦！当然”，我回答道，含糊其辞地说道，“通过改变航线。”

“Will the curve please you, sir?”
“改变航线对您满意吗，先生？”

“Oh! it will be nothing; not quite so direct a road, that is all. We take our passage in the Abraham Lincoln.”
“哦！没什么，只是一条稍微绕远一点的路。我们会在亚伯拉罕·林肯号上乘船。”

“As you think proper, sir,” coolly replied Conseil.
“随您便，先生，”Conseil冷静地回答道。

“You see, my friend, it has to do with the monster—the famous narwhal.
“你看，我朋友，这关系到那个怪物——著名的独角鲸。 —

We are going to purge it from the seas.
我们要将它从海洋中清除。 —

The author of a work in quarto in two volumes, on the ‘Mysteries of the Great Submarine Grounds’ cannot forbear embarking with Commander Farragut.
一位在四开本的两卷著作中，讨论“大海底秘密”的作者，不得不和法拉格特指挥官一起航行。一个光荣的使命， —

A glorious mission, but a dangerous one!
但也是危险的！ —

We cannot tell where we may go;
我们无法预测我们会去哪里； —

these animals can be very capricious.
这些动物非常反复无常。 —

But we will go whether or no;
但无论如何我们都会去； —

we have got a captain who is pretty wide-awake.”
我们有一个非常机警的船长。”

I opened a credit account for Babiroussa, and, Conseil following, I jumped into a cab.
我为巴比鲁沙开设了一个赊账，然后Conseil跟着我跳上了一辆出租车。 —

Our luggage was transported to the deck of the frigate immediately.
我们的行李立即被送到护卫舰的甲板上。 —

I hastened on board and asked for Commander Farragut.
我赶紧登上船，要求见法拉格特指挥官。 —

One of the sailors conducted me to the poop, where I found myself in the presence of a good-looking officer, who held out his hand to me.
其中一个水手带领我走到船尾甲板，我见到了一个相貌端庄的军官，他向我伸出了手。

“Monsieur Pierre Aronnax?” said he.
“皮埃尔·阿罗纳克斯先生？”他说。

“Himself,” replied I; “Commander Farragut?”
“就是我，”我回答道，“法拉格特指挥官？”

“You are welcome, Professor;
“欢迎您，教授； —

your cabin is ready for you.”
你的舱房已经为您准备好了。”

I bowed, and desired to be conducted to the cabin destined for me.
我鞠躬示意，希望有人带我去指定给我的舱房。

The Abraham Lincoln had been well chosen and equipped for her new destination.
亚伯拉罕·林肯号已经被精心选择和配置，以应对这次新任务。 —

She was a frigate of great speed, fitted with high-pressure engines which admitted a pressure of seven atmospheres.
它是一艘速度极快的护卫舰，配备了可容纳七个大气压的高压发动机。 —

Under this the Abraham Lincoln attained the mean speed of nearly eighteen knots and a third an hour—a considerable speed, but, nevertheless, insufficient to grapple with this gigantic cetacean.
在这种情况下，亚伯拉罕·林肯号的平均速度接近每小时18.3海里，这是相当快的速度，但仍然不足以与这个巨型鲸鱼相抗衡。

The interior arrangements of the frigate corresponded to its nautical qualities.
护卫舰的内部布置与其航海能力相符。 —

I was well satisfied with my cabin, which was in the after part, opening upon the gunroom.
我的舱房位于船舱后部，直通炮室，我对此感到非常满意。

“We shall be well off here,” said I to Conseil.
“我们在这里会很舒适的，”我对康塞尔说道。

“As well, by your honour’s leave, as a hermit-crab in the shell of a whelk, ” said Conseil.
“就像是一只寄居蟹藏身在螺壳里一样好，借着你的允许，尊贵的先生，” 康塞尔说道。

I left Conseil to stow our trunks conveniently away, and remounted the poop in order to survey the preparations for departure.
我让康塞尔把行李方便地存放好，然后登上船尾，观察出发的准备情况。

At that moment Commander Farragut was ordering the last moorings to be cast loose which held the Abraham Lincoln to the pier of Brooklyn.
就在那时，法拉格特指挥官下令解开最后系住“亚伯拉罕·林肯号”停在布鲁克林码头的缆绳。 —

So in a quarter of an hour, perhaps less, the frigate would have sailed without me.
所以在大约十五分钟内，也许更短的时间内，这艘护卫舰就会在没有我的情况下航行了。 —

I should have missed this extraordinary, supernatural, and incredible expedition, the recital of which may well meet with some scepticism.
我本应该错过这次非凡、超自然和难以置信的探险，我所叙述的可能会引起一些怀疑。

But Commander Farragut would not lose a day nor an hour in scouring the seas in which the animal had been sighted.
但是法拉格特指挥官不会浪费一天或一小时在曾经发现该动物的海域上搜索。 —

He sent for the engineer.
他叫来了工程师。

“Is the steam full on?” asked he.
“锅炉上蒸汽充足吗？”他问。

“Yes, sir,” replied the engineer.
“是的，长官，”工程师回答道。

“Go ahead,” cried Commander Farragut.
“出发吧，”法拉格特指挥官喊道。

The quay of Brooklyn, and all that part of New York bordering on the East River, was crowded with spectators.
布鲁克林的码头和与东河接壤的纽约一带，都挤满了观众。 —

Three cheers burst successively from five hundred thousand throats;
五十万人的喉咙发出了连续的三声欢呼。 —

thousands of handkerchiefs were waved above the heads of the compact mass, saluting the Abraham Lincoln, until she reached the waters of the Hudson, at the point of that elongated peninsula which forms the town of New York. Then the frigate, following the coast of New Jersey along the right bank of the beautiful river, covered with villas, passed between the forts, which saluted her with their heaviest guns.
成千上万的手绢在人群头顶挥舞，向航行到哈德森河水域上的亚伯拉罕·林肯号致以敬意，这里是纽约市的一个狭长半岛。然后，这艘军舰顺着新泽西海岸沿着美丽的河岸，满是别墅，经过了欢迎她的炮台。 —

The Abraham Lincoln answered by hoisting the American colours three times, whose thirty-nine stars shone resplendent from the mizzen-peak;
亚伯拉罕·林肯号抬起了美国国旗三次，国旗的三十九颗星星在旗桅尖处闪耀。 —

then modifying its speed to take the narrow channel marked by buoys placed in the inner bay formed by Sandy Hook Point, it coasted the long sandy beach, where some thousands of spectators gave it one final cheer.
然后，调整航速进入由桩标示的狭窄航道，航行进入由桑迪胡克角形成的内湾，顺着长长的沙滩继续航行，数千名观众对它发出最后的欢呼。 —

The escort of boats and tenders still followed the frigate, and did not leave her until they came abreast of the lightship, whose two lights marked the entrance of New York Channel.
小船和拖船仍然跟随着护卫舰，直到它们来到灯船的旁边，该灯船的两盏灯标志着进入纽约航道的入口。

Six bells struck, the pilot got into his boat, and rejoined the little schooner which was waiting under our lee, the fires were made up, the screw beat the waves more rapidly, the frigate skirted the low yellow coast of Long Island;
六点钟敲响，领航员下了船，重新加入了在我们的低地上等候的小帆船，火被加大了，螺旋桨更加迅速地打击着海浪，护卫舰沿着长岛的低矮的黄色海岸航行； —

and at eight bells, after having lost sight in the north-west of the lights of Fire Island, she ran at full steam on to the dark waters of the Atlantic.
八点钟后，在失去了Fire Island 西北方向的灯光后，她全速前往黑暗的大西洋水域。