海底兩萬(wàn)里 第12期 第2章 正與反(1)
這些事件發(fā)生的時(shí)候，
I had returned from a scientific undertaking organized to explore the Nebraska badlands in the United States.
我正從美國(guó)內(nèi)布拉斯加州的貧瘠地區(qū)做完了科學(xué)考察回來(lái)。
In my capacity as Assistant Professor at the Paris Museum of Natural History, I had been attached to this expedition by the French government.
由于我是巴黎自然科學(xué)博物館的副教授，法國(guó)政府派我參加這次考察，
After spending six months in Nebraska, I arrived in New York laden with valuable collections near the end of March. My departure for France was set for early May.
在內(nèi)布拉斯加州度過(guò)了六個(gè)月的時(shí)間，三月底，我滿載了珍貴的標(biāo)本回到紐約，我動(dòng)身回法國(guó)的日期定在五月初。
In the meantime, then, I was busy classifying my mineralogical, botanical, and zoological treasures when that incident took place with the Scotia.
所以，我就利用逗留期間，把這次收集來(lái)的礦物標(biāo)本和動(dòng)、植物標(biāo)本加以整理，而斯各脫亞號(hào)的意外事件就是在這個(gè)時(shí)候發(fā)生的。
I was perfectly abreast of this question, which was the big news of the day, and how could I not have been?
我自然也熟悉當(dāng)時(shí)議論紛紛的這個(gè)問(wèn)題，而且我怎能不知道呢?
I had read and reread every American and European newspaper without being any farther along. This mystery puzzled me.
我把美國(guó)和歐洲的各種報(bào)刊讀了又讀，但沒(méi)有獲得進(jìn)一步的了解。因?yàn)檫@個(gè)怪物，我作了種種猜測(cè)。
Finding it impossible to form any views, I drifted from one extreme to the other.
由于自己拿不定主意，我始終搖擺于極端不同的見解之間。
Something was out there, that much was certain, and any doubting Thomas was invited to place his finger on the Scotia's wound.
這是一件真實(shí)的事，那是無(wú)可置疑的;懷疑這事的人，請(qǐng)他們?nèi)ッ幻垢髅搧喬?hào)的裂口好了。
When I arrived in New York, the question was at the boiling point.
當(dāng)我到紐約的時(shí)候，這問(wèn)題正鬧得熱火朝天。
The hypothesis of a drifting islet or an elusive reef, put forward by people not quite in their right minds, was completely eliminated.
有些不學(xué)無(wú)術(shù)的人曾經(jīng)說(shuō)那是浮動(dòng)的小島，是不可捉摸的暗礁，不過(guò)，這種假設(shè),現(xiàn)在完全被推翻了。
