海底兩萬里 第16期 第2章 正與反(5)

Therefore, I wrote, after examining these different hypotheses one by one, we are forced,

我一個一個研究了各種不同的假設，

every other supposition having been refuted, to accept the existence of an extremely powerfulmarine animal.

和所有不可能成立的猜想,不得不承認實在有一種力量驚人的海洋動物的存在。

The deepest parts of the ocean are totally unknown to us.

海洋深不可測的底層，我們完全不了解。

No soundings have been able to reach them. What goes on in those distant depths?

探測器也不徙達到。最下層的深淵里是怎樣的情形呢?

What creatures inhabit, or could inhabit, those regions twelve or fifteen miles beneath the surface of the water?

海底二萬二千梅里或一萬五千海里的地方有些什么生物和可能有些什么生物呢?

What is the constitution of these animals? It's almost beyond conjecture.

這些動物的身體構造是怎樣的呢?我們實在很難推測。

However, the solution to this problem submitted to me can take the form of a choice between two alternatives.

可是，擺在我面前的問題可以用‘兩刀論法’的公式來解決。

Either we know every variety of creature populating our planet, or we do not.

生活在地球上的各色各樣的生物，或者我們認識，或者我們不認識。

If we do not know every one of them, if nature still keeps ichthyological secrets from us.

如果我們不認識所有的生物，而大自然又繼續(xù)對我們保守某些魚類學上的秘密。

nothing is more admissible than to accept the existence of fish or cetaceans of new species or even new genera.

那么我們就不得不承認在探測器不可及的水層里還有魚類鯨類的新品種。

animals with a basically 'cast-iron' constitution that inhabit strata beyond the reach of our soundings.

它們有一個‘不浮的’器官，因為在海底下呆久了。

and which some development or other, an urge or a whim if you prefer, can bring to the upper level of the ocean for long intervals.

而且在偶然的情況下，由于一時高興，或者任性，就突然浮到海面上來。