海底两万里 第521期 第32章 海湾暖流(11)
But my companions and I would be willing to safeguard this manuscript, and if you give us back our freedom...
“但我，我的同伴，我们随时准备着保护这本手稿，如果您让我们自由的话……”
Your freedom! Captain Nemo put in, standing up.
"Yes, sir, and that's the subject on which I wanted to confer with you. For seven months we've been aboard your vessel, and I ask you today, in the name of my companions as well as myself, if you intend to keep us here forever."
“是的，先生，我来正是想跟您谈谈这个问题。我们在您的船上已经呆了七个月，今天我以我和我的同伴的名义问您，您是否想永远把我们留在这里。”
Professor Aronnax, Captain Nemo said, "I'll answer you today just as I did seven months ago: whoever boards the Nautilus must never leave it."
“阿龙纳斯教授，”尼摩船长说，“我今天的回答和我七个月前对您说过的那些话一样：进了‘鹦鹉螺号’，就再也不能出去。”
What you're inflicting on us is outright slavery!
“您正向我们施加奴隶制。”
Call it anything you like.
“随便您怎么说好了。”
But every slave has the right to recover his freedom! By any worthwhile, available means!
“可奴隶有恢复自由的权利！不管以什么方式获得自由，他都会认为自己是对的！”
Who has denied you that right? Captain Nemo replied. "Did I ever try to bind you with your word of honor?"
“这个权利，”尼摩船长回答说，“谁说过您没有？我有想过用誓言把你们约束住吗？”
The captain stared at me, crossing his arms.
船长看着我，双手交叉在胸前。
Sir, I told him, "to take up this subject a second time would be distasteful to both of us. So let's finish what we've started. I repeat: it isn't just for myself that I raise this issue. To me, research is a relief, a potent diversion, an enticement, a passion that can make me forget everything else. Like you, I'm a man neglected and unknown, living in the faint hope that someday I can pass on to future generations the fruits of my labors—figuratively speaking, by means of some contrivance left to the luck of winds and waves.
“先生，”我对他说，“我们第二次回到这个我本不想谈您也不想谈的问题上吧。既然我们已经谈到了，就让我们说个痛快吧。我向您重复说一次，这是一个不仅仅涉及到我个人的问题。对于我来说，搞研究就是一种救助， 一种有效的消遣，一种动力，一种能让我忘掉一切的情愫。我像您一样，是一个不求人知，只求默默无闻地生活的人。我们都抱着一种微弱的希望，希望有朝一日把自己的工作成果放进一个不可靠的小盒子，托付给风浪，随风而去，留给后人。
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