THREE SECONDS before the arrival of J. B. Hobson's letter, I no more dreamed of chasing the unicorn than of trying for the Northwest Passage. 在收到何伯逊部长的信之前三秒钟，我还像不愿意去北冰洋旅行一样不愿意去追逐海麒麟。

Three seconds after reading this letter from the honorable Secretary of the Navy, I understood at last that my true vocation, my sole purpose in life, was to hunt down this disturbing monster and rid the world of it.

读了这位海军部长的来信，三秒钟之后，我才理解到我的真正志愿，我生平的唯一目的，就是要捕捉这样捣乱的怪物，把它从世界上清除出去。

Even so, I had just returned from an arduous journey, exhausted and badly needing a rest.

可是我刚刚长途跋涉回来，很疲倦，非常需要休息。

I wanted nothing more than to see my country again, my friends, my modest quarters by the Botanical Gardens, my dearly beloved collections!

我只想回去，回祖国去，看看朋友，看看我在植物园内的小房子和我收藏的珍贵标本。

But now nothing could hold me back. I forgot everything else, and without another thought ofexhaustion, friends, or collections, I accepted the American government's offer.

但现在什么也不能阻止我。我忘记了一切，忘记了疲倦、朋友、珍藏，我毫不犹豫就接受了美国政府的邀请。

"Besides," I mused, "all roads lead home to Europe, and our unicorn may be gracious enough to take me toward the coast of France!

而且，我还有这样一个想法，反正条条道路都可以回到欧洲，海麒麟也许客客气气地把我引到法国海岸边!

That fine animal may even let itself be captured in European seas,as a personal favor to me,and I'll bring back to the Museum of Natural History at least half a meter of its ivory lance!"

这个有名的动物一也许讨我喜欢,要让我在欧洲海中捉到它，那么，我至少也要拿上半米以上的牙戟带给自然科学博物馆。