But if they don't exist, my stubborn harpooner, how do you explain the accident that happened to the Scotia? 

可是，固执的鱼叉手、如果海底下没有这样的动物，您怎样说明斯各脱亚号所遭遇到的事故呢?

It's maybe . . . , Ned said, hesitating.

这或者…尼德·兰迟疑地说。

Go on!

你说下去吧!

Because...it just couldn't be true! the Canadian replied, unconsciously echoing a famous catchphrase of the scientist Arago.

因为…这不是真的!这位加拿大人回答，他无意中背出阿拉哥的这句有名的对话。

But this reply proved nothing, other than how bullheaded the harpooner could be.

但这个回答不能说明什么，只不过说明了这位鱼叉手的固执罢了。

That day I pressed him no further. The Scotia's accident was undeniable.

这一天我不再追问他，斯各脱亚号的事故是不可否认的。

Its hole was real enough that it had to be plugged up, and I don't think a hole's existence can be more emphatically proven.

船底上的洞是实实在在有的，而且这洞非堵住不可，当然我并不认为有一个洞就能说明问题，

Now then, this hole didn't make itself, and since it hadn't resulted from underwater rocks or underwater machines,

可是这洞决不是毫无原因就会有的。既然它不是暗礁撞的，

it must have been caused by the perforating tool of some animal.

那必然是某一种动物的尖利武器钻的了。

Now, for all the reasons put forward to this point, I believed that this animal was a member of the branch Vertebrata, class Mammalia, group Pisciforma, and finally, order Cetacea.

那么，把以上所举的理由归纳一下，我认为这个动物是属于脊椎动物门，哺乳动物纲，鱼类，鲸鱼目。

As for the family in which it would be placed, the genus to which it belonged, and the species in which it would find its proper home, these questions had to be left for later.

它所属的科，是长须鲸、大头鲸、海豚的那一科;至于它应列入的属，应归人的种，那要等将来才能弄清楚。

To answer them called for dissecting this unknown monster; to dissect it called forcatching it; to catch it called for harpooning it-which was Ned Land's business; toharpoon it called for sighting it-which was the crew's business; and to sight it called for encountering it-which was a chancy business.

如果我们想解决这个问题，必须解剖这个神秘的怪物。要解剖它，就得捉住它;要捉住它，就得叉住它。要叉住它，就得看见它;要看见它，就得碰见它。