They absorb the marine salts, they assimilate the solid elements in the water, and since they create coral and madrepores, they're the true builders of limestone continents! And so, after they've finished depriving our water drop of its mineral nutrients, the droplet gets lighter, rises to the surface, there absorbs more salts left behind through evaporation, gets heavier, sinks again, and brings those tiny animals new elements to absorb. The outcome: a double current, rising and falling, constant movement, constant life! More intense than on land, more abundant, more infinite, such life blooms in every part of this ocean, an element fatal to man, they say, but vital to myriads of animals--and to me!

它们吸收了海中的盐，消化了水中的固体物质，它们是真正石灰质陆地的造成者，因为它们制造了珊瑚和水熄啊!这滴水，当它的矿物质被吸去了的时候，变轻了，又浮到水面上来，在水面吸收了由于蒸发作用而抛弃在那里的盐质，又变重了，沉下去，重新给那些微生动物带来了可吸收的新物质。因此而发生上下循环不已的潮流，永远是不停的运动，永远是不断的生命。生命力，比在陆地上更强大的生命力，在海洋的所有部分更丰富地，更无穷地尽量发展。人们说，海洋是人类致命的地方，但对无数的动物——和对我，它是真正生命的所在!

When Captain Nemo spoke in this way, he was transfigured, and he filled me with extraordinary excitement.

当尼摩船长这样说话的时候，他的容貌完全改变了，使哉产生一种特殊的心情。他又说：

There, he added, out there lies true existence! And I can imagine the founding of nautical towns, clusters of underwater households that, like the Nautilus, would return to the surface of the sea to breathe each morning, free towns if ever there were, independent cities! Then again, who knows whether some tyrant . . .

所以，海洋中才有真正的生活!我打算建设水中的城市，集体的海底住宅，像诺第留斯号一般，每天早晨浮上水面来呼吸。如果成功的话, 那一定是自由自在的城市，独立自主的城市!不过，又有谁知道，不会有些专制魔王…

Captain Nemo finished his sentence with a vehement gesture. Then, addressing me directly, as if to drive away an ugly thought:

尼摩船长做个激烈的手势结束了他这句话。一会儿。他直接来问我，好像要把一些不祥的思想驱逐出去似的，他问：

Professor Aronnax, he asked me, do you know the depth of the ocean floor?

阿龙纳斯先生，您知道海洋有多深吗?

At least, captain, I know what the major soundings tell us.

船长，我至少知道一些主要的探测海深所得的结果。

Could you quote them to me, so I can double-check them as the need arises?

您可以给我举出来，让我必要时加以检查吗?

Here, I replied, are a few of them that stick in my memory. If I'm not mistaken, an average depth of 8,200 meters was found in the north Atlantic, and 2,500 meters in the Mediterranean.

下面是我从记忆中可以说出来的一些数字。 我答，如果我没有记错，北大西洋的平均深度为八千二百米，地中海为二千五百米。