DURING THE NIGHT of March 13-14, the Nautilus resumed its southward heading.

在8月13日至14日夜间，诺第留斯号航行的方向还是往南。

Once it was abreast of Cape Horn, I thought it would strike west of the cape, make for Pacific seas, and complete its tour of the world.

我想在合恩角的纬度上，它要把船头移转向西，这样就可以再到太平洋，完成它的世界周游。

It did nothing of the sort and kept moving toward the southernmost regions.

实际它并不这样做，仍然继续向南极地区驶去。

So where was it bound? The pole? That was insanity.

那么，它要到哪里去呢？到南极去吗？那真是疯了。

I was beginning to think that the captain's recklessness more than justified Ned Land's worst fears.

我开始想，船长的大胆狂妄很足以证明尼德·兰的顾虑同恐惧是合理的。

For a good while the Canadian had said nothing more to me about his escape plans.

几天以来，加拿大人不跟我谈他的逃走计划。

He had become less sociable, almost sullen.

他变成不爱说话，差不多完全沉默了。

I could see how heavily this protracted imprisonment was weighing on him.

我看出这种无限期延长的囚禁使得他很难受。

I could feel the anger building in him.

我感到他心中所累积的愤怒是怎样强烈。

Whenever he encountered the captain, his eyes would flicker with dark fire, and I was in constant dread that his natural vehemence would cause him to do something rash.

当他碰见船长的时候，他的眼睛燃起陰沉可怕的火光，我时常害怕他那暴烈天性可能使他走极端。

That day, March 14, he and Conseil managed to find me in my stateroom. I asked them the purpose of their visit.

3月14日这一天，康塞尔和他到我房中来找我，我问他们来看我的理由。

To put a simple question to you, sir, the Canadian answered me.

先生，加拿大人口答我，我只有一个问题向您提出来。

Go on, Ned.

您说吧，尼德。

How many men do you think are on board the Nautilus?

您想，诺第留斯号船上一共有多少人？

I'm unable to say, my friend.

我说不上来，我的朋友。

It seems to me, Ned Land went on, that it wouldn't take much of a crew to run a ship like this one.

我觉得，尼德·兰立即说，这船的驾驶并不需要很多的人员。

Correct, I replied. Under existing conditions some ten men at the most should be enough to operate it.

是的，我回答，在目前的情况中，大约至多有十个人就足以驾驶了。

All right, the Canadian said, then why should there be any more than that?

那么，加拿大人说，为什么可能有这么多的人呢？

Why? I answered.

为什么？我立即说。