I continued sketching. These monsters kept pace in our waters with such precision, they seemed to be standing still, and I could have traced their outlines in miniature on the window. But we were moving at a moderate speed.

我继续工作。这些怪物非常准确地保持在船的水域中，以致于它们看上，去好像是一动不动地，我简直可以在玻璃窗上把它们缩小临摹下来。再说，船是中速行驶的。

All at once the Nautilus stopped. A jolt made it tremble through its entire framework. "Did we strike bottom?"I asked. "In any event we're already clear," the Canadian replied, "because we're afloat." The Nautilus was certainly afloat, but it was no longer in motion. The blades of its propeller weren't churning the waves. A minute passed. Followed by his chief officer, Captain Nemo entered the lounge.

突然，“鹦鹉螺号”停了下来。一阵撞击使整个船体都颤动了。 “我们触礁了吗？”我问。 “总之，”加拿大人回答说，“船是浮在水面的，我们已经脱身。 “鹦鹉螺号”船只可能是浮在水面，但它走不动了。它的推进器轮叶没有拍打出水花。一分钟后，尼摩船长走进客厅，大副跟在他身后。

I hadn't seen him for a good while. He looked gloomy to me. Without speaking to us, without even seeing us perhaps, he went to the panel, stared at the devilfish, and said a few words to his chief officer.

我已经有一段时间没见到船长了，他看起来神色黯淡。船长没跟我们说话，可能是没看到我们。他径直地走到嵌板前，看了一下章鱼，然后对他的，大副说了几句话。

The latter went out. Soon the panels closed. The ceiling lit up.

大副走出去。过了一会儿，嵌板关上了，天花板的灯亮了。

I went over to the captain. "An unusual assortment of devilfish," I told him, as carefree as a collector in front of an aquarium.

我朝船长走过去。 “一群好奇的章鱼，”我口气轻松地对他说，就像一个鱼类爱好者站在一个透明的鱼缸前说话一样。

Correct, Mr. Naturalist, he answered me, "and we're going to fight them at close quarters."

“没错，博物学家先生，”他回答我说，“不过，我们要跟它们进行肉搏。

I gaped at the captain. I thought my hearing had gone bad. "At close quarters?" I repeated.

”我看了看船长。我想我没听明白他说什么。“肉搏？”我重复说。