海底兩萬里 第331期 第23章 珊瑚王國(31)

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This per didn't see us. A shadow cast by our crag hid us from his view.

這個采珠人看不見我們。巖石的陰影擋住了他的視線。

And besides, how could this poor Indian ever have guessed that human beings,

并且，這個可憐的印度人哪能想到，在水底下有人，

creatures like himself, were near him under the waters, eavesdropping on his movements, not missing a single detail of his fishing!

有像他那樣的人，偷看他的動作，細細觀察他采珠的情形呢？

So he went up and down several times.

好幾次，他就這樣的上去又下來。

He gathered only about ten shellfish per pe, because he had to tear them from the banks where each clung with its tough mass of filaments.

每一次下水，他只采得十來個螺貝，因為螺貝被堅強的纖維帶粘在巖石上，他要使勁把它們拉下來。

And how many of these oysters for which he risked his life would have no pearl in them!

而且這些螺貝中也還有多少是不含有他不顧性命危險來采取的珍珠呢！

I observed him with great care. His movements were systematically executed, and for half an hour no danger seemed to threaten him.

我聚精會神地觀察他。他的工作很規(guī)律地進行，在半小時內(nèi)，沒有什么危險威脅他。

So I had gotten used to the sight of this fascinating fishing when all at once, just as the Indian was kneeling on the seafloor,

所以我就對這種很有興趣的采珠景象習(xí)慣了，忽然間，在這個印度人跪在水底下的時候，

I saw him make a frightened gesture, stand, and gather himself to spring back to the surface of the waves.

我看見他做一個駭怕的手勢，立即站起，使勁往上一跳要浮上海面去。

I understood his fear. A gigantic shadow appeared above the poor per. It was a shark of huge size, moving in diagonally, eyes ablaze, jaws wide open!

我明白了他的駭怕。一個巨大的黑影在這不幸的采珠人頭上出現(xiàn)了。那是一條身軀巨大的鯊魚，發(fā)亮的眼睛，張開的嘴巴，迎面斜刺地向前沖來了！

I was speechless with horror, unable to make a single movement.

我伯得發(fā)楞，甚至想動一動也不可能。

With one vigorous stroke of its fins, the voracious animal shot toward the Indian, who jumped aside and avoided the shark's bite but not the thrashing of its tail,

這個饑餓的動物，用力撥一下鰭，向印度人身上撲來，他躲在一邊，避開鯊魚的嘴，但沒有躲開鯊魚尾巴的打擊，

because that tail struck him across the chest and stretched him out on the seafloor.

因為魚尾打在他胸上，他翻倒在水底下。

This scene lasted barely a few seconds.

這個場面不過是幾秒鐘的事。

The shark returned, rolled over on its back, and was getting ready to cut the Indian in half, when Captain Nemo, who was stationed beside me, suddenly stood up.

鯊魚回來，翻轉(zhuǎn)脊背，就要把印度人切成兩半了，這時候，我覺得蹲在我近邊的尼摩船長突然站起來。

Then he strode right toward the monster, dagger in hand, ready to fight it at close quarters.

然后，他手拿短刀，直向鯊魚沖去，準備跟鯊魚肉搏。

Just as it was about to snap up the poor fisherman, the man-eater saw its new adversary, repositioned itself on its belly, and headed swiftly toward him.

鯊魚正要咬這個不幸的采珠人的時候，看見了它的新來敵人，它立即又翻過肚腹，很快地向船長沖來。