“She has blown up!” cried Herbert.
“赫伯特喊道：‘她爆炸了！’”

“Yes! blown up, just as if Ayrton had set fire to the powder!” —
“是的！爆炸了，就好像艾尔顿点燃了火药一样！” —

returned Pencroft, throwing himself into the lift together with Neb and the lad.
“彭克罗夫回答道，与奈布和这个年轻人一起投身升降机。”

“But what has happened?” asked Gideon Spilett, quite stunned by this unexpected catastrophe.
“但发生了什么？”吉迪恩·斯皮莱特问道，对这意外的灾难感到完全震惊。

“Oh! this time, we shall know–” answered the engineer quickly.
“噢！这次，我们会知道–”工程师迅速回答道。

“What shall we know?–”
“我们会知道什么？–”

“Later! later! Come, Spilett. The main point is that these pirates have been exterminated!”
“等会！等会！来吧，斯皮莱特。最重要的是这些海盗已经被消灭了！”

And Cyrus Harding, hurrying away the reporter and Ayrton, joined Pencroft, Neb, and Herbert on the beach.
赛勒斯·哈丁冲着记者和艾顿匆匆走开，加入了彭克罗夫、奈布和赫伯特在海滩上。

Nothing could be seen of the brig, not even her masts. —
海盗船只的影子也看不到，甚至连桅杆也没有。 —

After having been raised by the water-spout, she had fallen on her side, and had sunk in that position, doubtless in consequence of some enormous leak. —
经过水龙卷的助力，她已侧翻，以此可能原因，她成了沉没，毫无疑问是因为某个巨大的漏洞。 —

But as in that place the channel was not more than twenty feet in depth, it was certain that the sides of the submerged brig would reappear at low water.
但由于那里的海峡深度仅为二十英尺，沉没的海盗船的舷侧必定会在涨潮时重现。

A few things from the wreck floated on the surface of the water, a raft could be seen consisting of spare spars, coops of poultry with their occupants still living, boxes and barrels, which gradually came to the surface, after having escaped through the hatchways, but no pieces of the wreck appeared, neither planks from the deck, nor timber from the hull,– which rendered the sudden disappearance of the “Speedy” perfectly inexplicable.
从残骸中漂浮在水面上的几件东西，可以看到一个筏子，由备用桅杆、装有活的鸡的鸡笼、箱子和桶组成，逐渐浮出水面，从搭桅下逃脱出来，但没有残骸的碎片，无论是来自甲板的木板还是来自船体的木材–这就使“速度”号的突然消失变得完全无法解释。

However, the two masts, which had been broken and escaped from the shrouds and stays came up, and with their sails, some furled and the others spread. —
然而，两根已被打断并从缆绳和绳索中逃脱出来的桅杆浮出水面，连同它们的帆，一些缠绕的，一些展开的。 —

But it was not necessary to wait for the tide to bring up these riches, and Ayrton and Pencroft jumped into the boat with the intention of towing the pieces of wreck either to the beach or to the islet. —
但不需要等待潮水将这些财富带上来，艾尔顿和彭克罗夫跳进小船，打算把残骸的碎片拖到海滩或小岛上。 —

But just as they were shoving off, an observation from Gideon Spilett arrested them.
但就在他们刚要划开的时候，吉迪恩·斯皮莱特的一个观察让他们停下来了。

“What about those six convicts who disembarked on the right bank of the Mercy?” said he.
“关于那六名登陆在梅西河右岸的罪犯怎么样了?” 他说。

In fact, it would not do to forget that the six men whose boat had gone to pieces on the rocks had landed at Flotsam Point.
事实上，我们不能忘记那六名在礁石上的船只遭遇事故的人已经登陆在浮木点。

They looked in that direction. None of the fugitives were visible. —
他们朝那个方向看了看。逃犯们一个都看不见。 —

It was probable that, having seen their vessel engulfed in the channel, they had fled into the interior of the island.
很可能是因为他们看到他们的船只被淹没在航道中，才逃入岛的内陆。

“We will deal with them later,” said Harding. “As they are armed, they will still be dangerous; —
“我们以后再处理他们,” Harding 说。”因为他们带着武器，他们依然很危险； —

but as it is six against six, the chances are equal. —
但因为是六对六，胜算是相等的。 —

To the most pressing business first.”
先处理最紧迫的事务。

Ayrton and Pencroft pulled vigorously towards the wreck.
Ayrton 和 Pencroft 努力地朝残骸游去。

The sea was calm and the tide very high, as there had been a new moon but two days before. —
海面平静，潮水很高，因为前两天才是新月。 —

A whole hour at least would elapse before the hull of the brig could emerge from the water of the channel.
至少还得有一个小时船体才能从航道的水中出现。

Ayrton and Pencroft were able to fasten the masts and spars by means of ropes, the ends of which were carried to the beach. —
Ayrton 和 Pencroft 能够利用绳子牢固地固定桅杆和帆。 —

There, by the united efforts of the settlers the pieces of wreck were hauled up. —
在海员们的共同努力下，残骸被拖了出来。 —

Then the boat picked up all that was floating, coops, barrels, and boxes, which were immediately carried to the Chimneys.
然后船只捡起所有漂浮的东西，包括笼子、桶和箱子，立刻运到烟囱。

Several bodies floated also. Among them, Ayrton recognized that of Bob Harvey, which he pointed out to his companion, saying with some emotion,–
也漂着一些尸体。其中，Ayrton 辨认出了那个 Bob Harvey 的身体，他指给伙伴看，带着一些情感地说：

“That is what I have been, Pencroft.”
“这就是我曾经是的，Pencroft.”

“But what you are no longer, brave Ayrton!” returned the sailor warmly.
“但你已经不再是那个勇敢的艾顿啊！”水手热情地回答道。

It was singular enough that so few bodies floated. —
很奇怪的是，漂浮的尸体竟然如此之少。 —

Only five or six were counted, which were already being carried by the current towards the open sea. Very probably the convicts had not had time to escape, and the ship lying over on her side, the greater number of them had remained below. —
只有五六具被数过数，已经被洪流带向大海深处。很可能犯人们没有逃脱的时间，而船只倾斜，他们中的大多数都留在了下面。 —

Now the current, by carrying the bodies of these miserable men out to sea, would spare the colonists the sad task of burying them in some corner of their island.
现在，洪流把这些可怜人的尸体带入大海，就可以免去殖民者们在岛上角落埋葬他们的悲伤任务。

For two hours, Cyrus Harding and his companions were solely occupied in hauling up the spars on to the sand, and then in spreading the sails which were perfectly uninjured, to dry. —
塞勒斯·哈丁和他的伙伴们花了两个小时的时间，全神贯注地把横杆拉到沙滩上，然后展开帆，这些帆完全没有受损，以便晾干。 —

They spoke little, for they were absorbed in their work, but what thoughts occupied their minds!
他们很少说话，因为他们全神贯注于工作，但他们心里在想些什么！

The possession of this brig, or rather all that she contained, was a perfect mine of wealth. —
拥有这艘大副，或者说她所包含的一切，简直是一座丰富的矿藏。 —

In fact, a ship is like a little world in miniature, and the stores of the colony would be increased by a large number of useful articles. —
事实上，一艘船就像一个小世界的缩影，殖民地的存货将增加大量有用的物品。 —

It would be, on a large scale, equivalent to the chest found at Flotsam Point.
这将大规模地相当于在漂浮点找到的箱子。

“And besides,” thought Pencroft, “why should it be impossible to refloat the brig? —
“而且”，潘克罗夫想，“为什么不可能重新浮起这艘大副呢？ —

If she has only a leak, that may be stopped up; —
如果她只是有一个漏洞，那么可以把它补上； —

a vessel from three to four hundred tons, why she is a regular ship compared to our ‘Bonadventure’! —
一艘三到四百吨的船，那和我们的‘冒险号’相比，她是一艘真正的船！ —

And we could go a long distance in her! We could go anywhere we liked! —
我们可以在她里面航行很远！我们可以去任何我们喜欢的地方！ —

Captain Harding, Ayrton and I must examine her! —
哈定船长，艾顿和我必须检查她！ —

She would be well worth the trouble!”
花这些功夫是绝对值得的！”

In fact, if the brig was still fit to navigate, the colonists’ chances of returning to their native land were singularly increased. —
实际上，如果这艘大副船仍然能够航行，殖民者们返回祖国的机会将会大大增加。 —

But, to decide this important question, it was necessary to wait until the tide was quite low, so that every part of the brig’s hull might be examined.
但是，要决定这个重要问题，必须等到潮水完全退去，以便检查船身的每个部分。

When their treasures had been safely conveyed on shore, Harding and his companions agreed to devote some minutes to breakfast. —
当他们的财宝安全地运到岸上后，哈丁和他的伙伴们决定抽出一些时间来吃早餐。 —

They were almost famished; fortunately, the larder was not far off, and Neb was noted for being an expeditious cook. —
他们几乎饿极了;幸运的是，饵食不远，而内布以做饭熟练而著称。 —

They breakfasted, therefore, near the Chimneys, and during their repast, as may be supposed, nothing was talked of but the event which had so miraculously saved the colony.
因此，他们就在烟囱附近吃早餐，在他们进餐时，可以想象到，他们所说的唯一的话题就是这个奇迹般地拯救了殖民地的事件。

“Miraculous is the word,” repeated Pencroft, “for it must be acknowledged that those rascals blew up just at the right moment! —
“奇迹是个恰当的词,” 潘克罗夫重复道，”因为不得不承认，那些无赖恰好在正确的时刻爆炸了！ —

Granite House was beginning to be uncomfortable as a habitation!”
花岗岩洞开始变得不适合居住了！”

“And can you guess, Pencroft,” asked the reporter, “how it happened, or what can have occasioned the explosion?”
“潘克罗夫，你能猜到吗,” 记者问道，”是怎么发生的，还是什么导致了这次爆炸？”

“Oh! Mr. Spilett, nothing is more simple,” answered Pencroft. —
“哦！斯毗莱特先生，这太简单了,” 潘克罗夫回答道。 —

“A convict vessel is not disciplined like a man-of-war! Convicts are not sailors. —
“防荆棘公园不像一艘军舰那样受过训练！犯人不是船员。 —

Of course the powder-magazine was open, and as they were firing incessantly, some careless or clumsy fellow just blew up the vessel!”
当然火药库是开着的，他们不断地放火，一些粗心或笨拙的家伙刚好引爆了船！”

“Captain Harding,” said Herbert, “what astonishes me is that the explosion has not produced more effect. —
“哈丁船长,” 赫伯特说，”让我惊讶的是爆炸没有造成更多的影响。 —

The report was not loud, and besides there are so few planks and timbers torn out. —
声音不大，而且被扯下的木板和梁不多。 —

It seems as if the ship had rather foundered than blown up.”
看起来似乎船只是沉没了，而不是爆炸了。”

“Does that astonish you, my boy?” asked the engineer.
“这让你惊讶吗，孩子？” 工程师问道。

“Yes, captain.”
“是的，船长。”

“And it astonishes me also, Herbert,” replied he, “but when we visit the hull of the brig, we shall no doubt find the explanation of the matter.”
“赫伯特，这也让我感到惊讶，”他回答说，”但当我们去探查这艘大副的船体时，我们无疑会找到事情的解释。”

“Why, captain,” said Pencroft, “you don’t suppose that the ‘Speedy’ simply foundered like a ship which has struck on a rock?”
“船长，”彭克罗夫说，”你难道认为’Speedy’号只是像撞在礁石上的船那样沉没了吗？”

“Why not,” observed Neb, “if there are rocks in the channel?”
“为什么不呢，”尼布观察到，”如果水道里有岩石的话？”

“Nonsense, Neb,” answered Pencroft, “you did not look at the right moment. —
“胡说，尼布，”彭克罗夫回答说，”你没有看到合适的时机。 —

An instant before she sank, the brig, as I saw perfectly well, rose on an enormous wave, and fell back on her larboard side. —
“就在她沉没的瞬间，正如我清楚地看到的那样，这艘大副在一大波浪上升起，然后倒在左舷。 —

Now, if she had only struck, she would have sunk quietly and gone to the bottom like an honest vessel.”
“现在，如果她只是撞击，她会平静地沉下去，像一艘诚实的船一样。”

“It was just because she was not an honest vessel!” returned Neb.
“正是因为她不是一艘诚实的船！”尼布回答道。

“Well, we shall soon see, Pencroft,” said the engineer.
“好了，彭克罗夫，”工程师说。

“We shall soon see,” rejoined the sailor, “but I would wager my head there are no rocks in the channel. —
“我们很快就会知道，”海员回答说，”但我打赌我的脑袋在水道里没有岩石。 —

Look here, captain, to speak candidly, do you mean to say that there is anything marvelous in the occurrence?”
“瞧，船长，坦率地说，您是不是认为这一切都很奇妙？”

Cyrus Harding did not answer.
塞勒斯·哈丁没有回答。

“At any rate,” said Gideon Spilett, “whether rock or explosion, you will agree, Pencroft, that it occurred just in the nick of time!”
“不管怎样，”吉迪恩·斯皮莱特说，”无论是岩石还是爆炸，你会同意，彭克罗夫，这一切发生得恰到好处！”

“Yes! yes!” replied the sailor, “but that is not the question. —
“是的！是的！”海员回答说，”但问题不在于此。 —

I ask Captain Harding if he sees anything supernatural in all this.”
我问哈丁船长看到这一切有什么超自然的地方。”

“I cannot say, Pencroft,” said the engineer. “That is all the answer I can make.”
“我不能说，潘克洛夫，”工程师说道。“这就是我能做出的回答。”

A reply which did not satisfy Pencroft at all. —
这个回答完全不能让潘克洛夫满意。 —

He stuck to “an explosion,” and did not wish to give it up. —
他坚信是“爆炸”，并不想放弃这个观点。 —

He would never consent to admit that in that channel, with its fine sandy bed, just like the beach, which he had often crossed at low water, there could be an unknown rock.
他绝对不愿意承认在那条河道中会出现未知的岩石，那里的沙床很好，就像海滩一样，他经常在涨潮时过去。

And besides, at the time the brig foundered, it was high water, that is to say, there was enough water to carry the vessel clear over any rocks which would not be uncovered at low tide. —
而且，当那艘大帆船沉没的时候，是在高潮时刻，也就是说，水足够深，可以将船体完全搁在任何涨潮时不会露出水面的岩石之上。 —

Therefore, there could not have been a collision. —
因此，不可能发生碰撞。 —

Therefore, the vessel had not struck. So she had blown up.
所以，那艘船没有撞击。所以她是爆炸的。

And it must be confessed that the sailor’s arguments were reasonable.
必须承认，这位水手的论点是有道理的。

Towards half-past one, the colonists embarked in the boat to visit the wreck. —
大约一点半时分，殖民者们登上小船前往观察沉船。 —

It was to be regretted that the brig’s two boats had not been saved; —
很遗憾，“速度”号的两只小船没有被救下来； —

but one, as has been said, had gone to pieces at the mouth of the Mercy, and was absolutely useless; the other had disappeared when the brig went down, and had not again been seen, having doubtless been crushed.
但一只，正如前面所说，已经在美茜河口碎裂，完全无法使用；另外一只在“速度”号沉没时消失了，再也没有看到，很可能已经被粉碎。

The hull of the “Speedy” was just beginning to issue from the water. —
“速度”号的船体刚刚开始从水中浮现。 —

The brig was lying right over on her side, for her masts being broken, pressed down by the weight of the ballast displaced by the shock, the keel was visible along her whole length. —
大帆船正倾斜着，因为桅杆断裂，被撞击后移动的压舱物的重量压在一起，龙骨沿着她整个长度可见。 —

She had been regularly turned over by the inexplicable but frightful submarine action, which had been at the same time manifested by an enormous water-spout.
她被那不可解释但可怕的海底作用彻底翻倒，与此同时，还有一股巨大的喷水。

The settlers rowed round the hull, and in proportion as the tide went down, they could ascertain, if not the cause which had occasioned the catastrophe, at least the effect produced.
殖民者们划过船体，在潮水慢慢退去的过程中，他们可以确定，如果不是导致这场灾难的原因，至少可以看到所产生的影响。

Towards the bows, on both sides of the keel, seven or eight feet from the beginning of the stem, the sides of the brig were frightfully torn. —
在船首的两侧，紧挨龙骨，距离船头约七八英尺处，这艘雪刺的船体两侧被撕裂得骇人。 —

Over a length of at least twenty feet there opened two large leaks, which would be impossible to stop up. —
至少长达二十英尺处，有两个大漏洞，根本无法堵住。 —

Not only had the copper sheathing and the planks disappeared, reduced, no doubt, to powder, but also the ribs, the iron bolts, and treenalls which united them. —
铜皮和船板不见了，想必都被研磨成粉末，甚至连肋条、铁螺栓和彼此相连的托条也都消失了。 —

From the entire length of the hull to the stern the false keel had been separated with an unaccountable violence, and the keel itself, torn from the carline in several places, was split in all its length.
从整个船体延伸至船尾的假龙骨被某种难以言喻的力量分离开来，船龙骨本身也在多处被撕裂。

“I’ve a notion!” exclaimed Pencroft, “that this vessel will be difficult to get afloat again.”
“我有个想法！” 本克罗夫特喊道，“这艘船要想再次浮起来会很困难。”

“It will be impossible,” said Ayrton.
“这是不可能的，”艾尔顿说。

“At any rate,” observed Gideon Spilett to the sailor, “the explosion, if there has been one, has produced singular effects! —
“不过，”吉迪恩·斯普莱特对水手说，“倘若真的发生过爆炸，产生了奇异的效果！ —

It has split the lower part of the hull, instead of blowing up the deck and topsides! —
“它并没有把甲板和船舷炸毁，而是分裂了船体的下部！ —

These great rents appear rather to have been made by a rock than by the explosion of a powder-magazine.”
这些巨大的裂缝似乎是被岩石而非火药库的爆炸造成的。”

“There is not a rock in the channel!” answered the sailor. —
“管道里不存在石头！”水手回答说。 —

“I will admit anything you like, except the rock.”
“我什么都能接受，唯独不接受石头。”

“Let us try to penetrate into the interior of the brig,” said the engineer; —
“我们试着进入雪刺的内部吧，”工程师说； —

“perhaps we shall then know what to think of the cause of her destruction.”
”或许那时我们就能知道她被毁的原因。”

This was the best thing to be done, and it was agreed, besides, to take an inventory of all the treasures on board, and to arrange their preservation.
这是最好的做法，还决定清点船上所有的财宝，并安排妥善保存。

Access to the interior of the brig was now easy. —
进入雪刺的内部现在变得很容易了。 —

The tide was still going down and the deck was practicable. —
潮水依然在落，甲板上可以行走。 —

The ballast, composed of heavy masses of iron, had broken through in several places. —
铁制的重物压舱物在几处破裂。 —

The noise of the sea could be heard as it rushed out at the holes in the hull.
海水从船体的破洞处急速流出，发出声音。

Cyrus Harding and his companions, hatchets in hand, advanced along the shattered deck. —
赛勒斯·哈丁和他的伙伴手持斧头，沿着破碎的甲板前行。 —

Cases of all sorts encumbered it, and, as they had been but a very short time in the water, their contents were perhaps uninjured.
各种各样的箱子堆满甲板，由于它们在水中的时间很短，里面的物品可能没有受损。

They then busied themselves in placing all this cargo in safety. —
然后他们忙着将这些货物安置妥当。 —

The water would not return for several hours, and these hours must be employed in the most profitable way. —
水不会在几个小时内返回，这几个小时必须以最有利的方式利用起来。 —

Ayrton and Pencroft had, at the entrance made in the hull, discovered tackle, which would serve to hoist up the barrels and chests. —
艾尔顿和彭克罗夫在船体的入口处发现了滑轮，可以用来吊起桶和箱子。 —

The boat received them and transported them to the shore. —
小船接载它们，将它们运到岸边。 —

They took the articles as they came, intending to sort them afterwards.
他们一边取货品进船，打算事后再分类。

At any rate, the settlers saw at once, with extreme satisfaction, that the brig possessed a very varied cargo–an assortment of all sorts of articles, utensils, manufactured goods, and tools–such as the ships which make the great coasting-trade of Polynesia are usually laden with. —
在任何情况下，定居者一见此情景便极为欣喜地发现这艘大帆船上有各种各样的货物——各种物品、器具、制成品和工具——就像通常满载航行在波利尼西亚沿海的船只。 —

It was probable that they would find a little of everything, and they agreed that it was exactly what was necessary for the colony of Lincoln Island.
他们很可能会找到各种各样的东西，他们一致认为这正是林肯岛殖民地所需要的。

However–and Cyrus Harding observed it in silent astonishment–not only, as has been said, had the hull of the brig enormously suffered from the shock, whatever it was, that had occasioned the catastrophe, but the interior arrangements had been destroyed, especially towards the bows. —
然而——赛勒斯·哈丁默默地观察到——船体受到的冲击,无论是什么引起的灾难，都使大帆船的船体受到了极大的损害,尤其是向船头的方向。 —

Partitions and stanchions were smashed, as if some tremendous shell had burst in the interior of the brig. —
隔板和支柱被击碎，似乎是有一颗巨大的炸弹在船仓内爆炸。 —

The colonists could easily go fore and aft, after having removed the cases as they were extricated. —
拯救出货物后，殖民者可以很容易地往前往后走动。 —

They were not heavy bales, which would have been difficult to remove, but simple packages, of which the stowage, besides, was no longer recognizable.
它们并非沉重的大包裹，移除起来会很困难，而是简单的包裹，而且船舱内的储藏物也不再可辨认。

The colonists then reached the stern of the brig–the part formerly surmounted by the poop. —
殖民者们随后来到了大副船尾——曾经是船舱顶部。 —

It was there that, following Ayrton’s directions, they must look for the powder-magazine. —
根据艾尔顿的指引，他们必须在那里寻找火药库。 —

Cyrus Harding thought that it had not exploded; —
赛勒斯·哈定认为火药库并没有爆炸； —

that it was possible some barrels might be saved, and that the powder, which is usually enclosed in metal coverings might not have suffered from contact with the water.
可能有一些桶子幸存下来，通常用金属覆盖物封装的火药也许与水接触后并未受损。

This, in fact, was just what had happened. —
事实就是如此。 —

They extricated from among a large number of shot twenty barrels, the insides of which were lined with copper. —
他们在众多弹丸中找到了二十只里面衬有铜的桶子。 —

Pencroft was convinced by the evidence of his own eyes that the destruction of the “Speedy” could not be attributed to an explosion. —
彭克罗夫以自己的眼睛为证，坚信“速度号”沉没不能归因于爆炸。 —

That part of the hull in which the magazine was situated was, moreover, that which had suffered least.
包裹火药库的船身部分是受损最少的。

“It may be so,” said the obstinate sailor; “but as to a rock, there is not one in the channel!”
“这么说吧，”顽固的海员说，“但至于礁石，航道里根本没有一块！”

“Then, how did it happen?” asked Herbert.
“那么，是怎么发生的？”赫伯特问道。

“I don’t know,” answered Pencroft, “Captain Harding doesn’t know, and nobody knows or ever will know!”
“我不知道，”彭克罗夫回答道，“哈定船长也不知道，没有人知道，也永远不会知道！”

Several hours had passed during these researches, and the tide began to flow. —
研究持续了几个小时，潮水开始涨了。 —

Work must be suspended for the present. There was no fear of the brig being carried away by the sea, for she was already fixed as firmly as if moored by her anchors.
现在必须暂停工作。不用担心船会被海水冲走，因为她已经牢固地固定，就像是用锚锚固一样。

They could, therefore, without inconvenience, wait until the next day to resume operations; —
因此，他们可以方便地等到第二天继续作业； —

but, as to the vessel itself, she was doomed, and it would be best to hasten to save the remains of her hull, as she would not be long in disappearing in the quicksands of the channel.
但是，至于船只本身，她注定要沉没，最好赶快救出她的残骸，因为她将很快消失在航道的流沙中。

It was now five o’clock in the evening. It had been a hard day’s work for the men. —
现在已经是下午五点了。对于这些人来说，这是一个辛苦的一天。 —

They ate with good appetite, and notwithstanding their fatigue, they could not resist, after dinner, their desire of inspecting the cases which composed the cargo of the “Speedy.”
他们饭后胃口很好，尽管疲劳，他们还是忍不住想要查看“速度号”货舱里的箱子。

Most of them contained clothes, which, as may be believed, was well received. —
大多数箱子里装的是衣物，可以想象，这受到了热烈欢迎。 —

There were enough to clothe a whole colony–linen for every one’s use, shoes for every one’s feet.
有足够的衣服供整个殖民地使用–每个人都有亚麻，每个人都有鞋子。

“We are too rich!” exclaimed Pencroft, “But what are we going to do with all this?”
“我们太富裕了！” 彭克罗夫特 exclaimed，“但是我们要怎么处理这一切呢？”

And every moment burst forth the hurrahs of the delighted sailor when he caught sight of the barrels of gunpowder, firearms and sidearms, balls of cotton, implements of husbandry, carpenter’s, joiner’s, and blacksmith’s tools, and boxes of all kinds of seeds, not in the least injured by their short sojourn in the water. —
当水手们瞥见了迷雾号上的火药桶、枪支和刀剑、棉球、农具、木工、结构工和铁匠工具，以及各种种子盒的时候，他们欢呼雀跃。 —

Ah, two years before, how these things would have been prized! —
啊，两年前，这些东西将被看得如何珍贵！ —

And now, even though the industrious colonists had provided themselves with tools, these treasures would find their use.
现在，即使勤劳的殖民者已经准备好了工具，这些财宝仍将派上用场。

There was no want of space in the store-rooms of Granite House, but that daytime would not allow them to stow away the whole. —
虽然花岗岩屋库房里的空间充足，但白天他们无法把整个货物都储藏起来。 —

It would not do also to forget that the six survivors of the “Speedy’s” crew had landed on the island, for they were in all probability scoundrels of the deepest dye, and it was necessary that the colonists should be on their guard against them. —
不应忘记“速度号”船员的六名幸存者已经登上了这个岛屿，因为他们很可能是最顽固的恶棍，殖民者需要时刻提防他们。 —

Although the bridges over the Mercy were raised, the convicts would not be stopped by a river or a stream and, rendered desperate, these wretches would be capable of anything.
尽管梅西河上的桥梁被抬起，但囚犯们不会被一条河流或溪流阻止，这些绝望的恶棍会做出任何事情。

They would see later what plan it would be best to follow; —
他们会在稍后决定最好的计划； —

but in the meantime it was necessary to mount guard over cases and packages heaped up near the Chimneys, and thus the settlers employed themselves in turn during the night.
但与此同时，有必要在烟囱附近堆积的箱子和包裹上驻守警卫，因此，殖民者们在夜间轮流负责。

The morning came, however, without the convicts having attempted any attack. —
然而，早晨到来时，囚犯们并没有试图发动任何攻击。 —

Master Jup and Top, on guard at the foot of Granite House, would have quickly given the alarm. —
朱普大师和Top在花岗岩屋脚下戒备，会迅速发出警报。 —

The three following day–the 19th, 20th, and 21st of October–were employed in saving everything of value, or of any use whatever, either from the cargo or rigging of the brig. —
接下来的三天–10月19日、20日和21日–都用来从货船的货物或帆具中搭救一切有价值或有用的东西。 —

At low tide they overhauled the hold–at high tide they stowed away the rescued articles. —
涨潮时他们检查货舱–落潮时他们收纳被救起的物品。 —

A great part of the copper sheathing had been torn from the hull, which every day sank lower. —
船体上的大部分铜皮已经被撕掉，每天都在下沉。 —

But before the sand had swallowed the heavy things which had fallen through the bottom, Ayrton and Pencroft, diving to the bed of the channel, recovered the chains and anchors of the brig, the iron of her ballast, and even four guns, which, floated by means of empty casks, were brought to shore.
但在沙子吞没沉到底的重物之前，艾尔顿和彭克罗夫潜入水道底部，找回了货船的锚链和锚，她的铁砂，甚至四门大炮，用空桶浮起，被带到岸边。

It may be seen that the arsenal of the colony had gained by the wreck, as well as the storerooms of Granite House. Pencroft, always enthusiastic in his projects, already spoke of constructing a battery to command the channel and the mouth of the river. —
可以看到殖民地的兵工厂和花岗岩屋的贮藏室都因这次失事而增添了东西。一向心怀热情的彭克罗夫已经开始谈论要建造一个炮台来指挥航道和河口。 —

With four guns, he engaged to prevent any fleet, “however powerful it might be,” from venturing into the waters of Lincoln Island!
他说可以用四门大炮阻止任何船队“无论它有多强大”，敢进入林肯岛的水域！

In the meantime, when nothing remained of the brig but a useless hulk, bad weather came on, which soon finished her. —
与此同时，当船只变成了一个无用的废船时，恶劣的天气降临，很快就把它毁灭了。 —

Cyrus Harding had intended to blow her up, so as to collect the remains on the shore, but a strong gale from the northeast and a heavy sea compelled him to economize his powder.
塞勒斯·哈丁本来打算炸毁这艘船，以便把残骸收集到岸边，但一股强风从东北方向刮来，大浪迫使他节约火药。

In fact, on the night of the 23rd, the hull entirely broke up, and some of the wreck was cast up on the beach.
事实上，在23号夜晚，船体完全解体，部分残骸被冲上了海滩。

As to the papers on board, it is useless to say that, although he carefully searched the lockers of the poop, Harding did not discover any trace of them. —
至于船上的文件，哈丁仔细搜索了船尾的置物柜，却没有找到任何踪迹。 —

The pirates had evidently destroyed everything that concerned either the captain or the owners of the “Speedy,” and, as the name of her port was not painted on her counter, there was nothing which would tell them her nationality. —
海盗明显摧毁了有关“斯皮迪号”船长或所有者的一切东西，由于船尾没有油漆标明港口的名字，没有任何东西表明她的国籍。 —

However, by the shape of her boats Ayrton and Pencroft believed that the brig was of English build.
然而，根据船只的船形，艾尔顿和彭克罗夫认为这艘货船是英国造的。

A week after the castrophe–or, rather, after the fortunate, though inexplicable, event to which the colony owed its preservation–nothing more could be seen of the vessel, even at low tide. —
灾难发生一周后–或者说，殖民地得以保存的幸运而莫名其妙的事件之后–在低潮时几乎看不到这艘船的任何痕迹。 —

The wreck had disappeared, and Granite House was enriched by nearly all it had contained.
残骸已经消失了，花岗岩屋几乎被它所含有的一切所丰富。

However, the mystery which enveloped its strange destruction would doubtless never have been cleared away if, on the 30th of November, Neb, strolling on the beach, had not found a piece of a thick iron cylinder, bearing traces of explosion. —
然而，如果在11月30日，尼布在海滩漫步时没有发现一块带有爆炸痕迹的粗铁圆筒碎片，那么围绕着这种奇怪毁灭的神秘就毫无疑问永远不会被揭开。 —

The edges of this cylinder were twisted and broken, as if they had been subjected to the action of some explosive substance.
这个圆筒的边缘被扭曲破损，就像受到某种爆炸物质的作用。

Neb brought this piece of metal to his master, who was then occupied with his companions in the workshop of the Chimneys.
尼布把这块金属碎片带给了他的主人，当时他和他的同伴们正在烟囱的车间里工作。

Cyrus Harding examined the cylinder attentively, then, turning to Pencroft,–
塞勒斯·哈丁仔细地检查了这个圆筒，然后转向潘克罗夫说道，

“You persist, my friend,” said he, “in maintaining that the ‘Speedy’ was not lost in consequence of a collision?”
“你坚持认为‘快船号’的沉没不是因为碰撞而导致的吗？”

“Yes, captain,” answered the sailor. “You know as well as I do that there are no rocks in the channel.”
“是的，船长，”水手回答道，“你和我都知道航道中没有岩石。”

“But suppose she had run against this piece of iron?” —
“但假设她撞上了这块铁块呢？” —

said the engineer, showing the broken cylinder.
工程师说着，展示着这个断裂的圆筒。

“What, that bit of pipe!” exclaimed Pencroft in a tone of perfect incredulity.
“那个管子！”潘克罗夫完全不相信地说道。

“My friends,” resumed Harding, “you remember that before she foundered the brig rose on the summit of a regular waterspout?”
“我的朋友们，”哈丁继续说，“你们记得在她沉没之前，那艘大帆船曾在一股规整的水龙卷顶端出现过吗？”

“Yes, captain,” replied Herbert.
“是的，船长，”赫伯特回答道。

“Well, would you like to know what occasioned that waterspout? —
“那么，你们想知道是什么引起了那股水龙卷吗？ —

It was this,” said the engineer, holding up the broken tube.
是这个，”工程师说着，举起了那根断裂的管子。

“That?” returned Pencroft.
“那个？”潘克罗夫回答道。

“Yes! This cylinder is all that remains of a torpedo!”
“是的！这个圆筒是鱼雷的残余部分！”

“A torpedo!” exclaimed the engineer’s companions.
“一个鱼雷！”工程师的同伴们惊呼道。

“And who put the torpedo there?” demanded Pencroft, who did not like to yield.
“那个鱼雷是谁放在那里的？”彭克罗夫要求道，他不愿让步。

“All that I can tell you is, that it was not I,” answered Cyrus Harding; —
“我只能告诉你的是，不是我放的，”赛勒斯·哈丁回答道； —

“but it was there, and you have been able to judge of its incomparable power!”
“但它就在那里，你已经能够判断出它无与伦比的威力了！”