marine creatures that legends have turned into mermaids, half woman, half fish. 属于这一目的海中动物，就是神话中当它是鱼美人的人鱼水怪。

No, I told Conseil, that's no mermaid, it's an unusual creature of which only a few specimens are left in the Red Sea. That's a dugong. 不，我对康塞尔说，这不是人鱼，是一只奇怪的动物，在红海中并不见得有多少。这是海马。

Order Sirenia, group Pisciforma, subclass Monodelphia, class Mammalia, branch Vertebrata, Conseil replied. 人鱼目，鱼形类，单官哺乳亚纲，哺乳纲，脊椎动物门。康塞尔回答。

And when Conseil has spoken, there's nothing else to be said. 康奏尔这样说过后，那就没有什么可以说的了。

Meanwhile Ned Land kept staring. His eyes were gleaming with desire at the sight of that animal.  可是尼德·兰老是注视着。他的眼睛看见这东西，闪出要把它捉到手的贪婪光芒。

His hands were ready to hurl a harpoon. You would have thought he was waiting for the right moment to jump overboard and attack the creature in its own element. 他的手像是要去叉它。看他的样子，真是让人要说，他是等待时机，跃人海中，到水里面去攻打它。

Oh, sir, he told me in a voice trembling with excitement, I've never killed anything like that! 呵！先生，他情绪激动，声音发抖地说，我从没有打到过这种东西。

His whole being was concentrated in this last word. 鱼叉手的全部心意都表现在这一句话里面。

Just then Captain Nemo appeared on the platform. He spotted the dugong. He understood the Canadian's frame of mind and addressed him directly: 这时候，尼摩船长在平台上出现。他望见了海马。他朋白了加拿大人的姿态，立即对鱼叉手说：

If you held a harpoon, Mr. Land, wouldn't your hands be itching to put it to work? 兰师傅，您要是手拿鱼又，一定会手痒得难过，要试一下吗？

Positively, sir. 您说得正对，先生。

And just for one day, would it displease you to return to your fisherman's trade and add this cetacean to the list of those you've already hunted down? 将来您再操叉鱼这一行的时候，把这只鲸科动物加在您曾经打过的鲸鱼账上，您不会不高兴吧？

It wouldn't displease me one bit. 这样我决不会不高兴。

All right, you can try your luck! 那么您可以试一试。

Thank you, sir, Ned Land replied, his eyes ablaze. 谢谢您，先生。尼德·兰回答，眼睛亮起来了。

Only, the captain went on, I urge you to aim carefully at this animal, in your own personal interest. 不过，船长立即又说，我请您不要放走这东西，这对您有利呢。

Is the dugong dangerous to attack? I asked, despite the Canadian's shrug of the shoulders. 打这海马有危险吗。"我问，我并不理会加拿大人做着耸肩的姿态。

Yes, sometimes, the captain replied. These animals have been known to turn on their assailants and capsize their longboats.  是，有时候有危险，船长回答，这东西向攻打它的人转过身来，把他的小艇撞翻。

But with Mr. Land that danger isn't to be feared. His eye is sharp, his arm is sure.  但对兰师傅来说，这种危险用不着害怕。他的眼光很敏捷，他的胳膊很准确。

If I recommend that he aim carefully at this dugong, it's because the animal is justly regarded as fine game, and I know Mr. Land doesn't despise a choice morsel. 我所以劝他留心，不要放走这海马，是因为人们把这东西看作一种美味好吃的猎物，我也知道，兰师傅决不至讨厌一大块一大块好吃的肥肉。