21 在陆地上的两天(25)
Meanwhile, crazed with terror, the unhinged Papuans beat a retreat. As for us, half laughing, we massaged and comforted poor Ned Land, who was swearing like one possessed.
巴布亚人害怕得发狂，都向后退走。我们笑着，安慰不幸的尼德。兰，用手摩一擦他，他像魔鬼附身一样，大声地咒骂。
But just then, lifted off by the tide's final undulations, the Nautilus left its coral bed at exactly that fortieth minute pinpointed by the captain. Its propeller churned the wa一ves with lazy majesty. Gathering speed little by little, the ship na一vigated on the surface of the ocean, and safe and sound, it left behind the dangerous narrows of the Torres Strait.
但在这个时候，诺第留斯号受海水最后的波一浪一所掀动，就在船长指定的正好是两点四十分的时候，离开了它的珊瑚石床。它的机轮开始以隆重的缓慢姿态搅打海水。一会儿，速度渐渐增大，向大海面奔驰前去，它安全无恙地把托列斯海峡的危险水道抛在后面了。