21 在陆地上的两天(2)
Ned Land was on familiar terms with this fruit. He had already eaten it on his many voyages and knew how to cook its edible substance. So the very sight of it aroused his appetite, and he couldn't control himself.
尼德·兰很熟悉这些面包果。他从前在多次旅行中已经吃过了，他很知道怎样调制这种可吃的东西。所以看见这些果子，马上就引起他的食欲，他再也忍耐不住了。
"Sir," he told me, "I'll die if I don't sample a little breadfruit pasta!"
“先生，”他跟我说，“如果我不尝一尝这面包树的面条子，真要急死我了！”
"Sample some, Ned my friend, sample all you like. We're here to conduct experiments, let's conduct them."
“尝尝吧，尼德·兰好朋友，您随意尝吧。我们是到这里来获得经验的，那我们就试试看吧。”
"It won't take a minute," the Canadian replied.
“那费不了很多的时间."加拿大人回答。
Equipped with a magnifying glass, he lit a fire of deadwood that was soon crackling merrily. Meanwhile Conseil and I selected the finest artocarpus fruit. Some still weren't ripe enough, and their thick skins covered white, slightly fibrous pulps. But a great many others were yellowish and gelatinous, just begging to be picked.
他于是拿了火镜，利用一陽一光，把干树枝点着，火光熊熊燃一烧起来了。这个时候，康塞尔和我选了面包树上最好的果子摘下来。有些还没有到足够成熟的程度，厚的表皮上蒙了一层白肉，但很少带纤维。其他的大多数变黄了，有粘一性一了，只等人去摘了。
This fruit contained no pits. Conseil brought a dozen of them to Ned Land, who cut them into thick slices and placed them over a fire of live coals, all the while repeating:
这些果子并没有核仁。康塞尔拿了十二三个给尼德兰，他把它们切成厚片，放在红火上，当他切片的时候，总是说：
"You'll see, sir, how tasty this bread is!"
“您瞧吧，先生，这面包是多么好吃呢！”
"Especially since we've gone without baked goods for so long," Conseil said.
“特别是我们很久都没有吃面包了！”康塞尔说。
"It's more than just bread," the Canadian added. "It's a dainty pastry. You've never eaten any, sir?"
加拿大人又说：“甚至于可以说，这并不是平常的面包，而是美味的糕点。先生，您从来没有吃过吗？”
"No, Ned."
“没有吃过，尼德。”
"All right, get ready for something downright delectable! If you don't come back for seconds, I'm no longer the King of Harpooners!"
“那么，您快作准备，来尝尝这别有风味的东西吧。如果您吃了不再要的话，那我就不是天字第一号鱼叉手了。
After a few minutes, the parts of the fruit exposed to the fire were completely toasted. On the inside there appeared some white pasta, a sort of soft bread center whose fla一vor reminded me of artichoke.
几分钟后，果子向着红火的部分已经完全烤焦了。里面露出白粉条，好像又软又嫩的面包屑，吃起来像百叶菜的味儿。