All day long on May 31, the Nautilus swept around the sea in a series of circles that had me deeply puzzled. It seemed to be searching for a locality that it had some trouble finding. At noon Captain Nemo himself came to take our bearings. He didn't address a word to me. He looked gloomier than ever. What was filling him with such sadness? Was it our proximity to these European shores? Was he reliving his memories of that country he had left behind? If so, what did he feel? Remorse or regret? For a good while these thoughts occupied my mind, and I had a hunch that fate would soon give away the captain's secrets.
5月31日一整天，“鹦鹉螺号”一直在海上兜圈子，这使我深感纳闷。它似乎在寻找一个不太容易找到的地方。中午，尼摩船长亲自出来测定了方位。他没跟我说话，我觉得他变得比以前更阴沉。谁使他这么忧愁呢？是因为接近了欧洲海岸吗？难道他对那被他抛弃了的祖国产生了几丝感触吗？那么他有何感想呢？是后悔还是遗憾呢？这种想法在我的脑海中盘据了很久，而且我有一种预感：不久，偶然的机会会把尼摩船长的秘密泄露出来的。
The next day, June 1, the Nautilus kept to the same tack. It was obviously trying to locate some precise spot in the ocean. Just as on the day before, Captain Nemo came to take the altitude of the sun. The sea was smooth, the skies clear. Eight miles to the east, a big steamship was visible on the horizon line. No flag was flapping from the gaff of its fore-and-aft sail, and I couldn't tell its nationality.
第二天，6月1日，“鹦鹉螺号”还是老样子。显然它想尽力找到海里某个确定的地点，尼摩船长就像前天那样出来测定太阳的高度。当时海面很美，晴空万里。在东面8海里处，一艘大汽轮出现在天际边。船帆上没有挂任何旗帜，我无法辨认出它的国籍。
A few minutes before the sun passed its zenith, Captain Nemo raised his sextant and took his sights with the utmost precision.
在太阳经过子午线的前几分钟，尼摩船长拿着六分仪，十分仔细地观察起来。