I tried to put on as unconcerned an air as possible, but I had not forgotten the warnings of the lady,

我尽量摆出一副不在意的姿态，但是我并没有忘记那位夫人的警告，

even though I disregarded them, and I kept a keen eye upon my two companions.

尽管我没有把它当一回事，我还是留神注意着我的两位伙伴。

Ferguson appeared to be a morose and silent man,

弗格森看样子是个乖僻沉默的人，

but I could see from the little that he said that he was at least a fellow- countryman.

可是从他所说的很少几句话里还是可以判断出他至少是一位同胞。

Colonel Lysander Stark stopped at last before a low door, which he unlocked.

最后莱桑德·斯塔克上校在一扇矮门前站住，打开了锁。

Within was a small, square room, in which the three of us could hardly get at one time.

门内是一个小小的方形房间，我们三个人不能同时进去。

Ferguson remained outside, and the colonel ushered me in.

弗格森留在外面，上校领我走了进去。

'We are now,' said he, 'actually within the hydraulic press,

'我们，'他说，'现在实际上是在水压机里面，

and it would be a particularly unpleasant thing for us if anyone were to turn it on.

如果有谁把它开动的话，对我们来说那将是一桩非常不愉快的事。

The ceiling of this small chamber is really the end of the descending piston,

这个小房间的天花板，实际上是下降活塞的终端，

and it comes down with the force of many tons upon this metal floor.

它下落到这个金属地板上时带有好几吨的压力。

There are small lateral columns of water outside which receive the force,

在外面有些小的横向的水柱，里面的水受压力后

and which transmit and multiply it in the manner which is familiar to you.

就会按照您所熟悉的方式传导和增加所受的压力。

The machine goes readily enough,

机器很容易运转，

but there is some stiffness in the working of it, and it has lost a little of its force.

只是在运转时有点不灵活，浪费掉一小部分压力。

Perhaps you will have the goodness to look it over and to show us how we can set it right.'

请费心查看一下，并告诉我们怎样才能把它修好。'