I took the lamp from him, and I examined the machine very thoroughly.

我从他手里拿过灯，非常彻底地检查那机器。

It was indeed a gigantic one, and capable of exercising enormous pressure.

这确实是一台庞大的机器，能够产生巨大的压力。

When I passed outside, however, and pressed down the levers which controlled it,

然而，当我走到外面，压下操纵杆时，就听到有飕飕声，

I knew at once by the whishing sound that there was a slight leakage,

我马上明白这是机器里有细微的裂隙，

which allowed a regurgitation of water through one of the side cylinders.

裂隙使得水能经由一个侧活塞回流。

An examination showed that one of the india-rubber bands which was round the head of a driving-rod had shrunk

经过检查表明传动杆头上的一个橡皮垫圈已经皱缩了，

so as not quite to fill the socket along which it worked.

因而不能塞住在其中来回移动的杆套。

This was clearly the cause of the loss of power, and I pointed it out to my companions,

这很明显是浪费压力的原因，我向我的伙伴指出了这一点，

who followed my remarks very carefully and asked several practical questions as to how they should proceed to set it right.

他非常仔细地听着我的话，并问了几个关于应该怎么修理好这台机器的实际问题。

When I had made it clear to them, I returned to the main chamber of the machine

对他们交代清楚以后，我回到机器的主室内，

and took a good look at it to satisfy my own curiosity.

为了满足我的好奇心，我仔细地打量着这个小房间。

It was obvious at a glance that the story of the fuller's-earth was the merest fabrication,

只要看一眼就会明白，关于漂白土的故事，完全是胡扯，

for it would be absurd to suppose that so powerful an engine could be designed for so inadequate a purpose.

因为如果认为这个功效如此之大的机器竟然是为这么不恰当的目的而设计的，那才真是荒唐可笑呢。