最后，我还要肯定一点—这看来像是不可能的—即使我要打破我心中的一切幻想，
even if I had been willing to "give in to despair," I could not have done so!
即使我要绝望，现在也办不到!
The cetacean had rammed our frigate at about eleven o'clock in the evening.
战舰跟那鲸鱼冲撞的时间是在夜间十一点钟左右。
I therefore calculated on eight hours of swimming until sunrise.
所以到太阳升起，我们还得游泳八个小时。
A strenuous task, but feasible, thanks to our relieving each other.
我们替换着游，游八小时必然可以做到。
The sea was pretty smooth and barely tired us.
海面相当平静，我们还不至于过度疲劳。
Sometimes I tried to peer through the dense gloom, which was broken only by thephosphorescent flickers coming from our movements.
有时，我的眼光想看透深沉的黑暗，但什么也看不见，只有那由于我们游泳动作激起的浪花透出一点闪光来。
I stared at the luminous ripples breaking over my hands, shimmering sheets spattered withblotches of bluish gray.
在我手下破碎的明亮的水波，点缀在镜子般闪闪的水而上，就好像一块块青灰色的金属片。
It seemed as if we'd plunged into a pool of quicksilver.
真可以说，我们是在水银中游泳了。
Near one o'clock in the morning, I was overcome with tremendous exhaustion.
到早晨一点左右，我感到极端疲倦。
My limbs stiffened in the grip of intense cramps.
我的四肢痉挛得很厉害，渐渐发硬，不能灵活运用了。
