評論
打印
"Your theory is at least a very ingenious one," observed Locke, and I am reminded by it of another of the natural phenomena,
“你的理論至少是極為巧妙的，”洛克沉吟道，由此，我聯想到另外一個自然現象，
of the true explanation of which I have not been able to satisfy myself.
對此我尚且無法得到滿意的真實解釋，
It is this: what makes the earth freeze harder and deeper under a trodden path than the untrodden earth around it?
即：踩踏道路與未經踩踏道路相比，什么原因造成前者地面比后者地面結冰堅硬厚實？
All that I have asked, say it is because the trodden earth is more compact. But is that reason a sufficient one?
我想問的是，原因在于踩踏后的地面更為密實，不過，這一理由足夠充分嗎？
"No," said Bunker, but I will tell you what the reason is, for I thought that out long ago.
“不，” 邦克說，不過，我會告訴你其中原因，因為很久前我已弄清這一問題。
You know that, in the freezing months, much of the warmth we get is given out by the earth,
你要知道，在結冰季節里，即使并非持續進行，我們獲得的大多暖氣由地面不時地往外發散，
from which, at intervals, if not constantly, to some extent, ascend the warm vapors to mingle with and moderate the cold atmosphere above.
在一定程度上，暖空氣上升與其上方的冷空氣混合，然后減弱。
Now these ascending streams of warm air would be almost wholly obstructed by the compactness of a trodden path,
上升的暖氣流幾乎被踐踏后堅實路面完全阻隔，
and they would naturally divide at some distance below it,
從而在地面下以某種距離自然間隔，
and pass up through the loose earth on each side, leaving the ground along the line of the path,to a great depth beneath it,
再通過周邊松軟土層向上發散，使得成段路面到地表下相當深度冰冷僵硬，
a cold, dead mass, through which the frost would continue to penetrate,
嚴霜持續從地層滲透往下，
unchecked by the internal heat, which, in its unobstructed ascent on each side,
但地表下端熱量無法遏制，周圍上升熱量無法攔阻，
would be continually checking or overcoming the frost in its action on the earth around.
運動中地表周圍的暖氣流將與冷氣流持續抗衡甚至最終成功遏制對方。
