The road was crowded and there were screens of corn-stalk and straw matting on both sides and matting over the top so that it was like the entrance at a circus or a native village. We drove slowly in this matting-covered tunnel and came out onto a bare cleared space where the railway station had been.
The road here was below the level of the river bank and all along the side of the sunken road there were holes dug in the bank with infantry in them. The sun was going down and looking up along the bank as we drove I saw the Austrian observation balloons above the hills on the other side dark against the sunset. We parked the cars beyond a brickyard.
The ovens and some deep holes had been equipped as dressing stations. There were three doctors that I knew. I talked with the major and learned that when it should start and our cars should be loaded we would drive them back along the screened road and up to the main road along the ridge where there would be a post and other cars to clear them. He hoped the road would not jam. It was a one-road show.
The road was screened because it was in sight of the Austrians across the river. Here at the brickyard we were sheltered from rifle or machine-gun fire by the river bank. There was one smashed bridge across the river. They were going to put over another bridge when the bombardment started and some troops were to cross at the shallows up above at the bend of the river.
The major was a little man with upturned mustaches. He had been in the war in Libya and wore two woundstripes. He said that if the thing went well he would see that I was decorated. I said I hoped it would go well but that he was too kind. I asked him if there was a big dugout where the drivers could stay and he sent a soldier to show me. I went with him and found the dugout, which was very good.
The drivers were pleased with it and I left them there. The major asked me to have a drink with him and two other officers. We drank rum and it was very friendly. Outside it was getting dark. I asked what time the attack was to he and they said as soon as it was dark. I went back to the drivers.
They were sitting in the dugout talking and when I came in they stopped. I gave them each a package of cigarettes, Macedonias, loosely packed cigarettes that spilled tobacco and needed to have the ends twisted before you smoked them. Manera lit his lighter and passed it around. The lighter was shaped like a Fiatradiator. I told them what I had heard.
读书笔记
是否公开
8
-
“我们方才下坡时怎么没看见那救护站?”帕西尼问。
读书笔记
是否公开
8
-
"Why didn’t we see the post when we came down?" Passini asked.
读书笔记
是否公开
9
-
“就在我们拐弯的地方过去一点。”
读书笔记
是否公开
9
-
"It was just beyond where we turned off."
读书笔记
是否公开
10
-
“那条路一定会弄得一团糟,”马内拉说。
读书笔记
是否公开
10
-
"That road will be a dirty mess," Manera said.
读书笔记
是否公开
11
-
“他们准会把我们轰得妈的半死的。”
读书笔记
是否公开
11
-
"They’ll shell the ---- out of us."
读书笔记
是否公开
12
-
“也许吧。”
读书笔记
是否公开
12
-
"Probably."
读书笔记
是否公开
13
-
“什么时候吃饭,中尉?一进攻我们可就没机会吃饭啦。”
读书笔记
是否公开
13
-
"What about eating, lieutenant? We won’t get a chance to eat after this thing starts."
I went back to the major’s dugout and he said the field kitchen would be along and the drivers could come and get their stew. He would loan them mess tins if they did not have them. I said I thought they had them.
I went back and told the drivers I would get them as soon as the food came. Manera said he hoped it would come before the bombardment started. They were silent until I went out. They were all mechanics and hated the war.
I went out to look at the cars and see what was going on and then came back and sat down in the dugout with the four drivers. We sat on the ground with our backs against the wall and smoked. Outside it was nearly dark. The earth of the dugout was warm and dry and I let my shoulders back against the wall, sitting on the small of my back, and relaxed.
读书笔记
是否公开
20
-
“哪一部队发动进攻?”贾武齐问。
读书笔记
是否公开
20
-
"Who goes to the attack?" asked Gavuzzi.
读书笔记
是否公开
21
-
“意大利狙击兵。”
读书笔记
是否公开
21
-
"Bersaglieri."
读书笔记
是否公开
22
-
“都是狙击兵?”
读书笔记
是否公开
22
-
"All bersaglieri?"
读书笔记
是否公开
23
-
“大概是吧。”
读书笔记
是否公开
23
-
"I think so."
读书笔记
是否公开
24
-
“如果发动一次真正的进攻,这儿的军队是不够的。”
读书笔记
是否公开
24
-
"There aren’t enough troops here for a real attack."
读书笔记
是否公开
25
-
“这儿或许是虚张声势,真正的进攻可能不在这儿。”
读书笔记
是否公开
25
-
"It is probably to draw attention from where the real attack will be."
读书笔记
是否公开
26
-
“士兵们知道由哪一部队发动进攻吗?”
读书笔记
是否公开
26
-
"Do the men know that who attack?"
读书笔记
是否公开
27
-
“大概不知道吧。”
读书笔记
是否公开
27
-
"I don’t think so."
读书笔记
是否公开
28
-
“他们当然不知道,”马内拉说。“如果知道的话,便不肯出击了。”
读书笔记
是否公开
28
-
"Of course they don’t," Manera said. "They wouldn’t attack if they did."
读书笔记
是否公开
29
-
“他们还是会出击的,”帕西尼说。“狙击兵尽是些傻瓜。”
读书笔记
是否公开
29
-
"Yes, they would," Passini said. "Bersaglieri are fools."
读书笔记
是否公开
30
-
“人家勇敢,纪律又好,”我说。
读书笔记
是否公开
30
-
"They are brave and have good discipline," I said.
读书笔记
是否公开
31
-
“谁也不能否认他们长得胸围特大,身体健康。不过他们还是傻瓜。”
读书笔记
是否公开
31
-
"They are big through the chest by measurement, and healthy. But they are still fools."
读书笔记
是否公开
32
-
“掷弹兵也长得高,”马内拉说。这是个笑话。大家都笑了。
读书笔记
是否公开
32
-
"The granatieri are tall," Manera said. This was a joke. They all laughed.
读书笔记
是否公开
33
-
“中尉,那次你也在场吗?他们不肯出击,结果就每十人中枪决一人。”
读书笔记
是否公开
33
-
"Were you there, Tenente, when they wouldn’t attack and they shot every tenth man?"
读书笔记
是否公开
34
-
“不在。”
读书笔记
是否公开
34
-
"No."
读书笔记
是否公开
35
-
“事情是真实的,事后人家叫他们排好队伍,每十人中挑一个出来。由宪兵执行枪决。”
读书笔记
是否公开
35
-
"It is true. They lined them up afterward and took every tenth man. Carabinieri shot them."
读书笔记
是否公开
36
-
“宪兵,”帕西尼轻蔑地往地上唾了一口说。“但是那些掷弹兵个个身高六英尺以上。他们就是不愿出击。”
读书笔记
是否公开
36
-
"Carabinieri," said Passini and spat on the floor. "But those grenadiers; all over six feet. They wouldn’t attack."
读书笔记
是否公开
37
-
“如果人人不愿出击,战争就会结束,”马内拉说。
读书笔记
是否公开
37
-
"If everybody would not attack the war would be over," Manera said.
读书笔记
是否公开
38
-
“掷弹兵倒不见得是反对战争。无非是怕死罢了。军官的出身都太高贵了。”
读书笔记
是否公开
38
-
"It wasn’t that way with the granatieri. They were afraid. The officers all came from such good families."
读书笔记
是否公开
39
-
“有些军官单独冲出去了。”
读书笔记
是否公开
39
-
"Some of the officers went alone."
读书笔记
是否公开
40
-
“有名军曹枪决了两位不肯上阵的军官。”
读书笔记
是否公开
40
-
"A sergeant shot two officers who would not get out."
读书笔记
是否公开
41
-
“有一部分士兵也冲出去了。”
读书笔记
是否公开
41
-
"Some troops went out."
读书笔记
是否公开
42
-
“这些冲出去的,倒并没被人家从每十人中挑一人出来枪决啊。”
读书笔记
是否公开
42
-
"Those that went out were not lined up when they took the tenth men."
"One of those shot by the carabinieri is from my town," Passini said. "He was a big smart tall boy to be in the granatieri. Always in Rome. Always with the girls. Always with the carabinieri." He laughed.
"Now they have a guard outside his house with a bayonet and nobody can come to see his mother and father and sisters and his father loses his civil rights and cannot even vote. They are all without law to protect them. Anybody can take their property."
读书笔记
是否公开
45
-
“倘若家里人不会遭遇这种惩罚的话,那就再也没人肯出击了。”
读书笔记
是否公开
45
-
"If it wasn’t that that happens to their families nobody would go to the attack."
读书笔记
是否公开
46
-
“还是有人会肯出击的。阿尔卑斯山部队就肯。那些志愿兵也肯。还有某些狙击兵。”
读书笔记
是否公开
46
-
"Yes. Alpini would. These V. E. soldiers would. Some bersaglieri."
读书笔记
是否公开
47
-
“狙击兵也有临阵脱逃的。现在大家都装做并没有那么回事似的。”
读书笔记
是否公开
47
-
"Bersaglieri have run too. Now they try to forget it."
读书笔记
是否公开
48
-
“中尉,你可别让我们这样子谈下去。军队万岁,”帕西尼挖苦地说。
读书笔记
是否公开
48
-
"You should not let us talk this way, Tenente. Evviva l’esercito," Passini said sarcastically.
读书笔记
是否公开
49
-
“我知道你们是怎样说话的,”我说。“但是只要你们肯开车子,好好地——”
读书笔记
是否公开
49
-
"I know how you talk," I said. "But as long as you drive the cars and behave--"
"--and don’t talk so other officers can hear," Manera finished. "I believe we should get the war over," I said. "It would not finish it if one side stopped fighting. It would only be worse if we stopped fighting."
读书笔记
是否公开
51
-
“不会更糟糕的,”帕西尼用恭敬的口气说。“没有比战争更糟糕的事情了。”
读书笔记
是否公开
51
-
"It could not be worse," Passini said respectfully. "There is nothing worse than war."
读书笔记
是否公开
52
-
“战败会更糟糕。”
读书笔记
是否公开
52
-
"Defeat is worse."
读书笔记
是否公开
53
-
“我不相信,”帕西尼还是用恭敬的口气说。“战败算是什么?你回家就是了。”
读书笔记
是否公开
53
-
"I do not believe it," Passini said still respectfully. "What is defeat? You go home."
读书笔记
是否公开
54
-
“敌人会来追捕你的。占领你的家。奸污你的姐妹。”
读书笔记
是否公开
54
-
"They come after you. They take your home. They take your sisters."
"Tenente," Passini said. "We understand you let us talk. Listen. There is nothing as bad as war. We in the auto-ambulance cannot even realize at all how bad it is. When people realize how bad it is they cannot do anything to stop it because they go crazy. There are some people who never realize. There are people who are afraid of their officers. It is with them the war is made."
"War is not won by victory. What if we take San Gabriele? What if we take the Carso and Monfalcone and Trieste? Where are we then? Did you see all the far mountains to-day? Do you think we could take all them too?
Only if the Austrians stop fighting. One side must stop fighting. Why don’t we stop fighting? If they come down into Italy they will get tired and go away. They have their own country. But no, instead there is a war."
"Is there anything I can do, Tenente? Can I help in any way?" He was the quietest one of the four. "Come with me if you want," I said, "and we’ll see."
读书笔记
是否公开
79
-
外面天已黑了,探照灯长长的光柱正在山峰间晃动着。
读书笔记
是否公开
79
-
It was dark outside and the long light from the search-lights was moving over the mountains.
There were big search-lights on that front mounted on camions that you passed sometimes on the roads at night, close behind the lines, the camion stopped a little off the road, an officer directing the light and the crew scared. We crossed the brickyard, and stopped at the main dressing station.
There was a little shelter of green branches outside over the entrance and in the dark the night wind rustled the leaves dried by the sun. Inside there was a light. The major was at the telephone sitting on a box. One of the medical captains said the attack had been put forward an hour.
He offered me a glass of cognac. I looked at the board tables, the instruments shining in the light, the basins and the stoppered bottles. Gordini stood behind me. The major got up from the telephone.
读书笔记
是否公开
83
-
“现在开始了,”他说。“并没有提前。”
读书笔记
是否公开
83
-
"It starts now," he said. "It has been put back again."
I looked outside, it was dark and the Austrian search-lights were moving on the mountains behind us. It was quiet for a moment still, then from all the guns behind us the bombardment started.
读书笔记
是否公开
85
-
“萨伏伊①部队,”少校说。
① 萨伏伊为一公国名,原是意大利西北部的一部分,第一次世界大战时期,意大利的王室就是统治该公国的萨伏伊王朝。
读书笔记
是否公开
85
-
"Savoia," said the major.
读书笔记
是否公开
86
-
“关于饭食的事,少校,”我说。他没听见。我又说了一遍。
读书笔记
是否公开
86
-
"About the soup, major," I said. He did not hear me. I repeated it.
A big shell came in and burst outside in the brickyard. Another burst and in the noise you could hear the smaller noise of the brick and dirt raining down.
读书笔记
是否公开
89
-
“有什么可吃的?”
读书笔记
是否公开
89
-
"What is there to eat?"
读书笔记
是否公开
90
-
“我们还有一点面条,”少校说。
读书笔记
是否公开
90
-
"We have a little pasta asciutta," the major said.
读书笔记
是否公开
91
-
“有什么就给我什么好了。”
读书笔记
是否公开
91
-
"I’ll take what you can give me."
读书笔记
是否公开
92
-
少校对一名勤务吩咐了几句,勤务走到后边去,回来时带来一铁盆冷的煮通心面。我把它递给高迪尼。
读书笔记
是否公开
92
-
The major spoke to an orderly who went out of sight in the back and came back with a metal basin of cold cooked macaroni. I handed it to Gordini.
读书笔记
是否公开
93
-
“有没有干酪?”
读书笔记
是否公开
93
-
"Have you any cheese?"
读书笔记
是否公开
94
-
少校很勉强地对勤务吩咐了一声,勤务又钻到后边的洞里去,出来时带来四分之一只白色干酪。
读书笔记
是否公开
94
-
The major spoke grudgingly to the orderly who ducked back into the hole again and came out with a quarter of a white cheese.
读书笔记
是否公开
95
-
“多谢你,”我说。
读书笔记
是否公开
95
-
"Thank you very much," I said.
读书笔记
是否公开
96
-
“你们最好别出去。”
读书笔记
是否公开
96
-
"You’d better not go out."
读书笔记
是否公开
97
-
外边有人在入口处旁边放下了一件什么东西。来的是两个抬担架的人,其中一个向里面张望。
读书笔记
是否公开
97
-
Outside something was set down beside the entrance. One of the two men who had carried it looked in.
读书笔记
是否公开
98
-
“抬进来,”少校说。“你们怎么啦?难道要我们到外面去抬他?”
读书笔记
是否公开
98
-
"Bring him in," said the major. "What’s the matter with you? Do you want us to come outside and get him?"
读书笔记
是否公开
99
-
抬担架的两人一人抱住伤员的胁下,一人抬腿,把伤员抬了进来。
读书笔记
是否公开
99
-
The two stretcher-bearers picked up the man under the arms and by the legs and brought him in.
Outside we ran across the brickyard. A shell burst short near the river bank. Then there was one that we did not hear coming until the sudden rush. We both went flat and with the flash and bump of the burst and the smell heard the singing off of the fragments and the rattle of falling brick.
Gordini got up and ran for the dugout. I was after him, holding the cheese, its smooth surface covered with brick dust. Inside the dugout were the three drivers sitting against the wall, smoking.
读书笔记
是否公开
108
-
“来了,你们诸位爱国者,”我说。
读书笔记
是否公开
108
-
"Here, you patriots," I said.
读书笔记
是否公开
109
-
“车子怎么样?”马内拉问。
读书笔记
是否公开
109
-
"How are the cars?" Manera asked.
读书笔记
是否公开
110
-
“没事。”
读书笔记
是否公开
110
-
"All right."
读书笔记
是否公开
111
-
“中尉,你受惊了吗?”
读书笔记
是否公开
111
-
"Did they scare you, Tenente?"
读书笔记
是否公开
112
-
“妈的,你猜得不错,”我说。
读书笔记
是否公开
112
-
"You’re damned right," I said.
读书笔记
是否公开
113
-
我拿出小刀,打开来,揩揩刀口,切掉干酪肮脏的表皮。贾武齐把那盆通心面递给我。
读书笔记
是否公开
113
-
I took out my knife, opened it, wiped off the blade and pared off the dirty outside surface of the cheese. Gavuzzi handed me the basin of macaroni.
读书笔记
是否公开
114
-
“你先吃,中尉。”
读书笔记
是否公开
114
-
"Start in to eat, Tenente."
读书笔记
是否公开
115
-
“不,”我说。“放在地上。大家一道来。”
读书笔记
是否公开
115
-
"No," I said. "Put it on the floor. We’ll all eat."
读书笔记
是否公开
116
-
“可没有叉子。”
读书笔记
是否公开
116
-
"There are no forks."
读书笔记
是否公开
117
-
“管他妈的,”我用英语讲。
读书笔记
是否公开
117
-
"What the hell," I said in English.
读书笔记
是否公开
118
-
我把干酪切成一片片,放在通心面上。
读书笔记
是否公开
118
-
I cut the cheese into pieces and laid them on the macaroni.
读书笔记
是否公开
119
-
“坐下来吃吧,”我说。他们坐下了,等待着。我伸出五指去抓面,往上一提。一团面松开了。
读书笔记
是否公开
119
-
"Sit down to it," I said. They sat down and waited. I put thumb and fingers into the macaroni and lifted. A mass loosened.
I lifted it to arm’s length and the strands cleared. I lowered it into the mouth, sucked and snapped in the ends, and chewed, then took a bite of cheese, chewed, and then a drink of the wine. It tasted of rusty metal. I handed the canteen back to Passini.
读书笔记
是否公开
122
-
“坏透了,”他说。“搁得太长久了。我一直把它搁在车子里。”
读书笔记
是否公开
122
-
"It’s rotten," he said. "It’s been in there too long. I had it in the car."
They were all eating, holding their chins close over the basin, tipping their heads back, sucking in the ends. I took another mouthful and some cheese and a rinse of wine. Something landed outside that shook the earth.
读书笔记
是否公开
124
-
“不是四二零大炮便是迫击炮,”贾武齐说。
读书笔记
是否公开
124
-
"Four hundred twenty or minnenwerfer," Gavuzzi said.
读书笔记
是否公开
125
-
“高山上怎么会有四二零,”我说。
读书笔记
是否公开
125
-
"There aren’t any four hundred twenties in the mountains," I said.
读书笔记
是否公开
126
-
人家有斯科达大炮①。我见过那种炮弹炸开的大坑。”
① 斯科达是捷克著名的兵工厂的名字,当时捷克属于奥匈帝国。
读书笔记
是否公开
126
-
"They have big Skoda guns. I’ve seen the holes."
读书笔记
是否公开
127
-
“那是三零五。”
读书笔记
是否公开
127
-
"Three hundred fives."
读书笔记
是否公开
128
-
我们继续吃下去。外边有一种咳嗽声,好像是火车头在开动的声音,接着又是一声震撼大地的爆炸。
读书笔记
是否公开
128
-
We went on eating. There was a cough, a noise like a railway engine starting and then an explosion that shook the earth again.
I ate the end of my piece of cheese and took a swallow of wine. Through the other noise I heard a cough, then came the chuh-chuhchuh-chuh--then there was a flash, as when a blast-furnace door is swung open, and a roar that started white and went red and on and on in a rushing wind.
I tried to breathe but my breath would not come and I felt myself rush bodily out of myself and out and out and out and all the time bodily in the wind. I went out swiftly, all of myself, and I knew I was dead and that it had all been a mistake to think you just died. Then I floated, and instead of going on I felt myself slide back. I breathed and I was back.
The ground was torn up and in front of my head there was a splintered beam of wood. In the jolt of my head I heard somebody crying. I thought somebody was screaming. I tried to move but I could not move. I heard the machine-guns and rifles firing across the river and all along the river.
There was a great splashing and I saw the star-shells go up and burst and float whitely and rockets going up and heard the bombs, all this in a moment, and then I heard close to me some one saying "mama Mia! Oh, mama Mia!" I pulled and twisted and got my legs loose finally and turned around and touched him. It was Passini and when I touched him he screamed.
His legs were toward me and I saw in the dark and the light that they were both smashed above the knee. One leg was gone and the other was held by tendons and part of the trouser and the stump twitched and jerked as though it were not connected.
He bit his arm and moaned, "Oh Mama mia, mama Mia," then, "Dio te salve, Maria. Dio te salve, Maria. Oh Jesus shoot me Christ shoot me mama mia mama Mia oh purest lovely Mary shoot me. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Oh Jesus lovely Mary stop it. Oh oh oh oh," then choking, "Mama mama mia." Then he was quiet, biting his arm, the stump of his leg twitching.
"Porta feriti!" I shouted holding my hands cupped. "Porta feriti!" I tried to get closer to Passini to try to put a tourniquet on the legs but I could not move. I tried again and my legs moved a little. I could pull backward along with my arms and elbows. Passini was quiet now.
I sat beside him, undid my tunic and tried to rip the tail of my shirt. It would not rip and I bit the edge of the cloth to start it. Then I thought of his puttees. I had on wool stockings but Passini wore puttees. All the drivers wore puttees but Passini had only one leg.
I unwound the puttee and while I was doing it I saw there was no need to try and make a tourniquet because he was dead already. I made sure he was dead. There were three others to locate. I sat up straight and as I did so something inside my head moved like the weights on a doll’s eyes and it hit me inside in back of my eyeballs.
My legs felt warm and wet and my shoes were wet and warm inside. I knew that I was hit and leaned over and put my hand on my knee. My knee wasn’t there. My hand went in and my knee was down on my shin. I wiped my hand on my shirt and another floating light came very slowly down and I looked at my leg and was very afraid.
Oh, God, I said, get me out of here. I knew, however, that there had been three others. There were four drivers. Passini was dead. That left three. Some one took hold of me under the arms and somebody else lifted my legs.
读书笔记
是否公开
143
-
“还有三个,”我说。“一个死了。”
读书笔记
是否公开
143
-
"There are three others," I said. "One is dead."
读书笔记
是否公开
144
-
“我是马内拉。我们出去找担架,找不着。你可好,中尉?”
读书笔记
是否公开
144
-
"It’s Manera. We went for a stretcher but there wasn’t any. How are you, Tenente?"
读书笔记
是否公开
145
-
“高迪尼和贾武齐在哪儿?”
读书笔记
是否公开
145
-
"Where is Gordini and Gavuzzi?"
读书笔记
是否公开
146
-
“高迪尼在急救站,在包扎中。贾武齐正抬着你的腿。抱牢我的脖子,中尉。你伤得很厉害吗?”
读书笔记
是否公开
146
-
"Gordini’s at the post getting bandaged. Gavuzzi has your legs. Hold on to my neck, Tenente. Are you badly hit?"
读书笔记
是否公开
147
-
“在腿上,高迪尼怎么啦?”
读书笔记
是否公开
147
-
"In the leg. How is Gordini?"
读书笔记
是否公开
148
-
“他没事。这是颗大型的迫击炮弹。”
读书笔记
是否公开
148
-
"He’s all right. It was a big trench mortar shell."
读书笔记
是否公开
149
-
“帕西尼死了。”
读书笔记
是否公开
149
-
"Passini’s dead."
读书笔记
是否公开
150
-
“是的。他死了。”
读书笔记
是否公开
150
-
"Yes. He’s dead."
读书笔记
是否公开
151
-
一颗炮弹在附近掉下,他们俩都扑倒在地上,把我扔下了。“对不起,中尉,”马内拉说。“抱牢我的脖子。”
读书笔记
是否公开
151
-
A shell fell close and they both dropped to the ground and dropped me. "I’m sorry, Tenente," said Manera. "Hang onto my neck."
读书笔记
是否公开
152
-
“可别把我再摔下啦。”
读书笔记
是否公开
152
-
"If you drop me again."
读书笔记
是否公开
153
-
“那是因为我们惊慌失措了。”
读书笔记
是否公开
153
-
"It was because we were scared."
读书笔记
是否公开
154
-
“你们都没受伤吗?”
读书笔记
是否公开
154
-
"Are you unwounded?"
读书笔记
是否公开
155
-
“都只受了一点点伤。”
读书笔记
是否公开
155
-
"We are both wounded a little."
读书笔记
是否公开
156
-
“高迪尼能开车吗?”
读书笔记
是否公开
156
-
"Can Gordini drive?"
读书笔记
是否公开
157
-
“恐怕不行了。”
读书笔记
是否公开
157
-
"I don’t think so."
读书笔记
是否公开
158
-
我们到急救站之前,他们又把我摔下了一次。
读书笔记
是否公开
158
-
They dropped me once more before we reached the post.
读书笔记
是否公开
159
-
“你们这些狗娘养的,”我说。
读书笔记
是否公开
159
-
"You sons of bitches," I said.
读书笔记
是否公开
160
-
“对不起,中尉,”马内拉说。“我们以后不敢了。”
读书笔记
是否公开
160
-
"I am sorry, Tenente," Manera said. "We won’t drop you again."
Outside the post a great many of us lay on the ground in the dark. They carried wounded in and brought them out. I could see the light come out from the dressing station when the curtain opened and they brought some one in or out. The dead were off to one side. The doctors were working with their sleeves up to their shoulders and were red as butchers. There were not enough stretchers.
Some of the wounded were noisy but most were quiet. The wind blew the leaves in the bower over the door of the dressing station and the night was getting cold. Stretcher-bearers came in all the time, put their stretchers down, unloaded them and went away. As soon as I got to the dressing station Manera brought a medical sergeant out and he put bandages on both my legs.
He said there was so much dirt blown into the wound that there had not been much hemorrhage. They would take me as soon as possible. He went back inside. Gordini could not drive, Manera said. His shoulder was smashed and his head was hurt. He had not felt bad but now the shoulder had stiffened. He was sitting up beside one of the brick walls.
Manera and Gavuzzi each went off with a load of wounded. They could drive all right. The British had come with three ambulances and they had two men on each ambulance. One of their drivers came over to me, brought by Gordini who looked very white and sick. The Britisher leaned over.
读书笔记
是否公开
165
-
“你伤得厉害吗?”他问。他是个高个子,戴着钢框眼镜。
读书笔记
是否公开
165
-
"Are you hit badly?" he asked. He was a tall man and wore steel-rimmed spectacles.
读书笔记
是否公开
166
-
“腿上受了伤。”
读书笔记
是否公开
166
-
"In the legs."
读书笔记
是否公开
167
-
“希望不至于很严重。来支烟吧?”
读书笔记
是否公开
167
-
"It’s not serious I hope. Will you have a cigarette?"
读书笔记
是否公开
168
-
“谢谢。”
读书笔记
是否公开
168
-
"Thanks."
读书笔记
是否公开
169
-
“他们告诉我说你有两名司机不中用了。”
读书笔记
是否公开
169
-
"They tell me you’ve lost two drivers."
读书笔记
是否公开
170
-
“是的。一个死了,还有就是领你来的这一位。”
读书笔记
是否公开
170
-
"Yes. One killed and the fellow that brought you."
读书笔记
是否公开
171
-
“真倒运。你们的车子由我们来开怎么样?”
读书笔记
是否公开
171
-
"What rotten luck. Would you like us to take the cars?"
读书笔记
是否公开
172
-
“我正有这个意思。”
读书笔记
是否公开
172
-
"That’s what I wanted to ask you."
读书笔记
是否公开
173
-
“我们一定很当心,事后原车送回别墅。你们的地址是206 号吧?”
读书笔记
是否公开
173
-
"We’d take quite good care of them and return them to the villa. 206 aren’t you?"
读书笔记
是否公开
174
-
“是的。”
读书笔记
是否公开
174
-
"Yes."
读书笔记
是否公开
175
-
“那地方挺不错。我以前见过你。他们说你是美国人。”
读书笔记
是否公开
175
-
"It’s a charming place. I’ve seen you about. They tell me you’re an American."
读书笔记
是否公开
176
-
“我是英国人。”
读书笔记
是否公开
176
-
"I’m English."
读书笔记
是否公开
177
-
“当真?”
读书笔记
是否公开
177
-
"No!"
读书笔记
是否公开
178
-
“我是英国人。难道你以为我是意大利人?我们有支部队里有些意大利人。”
读书笔记
是否公开
178
-
"Yes, English. Did you think I was Italian? There were some Italians with one of our units."
读书笔记
是否公开
179
-
“你们肯替我们开车,那是再好也没有了,”我说。
读书笔记
是否公开
179
-
"It would be fine if you would take the cars," I said.
"We’ll be most careful of them," he straightened up. "This chap of yours was very anxious for me to see you." He patted Gordini on the shoulder. Gordini winced and smiled. The Englishman broke into voluble and perfect Italian.
"Now everything is arranged. I’ve seen your Tenente. We will take over the two cars. You won’t worry now." He broke off, "I must do something about getting you out of here. I’ll see the medical wallahs. We’ll take you back with us."
读书笔记
是否公开
182
-
他朝包扎站走去,一步一步小心地走,怕踩在地上伤员的身上。我看见毛毯给揭开,灯光射出,他走了进去。
读书笔记
是否公开
182
-
He walked across to the dressing station, stepping carefully among the wounded. I saw the blanket open, the light came out and he went in.
"I am all right." He sat down beside me. In a moment the blanket in front of the dressing station opened and two stretcherbearers came out followed by the tall Englishman. He brought them over to me.
读书笔记
是否公开
186
-
“就是这位美国中尉,”他用意大利话说。
读书笔记
是否公开
186
-
"Here is the American Tenente," he said in Italian.
读书笔记
是否公开
187
-
“我还是等一等吧,”我说。“还有比我伤得更厉害的人哪。我没什么。”
读书笔记
是否公开
187
-
"I’d rather wait," I said. "There are much worse wounded than me. I’m all right."
"Come, come," he said. "Don’t be a bloody hero." Then in Italian: "Lift him very carefully about the legs. His legs are very painful. He is the legitimate son of President Wilson." They picked me up and took me into the dressing room. Inside they were operating on all the tables. The little major looked at us furious. He recognized me and waved a forceps.
"I have brought him in," the tall Englishman said in Italian. "The only son of the American Ambassador. He can be here until you are ready to take him. Then I will take him with my first load." He bent over me. "I’ll look up their adjutant to do your papers and it will all go much faster."
He stooped to go under the doorway and went out. The major was unhooking the forceps now, dropping them in a basin. I followed his hands with my eyes. Now he was bandaging. Then the stretcher-bearers took the man off the table.
"I’ll take the American Tenente," one of the captains said. They lifted me onto the table. It was hard and slippery. There were many strong smells, chemical smells and the sweet smell of blood.
They took off my trousers and the medical captain commenced dictating to the sergeant-adjutant while he worked, "Multiple superficial wounds of the left and right thigh and left and right knee and right foot. Profound wounds of right knee and foot.
Lacerations of the scalp (he probed--Does that hurt?--Christ, yes!) with possible fracture of the skull.Incurred in the line of duty. That’s what keeps you from being court-martialled for self-inflicted wounds," he said. "Would you like a drink of brandy?
How did you run into this thing anyway? What were you trying to do? Commit suicide? Antitetanus please, and mark a cross on both legs. Thank you. I’ll clean this up a little, wash it out, and put on a dressing. Your blood coagulates beautifully."
读书笔记
是否公开
196
-
填病历卡的副官抬起头来问:“伤的原因呢?”
读书笔记
是否公开
196
-
The adjutant, looking up from the paper, "What inflicted the wounds?"
读书笔记
是否公开
197
-
上尉问我:“什么东西打中你的?”
读书笔记
是否公开
197
-
The medical captain, "What hit you?"
读书笔记
是否公开
198
-
我闭着眼睛回答:“一颗迫击炮弹。”
读书笔记
是否公开
198
-
Me, with the eyes shut, "A trench mortar shell."
读书笔记
是否公开
199
-
上尉一边在我伤口上动很疼痛的手术,割裂肌肉组织,一边问道:“你有把握吗?”
读书笔记
是否公开
199
-
The captain, doing things that hurt sharply and severing tissue--"Are you sure?"
读书笔记
是否公开
200
-
我极力安静地躺着,虽则肉一被割,就感觉到胃也跟着颤抖起来,我说:“大概是吧。”
读书笔记
是否公开
200
-
Me--trying to lie still and feeling my stomach flutter when the flesh was cut, "I think so."
Captain doctor--(interested in something he was finding), "Fragments of enemy trench-mortar shell. Now I’ll probe for some of this if you like but it’s not necessary. I’ll paint all this and--Does that sting? Good, that’s nothing to how it will feel later.
The pain hasn’t started yet. Bring him a glass of brandy. The shock dulls the pain; but this is all right, you have nothing to worry about if it doesn’t infect and it rarely does now. How is your head?"
读书笔记
是否公开
203
-
“好基督啊!”我说。
读书笔记
是否公开
203
-
"Good Christ" I said.
读书笔记
是否公开
204
-
“那么白兰地别喝太多吧。倘若你的头骨骨折,可就要防止发炎。这样你觉得怎么样?”
读书笔记
是否公开
204
-
"Better not drink too much brandy then. If you’ve got a fracture you don’t want inflammation. How does that feel?"
读书笔记
是否公开
205
-
我全身出汗。
读书笔记
是否公开
205
-
Sweat ran all over me.
读书笔记
是否公开
206
-
“好基督啊!”我说。
读书笔记
是否公开
206
-
"Good Christ!" I said.
读书笔记
是否公开
207
-
“我看,你的头盖可真的骨折啦。我把你包起来,免得你的头东碰西撞。”
读书笔记
是否公开
207
-
"I guess you’ve got a fracture all right. I’ll wrap you up and don’t bounce your head around."
读书笔记
是否公开
208
-
他开始包扎,他双手的动作很快,绷带扎得又紧又稳。“好了,祝你交好运,法兰西万岁!”
读书笔记
是否公开
208
-
He bandaged, his hands moving very fast and the bandage coming taut and sure. "All right, good luck and Vive la France."
读书笔记
是否公开
209
-
“他是美国人,”另外一位上尉说。
读书笔记
是否公开
209
-
"He’s an American," one of the other captains said.
"I thought you said he was a Frenchman. He talks French," the captain said. "I’ve known him before. I always thought he was French." He drank a half tumbler of cognac. "Bring on something serious. Get some more of that Antitetanus." The captain waved to me.
They lifted me and the blanket-flap went across my face as we went out. Outside the sergeant-adjutant knelt down beside me where I lay, "Name?" he asked softly. "Middle name? First name? Rank? Where born? What class? What corps?" and so on. "I’m sorry for your head, Tenente. I hope you feel better. I’m sending you now with the English ambulance."
"I’m all right," I said. "Thank you very much." The pain that the major had spoken about had started and all that was happening was without interest or relation. After a while the English ambulance came up and they put me onto a stretcher and lifted the stretcher up to the ambulance level and shoved it in.
There was another stretcher by the side with a man on it whose nose I could see, waxy-looking, out of the bandages. He breathed very heavily. There were stretchers lifted and slid into the slings above. The tall English driver came around and looked in, "I’ll take it very easily," he said. "I hope you’ll be comfy."
I felt the engine start, felt him climb up into the front seat, felt the brake come off and the clutch go in, then we started. I lay still and let the pain ride.
As the ambulance climbed along the road, it was slow in the traffic, sometimes it stopped, sometimes it backed on a turn, then finally it climbed quite fast. I felt something dripping. At first it dropped slowly and regularly, then it pattered into a stream. I shouted to the driver. He stopped the car and looked in through the hole behind his seat.
读书笔记
是否公开
216
-
“什么事?”
读书笔记
是否公开
216
-
"What is it?"
读书笔记
是否公开
217
-
“我上边那张担架上的人在流血。”
读书笔记
是否公开
217
-
"The man on the stretcher over me has a hemorrhage."
"We’re not far from the top. I wouldn’t be able to get the stretcher out alone." He started the car. The stream kept on. In the dark I could not see where it came from the canvas overhead. I tried to move sideways so that it did not fall on me. Where it had run down under my shirt it was warm and sticky.
I was cold and my leg hurt so that it made me sick. After a while the stream from the stretcher above lessened and started to drip again and I heard and felt the canvas above move as the man on the stretcher settled more comfortably.
The drops fell very slowly, as they fall from an icicle after the sun has gone. It was cold in the car in the night as the road climbed. At the post on the top they took the stretcher out and put another in and we went on.