07年“高级英语”课文逐句翻译（9）

　　就在第二天下午3点（闹钟上的时间），一个军官走进了牢房。这是他们几星期以来见到的第一位军官。他非常年轻，甚至小胡子的形状也显示出他不够老练，左边的胡子剃得重了点。

　　It was at three the next afternoon （alarm clock time） that an officer entered the cell； the first officer they had seen for weeks – and this one was very young， with inexperience even in the shape of his mustache which he had shaved too much on the left side.

　　他就像一个初次登台领奖的小学生一样窘迫不安，他说起话来粗鲁无礼，似乎要显示一种他并不具备的力量。

　　He was as embarrassed as a schoolboy making his first entry on a stage at a prize-giving， and he spoke abruptly so as to give the impression of a strength he did not possess.

　　他说道：“昨天夜间城里发生了几起谋杀，一名军事长官的副手、一位中士和一个骑自行车的女孩被杀。”他又说道：“我们不在乎女孩的死。法国男人杀死法国女人不关我们的事。”

　　He said， “There were murders last night in the town. The aide-de-camp of the military governor， a sergeant and a girl on a bicycle.” He added， “We don't complain about the girl. Frenchmen have our permission to kill Frenchwomen.”

　　很明显他事先仔细斟酌了他的讲话，但他的嘲弄做过了头，他的表演也很业余。

　　He had obviously thought up his speech carefully beforehand， but the irony was overdone and the delivery that of an amateur actor：

　　整个场面就像手势字谜游戏那样矫饰做作。

　　the whole scene was as unreal as a charade.

　　他接着说道：“你们知道自己为什么来这里，你们在这里好吃好喝，过着舒适的日子，而我们的人却在工作和战斗。不过现在你们必须付出代价了。不要怪我们，要怪你们自己的杀人凶手。我的命令是集中营里每十个人要有一个被枪决。你们有多少人？”“报数。”他厉声喝道人们闷闷不乐地照办了。“28，29，30.”人们知道不用数他也知道人数，这不过是他玩的把戏中不可省略的一句台词……

　　He said， “You know what you are here for， living comfortably， on fine rations， while our men work and fight. Well， now you've got to pay the hotel bill. Don't blame us. Blame your own murderers. My orders are that one man in every ten shall be shot in this camp. How many of you are there？” He shouted sharply， “Number off，” and sullenly they obeyed， “…… twenty-eight， twenty-nine， thirty.” They knew he knew without counting. This was just a line in his charade he couldn't sacrifice.

　　他说道：“那么，你们的名额是三个，我们并不关心是哪三个人。你们可以自己选择。死刑于明天早上7点执行。”

　　He said， “Your allotment then is three. We are quite indifferent as to which three. You can choose for yourselves. The funeral rites will begin at seven tomorrow morning.”

　　他玩的把戏结束了，人们可以听到他的脚步响亮地敲击着沥青路渐渐远去。

　　The charade was over： they could hear his feet striking sharply on the asphalt going away.

　　查维尔忽然很想知道他打的手势是什么字。要他们猜的是不是“夜间”，“姑娘”，“旁边”或“30”。不，不是。谜底肯定是“人质”。

　　Chavel wondered for a moment what syllable had been acted —“night，”“girl，”“aside，” or perhaps “thirty，” but it was of course the whole word—“hostage. ”

　　牢房里很长时间没人说话。后来一个叫克拉夫的阿尔萨斯人开口道：“好了，我们有人自愿吗？”

　　The silence went on a long time， and then a man called Krogh， an Alsatian， said， “Well， do we have to volunteer？”

　　“废话。”一个职员说道。他是一个上了年纪的戴着夹鼻眼镜的老头。他接着说道：“没人会自愿，我们必须抽签。除非有人认为应按年龄决定——最老的先死。”

　　“Rubbish，” said one of the clerks， a thin elderly man in pince-nez， “nobody will volunteer. We must draw lots.” He added， “Un-less it is thought that we should go by ages —the oldest first. ”

　　“不，不行。”另一个人说道，“那不公平。”

　　“No， no，” one of the others said， “that would be unjust. ”

　　“这是自然规律。”

　　“It's the way of nature.”

　　“那算什么自然规律。”又一个人说道，“我有个女儿，5岁时就死了。”

　　“Not even the way of nature，” another said. “1 had a child who died when she was five……”

　　“我们必须抽签。”市长坚定地说。

　　“We must draw lots，” the mayor said firmly.

　　“只有这样才公正。”他坐在那里，双手依然紧贴在肚子上，遮挡着他的怀表，但是整个牢房里都能听见怀表清脆的滴答声。

　　“It is the only fair thing.” He sat with his hands still pressed over his stomach， hiding his watch， but all through the cell you could hear its blunt tick lock tick.

　　他接着又说道：“由未婚者抽签，已婚者除外，他们有责任。”

　　He added， “On the unmarried. The married should not be included. They have responsibilities…

　　“哈，哈！”皮埃尔说道，“我们明白了。为什么已婚者就应逃脱？他们的事儿已经做完了。当然，你结婚了吧？”

　　“Ha， ha，” Pierre said， “we see through that. Why should the married get off？ Their work's finished. You， of course， are married？”

　　“我的妻子不在了。”市长说，“我现在是未婚，你呢？”

　　“I have lost my wife，” the mayor said， “I am not married now. And you…”

　　“结了。”皮埃尔答道。

　　“Married，” Pierre said.

　　市长开始解下怀表。发现皮埃尔处境安全，他似乎更坚信作为怀表的主人自己必定是下一个牺牲者。

　　The mayor began to undo his watch； the discovery that his rival was safe seemed to confirm his belief that as the owner of time he was bound to be the next victim.

　　他环顾了每一个人，然后选择了查维尔。也许是因为只有他穿着西服背心适合戴表链。他说道：“查维尔先生，我想让你替我拿着怀表，万一……”

　　He looked from face to face and chose Chavel， perhaps because he was the only man with a waistcoat fit to take the chain. He said， “Monsieur Chavel， I want you to hold this watch for me in case…”

　　“你最好找别人吧！”查维尔说，“我还没结婚呢。”

　　“you'd better choose someone else，” Chavel said. “I am not married.”

　　那个老职员又开口了，“我结婚了，我有权说话。

　　The elderly clerk spoke again. He said， “I'm married. I've got the right to speak.

　　我们正把一切引向歧途。这不是我们最后一次抽签。如果这儿有一个特权阶层——那些最终将活着的人，大家想想，牢房里会是什么样子。你们其他人很快就会痛恨我们。你们害怕，而我们将不再担心。“

　　We are going the wrong way about all this. Everyone must draw lots. This isn't the last draw we shall have， and picture to yourselves what it will be like in this cell if we have a privileged class —the ones who are left to the end. The rest of you will soon begin to hate us. We shall be left out of your fear. . . “

　　“他说得对。”皮埃尔说。

　　“He's right，” Pierre said.

　　市长重新握紧了怀表，说道：“就照你们的主意办。要是能够这样征税的话……”他做了个绝望的手势。

　　The mayor refastened his watch. “Have it your own way，” he said. “But if the taxes were levied like this…” He gave a gesture of despair.

　　“我们如何抽签？”克拉夫问道。

　　“How do we draw？” Krogh asked.

　　查维尔答道：“最快的办法就是从一只鞋里抽出画有记号的纸条。”

　　Chavel said， “The quickest way would be to draw marked papers out of a shoe. . .”

　　克拉夫轻蔑地说：“那么快干吗？对于我们当中几个人来说这可是最后一次赌博了。我们蛮可以享受一番。我提议赌抛硬币。”

　　Krogh said contemptuously， “Why the quickest way？ This is the last gamble some of us will have. We may as well enjoy it. I say a coin.”

　　“这不好。”那个职员说，“抛硬币不是一个公平、合理的办法。”

　　“It won't work，” the clerk said. “You can't get a even chance with a coin.”

　　“惟一的办法就是抽签。”市长说道。

　　“The only way is to draw，” the mayor said.

　　职员开始为抽签做准备，为此他牺牲了一封家信。

　　The clerk prepared the draw， sacrificing for it one of his letters from home.

　　他很快地看了一遍信，然后把它撕