The afternoon was lamentable． —
下午时分令人痛惜。 —

They could not understand this caprice of the German； —
他们无法理解德国人这一反复无常的举止； —

and the most singular ideas would come into their heads to trouble them． —
最奇特的念头会侵扰他们的头脑。 —

Everybody staved in the kitchen and discussed the situation endlessly，imagining all sorts of unlikely things． —
大家都挤在厨房里无休止地讨论这种局势，幻想出各种不太可能的情景。 —

Perhaps they would be retained as hostages—but to what end？ —
也许他们会被当作人质——但这又是为了什么呢？ —

—or taken prisoners—or rather a consider－able ransom might be demanded． —
——或者成为俘虏——或者更确切地说， —

At this thought a panic prevailed． —
可能会被要求支付一笔可观的赎金。 —

The richest were the most frightened，al－ready seeing themselves constrained to pay for their lives with sacks of gold poured into the hands of this insolent soldier． —
这个念头一出现，一阵恐慌就蔓延开来。最富有的人最害怕，他们已经预见到自己将不得不向这位傲慢的士兵倾倒一袋袋的金币来赎回自己的生命。 —

They racked their brains to think of some acceptable falsehoods to conceal their riches and make them pass themselves off for poor people，very poor people．Loiseau took off the chain to his watch and hid it away in his pocket． —
他们绞尽脑汁想出一些可以接受的谎言来隐藏他们的财富，让自己伪装成穷人，非常穷的人。洛瓦索摘下了他的手表链，将其藏进了口袋里。 —

The falling night increased their apprehensions． —
傍晚降临加剧了他们的恐惧。灯被点亮了， —

The lamp was lighted，and as there was still two hours before dinner，Madame Loiseau proposed a game of Thirty－one． —
而且离晚餐时间还有两个小时，Madame 洛瓦索提议玩一局三十一点游戏。这将是一个消遣。 —

It would be a diversion．They accepted．Cornudet himself，having smoked out his pipe，took part for politeness．
他们接受了。连科努德自己，在抽完了他的烟斗后，出于礼貌也参与了游戏。

The Count shuffled the cards，dealt，and Ball－of－Fat had thirty-one at the outset； —
伯爵洗牌、发牌后，胖球首局就拿到了三十一点； —

and immediately the interest was great enough to appease the fear that haunted their minds． —
情势立即变得十分紧张，足以抵消他们心中的那股恐惧。然后， —

Then Cornudet perceived that the house of Loiseau was given to tricks．
科努德察觉到洛瓦索家居然耍手脚。

As they were going to the dinner table，Mr. Follenvie again appeared，and，in wheezing，rattling voice，announced：
当他们前往餐桌时，福朗维先生再次出现，用一种喘气呼哧、声音嘶哑地宣布：

“The Prussian officer orders me to ask Miss Elizabeth Rousset if she has yet changed her mind．”
“普鲁士军官命令我来询问伊丽莎白·鲁塞特小姐，她是否改变了主意。”

Ball－of-Fat remained standing and was pale； —
胖球站立着，脸色苍白；随后突然满面通红， —

then suddenly becoming crimson，such a stifling anger took possession of her that she could not speak． —
一种憋屈的愤怒充满了她的整个身体以至于她说不出话来。但最终，她爆发了： —

But finally she flashed out： —
“你告诉那个肮脏的畜生， —

“You may say to the dirty beast，that idiot，that carrion of a Prussian，that I shall never change it； —
那个白痴，那个普鲁士的腐肉，我永远也不会改变主意；你听清楚了，永远不会， —

you understand，never，never，never！”
永远不会，永远不会！”

The great innkeeper went out． —
那位出色的旅馆老板出去了。 —

Then Ball-of-Fat was immediately surrounded，questioned，and solicited by all to disclose the mystery of his visit． —
接着，所有人立即围住乐胖子，迫切地追问并要求她透露他访问的秘密。 —

She resisted，at first，but soon becoming exasperated，she said：“What does he want？ —
起初她拒绝了，但很快被激怒，她说：“他想干什么？ —

You really want to know what he wants？ —
你们真想知道他想干什么？ —

He wants to sleep with me．”
他想和我睡觉。”

Everybody was choked for words，and indignation was rife． —
大家都哑口无言，愤怒蔓延。 —

Cornudet broke his glass，so violently did． —
科努德愤怒地拍打桌子，以致杯子摔碎了。 —

he bring his fist down upon the table． —
—

There was a clamor of censure against this ignoble soldier，a blast of anger，a union of all for resistance，as if a demand had been made on each one of the party for the sacrifice exacted of her． —
这位无耻的士兵遭到了人们的斥责，愤怒的怒吼，所有人齐心协力反对，就好像对党中的每一个人都提出了对她提出的牺牲要求一样。 —

The Count declared with disgust that those people conducted themselves after the fashion of the ancient barbarians． —
伯爵厌恶地宣称那些人的行为简直和古代野蛮人一样。特别是女士们， —

The women，especially，showed to Ball－of－Fat a most energetic and tender commiseration． —
她们对乐胖子表现出最激烈和充满同情的关怀。 —

The good sisters who only showed themselves at mealtime．lowered their heads and said nothing．
那些只在用餐时间露面的好心修女们低下头，一言不发。

They all dined，nevertheless，when the first furore had abated． —
尽管最初的骚动稍歇，他们还是坐下用餐了。 —

But there was little conversation； —
但餐桌上鲜有交谈； —

they were thinking．
他们都在思考。

The ladies retired early，and the men，all smoking，organized a game at cards to which Mr. Follenvie was invited，as they intended to put a few casual questions to him on the subject of conquering the resistance of this officer． —
女士们早早退场，男士们则抽着烟，组织了一场纸牌游戏，并邀请了福朗维先生，他们打算借此机会随意向他提问， —

But he thought of nothing but the cards and，without listening or answering，would keep repeating： —
探询如何征服那位官员的抵抗。 —

“To the game，sirs，to the game． —
“集中注意力打牌，先生们， —

”His attention was so taken that he even forgot to expectorate，which must have put him some points to the good with the organ in his breast． —
打牌。”他如此专注于牌局，以至于连吐痰都忘了，这无疑让他的胸腔器官获得了一些积分。 —

His whistling lungs ran the whole asthmatic scale，from deep，profound tones to the sharp rustiness of a young cock essaying to crow．
他气喘吁吁的肺好似奏响了所有的哮喘音阶，从低沉深邃的音调到尖锐的锈蚀声，像是一只年轻的公鸡尝试啼鸣。

He even refused to retire when his wife，who had fallen asleep previously，came to look for him． —
即便是在他的妻子，先前已经睡着了，来找他时，他还是拒绝退场。 —

She went away alone，for she was an“early bird，”always up with the sun，while her husband was a“night owl，”al-ways ready to pass the night with his friends． —
她独自离开了，因为她是个“早起的鸟”，总是伴随着太阳起床，而她的丈夫则是个“夜猫子”，总是准备好和朋友们熬过整个夜晚。 —

He cried out to her： —
—

“Leave my creamed chicken before the fire！ —
他对她喊道：“把我的奶油鸡放在火前！ —

”and then went on with his game． —
”然后继续他的游戏。 —

When they saw that they could get nothing from him，they declared that it was time to stop，and each sought his bed．
当他们看到从他这儿得不到什么东西时，他们宣布是时候结束了，每个人都去寻找床铺。

They all rose rather early the next day，with an undefined hope of getting away，which desire the terror of passing another day in that horrible inn greatly in-creased．
第二天，他们都相对较早地起床，心里带着一种想要离开的模糊希望，这种欲望因为害怕在那个可怕的旅店再度度过一天而大为增加。

Alas！the horses remained in the stable and the driver was invisible． —
唉！马匹依旧停在马厩中，而马车夫也不见了。 —

For want of better employment，they went out and walked around the carriage．
为了找点事情做，他们走了出去，在马车周围散步。

The breakfast was very doleful； —
早餐时分格外沉闷； —

and it became apparent that a coldness had arisen toward Ball-of－Fat，and that the night，which brings counsel，had slightly modified their judgments． —
随之显而易见的是，众人对巴尔的小姐产生了冷淡，经过一夜的睡眠和思考，他们的看法有了微妙的变化。 —

They almost wished now that the Prussian had secretly found this girl，in order to give her companions a pleasant surprise in the morning． —
他们几乎希望普鲁士人能在夜里偷偷地找到这个姑娘，早晨能给他们一个惊喜。 —

What could be more simple？ —
这有什么不简单的呢？ —

Besides，who would know anything about it？ —

She could save appearances by telling the officer that she took pity on their distress． —

To her，it would make so little difference！

No one had avowed these thoughts yet．
况且，谁会知道真相？她可以对那位官员说，她是出于对他们困境的同情。对她来说，这区别并不大！

In the afternoon，as they were almost perishing from ennui，the Count proposed that they take a walk around the village． —
然而， —

Each wrapped up warmly and the little party set out，with the exception of Cornudet，who preferred to remain near the fire，and the good sisters，who passed their time in the church or at the cu－rate’s．
还没有人明确表达这些想法。

The cold，growing more intense every day，cruelly pinched their noses and ears； —
寒冷日益加剧，无情地掐着他们的鼻子和耳朵； —

their feet became so numb that each step was torture； —
他们的脚变得如此麻木，以至于每迈出一步都是折磨； —

and when they came to a field it seemed to them frightfully sad under this limit－less white，so that everybody returned immediately，with hearts hard pressed and souls congealed．
当他们来到一片田野时，那无边的白色看上去是如此凄凉，以至于每个人都立刻回来了，心情沉重，灵魂冻结。

The four women walked ahead，the three gentle－men followed just behind． Loiseau，who understood the situation，asked suddenly if they thought that girl there was going to keep them long in such a place as this． —
四位女士走在前头，三位绅士紧随其后。洛瓦索了解这情形，突然问大家是否认为那个女孩会在这样的地方将他们留很长时间。 —

The Count，always courteous，said that they could not exact from a woman a sacrifice so hard，unless it should come of her own will． —
总是有礼的伯爵说，除非是女士自愿， —

Mr. Carré－Lamadon remarked that if the French made their return through Dieppe，as
否则他们不应该要求一个女士做出如此艰难的牺牲。

made the two others anxious．
卡雷-拉马东先生的话让另外两人焦虑起来。

“If we could only get away on foot，”said Loiseau．
“如果我们能徒步离开就好了，”洛瓦索说。

The Count shrugged his shoulders： —
伯爵耸了耸肩： —

“How can we think of it in this snow？ —
“在这样的雪地里怎么能想得到逃跑呢？ —

and with our wives？” he said．“And then，we should be pursued and caught in ten minutes and led back prisoners at the mercy of these soldiers．”
还有我们的妻子们。”他说，“况且，我们十分钟就会被追上，像阶下囚一样被那些士兵带回去。”

It was true，and they were silent．
这是真的，他们陷入了沉默。

The ladies talked of their clothes，but a certain constraint seemed to disunite them． —
女士们谈论着她们的衣服，但似乎有一种约束使她们感到相互疏远。 —

Suddenly at the end of the street，the officer appeared． —
突然，在街道的尽头，那个军官出现了。 —

His tall，wasp-like figure in uniform was outlined upon the horizon formed by the snow，and he was marching with knees apart，a gait particularly military，which is affected that they may not spot their carefully blackened boots．
他高挑、像黄蜂一样的身形穿着制服，在由积雪构成的地平线上显得格外醒目，他分开膝盖走路，这是一种特别的军事步态，目的是为了避免污损他们精心擦亮的靴子。

He bowed in passing near the ladies and looked disdainfully at the men，who preserved their dignity by not seeing him，except Loiseau，who made a motion toward raising his hat．
他路过女士们时鞠了个躬，轻蔑地瞥了男士们一眼，男士们为了保持尊严装作没看见他，只有洛瓦索做了个摘帽致意的手势。

Ball-of－Fat reddened to the ears，and the three married women resented the great humiliation of being thus met by this soldier in the company of this girl whom he had treated so cavalierly．
“肥球”耳根通红，那三个已婚妇女感到极为屈辱，这位士兵竟然在这个他轻蔑对待的女孩面前与她们相遇。

But they spoke of him，of his figure and his face． —
但她们谈论起那个男人， —

Madame Carré－Lamadon who had known many officers and considered herself a connoisseur of them，found this one not at all bad； —
他的体态和面貌。自认为见多识广的军官专家马当夫人则觉得这位不赖， —

she regretted even that he was not French，because he would make such a pretty hussar，one all the women would rave over．
甚至还有些遗憾他不是法国人，因为他若是个轻骑兵，定能令所有女人为之疯狂。

Again in the house，no one knew what to do． —
再次回到屋里，大家都不知道该做什么。 —

Some sharp words，even，were said about things very insignificant． —
一些鸡毛蒜皮的小事甚至还引发了尖锐的争论。 —

The dinner was silent，and almost immediately after it，each one went to his room to kill time in sleep．
晚餐时大家沉默无声，饭后几乎立刻，每个人都回到自己的房间借睡眠消磨时间。