Every Sunday, as soon as they were free, the little soldiers would go for a walk.
每个星期日，一旦他们解放了，小士兵们就会去散步。 —

They turned to the right on leaving the barracks, crossed Courbevoie with rapid strides, as though on a forced march;
他们离开兵营后向右转，快步穿过Courbevoie，就像强制行军一样快速前进。 —

then, as the houses grew scarcer, they slowed down and followed the dusty road which leads to Bezons.
然后，当房子变得更少时，他们放慢了脚步，沿着通往Bezons的尘土飞扬的道路前行。

They were small and thin, lost in their ill-fitting capes, too large and too long, whose sleeves covered their hands;
他们又矮又瘦，在他们不合身的斗篷中迷失了，太大而太长，袖子遮住了他们的手。 —

their ample red trousers fell in folds around their ankles.
宽大的红裤子在他们的脚腕上褶皱起来。 —

Under the high, stiff shako one could just barely perceive two thin, hollow-cheeked Breton faces, with their calm, naive blue eyes.
在高高的、硬邦邦的帽子下，只能隐隐约约看到两张瘦脸，瘦脸上有沉静天真的蓝眼睛。 —

They never spoke during their journey, going straight before them, the same idea in each one’s mind taking the place of conversation.
他们在旅途中从不说话，径直走在前面，每个人心中都有着相同的想法，取代了交谈。 —

For at the entrance of the little forest of Champioux they had found a spot which reminded them of home, and they did not feel happy anywhere else.
因为在Champioux的小森林入口处，他们发现了一个让他们想起家乡的地方，他们在其他任何地方都感到不快乐。

At the crossing of the Colombes and Chatou roads, when they arrived under the trees, they would take off their heavy, oppressive headgear and wipe their foreheads.
当他们走到科伦比和夏图路的交叉路口时，他们会走进树林下，脱下沉重压迫的头饰，擦干额头的汗水。

They always stopped for a while on the bridge at Bezons, and looked at the Seine. They stood there several minutes, bending over the railing, watching the white sails, which perhaps reminded them of their home, and of the fishing smacks leaving for the open.
他们总是在贝松的桥上停留片刻，看着塞纳河。他们会站在那里几分钟，弯腰倚在栏杆上，看着白帆，或许会让他们想起家乡，还有那些开往大海的渔船。

As soon as they had crossed the Seine, they would purchase provisions at the delicatessen, the baker’s, and the wine merchant’s.
一到塞纳河对岸，他们会在熟食店、面包店和酒商那里买些食物。 —

A piece of bologna, four cents’ worth of bread, and a quart of wine, made up the luncheon which they carried away, wrapped up in their handkerchiefs.
一块肉肠，四分钱的面包，一夸脱的酒，这就是他们打包带走的午餐，用手帕包好。 —

But as soon as they were out of the village their gait would slacken and they would begin to talk.
但一走出村子，他们的步伐就会放慢，开始交谈。

Before them was a plain with a few clumps of trees, which led to the woods, a little forest which seemed to remind them of that other forest at Kermarivan.
他们面前是一片带着几丛树的平原，通向森林，一片小森林仿佛让他们想起了克尔马里凡的另一个森林。 —

The wheat and oat fields bordered on the narrow path, and Jean Kerderen said each time to Luc Le Ganidec:
麦田和燕麦地紧挨着狭窄的小路，让·克尔德兰每次对吕克·勒甘迪克说道：

“It’s just like home, just like Plounivon.”
“就像家一样，就像普卢尼沃恩一样。”

“Yes, it’s just like home.”
“是的，就像家一样。”

And they went on, side by side, their minds full of dim memories of home.
于是他们并肩而行，心中充满着家乡模糊的记忆。 —

They saw the fields, the hedges, the forests, and beaches.
他们看到了田地、树篱、森林和海滩。

Each time they stopped near a large stone on the edge of the private estate, because it reminded them of the dolmen of Locneuven.
每次他们停在私人庄园边上的一块大石头旁，因为它让他们想起了洛克纳文的长堂。

As soon as they reached the first clump of trees, Luc Le Ganidec would cut off a small stick, and, whittling it slowly, would walk on, thinking of the folks at home.
吕克·勒甘迪克一到第一丛树旁边就会削下一根小枝，慢慢地刻着，一边走一边想着家乡的人们。

Jean Kerderen carried the provisions.
让·克尔德兰负责带着食物供给。

From time to time Luc would mention a name, or allude to some boyish prank which would give them food for plenty of thought.
吕克时不时地提到一个名字，或者暗示某个童年恶作剧，这给他们提供了充足的思考材料。 —

And the home country, so dear and so distant, would little by little gain possession of their minds, sending them back through space, to the well-known forms and noises, to the familiar scenery, with the fragrance of its green fields and sea air.
亲爱而遥远的故乡，逐渐渗入他们的心灵，把他们带回了熟悉的形式和噪音，熟悉的风景，带有绿野和海风的芬芳。 —

They no longer noticed the smells of the city.
他们不再注意城市的气味。 —

And in their dreams they saw their friends leaving, perhaps forever, for the dangerous fishing grounds.
在梦中，他们看到朋友们离开，也许永远离开，去危险的渔场。

They were walking slowly, Luc Le Ganidec and Jean Kerderen, contented and sad, haunted by a sweet sorrow, the slow and penetrating sorrow of a captive animal which remembers the days of its freedom.
卢克·勒加尼德和让·凯德伦慢慢地走着，既满足又伤感，被一种甜蜜的悲伤所困扰，那是一种慢慢而渗透性的悲伤，像一个囚禁的动物记得自由的日子。

And when Luc had finished whittling his stick, they came to a little nook, where every Sunday they took their meal.
当卢克雕好他的树枝后，他们来到一个小角落，每个星期天他们在这里用餐。 —

They found the two bricks, which they had hidden in a hedge, and they made a little fire of dry branches and roasted their sausages on the ends of their knives.
他们找到了他们藏在篱笆里的两块砖头，用干树枝搭起了一个小火，用刀子烤着他们的香肠。

When their last crumb of bread had been eaten and the last drop of wine had been drunk, they stretched themselves out on the grass side by side, without speaking, their half-closed eyes looking away in the distance, their hands clasped as in prayer, their red-trousered legs mingling with the bright colors of the wild flowers.
当他们吃完了最后一块面包，喝掉最后一滴酒，他们并肩躺在草地上，不再说话，渐渐闭上眼睛，眼神望向远方，双手合十，红裤子的腿与野花的明亮颜色交织在一起。

Towards noon they glanced, from time to time, towards the village of Bezons, for the dairy maid would soon be coming.
到了中午，他们不时地看向贝松村，因为挤奶女工很快就会来。 —

Every Sunday she would pass in front of them on the way to milk her cow, the only cow in the neighborhood which was sent out to pasture.
每个星期天，她都会经过他们去挤奶，周围只有一头牛送到牧场。

Soon they would see the girl, coming through the fields, and it pleased them to watch the sparkling sunbeams reflected from her shining pail.
很快，他们就会看到女孩，从田间走来，看着阳光从她闪闪发光的桶上反射出来，这让他们很高兴。 —

They never spoke of her. They were just glad to see her, without understanding why.
他们从来不提她。他们只是很高兴看到她，却不明白为什么。

She was a tall, strapping girl, freckled and tanned by the open air—a girl typical of the Parisian suburbs.
她是个高大结实的女孩，阳光晒得斑斑点点，典型的巴黎郊区女孩。

Once, on noticing that they were always sitting in the same place, she said to them:
她发现他们总是坐在同一个地方，便对他们说道：

“Do you always come here?”
“你们总是来这里吗？”

Luc Le Ganidec, more daring than his friend, stammered:
卢克·勒加尼德克比他的朋友更加大胆，结结巴巴地回答说：

“Yes, we come here for our rest.”
“是的，我们来这里休息。”

That was all. But the following Sunday, on seeing them, she smiled with the kindly smile of a woman who understood their shyness, and she asked:
就这样。但第二个星期天，她看到他们时，笑容满面地对他们说道，这是一位了解他们害羞心思的女人的亲切微笑：

“What are you doing here?
“你们在这里做什么？ —

Are you watching the grass grow?”
是在看草长吗？”

Luc, cheered up, smiled: “P’raps.”
卢克振作起来，笑着说：“也许吧。”

She continued: “It’s not growing fast, is it?”
她继续说道：“它长得不快，是吗？”

He answered, still laughing: “Not exactly.”
他仍然笑着回答：“不完全是。”

She went on. But when she came back with her pail full of milk, she stopped before them and said:
她继续朝前走。可当她拿着她装满牛奶的桶回来时，站在他们面前，说道：

“Want some? It will remind you of home.”
“要不要喝点？这会让你们想起家乡。”

She had, perhaps instinctively, guessed and touched the right spot.
或许是本能地猜到并触及了他们的敏感点。

Both were moved. Then not without difficulty, she poured some milk into the bottle in which they had brought their wine.
两人被感动了。于是，她费劲地把一些牛奶倒进他们带来的瓶子中。 —

Luc started to drink, carefully watching lest he should take more than his share.
卢克开始喝，小心翼翼地留意着自己是否喝得过多。 —

Then he passed the bottle to Jean. She stood before them, her hands on her hips, her pail at her feet, enjoying the pleasure that she was giving them.
然后他把瓶子递给了简。她站在他们面前，双手叉腰，水桶在脚边，享受着她带给他们的快乐。 —

Then she went on, saying: “Well, bye-bye until next Sunday!”
然后她继续说道：“好吧，下个星期日再见！”

For a long time they watched her tall form as it receded in the distance, blending with the background, and finally disappeared.
他们长久地看着她高大的身影渐行渐远，与背景融为一体，最后消失了。

The following week as they left the barracks, Jean said to Luc:
接下来的一周，当他们离开营房时，简对卢克说：

“Don’t you think we ought to buy her something good?”
“你不觉得我们应该买点好东西给她吗？”

They were sorely perplexed by the problem of choosing something to bring to the dairy maid.
他们为给奶妈选择礼物的问题感到困惑。 —

Luc was in favor of bringing her some chitterlings;
卢克主张带给她一些肚肠； —

but Jean, who had a sweet tooth, thought that candy would be the best thing.
但是有着甜蜜牙的简认为糖果是最好的礼物。 —

He won, and so they went to a grocery to buy two sous’ worth, of red and white candies.
他赢了，于是他们去杂货店买了两个苏格红白糖果。

This time they ate more quickly than usual, excited by anticipation.
这次他们比平常更快地吃完了，兴奋地期待着。

Jean was the first one to notice her. “There she is, ” he said; and Luc answered:
简是第一个注意到她的人。“她在那儿，”他说；卢克回答：“是的， —

“Yes, there she is.”
她在那儿。”

She smiled when she saw them, and cried:
她看到他们时笑了笑，喊道：

“Well, how are you to-day?”
“嗨，你今天过得怎么样？”

They both answered together:
他们同时回答道：

“All right! How’s everything with you?”
“挺好的! 你这边怎么样？”

Then she started to talk of simple things which might interest them;
然后她开始谈论一些可能会让他们感兴趣的简单事情； —

of the weather, of the crops, of her masters.
天气、农作物、她的主人等等。

They didn’t dare to offer their candies, which were slowly melting in Jean’s pocket.
他们不敢把自己口袋里慢慢融化的糖果拿出来。最后， —

Finally Luc, growing bolder, murmured:
变得更加大胆的吕克低声说道：

“We have brought you something.”
“我们给你带了东西。”

She asked: “Let’s see it.”
她问道：“让我看看。”

Then Jean, blushing to the tips of his ears, reached in his pocket, and drawing out the little paper bag, handed it to her.
然后吉恩脸红到耳朵尖，从口袋里掏出小纸袋递给她。

She began to eat the little sweet dainties.
她开始吃着这些小甜食。 —

The two soldiers sat in front of her, moved and delighted.
两个士兵坐在她的面前，感动又开心。

At last she went to do her milking, and when she came back she again gave them some milk.
最后，她去挤奶，回来后又给了他们一些牛奶。

They thought of her all through the week and often spoke of her:
他们整个星期都想着她，经常谈论她。下个星期天， —

The following Sunday she sat beside them for a longer time.
她坐在他们旁边待了更长的时间。

The three of them sat there, side by side, their eyes looking far away in the distance, their hands clasped over their knees, and they told each other little incidents and little details of the villages where they were born, while the cow, waiting to be milked, stretched her heavy head toward the girl and mooed.
他们三个并肩坐在那里，眼睛望向远处，双手握在膝盖上，彼此讲述着出生地的一些小故事和细节，而等着挤奶的母牛则伸着沉重的脑袋朝女孩低鸣。

Soon the girl consented to eat with them and to take a sip of wine.
很快，女孩同意和他们一起吃饭，并喝了一口酒。 —

Often she brought them plums pocket for plums were now ripe.
她经常给他们带来口袋里的李子，因为现在正是李子成熟的时候。 —

Her presence enlivened the little Breton soldiers, who chattered away like two birds.
她的到来使得小布列塔尼士兵们活跃起来，他们像两只鸟一样喋喋不休。

One Tuesday something unusual happened to Luc Le Ganidec;
一个星期二，吕克·勒甘德克发生了一件不寻常的事情： —

he asked for leave and did not return until ten o’clock at night.
他请了假，直到晚上十点才回来。

Jean, worried and racked his brain to account for his friend’s having obtained leave.
让·凡是有些担心，苦苦思索着他的朋友为什么能请假。

The following Friday, Luc borrowed ten sons from one of his friends, and once more asked and obtained leave for several hours.
接下来的星期五，吕克向他的一个朋友借了十个“孙”（法国货币单位），再次请假几个小时。

When he started out with Jean on Sunday he seemed queer, disturbed, changed. Kerderen did not understand;
当他星期天和让一起出发时，他显得奇怪、心神不宁、变了。克尔代伦不明白； —

he vaguely suspected something, but he could not guess what it might be.
他模糊地怀疑着什么，但是他猜不到可能是什么。

They went straight to the usual place, and lunched slowly. Neither was hungry.
他们径直走向常去的地方，慢慢地吃午餐。两人都没有饥肠辘辘。

Soon the girl appeared. They watched her approach as they always did.
不久，女孩出现了。他们像往常一样看着她走过来。 —

When she was near, Luc arose and went towards her.
当她靠近时，卢克站起身向她走去。 —

She placed her pail on the ground and kissed him.
她把桶放在地上，亲吻了他。 —

She kissed him passionately, throwing her arms around his neck, without paying attention to Jean, without even noticing that he was there.
她激情地亲吻着他，抱住他的脖子，完全没有注意到让·在那里，甚至没有注意到他在那里。

Poor Jean was dazed, so dazed that he could not understand.
可怜的让·茫然不知所措，如此茫然以至于无法理解。 —

His mind was upset and his heart broken, without his even realizing why.
他的心思乱了，心碎了，连他自己都不知道为什么。

Then the girl sat down beside Luc, and they started to chat.
这时女孩坐在卢克旁边，他们开始聊天。

Jean was not looking at them.
让·没有看着他们。 —

He understood now why his friend had gone out twice during the week.
他现在明白了为什么他的朋友在这一周里两次出去了。 —

He felt the pain and the sting which treachery and deceit leave in their wake.
他感受到了背叛和欺骗带来的痛苦和刺痛。

Luc and the girl went together to attend to the cow.
卢克和女孩一起去照顾奶牛。

Jean followed them with his eyes.
让的目光追随着他们。 —

He saw them disappear side by side, the red trousers of his friend making a scarlet spot against the white road.
他看到他们肩并肩消失了，他朋友那红色的裤子在白色的路面上形成了一片鲜红的斑点。 —

It was Luc who sank the stake to which the cow was tethered.
是吕克把牛拴住的桩子插进地里。 —

The girl stooped down to milk the cow, while he absent-mindedly stroked the animal’s glossy neck.
女孩弯下腰挤牛奶，而他心不在焉地抚摸着牛的光滑脖子。 —

Then they left the pail in the grass and disappeared in the woods.
然后他们把牛奶桶放在草地上，消失在树林里。

Jean could no longer see anything but the wall of leaves through which they had passed.
让再也看不见除了他们通过的那堵叶墙。 —

He was unmanned so that he did not have strength to stand.
他软弱得无法站起来。 —

He stayed there, motionless, bewildered and grieving-simple, passionate grief.
他呆在那里，一动不动，困惑和悲伤，纯粹而热烈的悲伤。 —

He wanted to weep, to run away, to hide somewhere, never to see anyone again.
他想哭，想逃跑，想躲在某个地方，再也不见任何人。

Then he saw them coming back again.
然后他看见他们又回来了。 —

They were walking slowly, hand in hand, as village lovers do. Luc was carrying the pail.
他们手牵手慢慢走着，像村里的情侣那样。吕克拿着牛奶桶。

After kissing him again, the girl went on, nodding carelessly to Jean. She did not offer him any milk that day.
再次亲吻了他之后，女孩继续走了，漫不经心地向让点了点头。那天她没有给他任何牛奶。

The two little soldiers sat side by side, motionless as always, silent and quiet, their calm faces in no way betraying the trouble in their hearts.
两个小士兵静静地并排坐着，一如既往地不动如山，沉默寡言，他们平静的面容并没有泄露出内心的困扰。 —

The sun shone down on them.
阳光照耀在他们身上。 —

From time to time they could hear the plaintive lowing of the cow.
不时地，他们能听到牛低声哀鸣。 —

At the usual time they arose to return.
到了平时的时间，他们起身返回。

Luc was whittling a stick. Jean carried the empty bottle.
卢克正在削一根木棍。让把空瓶子带在身上。 —

He left it at the wine merchant’s in Bezons.
他把它留在贝松的酒商那里。 —

Then they stopped on the bridge, as they did every Sunday, and watched the water flowing by.
然后他们像每个星期天一样停在桥上，看着水流经。

Jean leaned over the railing, farther and farther, as though he had seen something in the stream which hypnotized him.
让俯身越来越远，好像他在水里看到了什么让他着迷的东西。 —

Luc said to him:
卢克对他说：

“What’s the matter? Do you want a drink?”
“怎么了？你想要喝一口吗？”

He had hardly said the last word when Jean’s head carried away the rest of his body, and the little blue and red soldier fell like a shot and disappeared in the water.
他刚说完最后一个字，让的头突然冲动起来，他的身子跟着头一起摔下去，小小的蓝红色士兵如同一颗子弹般消失在水里。

Luc, paralyzed with horror, tried vainly to shout for help.
恐惧冻结了卢克，他徒劳地想呼救。远处， —

In the distance he saw something move;
他看到有东西在动； —

then his friend’s head bobbed up out of the water only to disappear again.
然后他朋友的头从水中冒了出来，又消失了。

Farther down he again noticed a hand, just one hand, which appeared and again went out of sight.
更远处，他又注意到一只手，只有一只手，它出现了又消失了。 —

That was all.
就这样。

The boatmen who had rushed to the scene found the body that day.
赶到现场的船夫们当天找到了尸体。

Luc ran back to the barracks, crazed, and with eyes and voice full of tears, he related the accident:
Luc疯狂地跑回了兵营，眼睛和声音充满了泪水，他讲述了这起事故： —

“He leaned—he—he was leaning —so far over—that his head carried him away—and—he—fell —he fell——”
“他倾斜了 - 他 - 他倾斜得 - 如此之远 - 以至于他的头把他带走了 - 然后 - 他 - 他摔了下去 - 他摔下去了 - -”

Emotion choked him so that he could say no more.
情绪让他窒息，他说不出话来。 —

If he had only known.
如果他早知道就好了。