In the ward at the field hospital they told me a visitor was coming to see me in the afternoon. —
在野战医院的病房里,他们告诉我一个访客将在下午来看我。 —

It was a hot day and there were many flies in the room. —
那是个炎热的日子,房间里有很多苍蝇。 —

My orderly had cut paper into strips and tied the strips to a stick to make a brush that swished the flies away. —
我的助手把纸剪成条,绑在一根棍子上做成了一支刷子,可以把苍蝇赶走。 —

I watched them settle on the ceiling. When he stopped swishing and fell asleep they came down and I blew them away and finally covered my face with my hands and slept too. —
我看着它们停在天花板上。当他停止赶走它们并入睡时,它们飞下来,我吹走它们,最后用手遮住脸,我也睡着了。 —

It was very hot and when I woke my legs itched. —
醒来时很热,我的腿痒。 —

I waked the orderly and he poured mineral water on the dressings. That made the bed damp and cool. —
我叫醒了助手,他往绷带上倒了矿泉水。这使得床潮湿而凉爽。 —

Those of us that were awake talked across the ward. The afternoon was a quiet time. —
那些醒着的我们在病房里交谈。下午是一个安静的时光。 —

In the morning they came to each bed in turn, three men nurses and a doctor and picked you up out of bed and carried you into the dressing room so that the beds could be made while we were having our wounds dressed. —
早晨他们依次来到每张床前,有三名护士和一名医生,把你从床上抬起,抬到换药间,这样我们在换药的时候床就可以整理了。 —

It was not a pleasant trip to the dressing room and I did not know until later that beds could be made with men in them. —
去换药间并不是一次愉快的旅程,我直到后来才知道床可以在上面有人的情况下整理。 —

My orderly had finished pouring water and the bed felt cool and lovely and I was telling him where to scratch on the soles of my feet against the itching when one of the doctors brought in Rinaldi. —
我的助手已经倒完水,床感觉凉爽舒适,当我告诉他在我脚底痒的地方搔时,一个医生把Rinaldi带进来了。 —

He came in very fast and bent down over the bed and kissed me. —
他进来很快,弯下身在床上亲吻我。 —

I saw he wore gloves.
我看到他戴着手套。

“How are you, baby? How do you feel? I bring you this–” It was a bottle of cognac. —
“你好,宝贝?感觉怎么样?我给你带来了这个——” 这是一瓶干邑。 —

The orderly brought a chair and he sat down, “and good news. You will be decorated. —
助手拿了把椅子给他坐下,“还有好消息。他们要给你颁奖章。 —

They want to get you the medaglia d’argento but perhaps they can get only the bronze.”
他们想给你银质奖章,但也许他们只能得到铜质奖章。”

“What for?”
“干嘛呢?”

“Because you are gravely wounded. They say if you can prove you did any heroic act you can get the silver. —
“因为你受了重伤。他们说如果你能证明你做过任何英勇行为,就可以得到银牌。” —

Otherwise it will be the bronze. Tell me exactly what happened. —
“否则只能得到铜牌。告诉我到底发生了什么事。” —

Did you do any heroic act?”
“你做了什么英勇的事吗?”

“No,” I said. “I was blown up while we were eating cheese.”
“没有,”我说。“当时我们正在吃奶酪时我就爆炸了。”

“Be serious. You must have done something heroic either before or after. Remember carefully.”
“认真点。你一定在之前或之后做了一些英勇的事。仔细回想一下。”

“I did not.”
“我没有。”

“Didn’t you carry anybody on your back? Gordini says you carried several people on your back but the medical major at the first post declares it is impossible. —
“你难道没背过任何人吗?戈尔迪尼说你背过几个人,但第一个岗哨的医疗主任宣称这是不可能的。” —

He had to sign the proposition for the citation.”
“他必须签署那份提名书来获得嘉奖。”

“I didn’t carry anybody. I couldn’t move.”
“我没有背过任何人。我动弹不得。”

“That doesn’t matter,” said Rinaldi.
“那不重要,” 里纳尔迪说。

He took off his gloves.
他脱下手套。

“I think we can get you the silver. Didn’t you refuse to be medically aided before the others?”
“我觉得我们可以给你白银奖章。你不是拒绝在其他人之前接受医疗援助吗?”

“Not very firmly.”
“不是很坚决地。”

“That doesn’t matter. Look how you are wounded. —
“这不重要。看看你的伤。” —

Look at your valorous conduct in asking to go always to the first line. —
“看看你在总是求着去前线的英勇行为。” —

Besides, the operation was successful.”
“而且,手术成功了。”

“Did they cross the river all right?”
“他们成功地穿过了河吗?”

“Enormously. They take nearly a thousand prisoners. It’s in the bulletin. Didn’t you see it?”
“非常成功。他们俘虏了将近一千人。那在公报上有报道。你没看到吗?”

“No.”
“没有。”

“I’ll bring it to you. It is a successful coup de main.”
“我会给你拿来。这是一次成功的突袭。”

“How is everything?”
“一切都好吗?”

“Splendid. We are all splendid. Everybody is proud of you. Tell me just exactly how it happened. —
“华丽。我们都非常出色。大家都为你感到骄傲。告诉我事情到底是怎么发生的。” —

I am positive you will get the silver. Go on tell me. Tell me all about it.” He paused and thought. —
我相信你会获得银牌。继续告诉我。告诉我所有关于它的事情。”他停顿了一下,思考起来。 —

“Maybe you will get an English medal too. There was an English there. —
“或许你也会得到一枚英语奖牌。那里有一个英国人。” —

I’ll go and see him and ask if he will recommend you. He ought to be able to do something. —
我会去见他,问他是否能够为你推荐。他应该可以做些什么。 —

Do you suffer much? Have a drink. Orderly, go get a corkscrew. —
你受苦很多吗?喝一杯。有序的,去拿开瓶器。 —

Oh you should see what I did in the removal of three metres of small intestine and better now than ever. —
噢,你应该看看我切除了三米小肠后的情况,现在比以往任何时候都好。 —

It is one for The Lancet. You do me a translation and I will send it to The Lancet. —
这是给《柳叶刀》的一篇文章。您可以帮我翻译一下,然后我会把它发送给《柳叶刀》。 —

Every day I am better. Poor dear baby, how do you feel? Where is that damn corkscrew? —
每一天我都进步。可怜的宝贝,你感觉怎么样?那该死的开瓶器在哪里? —

You are so brave and quiet I forget you are suffering.” —
你是如此勇敢和沉默,我忘了你正在受苦。 —

He slapped his gloves on the edge of the bed.
他把手套拍在床的边缘。

“Here is the corkscrew, Signor Tenente,” the orderly said.
“这是开瓶器,少尉先生,”护士说。

“Open the bottle. Bring a glass. Drink that, baby. How is your poor head? I looked at your papers. —
“打开瓶子。拿一个玻璃杯。喝这个,宝贝。你可怜的头怎么样?我看了你的文件。 —

You haven’t any fracture. That major at the first post was a hog-butcher. —
你没有骨折。那个第一个哨所的少校是个屠夫。 —

I would take you and never hurt you. I never hurt anybody. I learn how to do it. —
我会带着你而不会伤害你。我从不伤害任何人。我学会如何做到这一点。 —

Every day I learn to do things smoother and better. You must forgive me for talking so much, baby. —
每天我都在学会做事更加流畅和更好。宝贝,请原谅我说了这么多。 —

I am very moved to see you badly wounded. There, drink that. It’s good. It cost fifteen lire. —
看到你受了重伤,我很感动。来,喝这个。很好。花了十五里拉。 —

It ought to be good. Five stars. After I leave here I’ll go see that English and he’ll get you an English medal.”
它应该很好。五星。我离开这里后,我会去找那个英国人,他会给你一个英国勋章。”

“They don’t give them like that.”
“他们不会那么随便给。”

“You are so modest. I will send the liaison officer. He can handle the English.”
“你太谦虚了。我会派遣联络官。他能应付英国人。”

“Have you seen Miss Barkley?”
“你见过巴克莱小姐吗?”

“I will bring her here. I will go now and bring her here.”
“我会把她带来。我现在去把她带来。”

“Don’t go,” I said. “Tell me about Gorizia. How are the girls?”
“别走,”我说。“给我讲讲戈里齐亚。女孩们怎么样?”

“There are no girls. For two weeks now they haven’t changed them. —
“已经两个星期了,没有女孩子。他们没换过。” —

I don’t go there any more. It is disgraceful. —
“我不再去那里了。太丢人了。” —

They aren’t girls; they are old war comrades.”
“她们不是女孩,她们是老战友。”

“You don’t go at all?”
“你完全不去了?”

“I just go to see if there is anything new. I stop by. They all ask for you. —
“我只是去看看有没有什么新鲜事。顺便进去。她们都问你呢。” —

It is a disgrace that they should stay so long that they become friends.”
“他们一直呆在那里成了朋友,真丢人。”

“Maybe girls don’t want to go to the front any more.”
“也许女孩们不想再去前线了。”

“Of course they do. They have plenty of girls. It is just bad administration. —
“当然愿意的。她们有很多女孩。只是管理不善。” —

They are keeping them for the pleasure of dugout hiders in the rear.”
“她们留着她们只是为了让后方的躲避者高兴。”

“Poor Rinaldi,” I said. “All alone at the war with no new girls.”
“可怜的Rinaldi,”我说。“在战争中孤零零一个,没有新女孩。”

Rinaldi poured himself another glass of the cognac.
Rinaldi倒了自己另一杯干邑。

“I don’t think it will hurt you, baby. You take it.”
“我觉得你没有关系,宝贝。你喝吧。”

I drank the cognac and felt it warm all the way down. Rinaldi poured another glass. —
我喝下了干邑,感觉到暖意直到肚子里。Rinaldi又倒了杯。 —

He was quieter now. He held up the glass. “To your valorous wounds. To the silver medal. —
他现在安静了。举起杯。“致你那英勇的伤口。致白银勋章。” —

Tell me, baby, when you lie here all the time in the hot weather don’t you get excited?”
“告诉我,宝贝,你整天躺在这里的炎热天气里,难道不兴奋吗?”

“Sometimes.”
“有时候。”

“I can’t imagine lying like that. I would go crazy.”
“我无法想象这样撒谎。我会发疯的。”

“You are crazy.”
“你疯了。”

“I wish you were back. No one to come in at night from adventures. No one to make fun of. —
“我希望你能回来。没有人在晚上从冒险中回来。没有人取笑。 —

No one to lend me money. No blood brother and roommate. —
没有人借钱给我。没有亲情兄弟和室友。 —

Why do you get yourself wounded?”
为什么要伤害自己?”

“You can make fun of the priest.”
“你可以取笑那位牧师。”

“That priest. It isn’t me that makes fun of him. It is the captain. I like him. —
“那位牧师。取笑他的不是我,是舰长。我喜欢他。 —

If you must have a priest have that priest. —
如果你非要有一位牧师,就让那位牧师来。 —

He’s coming to see you. He makes big preparations.”
他要来看你。他在做大准备。”

“I like him.”
“我喜欢他。”

“Oh, I knew it. Sometimes I think you and he are a little that way. You know.”
“哦,我知道了。有时候我觉得你和他有点那样。你知道的。”

“No, you don’t.”
“不,你不知道。”

“Yes, I do sometimes. A little that way like the number of the first regiment of the Brigata Ancona.”
“是的,有时候我觉得有点那样,就像Brigata Ancona的第一团的数字。”

“Oh, go to hell.”
“去你的。”

He stood up and put on his gloves.
他站起来戴上手套。

“Oh I love to tease you, baby. With your priest and your English girl, and really you are just like me underneath.”
“哦,我喜欢逗弄你,宝贝。有着你的牧师和英国女孩,而事实上你和我在内心深处是一样的。”

“No, I’m not.”
“不,我不是。”

“Yes, we are. You are really an Italian. All fire and smoke and nothing inside. —
“是的,我们是。你真正是个意大利人。全是火和烟,里面空空如也。 —

You only pretend to be American. We are brothers and we love each other.”
你只是假装是美国人。我们是兄弟,我们彼此相爱。”

“Be good while I’m gone,” I said.
“我要走了,要乖哦,”我说。

“I will send Miss Barkley. You are better with her without me. You are purer and sweeter.”
“我会派巴克利小姐过来。没有我,你和她相处得更好。你更纯洁更甜蜜。”

“Oh, go to hell.”
“去死吧。”

“I will send her. Your lovely cool goddess. English goddess. —
“我会派她来。你可爱的冷艳女神。英国女神。 —

My God what would a man do with a woman like that except worship her? —
我的神啊,一个男人对待这样的女人还能做些什么呢?除了崇拜她? —

What else is an Englishwoman good for?”
英国女人还有什么用处?”

“You are an ignorant foul-mouthed dago.”
“你是个无知下流的达戈。”

“A what?”
“什么?”

“An ignorant wop.”
“无知的意大利佬。”

“Wop. You are a frozen-faced … wop.”
“佬。你是一个冰冻脸孔的… 佬。”

“You are ignorant. Stupid.” I saw that word pricked him and kept on. —
“你很无知。愚蠢。” 我看到这个词刺痛了他,但仍在说下去。 —

“Uninformed. Inexperienced, stupid from inexperience.”
“无知。缺乏经验,由于缺乏经验而愚蠢。”

“Truly? I tell you something about your good women. Your goddesses. —
“真的吗?我要告诉你一些关于你们好女人的事情。你们的女神们。” —

There is only one difference between taking a girl who has always been good and a woman. —
“取一个一直表现良好的女孩和一个女人的唯一区别是。 —

With a girl it is painful. That’s all I know.” —
对于女孩而言是痛苦的。这是我知道的一切。” —

He slapped the bed with his glove. “And you never know if the girl will really like it.”
他用手套拍了一下床。“你永远不知道女孩是否真的喜欢。”

“Don’t get angry.”
“不要生气。”

“I’m not angry. I just tell you, baby, for your own good. To save you trouble.”
“我不生气。我只是告诉你,宝贝,为了你自己好。为了省去你麻烦。”

“That’s the only difference?”
“那就是唯一的区别?”

“Yes. But millions of fools like you don’t know it.”
“是的。但是像你这样的无数愚蠢的人不知道这一点。”

“You were sweet to tell me.”
“你真体贴告诉我。”

“We won’t quarrel, baby. I love you too much. But don’t be a fool.”
“我们不会吵架,宝贝。我太爱你了。但千万别傻。”

“No. I’ll be wise like you.”
“不。我会像你一样聪明。”

“Don’t be angry, baby. Laugh. Take a drink. I must go, really.”
“别生气,宝贝。笑一笑。喝一杯。我真的得走了。”

“You’re a good old boy.”
“你是个好老哥。”

“Now you see. Underneath we are the same. We are war brothers. Kiss me good-by.”
“现在你明白了。在内心深处,我们是一样的。我们是战友。亲吻我,告别。”

“You’re sloppy.”
“你太懒散了。”

“No. I am just more affectionate.”
“不,我只是更加亲昵而已。”

I felt his breath come toward me. “Good-by. I come to see you again soon.” His breath went away. —
我感受到他的呼吸逐渐远离我身边。“再见。我很快就会再来看你。”他的呼吸渐渐远去。 —

“I won’t kiss you if you don’t want. I’ll send your English girl. —
“如果你不想的话,我不会强迫你亲吻我。我会派你的英国女孩来。” —

Good-by, baby. The cognac is under the bed. Get well soon.”
“再见,宝贝。白兰地放在床底下。祝你早日康复。”

He was gone.
他已经离开了。