One morning I awoke about three o’clock hearing Catherine stirring in the bed.
有一天早上我在三点左右被凯瑟琳在床上动静所吵醒。

“Are you all right, Cat?”
“你还好吗，猫儿？”

“I’ve been having some pains, darling.”
“亲爱的，我有些疼痛。”

“Regularly?”
“是规律的吗？”

“No, not very.”
“不，不是很规律。”

“If you have them at all regularly we’ll go to the hospital.”
“如果疼痛稍微规律一点，我们就去医院。”

I was very sleepy and went back to sleep. A little while later I woke again.
我很困，又去睡觉了。过了一会儿我再次醒来。

“Maybe you’d better call up the doctor,” Catherine said. “I think maybe this is it.”
“也许你最好给医生打电话，猫儿。我想也许现在就是时候。”

I went to the phone and called the doctor. “How often are the pains coming?” he asked.
我走到电话旁，给医生打了电话。“疼痛多久一次？”他问。

“How often are they coming, Cat?”
“疼痛多久一次，猫儿？”

“I should think every quarter of an hour.”
“我想大概每十五分钟一次。”

“You should go to the hospital, then,” the doctor said. —
“那你应该去医院。”医生说。 —

“I will dress and go there right away myself.”
“我会马上穿衣服去那里的。”

I hung up and called the garage near the station to send up a taxi. —
我挂断电话，给车站附近的车库打电话让他们派出一辆出租车。 —

No one answered the phone for a long time. —
电话很久没有人接。 —

Then I finally got a man who promised to send up a taxi at once. Catherine was dressing. —
然后我终于找到一个答应立即派出出租车的男人。凯瑟琳正在换衣服。 —

Her bag was all packed with the things she would need at the hospital and the baby things. —
她的包里装满了她在医院需要的东西和婴儿用品。 —

Outside in the hall I rang for the elevator. There was no answer. I went downstairs. —
在走廊里我按了电梯的按钮，没有回应。我下楼去了。 —

There was no one downstairs except the night-watchman. —
楼下除了夜间看守外空无一人。 —

I brought the elevator up myself, put Catherine’s bag in it, she stepped in and we went down. —
我自己把电梯送上来，把凯瑟琳的包放进去，她上了电梯，我们下了楼。 —

The night-watchman opened the door for us and we sat outside on the stone slabs beside the stairs down to the driveway and waited for the taxi. —
夜间看守为我们打开了大门，我们坐在楼梯旁的石板上等待出租车。 —

The night was clear and the stars were out. —
天很晴朗，星星熠熠闪耀。 —

Catherine was very excited.
凯瑟琳非常兴奋。

“I’m so glad it’s started,” she said. “Now in a little while it will be all over.”
“我很高兴开始了，”她说。 “现在再过一会就都结束了。”

“You’re a good brave girl.”
“你是个勇敢的好姑娘。”

“I’m not afraid. I wish the taxi would come, though.”
“我一点也不害怕。不过我希望出租车快点到。”

We heard it coming up the street and saw its headlights. —
我们听到车子驶过街道，看到它的前灯。 —

It turned into the driveway and I helped Catherine in and the driver put the bag up in front.
车子转入车道，我帮凯瑟琳上了车，司机把包放到副驾驶座位。

“Drive to the hospital,” I said.
“开往医院，”我说。

We went out of the driveway and started up the hill.
我们驶出车道，上了山坡。

At the hospital we went in and I carried the bag. —
在医院里，我们进去了，我拿着包。 —

There was a woman at the desk who wrote down Catherine’s name, age, address, relatives and religion, in a book. —
桌子旁站着一位女士，她在一本书里写下了凯瑟琳的姓名、年龄、地址、亲属和宗教。 —

She said she had no religion and the woman drew a line in the space after that word. —
她说她没有宗教信仰，这位女士在那个词后划了一条线。 —

She gave her name as Catherine Henry.
她报上了凯瑟琳·亨利的名字。

“I will take you up to your room,” she said. We went up in an elevator. —
“我来带你去你的房间吧，”她说。我们坐电梯上去。 —

The woman stopped it and we stepped out and followed her down a hall. —
女士停下了电梯，我们跟着她走过一条走廊。 —

Catherine held tight to my arm.
凯瑟琳紧紧拉着我的胳膊。

“This is the room,” the woman said. “Will you please undress and get into bed? —
“这是你的房间，”那位女士说。“请脱衣服躺到床上吧。 —

Here is a night-gown for you to wear.”
这是一件供你穿的睡袍。”

“I have a night-gown,” Catherine said.
“我有一件睡袍，”凯瑟琳说。

“It is better for you to wear this night-gown,” the woman said.
“穿这件睡袍对你更好，”女士说。

I went outside and sat on a chair in the hallway.
我走到外面，在走廊里找了一把椅子坐下。

“You can come in now,” the woman said from the doorway. —
“你现在可以进来了，”女士从门口说。 —

Catherine was lying in the narrow bed wearing a plain, square-cut night-gown that looked as though it were made of rough sheeting. She smiled at me.
凯瑟琳躺在狭窄的床上，穿着看起来像是用粗布制成的简单、方正的睡袍。她对我微笑。

“I’m having fine pains now,” she said. The woman was holding her wrist and timing the pains with a watch.
“我现在开始有剧痛了，”她说。那位女士正在握着她的手腕，用手表计算着疼痛的间隔。

“That was a big one,” Catherine said. I saw it on her face.
“那是一个大的。”凯瑟琳说。我看得出来她脸上的表情。

“Where’s the doctor?” I asked the woman.
“医生在哪里？”我问那名女士。

“He’s lying down sleeping. He will be here when he is needed.”
“他躺下睡觉了。需要的时候他会来的。”

“I must do something for Madame, now,” the nurse said. “Would you please step out again?”
“我现在必须为夫人做点什么，”护士说。“请你再出去一下好吗？”

I went out into the hall. It was a bare hall with two windows and closed doors all down the corridor. It smelled of hospital. —
我走出去到走廊。走廊很空旷，两扇窗户朝外，一排关上的门沿着走廊。整个走廊散发着医院的味道。 —

I sat on the chair and looked at the floor and prayed for Catherine.
我坐在椅子上，盯着地板，为凯瑟琳祈祷。

“You can come in,” the nurse said. I went in.
“你可以进来了。”护士说。我走了进去。

“Hello, darling,” Catherine said.
“你好，亲爱的，”凯瑟琳说。

“How is it?”
“怎么样了？”

“They are coming quite often now.” Her face drew up. Then she smiled.
“宫缩越来越频繁了。”她的脸皱在一起。然后她微笑了。

“That was a real one. Do you want to put your hand on my back again, nurse?”
“那真的是一个宫缩。护士，你还要帮我按摩背吗？”

“If it helps you,” the nurse said.
“如果对你有帮助的话，”护士说。

“You go away, darling,” Catherine said. “Go out and get something to eat. I may do this for a long time the nurse says.”
“亲爱的，你可以出去一下，”凯瑟琳说。“去外面吃点东西。护士说这个可能会持续很久。”

“The first labor is usually protracted,” the nurse said.
“第一次分娩通常会比较漫长，”护士说。

“Please go out and get something to eat,” Catherine said. “I’m fine, really.”
“请你出去吃点东西，”凯瑟琳说。“我真的很好。”

“I’ll stay awhile,” I said.
“我会呆一会儿，”我说。

The pains came quite regularly, then slackened off. Catherine was very excited. —
那些疼痛开始变得规律起来，然后又缓解了。凯瑟琳非常兴奋。 —

When the pains were bad she called them good ones. —
当疼痛严重时，她称之为好疼。 —

When they started to fall off she was disappointed and ashamed.
当疼痛开始减轻时，她感到失望和羞愧。

“You go out, darling,” she said. “I think you are just making me self-conscious.” Her face tied up. —
“亲爱的，你出去吧，”她说。“我觉得你只是让我感到不自在。”她的脸皱成一团。 —

“There. That was better. I so want to be a good wife and have this child without any foolishness. —
“这样好多了。我真想成为一个好妻子，毫不犹豫地生下这个孩子。” —

Please go and get some breakfast, darling, and then come back. —
“请出去吃点早餐，亲爱的，然后回来。” —

I won’t miss you. Nurse is splendid to me.”
“我不会想你的。护士对我很好。”

“You have plenty of time for breakfast,” the nurse said.
“你还有足够的时间吃早餐，”护士说。

“I’ll go then. Good-by, sweet.”
“那我就走了。再见，亲爱的。”

“Good-by,” Catherine said, “and have a fine breakfast for me too.”
“再见，”凯瑟琳说，“也为我吃个美味的早餐。”

“Where can I get breakfast?” I asked the nurse.
“我在哪里可以买到早餐？”我问护士。

“There’s a caf?down the street at the square,” she said. “It should be open now.”
“广场上有家咖啡馆，”她说。“现在应该已经开门了。”

Outside it was getting light. I walked down the empty street to the caf? —
外面已经开始亮了。我走在空旷的街道上来到了咖啡馆。 —

There was a light in the window. I went in and stood at the zinc bar and an old man served me a glass of white wine and a brioche. —
窗户里亮着灯。我走进去站在锌制吧台前，一位老人给我倒了一杯白葡萄酒和一块法式面包。 —

The brioche was yesterday’s. I dipped it in the wine and then drank a glass of coffee.
这个羊角面包是昨天的。我把它蘸在酒里然后喝了一杯咖啡。

“What do you do at this hour?” the old man asked.
“你这个时候在干什么？”老人问道。

“My wife is in labor at the hospital.”
“我妻子正在医院生产。”

“So. I wish you good luck.”
“好吧。祝你好运。”

“Give me another glass of wine.”
“再给我一杯酒。”

He poured it from the bottle slopping it over a little so some ran down on the zinc. —
他从瓶子里倒了一杯酒，溅出一点让一些酒流到了镀锌铁上。 —

I drank this glass, paid and went out. Outside along the street were the refuse cans from the houses waiting for the collector. —
我喝了这杯酒，付了钱就出去了。外面的街道上摆满了等待清运的垃圾箱。 —

A dog was nosing at one of the cans.
一只狗在翻找一个垃圾桶。

“What do you want?” I asked and looked in the can to see if there was anything I could pull out for him; —
“你想要什么？”我问道，然后看看能不能给它找到点什么； —

there was nothing on top but coffee-grounds, dust and some dead flowers.
顶上没什么，只有咖啡渣、灰尘和一些枯萎的花。

“There isn’t anything, dog,” I said. The dog crossed the street. —
“没有东西，狗。”我说。狗横穿马路。 —

I went up the stairs in the hospital to the floor Catherine was on and down the hall to her room. —
我上了医院楼梯到凯瑟琳所在的楼层，沿着走廊去了她的房间。 —

I knocked on the door. There was no answer. I opened the door; —
我敲了敲门，没有人回答。我打开了门； —

the room was empty, except for Catherine’s bag on a chair and her dressing-gown hanging on a hook on the wall. —
房间空无一人，除了椅子上的凯瑟琳的包和挂在墙上钩子上的她的浴袍。 —

I went out and down the hall, looking for somebody. I found a nurse.
我走出去，沿着走廊找人。我找到一名护士。

“Where is Madame Henry?”
“亨利夫人在哪里?”

“A lady has just gone to the delivery room.”
“一位女士刚刚去产房了。”

“Where is it?”
“它在哪里?”

“I will show you.”
“我会带你去的。”

She took me down to the end of the hall. The door of the room was partly open. —
她带我走到走廊的尽头。房间的门半开着。 —

I could see Catherine lying on a table, covered by a sheet. —
我能看到凯瑟琳躺在桌子上，被一床被子盖着。 —

The nurse was on one side and the doctor stood on the other side of the table beside some cylinders. —
护士站在一边，医生站在桌子的另一边，旁边摆放着一些气瓶。 —

The doctor held a rubber mask attached to a tube in one hand.
医生手里拿着一根管子连接的橡胶面罩。

“I will give you a gown and you can go in,” the nurse said. “Come in here, please.”
“我给你一件袍子，你可以进去。” 护士说：”请进这边来。”

She put a white gown on me and pinned it at the neck in back with a safety pin.
她给我穿上了一件白袍，用安全别针在脖子后面固定。

“Now you can go in,” she said. I went into the room.
“现在你可以进去了，”她说。我走进房间。

“Hello, darling,” Catherine said in a strained voice. “I’m not doing much.”
“你好，亲爱的，”凯瑟琳用一种吃力的声音说：”我没什么事。”

“You are Mr. Henry?” the doctor asked.
“你是亨利先生？” 医生问道。

“Yes. How is everything going, doctor?”
“是的。医生，一切进行得怎么样？”

“Things are going very well,” the doctor said. —
“一切都进行得很顺利，” 医生说。 —

“We came in here where it is easy to give gas for the pains.”
“我们来到这里，这里可以很容易地为疼痛吸气。”

“I want it now,” Catherine said. The doctor placed the rubber mask over her face and turned a dial and I watched Catherine breathing deeply and rapidly. —
“我现在要了,” 凯瑟琳说。医生把橡胶面罩戴在她脸上，然后转动一个旋钮，我看着凯瑟琳深而快地呼吸。 —

Then she pushed the mask away. The doctor shut off the petcock.
然后她推开面罩。医生关闭了气流开关。

“That wasn’t a very big one. I had a very big one a while ago. —
“那不是很大。我一会儿前感觉到了非常剧烈的疼痛。 —

The doctor made me go clear out, didn’t you, doctor?” —
医生让我出去了，是吗，医生?” —

Her voice was strange. It rose on the word doctor.
她的声音变得奇怪。她强调了“医生”这个词。

The doctor smiled.
医生微笑了。

“I want it again,” Catherine said. She held the rubber tight to her face and breathed fast. —
“我想再来一次，” 凯瑟琳说。她把橡胶面罩紧贴在脸上，深呼吸。 —

I heard her moaning a little. Then she pulled the mask away and smiled.
我听到她轻轻地呻吟。然后她将面罩拿开，微笑着。

“That was a big one,” she said. “That was a very big one. —
“那是一个大的，” 她说。“那是一个非常大的。 —

Don’t you worry, darling. You go away. Go have another breakfast.”
别担心，亲爱的。你走开。去吃第二顿早餐吧。”

“I’ll stay,” I said.
“我会留下来的，” 我说。

We had gone to the hospital about three o’clock in the morning. —
我们凌晨三点去了医院。 —

At noon Catherine was still in the delivery room. The pains had slackened again. —
中午时分凯瑟琳还在产房里。疼痛再次减轻了。 —

She looked very tired and worn now but she was still cheerful.
她现在看起来非常疲惫和消瘦，但她仍然很开朗。

“I’m not any good, darling,” she said. “I’m so sorry. I thought I would do it very easily. —
“亲爱的，我做得不好，”她说。“很抱歉。我本以为会很容易。” —

Now–there’s one–” she reached out her hand for the mask and held it over her face. —
现在–有一个–“她伸手拿起面具，戴到了脸上。 —

The doctor moved the dial and watched her. —
医生转动了旋钮，观察着她。 —

In a little while it was over.
过了一会，一切都结束了。

“It wasn’t much,” Catherine said. She smiled. “I’m a fool about the gas. It’s wonderful.”
“没什么大不了的，”凯瑟琳说道。她微笑着。“我是头脑简单的人。麻醉气体真是神奇。”

“We’ll get some for the home,” I said.
“我们会为家里准备一些的，”我说。

“There one comes,” Catherine said quickly. The doctor turned the dial and looked at his watch.
“有一个过来了，”凯瑟琳迅速说道。医生转动了旋钮，看着手表。

“What is the interval now?” I asked.
“现在的间隔是多少？”我问道。

“About a minute.”
“大概一分钟。”

“Don’t you want lunch?”
“你不想吃午餐吗？”

“I will have something pretty soon,” he said.
“很快就会有的，”他说。

“You must have something to eat, doctor,” Catherine said. —
“你一定要吃点东西，医生，”凯瑟琳说道。 —

“I’m so sorry I go on so long. Couldn’t my husband give me the gas?”
“我很抱歉我说这么久。难道我丈夫不能给我点麻醉气体吗？”

“If you wish,” the doctor said. “You turn it to the numeral two.”
“如果你愿意，”医生说。“你把它调到数字二。”

“I see,” I said. There was a marker on a dial that turned with a handle.
“我明白了，”我说。一个带手柄旋转的刻度盘上有一个标记。

“I want it now,” Catherine said. She held the mask tight to her face. —
“卡瑟琳说：我现在就想要。” 她紧紧抓住面具。 —

I turned the dial to number two and when Catherine put down the mask I turned it off. —
我将旋钮调到2号，当卡瑟琳放下面具时，我就关闭了它。 —

It was very good of the doctor to let me do something.
医生很好，让我做点什么。

“Did you do it, darling?” Catherine asked. She stroked my wrist.
“亲爱的，你做了吗？”卡瑟琳问道。她抚摸着我的手腕。

“Sure.”
“当然了。”

“You’re so lovely.” She was a little drunk from the gas.
“你太可爱了。”她有点被麻醉气体影响。

“I will eat from a tray in the next room,” the doctor said. “You can call me any moment.” —
“我会在隔壁房间吃饭的，你随时可以叫我。”医生说。 —

While the time passed I watched him eat, then, after a while, I saw that he was lying down and smoking a cigarette. —
在等待的时间里，我看着他吃饭，然后过了一会儿，我看见他躺下来抽烟。 —

Catherine was getting very tired.
卡瑟琳变得很疲倦。

“Do you think I’ll ever have this baby?” she asked.
“你觉得我会生这个孩子吗？”她问。

“Yes, of course you will.”
“当然会的。”

“I try as hard as I can. I push down but it goes away. There it comes. Give it to me.”
“我尽力了。我使劲推，但孩子却远去了。它又来了。给我吧。”

At two o’clock I went out and had lunch. There were a few men in the caf? —
两点钟时我出去吃午饭。咖啡馆里有几个男人，桌上放着咖啡和樱桃白兰地或马桶酒。 —

sitting with coffee and glasses of kirsch or marc on the tables. —
我坐在一张桌子旁。“我可以吃吗？”我问服务员。 —

I sat down at a table. “Can I eat?” I asked the waiter.
我坐下来。“我可以吃吗？”我问服务员。

“It is past time for lunch.”
“现在是午餐时间了。”

“Isn’t there anything for all hours?”
“没有什么全天供应的吗？”

“You can have choucroute.”
“你可以尝尝酸菜肠煮饭。”

“Give me choucroute and beer.”
“给我一份酸菜肠煮饭和啤酒。”

“A demi or a bock?”
“一杯小啤还是大杯啤？”

“A light demi.”
“来一杯小杯的啤。”

The waiter brought a dish of sauerkraut with a slice of ham over the top and a sausage buried in the hot wine-soaked cabbage. —
侍者端来了一盘酸菜煮饭，上面盖着一片火腿和一个埋在热红酒浸泡的白菜中的香肠。 —

I ate it and drank the beer. I was very hungry. I watched the people at the tables in the caf? —
我大口吃着并喝着啤酒。我非常饿。我看着咖啡馆里的人们。 —

At one table they were playing cards. Two men at the table next me were talking and smoking. —
一张桌子上他们在打牌。我旁边一桌的两个男人在聊天并抽烟。 —

The caf?was full of smoke. The zinc bar, where I had breakfasted, had three people behind it now; —
咖啡馆里烟雾弥漫。我早餐时坐的锌条台现在有三个人站在后面； —

the old man, a plump woman in a black dress who sat behind a counter and kept track of everything served to the tables, and a boy in an apron. —
老人、一个穿黑裙子坐在柜台后面负责记账的丰满女人，还有一个穿围裙的男孩。 —

I wondered how many children the woman had and what it had been like.
我想知道那个女人有多少个孩子，以及她过去是什么样的。

When I was through with the choucroute I went back to the hospital. The street was all clean now. —
吃完酸菜肠煮饭后，我回到了医院。街道变得干净了。 —

There were no refuse cans out. The day was cloudy but the sun was trying to come through.
没有垃圾箱被摆在外面。今天多云，但太阳正努力透过云层。

I rode upstairs in the elevator, stepped out and went down the hail to Catherine’s room, where I had left my white gown. —
我乘电梯上楼，走过长廊来到凯瑟琳的房间，我把白色睡袍留在了那里。 —

I put it on and pinned it in back at the neck. —
我把它戴上并在脖子后面别好。 —

I looked in the glass and saw myself looking like a fake doctor with a beard. —
我看着镜子，看到自己长得像个带着胡须的假医生。 —

I went down the hail to the delivery room. The door was closed and I knocked. —
我走下走廊来到产房。门是关着的，我敲了敲。 —

No one answered so I turned the handle and went in. The doctor sat by Catherine. —
没人回答，于是我转动把手走了进去。医生坐在凯瑟琳旁边。 —

The nurse was doing something at the other end of the room.
护士在房间另一头忙着做些什么。

“Here is your husband,” the doctor said.
“这是你的丈夫，”医生说。

“Oh, darling, I have the most wonderful doctor,” Catherine said in a very strange voice. —
“哦，亲爱的，我有个最棒的医生，”凯瑟琳用一种非常奇怪的语气说。 —

“He’s been telling me the most wonderful story and when the pain came too badly he put me all the way out. —
“他给我讲了一个最精彩的故事，当疼痛变得太厉害时，他就让我完全失去知觉。 —

He’s wonderful. You’re wonderful, doctor.”
他太棒了。你太棒了，医生。”

“You’re drunk,” I said.
“你喝醉了，”我说。

“I know it,” Catherine said. “But you shouldn’t say it.” Then “Give it to me. Give it to me.” —
“我知道，”凯瑟琳说。“但你不该这么说。”然后“给我，给我。” —

She clutched hold of the mask and breathed short and deep, pantingly, making the respirator click. —
她抓住了面具，呼吸急促而深，使呼吸机发出咔嗒声。 —

Then she gave a long sigh and the doctor reached with his left hand and lifted away the mask.
然后她长长地叹了口气，医生用左手掀开了面具。

“That was a very big one,” Catherine said. Her voice was very strange. —
“那是一个很大的宝宝，”凯瑟琳说。她的声音非常奇怪。 —

“I’m not going to die now, darling. I’m past where I was going to die. Aren’t you glad?”
“我现在不会死了，亲爱的。我已经超过了我本可以死去的地方。你高兴吗？”

“Don’t you get in that place again.”
“不要再进那个地方。”

“I won’t. I’m not afraid of it though. I won’t die, darling.”
“我不会的。亲爱的，我并不害怕。我不会死的。”

“You will not do any such foolishness,” the doctor said. “You would not die and leave your husband.”
“你不会做那种蠢事，”医生说。“你不会死而抛下你的丈夫。”

“Oh, no. I won’t die. I wouldn’t die. It’s silly to die. There it comes. Give it to me.”
“哦，不。我不会死。我不会死。死掉太傻了。它来了。给我。”

After a while the doctor said, “You will go out, Mr. Henry, for a few moments and I will make an examination.”
过了一会儿医生说：“亨利先生，你先出去一会儿，我要检查一下。”

“He wants to see how I am doing,” Catherine said. —
“他想知道我现在怎么样，”凯瑟琳说。 —

“You can come back afterward, darling, can’t he, doctor?”
“亲爱的，他之后可以回来吗，医生？”

“Yes,” said the doctor. “I will send word when he can come back.”
“是的，”医生说。“等我通知他可以回来。”

I went out the door and down the hall to the room where Catherine was to be after the baby came. —
我走出门，沿着走廊到凯瑟琳分娩后要待的房间。 —

I sat in a chair there and looked at the room. —
我在那里的椅子上坐着，看着房间。 —

I had the paper in my coat that I had bought when I went out for lunch and I read it. —
我衣袋里有我午餐时买的报纸，我开始阅读。 —

It was beginning to be dark outside and I turned the light on to read. —
外面开始变暗了，我打开灯光继续阅读。 —

After a while I stopped reading and turned off the light and watched it get dark outside. —
过了一会儿我停止阅读，关掉灯光看着外面变暗。 —

I wondered why the doctor did not send for me. Maybe it was better I was away. —
我想知道医生为什么不叫我回去。也许我离开是更好的。 —

He probably wanted me away for a while. I looked at my watch. —
他可能想让我离开一会儿。我看了看手表。 —

If he did not send for me in ten minutes I would go down anyway.
如果他十分钟内不叫我,我就会下去。

Poor, poor dear Cat. And this was the price you paid for sleeping together. —
可怜的猫啊,这就是你们睡在一起付出的代价。 —

This was the end of the trap. This was what people got for loving each other. —
这就是陷阱的结局。这就是人们相爱的代价。 —

Thank God for gas, anyway. What must it have been like before there were anaesthetics? —
感谢上帝有气体。在麻醉剂出现之前那会是什么样子呢？ —

Once it started, they were in the mill-race. Catherine had a good time in the time of pregnancy. —
一旦开始，他们就像落入了急流。凯瑟琳在怀孕期间过得很愉快。 —

It wasn’t bad. She was hardly ever sick. She was not awfully uncomfortable until toward the last. —
没有那么糟糕。她几乎从来没有生病。直到最后才感到不舒服。 —

So now they got her in the end. You never got away with anything. Get away hell! —
所以最终他们逮住了她。你做什么都逃不掉。逃不掉，见鬼！ —

It would have been the same if we had been married fifty times. And what if she should die? —
如果我们结婚五十次也是一样。如果她死了怎么办？ —

She won’t die. People don’t die in childbirth nowadays. That was what all husbands thought. —
她不会死。如今人们生孩子不会死。所有丈夫都这样想。 —

Yes, but what if she should die? She won’t die. She’s just having a bad time. —
是的，但如果她死了怎么办？她不会死。她只是经历了困难。 —

The initial labor is usually protracted. She’s only having a bad time. —
最初的分娩通常是拖拉的。她只是经历了困难。 —

Afterward we’d say what a bad time and Catherine would say it wasn’t really so bad. —
之后我们会说她经历了困难，凯瑟琳会说其实不算太困难。 —

But what if she should die? She can’t die. Yes, but what if she should die? She can’t, I tell you. —
但如果她死了怎么办？她不能死。是的，但如果她死了呢？她不能，我告诉你。 —

Don’t be a fool. It’s just a bad time. It’s just nature giving her hell. —
别傻了。这只是一次困难。这只是大自然对她的折磨。 —

It’s only the first labor, which is almost always protracted. Yes, but what if she should die? —
这只是通常拖拉的初产。是的，但如果她死了怎么办？ —

She can’t die. Why would she die? What reason is there for her to die? —
她不能死。她为什么要死？她有什么理由死呢？ —

There’s just a child that has to be born, the by-product of good nights in Milan. It makes trouble and is born and then you look after it and get fond of it maybe. —
只是一个孩子即将出生，是在米兰美好夜晚的产物。它会带来麻烦，然后出生，你会照顾它，也许会越来越喜欢它。 —

But what if she should die? She won’t die. But what if she should die? She won’t. She’s all right. —
但如果她真的死了呢？她不会死。但如果她真的死了呢？她不会。她没事的。 —

But what if she should die? She can’t die. —
但如果她真的死了呢？她不能死。 —

But what if she should die? Hey, what about that? What if she should die?
但如果她真的死了呢？嘿，那会怎么样？如果她真的死了呢？

The doctor came into the room.
医生走进房间。

“How does it go, doctor?”
“医生，情况怎样？”

“It doesn’t go,” he said.
“进展不顺利，”他说。

“What do you mean?”
“什么意思？”

“Just that. I made an examination–” He detailed the result of the examination. —
“就是这样。我做了个检查–”他详细说明了检查结果。 —

“Since then I’ve waited to see. But it doesn’t go.”
“从那以后我一直在等。但进展不顺利。”

“What do you advise?”
“您建议怎么办？”

“There are two things. Either a high forceps delivery which can tear and be quite dangerous besides being possibly bad for the child, and a Caesarean.”
“有两个选择。要么尝试高位产钳助产，可能会导致撕裂，危险性很大，而且对孩子可能也不好，要么选择剖腹产。”

“What is the danger of a Caesarean?” What if she should die!
“剖腹产的危险有多大？”如果她真的死了呢！

“It should be no greater than the danger of an ordinary delivery.”
“危险应该不会比普通分娩时更大。”

“Would you do it yourself?”
“你会亲自操作吗？”

“Yes. I would need possibly an hour to get things ready and to get the people I would need. —
“是的。我可能需要一个小时来准备好一切，找到需要的人手。” —

Perhaps a little less.”
“也许稍微少一点。”

“What do you think?”
“你觉得呢？”

“I would advise a Caesarean operation. If it were my wife I would do a Caesarean.”
“我建议进行剖腹产手术。如果是我的妻子，我会选择剖腹产。”

“What are the after effects?”
“手术后会有什么影响？”

“There are none. There is only the scar.”
“没有什么后遗症，只有疤痕。”

“What about infection?”
“感染呢？”

“The danger is not so great as in a high forceps delivery.”
“感染的危险不会像高挑头产法那么大。”

“What if you just went on and did nothing?”
“如果你什么都不做呢？”

“You would have to do something eventually. —
“最终你还是得采取行动。” —

Mrs. Henry is already losing much of her strength. —
“亨利夫人已经在失去很多体力了。” —

The sooner we operate now the safer.”
“现在我们尽快进行手术是最安全的。”

“Operate as soon as you can,” I said.
“尽快动手术，”我说。

“I will go and give the instructions.”
“我去安排手术的事宜。”

I went into the delivery room. The nurse was with Catherine who lay on the table, big under the sheet, looking very pale and tired.
我走进了产房。护士和凯瑟琳在一起，她躺在手术台上，床单下面凸出的肚子很大，看起来面色苍白，很疲倦。

“Did you tell him he could do it?” she asked.
“你告诉他他能做到了吗？”她问道。

“Yes.”
“是的。”

“Isn’t that grand. Now it will be all over in an hour. I’m almost done, darling. —
“那太好了。现在再过一个小时就结束了。我快完成了，亲爱的。 —

I’m going all to pieces. Please give me that. —
我快要崩溃了。请给我那个。 —

It doesn’t work. Oh, it doesn’t work!”
“它不起作用。哦，它不起作用了！”

“Breathe deeply.”
“深呼吸。”

“I am. Oh, it doesn’t work any more. It doesn’t work!”
“我在呼吸。哦，它不再起作用了。它不再起作用了！”

“Get another cylinder,” I said to the nurse.
“给护士拿另一个气瓶，”我对护士说。

“That is a new cylinder.”
“那是一个新的气瓶。”

“I’m just a fool, darling,” Catherine said. “But it doesn’t work any more.” She began to cry. —
“我真是个傻瓜，亲爱的，”凯瑟琳说。“但它不再起作用了。”她开始哭泣。 —

“Oh, I wanted so to have this baby and not make trouble, and now I’m all done and all gone to pieces and it doesn’t work. —
“哦，我是如此想要生这个孩子，但不想惹麻烦，现在我全部结束了，我崩溃了，它不再起作用。 —

Oh, darling, it doesn’t work at all. I don’t care if I die if it will only stop. —
哦，亲爱的，它根本就不起作用。我不在乎是否死掉，只要它停下来。 —

Oh, please, darling, please make it stop. There it comes. —
哦，亲爱的，请让它停下来。它来了。 —

Oh Oh Oh!” She breathed sobbingly in the mask.
“哦，哦，哦！”她哭着在面具中呼吸。

“It doesn’t work. It doesn’t work. It doesn’t work. Don’t mind me, darling. Please don’t cry. —
“它不起作用。它不起作用。它不起作用。亲爱的，请不要意志消沉。请不要哭。 —

Don’t mind me. I’m just gone all to pieces. You poor sweet. I love you so and I’ll be good again. —
别管我。我已经心力交瘁。你可怜的甜心。我那么爱你，我会好起来的。 —

I’ll be good this time. Can’t they give me something? —
这次我会做对的。他们能给我点什么吗？ —

If they could only give me something.”
如果他们能给我点什么。

“I’ll make it work. I’ll turn it all the way.”
“我会让它起作用。我会把它打开到底。

“Give it to me now.”
“现在给我。”

I turned the dial all the way and as she breathed hard and deep her hand relaxed on the mask. —
我拧紧了旋钮，当她深深地呼吸时，她的手在面罩上松弛下来。 —

I shut off the gas and lifted the mask. She came back from a long way away.
我关闭了气阀，拿下了面罩。她从遥远的地方回来了。

“That was lovely, darling. Oh, you’re so good to me.”
“亲爱的，那太美好了。哦，你对我太好了。”

“You be brave, because I can’t do that all the time. It might kill you.”
“你要勇敢，因为我不能一直这样做。这可能会杀死你。”

“I’m not brave any more, darling. I’m all broken. They’ve broken me. I know it now.”
“亲爱的，我再也不勇敢了。我完全崩溃了。他们把我打垮了。我现在明白了。”

“Everybody is that way.”
“每个人都会那样。”

“But it’s awful. They just keep it up till they break you.”
“但这太可怕了。他们就一直这样折磨你，直到你崩溃。”

“In an hour it will be over.”
“一个小时后就会结束。”

“Isn’t that lovely? Darling, I won’t die, will I?”
“那不是美好吗？亲爱的，我不会死吧？”

“No. I promise you won’t.”
“不。我保证你不会。”

“Because I don’t want to die and leave you, but I get so tired of it and I feel I’m going to die.”
“因为我不想死而抛下你，但我感到非常累，觉得我会死。”

“Nonsense. Everybody feels that.”
“胡说。每个人都会有这种感觉。”

“Sometimes I know I’m going to die.”
“有时我知道我会死。”

“You won’t. You can’t.”
“你不会的。你不能。”

“But what if I should?”
“但如果我真的要死呢？”

“I won’t let you.”
“我不会让你死。”

“Give it to me quick. Give it to me!”
“快给我。快给我！”

Then afterward, “I won’t die. I won’t let myself die.”
然后之后, “我不会死的。我不会让自己死的。”

“Of course you won’t.”
“当然不会。”

“You’ll stay with me?”
“你会留在我身边吗？”

“Not to watch it.”
“不是为了看着你死。”

“No, just to be there.”
“不，只是在那里陪伴着你。”

“Sure. I’ll be there all the time.”
“当然。我会一直在那里。”

“You’re so good to me. There, give it to me. Give me some more. It’s not working!”
“你对我太好了。给我吃些。再给我些。没起作用！”

I turned the dial to three and then four. —
我把旋钮拧到了三，然后是四。 —

I wished the doctor would come back. I was afraid of the numbers above two.
我希望医生能回来。我害怕超过二的数字。

Finally a new doctor came in with two nurses and they lifted Catherine onto a wheeled stretcher and we started down the hall. —
最后，一位新医生和两名护士进来，他们把凯瑟琳放在一个有轮的担架上，我们开始沿着走廊走去。 —

The stretcher went rapidly dOwn the hall and into the elevator where every one had to crowd against the wall to make room; —
担架飞快地沿着走廊走，并进入电梯，每个人都不得不靠在墙上让出空间； —

then up, then an open door and out of the elevator and down the hall on rubber wheels to the operating room. —
然后上升，然后是一扇敞开的门，走出电梯，然后在橡胶轮轮上走到手术室。 —

I did not recognize the doctor with his cap and mask on. —
我没有认出那位戴着帽子和口罩的医生。 —

There was another doctor and more nurses.
还有另一位医生和更多的护士。

“They’ve got to give me something,” Catherine said. —
“他们必须给我些东西,” 凯瑟琳说。 —

“They’ve got to give me something. Oh please, doctor, give me enough to do some good!”
“他们必须给我些东西。哦，请医生，给我足够的东西好了！”

One of the doctors put a mask over her face and I looked through the door and saw the bright small amphitheatre of the operating room.
一位医生在她脸上戴上了口罩，我透过门看到了手术室明亮小巧的讲堂式手术室。

“You can go in the other door and sit up there,” a nurse said to me. —
“你可以走另一扇门，坐在上面,” 一位护士对我说。 —

There were benches behind a rail that looked down on the white table and the lights. —
有一些长椅在栏杆后面，俯瞰着白色的手术台和灯光。 —

I looked at Catherine. The mask was over her face and she was quiet now. —
我看着凯瑟琳。口罩戴在她脸上，她现在很安静。 —

They wheeled the stretcher forward. I turned away and walked down the hall. —
他们推着担架往前走。我转身走下走廊。 —

Two nurses were hurrying toward the entrance to the gallery.
两名护士正快步朝向通向阁楼的入口走去。

“It’s a Caesarean,” one said. “They’re going to do a Caesarean.”
“这是一台剖宫产，”一个人说道。“他们要进行一台剖宫产。”

The other one laughed, “We’re just in time. Aren’t we lucky?” —
另一个人笑着说，“我们正好赶上了。我们真是幸运。” —

They went in the door that led to the gallery.
他们走进了通往走廊的门。

Another nurse came along. She was hurrying too.
另一位护士匆忙走来。

“You go right in there. Go right in,” she said.
“你直接进去那里。快进去吧，”她说道。

“I’m staying outside.”
“我在外面等着。”

She hurried in. I walked up and down the hall. I was afraid to go in. I looked out the window. —
她匆忙进去了。我在走廊上来回走动。我害怕进去。我望向窗外。 —

It was dark but in the light from the window I could see it was raining. —
外面很暗，但透过窗户的光线我看到在下着雨。 —

I went into a room at the far end of the hall and looked at the labels on bottles in a glass case. —
我走进走廊尽头的一个房间，看着玻璃柜子里瓶子上的标签。 —

Then I came out and stood in the empty hall and watched the door of the operating room.
然后我出来站在空荡荡的走廊上，看着手术室的门。

A doctor came out followed by a nurse. He held something in his two hands that looked like a freshly skinned rabbit and hurried across the corridor with it and in through another door. —
一名医生走出来，后面跟着一名护士。他双手拿着一个看起来像是新鲜剥皮过的兔子向走廊快步走过另一个门进去。 —

I went down to the door he had gone into and found them in the room doing things to a new-born child. —
我走到他进去的那扇门前，发现他们正在给一个新生儿做事情。 —

The doctor held him up for me to see. He held him by the heels and slapped him.
医生把他拿起来让我看。他抓住他的脚跟并拍了一下。

“Is he all right?”
“他没事吧？”

“He’s magnificent. He’ll weigh five kilos.”
“他很健康。他将会有五公斤重。”

I had no feeling for him. He did not seem to have anything to do with me. —
我对他毫无感情。他似乎与我毫无关系。 —

I felt no feeling of fatherhood.
我没有父爱的感觉。

“Aren’t you proud of your son?” the nurse asked. —
“你不为你儿子感到骄傲吗？”护士问道。 —

They were washing him and wrapping him in something. —
他们正在给他洗澡并用东西包裹着他。 —

I saw the little dark face and dark hand, but I did not see him move or hear him cry. —
我看到了那张小小的黑脸和黑色的手，但我没有看到他动也没有听到他哭泣。 —

The doctor was doing something to him again. He looked upset.
医生又在给他做些什么。他看起来很不高兴。

“No,” I said. “He nearly killed his mother.”
“不，”我说，“他几乎要害死他的母亲。”

“It isn’t the little darling’s fault. Didn’t you want a boy?”
“这不是小宝贝的错。你不想要一个男孩吗？”

“No,” I said. The doctor was busy with him. He held him up by the feet and slapped him. —
“不，”我说。医生正在忙碌地处理着他。他抓住他的脚，拍打了他。 —

I did not wait to see it. I went out in the hail. I could go in now and see. —
我没有等着看。我走出了大厅。现在我可以进去看看了。 —

I went in the door and a little way down the gallery. —
我走进门，径直走到走廊的尽头一小段。 —

The nurses who were sitting at the rail motioned for me to come down where they were. —
坐在栏杆旁的护士示意我下来到她们那里。 —

I shook my head. I could see enough where I was.
我摇了摇头。在我这里可以看到足够的东西。

I thought Catherine was dead. She looked dead. Her face was gray, the part of it that I could see. —
我以为凯瑟琳已经死了。她看起来像是死了。我看到的她脸部是灰色的。 —

Down below, under the light, the doctor was sewing up the great long, forcep-spread, thickedged, wound. —
在下面，在灯光下，医生正在缝合那个长长的、夹棉花的、厚边的伤口。 —

Another doctor in a mask gave the anaesthetic. Two nurses in masks handed things. —
另一名戴着口罩的医生给了麻醉。两名戴着口罩的护士递过东西。 —

It looked like a drawing of the Inquisition. —
看起来像是对审讯的描绘。 —

I knew as I watched I could have watched it all, but I was glad I hadn’t. —
我知道如果愿意，我本可以看完整个过程，但我庆幸我没有。 —

I do not think I could have watched them cut, but I watched the wound closed into a high welted ridge with quick skilful-looking stitches like a cobbler’s, and was glad. —
我觉得自己无法看着他们切割，但我看着伤口被快速、娴熟地缝合成一道高高隆起的疤痕，像鞋匠缝鞋一样，我庆幸。 —

When the wound was closed I went out into the hall and walked up and down again. —
当伤口被缝合好后，我走出了走廊，来回踱步。 —

After a while the doctor came out.
过了一会儿，医生走了出来。

“How is she?”
“她怎么样？”

“She is all right. Did you watch?”
“她没事。你看了吗？”

He looked tired.
他看起来很疲倦。

“I saw you sew up. The incision looked very long.”
“我看到你缝合了。那个切口看起来很长。”

“You thought so?”
“你这么觉得？”

“Yes. Will that scar flatten out?”
“是的。那道疤会变平吗？”

“Oh, yes.”
“哦，会的。”

After a while they brought out the wheeled stretcher and took it very rapidly down the hallway to the elevator. —
一会儿后，他们推出了轮椅担架，迅速地沿着走廊推向电梯。 —

I went along beside it. Catherine was moaning. Downstairs they put her in the bed in her room. —
我跟着旁边走着。凯瑟琳在呻吟着。在楼下他们把她放到了房间的床上。 —

I sat in a chair at the foot of the bed. There was a nurse in the room. —
我坐在床脚的椅子上。房间里有一名护士。 —

I got up and stood by the bed. It was dark in the room. Catherine put out her hand. —
我站起来站在床边。房间里很暗。凯瑟琳伸出手。 —

“Hello, darling,” she said. Her voice was very weak and tired.
“你好，亲爱的。”她的声音很虚弱和疲惫。

“Hello, you sweet.”
“你好，亲爱的。”

“What sort of baby was it?”
“宝宝是什么样子的？”

“Sh–don’t talk,” the nurse said.
“嘘，别说话，”护士说。

“A boy. He’s long and wide and dark.”
“一个男孩。他长长的，宽宽的，皮肤很黑。”

“Is he all right?”
“他没事吧？”

“Yes,” I said. “He’s fine.”
“是的，”我说。”他很好。”

I saw the nurse look at me strangely.
我看到护士用奇怪的眼神看着我。

“I’m awfully tired,” Catherine said. “And I hurt like hell. Are you all right, darling?”
“我累坏了，”凯瑟琳说。”我疼得要命。你没事吧，亲爱的？”

“I’m fine. Don’t talk.”
“我很好。别说话。”

“You were lovely to me. Oh, darling, I hurt dreadfully. What does he look like?”
“你对我很好。哦，亲爱的，我疼得厉害。他长得什么样？”

“He looks like a skinned rabbit with a puckered-up old-man’s face.”
“他看起来像一只剥了皮的兔子，脸皱巴巴像个老头。”

“You must go out,” the nurse said. “Madame Henry must not talk.”
“你必须出去，”护士说。”亨利夫人不能说话。”

“I’ll be outside.”
“我会在外面等。”

“Go and get something to eat.”
“去找点吃的。”

“No. I’ll be outside.” I kissed Catherine. She was very gray and weak and tired.
“不。我会在外面等。” 我亲吻了凯瑟琳。她看起来非常苍白、虚弱和疲惫。

“May I speak to you?” I said to the nurse. —
“我可以和你谈谈吗？” 我对护士说。 —

She came out in the hall with me. I walked a little way down the hall.
她跟我走到走廊里。我走到走廊的尽头。

“What’s the matter with the baby?” I asked.
“孩子出了什么问题？” 我问。

“Didn’t you know?”
“你不知道吗？”

“No.”
“不知道。”

“He wasn’t alive.”
“他不活了。”

“He was dead?”
“他死了？”

“They couldn’t start him breathing. The cord was caught around his neck or something.”
“他们没能让他呼吸。脐带被勒住了，或者其他情况。”

“So he’s dead.”
“所以他死了。”

“Yes. It’s such a shame. He was such a fine big boy. I thought you knew.”
“是的。太可惜了。他是一个很健壮的大男孩。我以为你知道。”

“No,” I said. “You better go back in with Madame.”
“不知道，”我说。”你最好回去和夫人一起。”

I sat down on the chair in front of a table where there were nurses’ reports hung on clips at the side and looked out of the window. —
我坐在一个桌子前的椅子上，桌子旁挂着护士的报告，透过窗户望去。 —

I could see nothing but the dark and the rain falling across the light from the window. —
我什么都看不到，只能看到黑暗和窗户上雨水的倾泻光线。 —

So that was it. The baby was dead. That was why the doctor looked so tired. —
所以事情就是这样。婴儿已经死了。这就是为什么医生看起来那么疲倦。 —

But why had they acted the way they did in the room with him? —
但是他们为什么会在房间里那样行动呢？ —

They supposed he would come around and start breathing probably. —
他们认为他会恢复过来，开始正常呼吸。 —

I had no religion but I knew he ought to have been baptized. But what if he never breathed at all. —
我没有宗教信仰，但我知道他应该被洗礼。但如果他根本没有呼吸呢。 —

He hadn’t. He had never been alive. Except in Catherine. I’d felt him kick there often enough. —
他没有。他从来就没有活过。除了在凯瑟琳那里。我常常感觉到他在那里踢过。 —

But I hadn’t for a week. Maybe he was choked all the time. Poor little kid. —
但我已经有一个星期没有感觉到了。也许他一直被窒息了。可怜的小孩。 —

I wished the hell I’d been choked like that. No I didn’t. —
我希望我也像那样被窒息。不，我不希望。 —

Still there would not be all this dying to go through. Now Catherine would die. —
但是那样就不必经历这一切死亡。现在凯瑟琳会死。 —

That was what you did. You died. You did not know what it was about. You never had time to learn. —
那就是你的命运。你死去。你不知道这是为了什么。你从来没有时间学会。 —

They threw you in and told you the rules and the first time they caught you off base they killed you. —
他们将你扔进来，告诉你规则，第一次偏离规矩他们就杀了你。 —

Or they killed you gratuitously like Aymo. Or gave you the syphilis like Rinaldi. —
或者无故杀死你，就像艾莫那样。或者像里纳尔迪那样给你梅毒。 —

But they killed you in the end. You could count on that. —
但最终他们都会杀了你。这是可以肯定的。 —

Stay around and they would kill you.
待在场里，他们会杀了你。

Once in camp I put a log on top of the fire and it was full of ants. —
有一次在营地，我往篝火上放了一根木头，结果发现里面满是蚂蚁。 —

As it commenced to burn, the ants swarmed out and went first toward the centre where the fire was; —
当火开始燃烧时，蚂蚁们蜂拥而出，首先向着火焰中心前进； —

then turned back and ran toward the end. —
然后转身向着尽头跑去。 —

When there were enough on the end they fell off into the fire. —
当尽头足够多蚂蚁时，它们掉进了火里。 —

Some got out, their bodies burnt and flattened, and went off not knowing where they were going. —
有些逃出来，身体被烧焦并被压扁，不知所措地离开了。 —

But most of them went toward the fire and then back toward the end and swarmed on the cool end and finally fell off into the fire. —
但大多数蚂蚁走向火焰，然后又向尽头返回，挤在凉爽的尽头上，最终掉进了火里。 —

I remember thinking at the time that it was the end of the world and a splendid chance to be a messiah and lift the log off the fire and throw it out where the ants could get off onto the ground. —
我记得当时想着这是世界的末日，是成为救世主的绝佳机会，可以把木头从火上移开，让蚂蚁们能够爬到地面上去。 —

But I did not do anything but throw a tin cup of water on the log, so that I would have the cup empty to put whiskey in before I added water to it. —
但是我什么都没做，只是往木头上倒了一杯水，这样我就可以把威士忌加水后放进杯子里。 —

I think the cup of water on the burning log only steamed the ants.
我觉得往燃烧的木头上倒的那一杯水只是让蚂蚁们被蒸汽烫到了。

So now I sat out in the hall and waited to hear how Catherine was. —
现在我坐在大厅里等待听到凯瑟琳的消息。 —

The nurse did not come out, so after a while I went to the door and opened it very softly and looked in. —
护士没有出来，过了一会儿，我打开门轻轻地看了一眼。 —

I could not see at first because there was a bright light in the hall and it was dark in the room. —
起初看不清楚，因为大厅里有强光，而房间里很暗。 —

Then I saw the nurse sitting by the bed and Catherine’s head on a pillow, and she was all flat under the sheet. —
然后我看到护士坐在床边，凯瑟琳的头枕着枕头，她被被子包裹得很扁。 —

The nurse put her finger to her lips, then stood up and came to the door.
护士捂住了嘴，站起来走到门口。

“How is she?” I asked.
“她怎么样？”我问。

“She’s all right,” the nurse said. “You should go and have your supper and then come back if you wish.”
“她没事，”护士说道，”你应该去吃晚饭，然后回来看她如果你想的话。”

I went down the hall and then down the stairs and out the door of the hospital and down the dark street in the rain to the caf? —
我沿着走廊走下楼梯，走出医院的大门，穿过雨中的暗街，来到了一家咖啡馆。 —

It was brightly lighted inside and there were many people at the tables. —
里面灯火通明，许多人坐在桌旁。 —

I did not see a place to sit, and a waiter came up to me and took my wet coat and hat and showed me a place at a table across from an elderly man who was drinking beer and reading the evening paper. —
我没找到座位，一名侍者走过来帮我脱下湿透的外套和帽子，然后带我坐在一张桌子前，对面坐着一位老人，他在喝啤酒读晚报。 —

I sat down and asked the waiter what the plat du jour was.
我坐下来问侍者今日特餐是什么。

“Veal stew–but it is finished.”
“猪肉炖菜–但是已经卖完了。”

“What can I have to eat?”
“那我可以吃什么？”

“Ham and eggs, eggs with cheese, or choucroute.”
“火腿和鸡蛋，奶酪煎蛋，或者酸菜肉卷。”

“I had choucroute this noon,” I said.
“中午我吃了酸菜肉卷,” 我说。

“That’s true,” he said. “That’s true. You ate choucroute this noon.” —
“没错,” 他说。”没错。你中午吃了酸菜肉卷。” —

He was a middle-aged man with a bald top to his head and his hair slicked over it. —
他是个中年男子，头顶光秃，头发梳理得整整齐齐。 —

He had a kind face.
他的脸很和蔼。

“What do you want? Ham and eggs or eggs with cheese?”
“你想要什么？火腿和鸡蛋还是奶酪煎蛋？”

“Ham and eggs,” I said, “and beer.”
“火腿和鸡蛋，还有啤酒。”

“A demi-blonde?”
“半杯啤酒？”

“Yes,” I said.
“是的,” 我说。

“I remembered,” he said. “You took a demi-blonde this noon.”
“我记得，”他说。“你今天中午吃了半熟的啤酒。”

I ate the ham and eggs and drank the beer. —
我吃了火腿和鸡蛋，喝了啤酒。 —

The ham and eggs were in a round dish–the ham underneath and the eggs on top. —
火腿和鸡蛋放在一个圆碟里–火腿在下面，鸡蛋在上面。 —

It was very hot and at the first mouthful I had to take a drink of beer to cool my mouth. —
那天非常炎热，第一口就不得不喝啤酒来降温。 —

I was hungry and I asked the waiter for another order. I drank several glasses of beer. —
我很饿，于是向服务员再点了一份。我喝了几杯啤酒。 —

I was not thinking at all but read the paper of the man opposite me. —
我一点也不思考，看着对面男士手上的报纸。 —

It was about the break through on the British front. —
报道的内容是关于英国前线的突破。 —

When he realized I was reading the back of his paper he folded it over. —
当他意识到我在看他报纸的背面时，他把报纸折了过去。 —

I thought of asking the waiter for a paper, but I could not concentrate. It was hot in the caf? —
我想向服务员要一份报纸，但我无法集中注意力。咖啡馆里很热。 —

and the air was bad. Many of the people at the tables knew one another. —
空气很糟，很多坐在桌子旁的人彼此相识。 —

There were several card games going on. The waiters were busy bringing drinks from the bar to the tables. —
有几桌在打牌。服务员忙着从酒吧拿饮料到桌子上。 —

Two men came in and could find no place to sit. They stood opposite the table where I was. —
两个人走进来却找不到座位。他们站在我桌的对面。 —

I ordered another beer. I was not ready to leave yet. It was too soon to go back to the hospital. —
我又点了一杯啤酒。我还没准备好离开。现在回医院还为时过早。 —

I tried not to think and to be perfectly calm. —
我试图不去思考，保持完全的冷静。 —

The men stood around but no one was leaving, so they went out. I drank another beer. —
那些人一直站在旁边，但没有人离开，最终走了出去。我又喝了一杯啤酒。 —

There was quite a pile of saucers now on the table in front of me. —
我面前的桌子上堆满了不少的茶碟。 —

The man opposite me had taken off his spectacles, put them away in a case, folded his paper and put it in his pocket and now sat holding his liqueur glass and looking out at the room. —
坐在我对面的那个人已经摘下眼镜，把它们放进盒子里，折叠起报纸放进口袋里，现在拿着杯中的饮料看着屋子里的情景。 —

Suddenly I knew I had to get back. I called the waiter, paid the reckoning, got into my coat, put on my hat and started out the door. —
突然间，我知道我得赶紧回去了。我叫来服务员，付了账，穿上外套，戴上帽子，走出了门。 —

I walked through the rain up to the hospital.
我在雨中走到了医院。

Upstairs I met the nurse coming down the hall.
上楼时我遇到了护士正走出走廊。

“I just called you at the hotel,” she said. Something dropped inside me.
“我刚给你们旅馆打电话,“她说。我心里咯噔了一下。

“What is wrong?”
“出了什么事?”

“Mrs. Henry has had a hemorrhage.”
“亨利太太出血了。”

“Can I go in?”
“我能进去吗?”

“No, not yet. The doctor is with her.”
“不，还不能。医生正在照顾她。”

“Is it dangerous?”
“危险吗?”

“It is very dangerous.” The nurse went into the room and shut the door. I sat outside in the hail. —
“非常危险。”护士走进房间关上了门。我坐在过道外。 —

Everything was gone inside of me. I did not think. I could not think. —
我内心一片空白。我没有思考。我无法思考。 —

I knew she was going to die and I prayed that she would not. Don’t let her die. —
我知道她就要死了，我祈祷她不要死。不要让她死。 —

Oh, God, please don’t let her die. I’ll do anything for you if you won’t let her die. —
哦，上帝，请不要让她死。如果你不让她死，我愿意付出任何代价。 —

Please, please, please, dear God, don’t let her die. Dear God, don’t let her die. —
拜托，拜托，拜托，亲爱的上帝，请不要让她死。亲爱的上帝，请不要让她死。 —

Please, please, please don’t let her die. God please make her not die. —
拜托，拜托，拜托，不要让她死。上帝，请让她不要死。 —

I’ll do anything you say if you don’t let her die. You took the baby but don’t let her die. —
如果你不让她死，我什么都愿意做。你带走了孩子，但不要让她死。 —

That was all right but don’t let her die. —
那样还算可以，但不要让她死。 —

Please, please, dear God, don’t let her die.
拜托，拜托，亲爱的上帝，请不要让她死。

The nurse opened the door and motioned with her finger for me to come. I followed her into the room. —
护士打开门，用手指示我进来。我跟着她走进房间。 —

Catherine did not look up when I came in. I went over to the side of the bed. —
凯瑟琳没有抬头看我进来。我走到床边。 —

The doctor was standing by the bed on the opposite side. —
医生站在床的另一侧。 —

Catherine looked at me and smiled. I bent down over the bed and started to cry.
凯瑟琳看着我微笑。我俯身在床边开始哭泣。

“Poor darling,” Catherine said very softly. She looked gray.
“可怜的宝贝,” 凯瑟琳很轻声地说。她看起来苍白。

“You’re all right, Cat,” I said. “You’re going to be all right.”
“你没事，凯特,” 我说。 “你会没事的。”

“I’m going to die,” she said; then waited and said, “I hate it.”
“我要死了，” 她说；然后等了一下，说， “我讨厌这样。”

I took her hand.
我握住她的手。

“Don’t touch me,” she said. I let go of her hand. She smiled. —
“不要碰我,” 她说。我松开她的手。她微笑了。 —

“Poor darling. You touch me all you want.”
“可怜的宝贝。你想碰我就尽管碰吧。”

“You’ll be all right, Cat. I know you’ll be all right.”
“你会没事的，凯特。我知道你会没事的。”

“I meant to write you a letter to have if anything happened, but I didn’t do it.”
“我本来想给你写封信，以防万一，但我没做。”

“Do you want me to get a priest or any one to come and see you?”
“你要我找神父或者其他人来看看你吗？”

“Just you,” she said. Then a little later, “I’m not afraid. I just hate it.”
“只要你，”她说。然后又过了一会，“我不怕。我只是讨厌。”

“You must not talk so much,” the doctor said.
“你不能说得这么多，”医生说。

“All right,” Catherine said.
“好的，”凯特说。

“Do you want me to do anything, Cat? Can I get you anything?”
“你需要我做什么吗，凯特？我可以给你拿点什么吗？”

Catherine smiled, “No.” Then a little later, “You won’t do our things with another girl, or say the same things, will you?”
凯特微笑着说：“不需要。”然后过了一会，“你不会和别的女孩做我们俩的事，也不会说同样的话，对吗？”

“Never.”
“永远不会。”

“I want you to have girls, though.”
“但我希望你交女朋友。”

“I don’t want them.”
“我不想。”

“You are talking too much,” the doctor said. “Mr. Henry must go out. —
“你说得太多了，”医生说。“亨利先生必须出去。 —

He can come back again later. You are not going to die. —
他可以等会儿再回来。你不会死的。 —

You must not be silly.”
你不能这么傻。”

“All right,” Catherine said. “I’ll come and stay with you nights,” she said. —
“好的，”凯特说。“我晚上会来陪你，”她说。 —

It was very hard for her to talk.
她很难说话。

“Please go out of the room,” the doctor said. “You cannot talk.” —
“请出去房间，”医生说。“你不能讲话。” —

Catherine winked at me, her face gray. “I’ll be right outside,” I said.
凯瑟琳对我眨眼，脸色苍白。“我就在外面等你，”我说。

“Don’t worry, darling,” Catherine said. “I’m not a bit afraid. It’s just a dirty trick.”
“不要担心，亲爱的，”凯瑟琳说。“我一点也不害怕。这只是一个卑鄙的诡计。”

“You dear, brave sweet.”
“你是亲爱的，勇敢的。”

I waited outside in the hall. I waited a long time. —
我在走廊外等待。我等了很长时间。 —

The nurse came to the door and came over to me. —
护士走到门口，走向我。 —

“I’m afraid Mrs. Henry is very ill,” she said. “I’m afraid for her.”
“亨利夫人病得很厉害，”她说。“我为她担心。”

“Is she dead?”
“她死了吗？”

“No, but she is unconscious.”
“没有，但她昏迷了。”

It seems she had one hemorrhage after another. They couldn’t stop it. —
看来她一个接一个出血。他们无法控制。 —

I went into the room and stayed with Catherine until she died. —
我走进房间，陪在凯瑟琳身边，直到她去世。 —

She was unconscious all the time, and it did not take her very long to die.
她一直昏迷着，去世并没有花很长时间。

Outside the room, in the hall, I spoke to the doctor, “Is there anything I can do to-night?”
在房间外的走廊，我对医生说：“今晚有什么我可以帮忙的吗？”

“No. There is nothing to do. Can I take you to your hotel?”
“不，没什么可做的。我可以送你去酒店吗？”

“No, thank you. I am going to stay here a while.”
“不，谢谢。我打算在这里待一会儿。”

“I know there is nothing to say. I cannot tell you–”
“我知道没有什么可说的。我不能告诉你–”

“No,” I said. “There’s nothing to say.”
“不，”我说。“没有什么好说的。”

“Good-night,” he said. “I cannot take you to your hotel?”
“晚安”，他说。“我不能送你回酒店吗？”

“No, thank you.”
“不用了，谢谢。”

“It was the only thing to do,” he said. “The operation proved–”
“这是唯一的办法。”他说。“手术证明……”

“I do not want to talk about it,” I said.
“我不想谈这个，”我说。

“I would like to take you to your hotel.”
“我想把你送回酒店。”

“No, thank you.”
“不用了，谢谢。”

He went down the hall. I went to the door of the room.
他走进了走廊。我走向了房间的门口。

“You can’t come in now,” one of the nurses said.
“现在你不能进来，”一位护士说。

“Yes I can,” I said.
“我可以，”我说。

“You can’t come in yet.”
“现在不能进来。”

“You get out,” I said. “The other one too.”
“你们出去，”我说。“另外那个也一起出去。”

But after I had got them out and shut the door and turned off the light it wasn’t any good. —
但是等我把他们都赶出去，把门关上，关掉灯，都已经太迟了。 —

It was like saying good-by to a statue. After a while I went out and left the hospital and walked back to the hotel in the rain.
就像是在向一座雕像告别。过了一会儿，我走出了医院，雨中回到了旅馆。