The next afternoon I went to call on Miss Barkley again. —
第二天下午，我又去拜访巴克莱小姐。 —

She was not in the garden and I went to the side door of the villa where the ambulances drove up. —
她不在花园里，于是我去了别墅侧门，那里救护车常驻。 —

Inside I saw the head nurse, who said Miss Barkley was on duty–“there’s a war on, you know.”
我在里面看到了主任护士，她说巴克莱小姐在值班–“你知道，现在正在打仗呢。”

I said I knew.
我说我知道。

“You’re the American in the Italian army?” she asked.
“你是意大利军队里的美国人吗？”她问道。

“Yes, ma’am.”
“是的，女士。”

“How did you happen to do that? Why didn’t you join up with us?”
“你为什么要那样做？为什么不来加入我们呢？”

“I don’t know,” I said. “Could I join now?”
“我不知道，”我说。”现在我还能加入吗？”

“I’m afraid not now. Tell me. Why did you join up with the Italians?”
“恐怕现在不行了。告诉我，你为什么要加入意大利人？”

“I was in Italy,” I said, “and I spoke Italian.”
“我当时在意大利，”我说，”而且我能说意大利语。”

“Oh,” she said. “I’m learning it. It’s beautiful language.”
“哦，”她说。”我在学习它。这是一门美丽的语言。”

“Somebody said you should be able to learn it in two weeks.”
“有人说可以在两周内学会它。”

“Oh, I’ll not learn it in two weeks. I’ve studied it for months now. —
“噢，我不可能两周学会。我已经学了几个月了。” —

You may come and see her after seven o’clock if you wish. —
七点以后你可以来看她。 —

She’ll be off then. But don’t bring a lot of Italians.”
那时她下班了。但不要带太多意大利人来。

“Not even for the beautiful language?”
“就连美丽的语言也不让你心动吗？”

“No. Nor for the beautiful uniforms.”
“不。也不为漂亮的制服。”

“Good evening,” I said.
“晚上好，”我说。

“A rivederci, Tenente.”
“再见，中尉。”

“A rivederla.” I saluted and went out. It was impossible to salute foreigners as an Italian, without embarrassment. —
“再见。”我敬礼后走了出去。作为意大利人，向外国人行军礼总是让人难为情。 —

The Italian salute never seemed made for export.
意大利式的行军礼似乎不适合传播。

The day had been hot. I had been up the river to the bridgehead at Plava. It was there that the offensive was to begin. —
那天很热。我去了普拉瓦（Plava）的桥头。攻势就要开始了。 —

It had been impossible to advance on the far side the year before because there was only one road leading down from the pass to the pontoon bridge and it was under machine-gun and shell fire for nearly a mile. —
前年无法突进到对岸，因为从山口通向浮桥的唯一道路被机枪和炮火控制了近一英里。 —

It was not wide enough either to carry all the transport for an offensive and the Austrians could make a shambles out of it. —
这条道路也不宽，无法负载所有作战交通工具，奥地利人可以将其摧毁。 —

But the Italians had crossed and spread out a little way on the far side to hold about a mile and a half on the Austrian side of the river. —
但意大利人已经过河，在对岸稍微扩展，占领了奥地利一侧约一英里半的地盘。 —

It was a nasty place and the Austrians should not have let them hold it. —
那是一个险要之地，奥地利人不应该让他们占据。 —

I suppose it was mutual tolerance because the Austrians still kept a bridgehead further down the river. —
我猜这是相互容忍，因为奥地利人仍在河下游保留着一个桥头。 —

The Austrian trenches were above on the hillside only a few yards from the Italian lines. —
奥地利的战壕在山坡上方，离意大利战线只有几码。 —

There had been a little town but it was all rubble. —
有一个小镇，但那里全是废墟。 —

There was what was left of a railway station and a smashed permanent bridge that could not be repaired and used because it was in plain sight.
还有一个残存的火车站和一座修不好且无法使用的破损永久桥，因为处于明显位置。

I went along the narrow road down toward the river, left the car at the dressing station under the hill, crossed the pontoon bridge, which was protected by a shoulder of the mountain, and went through the trenches in the smashed-down town and along the edge of the slope. —
我沿着狭窄的道路走向河边，将车停在山下的医疗站，穿过被山坡保护的浮桥，沿着被摧毁的城镇的战壕边缘走去。 —

Everybody was in the dugouts. There were racks of rockets standing to be touched off to call for help from the artillery or to signal with if the telephone wires were cut. —
每个人都躲在掩体里。岗位上架着火箭，随时可以点燃以请求炮兵支援或者在电话线断裂时进行信号传递。 —

It was quiet, hot and dirty. I looked across the wire at the Austrian lines. Nobody was in sight. —
那里寂静、炎热而肮脏。我透过铁丝网望向奥地利线，没有人影。 —

I had a drink with a captain that I knew in one of the dugouts and went back across the bridge.
我在一个掩体里与一个熟识的上尉喝了一杯，然后回到桥面。

A new wide road was being finished that would go over the mountain and zig-zag down to the bridge. —
一个新的宽阔道路正在修建，将沿着山顶曲折而下，直至桥边。 —

When this road was finished the offensive would start. —
当这条道路建成后，进攻就会开始。 —

It came down through the forest in sharp turns. —
道路沿着森林中陡峭的转弯而下。 —

The system was to bring everything down the new road and take the empty trucks, carts and loaded ambulances and all returning traffic up the old narrow road. —
一切都会经过新道路向下运送，而回程的空车、车辆和装载救护车的车辆将沿着旧狭窄道路驶上。 —

The dressing station was on the Austrian side of the river under the edge of the hill and stretcher-bearers would bring the wounded back across the pontoon bridge. —
医疗站位于山脚下奥地利一侧的河边，担架员会把伤员横渡浮桥送回。 —

It would be the same when the offensive started. —
进攻开始时情况也将是如此。 —

As far as I could make out the last mile or so of the new road where it started to level out would be able to be shelled steadily by the Austrians. —
据我所知，新道路越过最后一英里左右后，就会遭到奥地利人稳定的炮击。 —

It looked as though it might be a mess. But I found a place where the cars would be sheltered after they passed that last badlooking bit and could wait for the wounded to be brought across the pontoon bridge. —
看起来可能会一团糟。但我找到一个地方，车辆经过那最后的凶险路段后会有遮蔽，并等待横渡浮桥的伤员。 —

I would have liked to drive over the new road but it was not yet finished. —
我很想开车试试新道路，但它还没有完工。 —

It looked wide and well made with a good grade and the turns looked very impressive where you could see them through openings in the forest on the mountain side. —
看起来宽敞而坚固，坡度适中，透过山坡森林中的开口处可以看到曲折的道路，非常壮观。 —

The cars would be all right with their good metal-to-metal brakes and anyway, coming down, they would not be loaded. —
车辆会没问题，他们配备了优质的金属制动系统，而且下坡时也不会装载。 —

I drove back up the narrow road.
我沿着狭窄的道路开车回去。

Two carabinieri held the car up. A shell had fallen and while we waited three others fell up the road. —
两名警察挡住了车。一枚炮弹落下，在我们等待时，又有三枚落在了路上。 —

They were seventy-sevens and came with a whishing rush of air, a hard bright burst and flash and then gray smoke that blew across the road. —
它们是七十七毫米的炮弹，带着呼啸的气流而来，猛烈的爆炸和闪光，然后是灰色的烟雾飘过道路。 —

The carabinieri waved us to go on. Passing where the shells had landed I avoided the small broken places and smelled the high explosive and the smell of blasted clay and stone and freshly shattered flint. —
警察挥手示意我们继续前行。我避开了炮弹着陆的地方，闻到了高爆炸药和炸裂的黏土、石头和新鲜碎裂的燧石的气味。 —

I drove back to Gorizia and our villa and, as I said, went to call on Miss Barkley, who was on duty.
我开车回到戈里齐亚，到了我们的别墅，正如我所说的，去拜访巴克莱小姐，她在值班。

At dinner I ate very quickly and left for the villa where the British had their hospital. —
晚餐我吃得很快，就离开去了有英国人医院的别墅。 —

It was really very large and beautiful and there were fine trees in the grounds. —
那里真的很大很漂亮，园子里有高大的树木。 —

Miss Barkley was sitting on a bench in the garden. Miss Ferguson was with her. —
巴克莱小姐正坐在花园的长凳上。费格森小姐和她在一起。 —

They seemed glad to see me and in a little while Miss Ferguson excused herself and went away.
他们看到我很高兴，过了一会儿，费格森小姐离开了。

“I’ll leave you two,” she said. “You get along very well without me.”
“我走了，海伦，”她说。“你们两个相处得很好。”

“Don’t go, Helen,” Miss Barkley said.
“别走，海伦，”巴克莱小姐说。

“I’d really rather. I must write some letters.”
“我真的宁愿。我必须写一些信件。

“Good-night,” I said.
“晚安，”我说。

“Good-night, Mr. Henry.”
“晚安，亨利先生。”

“Don’t write anything that will bother the censor.”
“别写什么会让检查员困扰的事情。”

“Don’t worry. I only write about what a beautiful place we live in and how brave the Italians are.”
“别担心。我只是写我们居住的美丽地方以及意大利人有多勇敢。”

“That way you’ll be decorated.”
“那样你会被授勋。”

“That will be nice. Good-night, Catherine.”
“那会很好。晚安，凯瑟琳。”

“I’ll see you in a little while,” Miss Barkley said. Miss Ferguson walked away in the dark.
“我一会儿见你，” 巴克莱小姐说。弗格森小姐在黑暗中走开。

“She’s nice,” I said.
“她很好，”我说。

“Oh, yes, she’s very nice. She’s a nurse.”
“哦，是的，她很好。她是护士。”

“Aren’t you a nurse?”
“你不是护士吗？”

“Oh, no. I’m something called a V. A. D. We work very hard but no one trusts us.”
“哦，不。我是一个叫 V. A. D. 的人。我们工作很努力，但没有人相信我们。”

“Why not?”
“为什么？”

“They don’t trust us when there’s nothing going on. When there is really work they trust us.”
“在没什么事情发生时，他们不相信我们。当真的有工作时，他们才相信我们。”

“What is the difference?”
“有什么区别？”

“A nurse is like a doctor. It takes a long time to be. A V. A. D. is a short cut.”
“一个护士就像一个医生。需要很长时间才能成为。 V. A. D. 是一个捷径。”

“I see.”
“我明白了。”

“The Italians didn’t want women so near the front. —
“意大利人不希望女人靠近前线。” —

So we’re all on very special behavior. We don’t go out.”
“所以我们都表现得特别小心。我们不出去。”

“I can come here though.”
“不过我可以来这里。”

“Oh, yes. We’re not cloistered.”
“哦，是的。我们没有隐居。”

“Let’s drop the war.”
“我们忘掉战争吧。”

“It’s very hard. There’s no place to drop it.”
“这很难。没有地方可以忘掉它。”

“Let’s drop it anyway.”
“无论如何，我们还是忘掉吧。”

“All right.”
“好的。”

We looked at each other in the dark. I thought she was very beautiful and I took her hand. —
我们在黑暗中互相看着对方。我觉得她很美丽，然后牵起了她的手。 —

She let me take it and I held it and put my arm around under her arm.
她让我牵着，我把手臂搭在她腋下。

“No,” she said. I kept my arm where it was.
“不,“她说。我把手臂还是放在原地。

“Why not?”
“为什么不呢？”

“No.”
“不行。”

“Yes,” I said. “Please.” I leaned forward in the dark to kiss her and there was a sharp stinging flash. —
“好吧,“我说。“拜托。”我在黑暗中倾身要吻她，突然有一声尖锐刺耳的闪光。 —

She had slapped my face hard. Her hand had hit my nose and eyes, and tears came in my eyes from the reflex.
她狠狠地打了我一巴掌。她的手打在我的鼻子和眼睛上，我眼泪直冒。

“I’m so sorry,” she said. I felt I had a certain advantage.
“我很抱歉,“她说。我觉得我有了一定的优势。

“You were quite right.”
“你做得对。”

“I’m dreadfully sorry,” she said. “I just couldn’t stand the nurse’s-eveningoff aspect of it. —
“真是抱歉，”她说道。”我就是受不了护士值夜班的这一方面。 —

I didn’t mean to hurt you. I did hurt you, didn’t I?”
我不是故意想伤害你的。我伤害了你，是吧?”

She was looking at me in the dark. I was angry and yet certain, seeing it all ahead like the moves in a chess game.
她在黑暗中盯着我。我愤怒却又确定，看到所有的一切就像是下棋一样。

“You did exactly right,” I said. “I don’t mind at all.”
“你做得完全正确，”我说道。”我一点也不介意。”

“Poor man.”
“可怜的人。”

“You see I’ve been leading a sort of a funny life. —
“你看，我一直过着一种有点滑稽的生活。 —

And I never even talk English. And then you are so very beautiful.” I looked at her.
而且我甚至从不说英语。而你又是如此美丽。”我看着她。

“You don’t need to say a lot of nonsense. I said I was sorry. We do get along.”
“你不需要说一大堆废话。我说过我很抱歉。我们之间相处得很好。”

“Yes,” I said. “And we have gotten away from the war.”
“是的，”我说道。”而且我们已经远离了战争。”

She laughed. It was the first time I had ever heard her laugh. I watched her face.
她笑了。那是我第一次听到她笑。我注视着她的脸。

“You are sweet,” she said.
“你真可爱，”她说。

“No, I’m not.”
“不，我不是。”

“Yes. You are a dear. I’d be glad to kiss you if you don’t mind.”
“是的。你是个亲爱的人。如果你不介意，我很高兴亲一下你。”

I looked in her eyes and put my arm around her as I had before and kissed her. —
我看着她的眼睛，像之前那样抱起她，亲吻了她。 —

I kissed her hard and held her tight and tried to open her lips; they were closed tight. —
我亲得很用力，紧紧拥抱着她，试图打开她的嘴唇；她的嘴唇紧闭着。 —

I was still angry and as I held her suddenly she shivered. —
我仍然生气，当我抱着她时，她突然打了一个寒颤。 —

I held her close against me and could feel her heart beating and her lips opened and her head went back against my hand and then she was crying on my shoulder.
我紧紧搂着她，感受着她的心跳，她的嘴唇张开，头往后靠在我的手上，然后她哭在我的肩膀上。

“Oh, darling,” she said. “You will be good to me, won’t you?”
“哦，亲爱的，”她说。“你会对我好，对吗？”

What the hell, I thought. I stroked her hair and patted her shoulder. She was crying.
该死，我心想。我抚摸着她的头发，拍着她的肩膀。她在哭。

“You will, won’t you?” She looked up at me. “Because we’re going to have a strange life.”
“你会的，对吗？”她抬头看着我。“因为我们会有一种奇怪的生活。”

After a while I walked with her to the door of the villa and she went in and I walked home. —
过了一会儿，我陪着她走到别墅的门口，她走进去，我回家了。 —

Back at the villa I went upstairs to the room. —
回到别墅，我上楼去了房间。 —

Rinaldi was lying on his bed. He looked at me.
里纳尔迪躺在床上。他看着我。

“So you make progress with Miss Barkley?”
“那么你和巴克利小姐有进展了？”

“We are friends.”
“我们是朋友。”

“You have that pleasant air of a dog in heat.”
“你有着一种发情的狗般愉快的气息。”

I did not understand the word.
我不明白这个词。

“Of a what?”
“一只什么样的狗？”

He explained.
他解释道。

“You,” I said, “have that pleasant air of a dog who–”
“你，”我说，“有一种发情的狗般愉快的气息。”

“Stop it,” he said. “In a little while we would say insulting things.” He laughed.
“停止吧，”他说。“过会儿我们会说伤人的话。”他笑了。

“Good-night,” I said.
“晚安，”我说。

“Good-night, little puppy.”
“晚安，小狗狗。”

I knocked over his candle with the pillow and got into bed in the dark.
我用枕头把他的蜡烛打倒，然后在黑暗中爬进床上。

Rinaldi picked up the candle, lit it and went on reading.
里纳尔迪捡起蜡烛，点燃了它，继续阅读。