評論
打印
As the guard was a good two hundred paces away, however,
可是我們那里離著堡壘的中央足有二百多步，
and as the space between was cut up into a labyrinth of passages and corridors,
并且還要經過許多象迷宮似的曲折長廊和甬道。
I had great doubts as to whether they could arrive in time to be of any use in case of an actual attack.
我萬分懷疑，在真的受到攻擊的時候，救兵是否能及時趕到。
Well, I was pretty proud at having this small command given me, since I was a raw recruit, and a game-legged one at that.
我是一個新入伍的士兵，又是個殘廢人，當了個小頭目，很是得意。
For two nights I kept the watch with my Punjabees.
頭兩夜我和我的兩個來自旁遮普省的印度兵把守堡門。
They were tall, fierce-looking chaps, Mahomet Singh and Abdullah Khan by name,
他們的名字一個叫莫郝米特·辛格，一個叫愛勃德勒·克汗。他們全是個子高高、面貌兇惡的家伙，
both old fighting men, who had borne arms against us at Chilian Wallah.
久經戰場，并且都曾在齊連瓦拉戰役中和我們交過手。
They could talk English pretty well, but I could get little out of them.
他們雖然英語都說得很好，可是我并沒有聽到他們談什么。
They preferred to stand together, and jabber all night in their queer Sikh lingo.
兩人總是喜歡站在一起，整夜用古怪的錫克語嘀哩嘟嚕地說個不停。
For myself, I used to stand outside the gateway,
我常是一個人站在堡門外，
looking down on the broad, winding river and on the twinkling lights of the great city.
向下望著那寬闊而彎曲的河流和那大城里閃爍的燈火。
The beating of drums, the rattle of tomtoms, and the yells and howls of the rebels, drunk with opium and with bang,
咚咚的鼓聲和印度銅鑼的聲音，吸足了鴉片的叛軍們的狂喊亂叫，
were enough to remind us all night of our dangerous neighbours across the stream.
整夜里都提醒著我們：河對面有著危險的鄰人。
Every two hours the officer of the night used to come round to all the posts to make sure that all was well.
每隔兩點鐘就有值夜的軍官到各崗哨巡查一次，以防意外。
The third night of my watch was dark and dirty, with a small driving rain.
值崗的第三夜，天空陰霾，小雨紛紛。
It was dreary work standing in the gateway hour after hour in such weather.
在這種天氣里連續站幾小時，確是苦惱得很。
I tried again and again to make my Sikhs talk, but without much success.
我又試著和那兩個印度兵攀談，他們還是不愛理我。
