評論
打印
"I have no family," replied the boy. "I am a foundling. I do a little work for everybody. I remained here to see the war."
“我沒有家族，是個孤兒。也會替人家做點事體涵為想看著打仗，所以留在此地。”少年 回答說。
"Have you seen any Austrians pass?"
“見有奧國兵走過么？”
"No; not for these three days."
“不，這三天沒有見到。”
The officer paused a while in thought; then he leaped from his horse, and leaving his soldiers there, with their faces turned towards the foe, he entered the house and mounted to the roof. The house was low; from the roof only a small tract of country was visible. "It will be necessary to climb the trees," said the officer, and descended. Just in front of the garden plot rose a very lofty and slender ash-tree, which was rocking its crest in the azure. The officer stood a brief space in thought, gazing now at the tree, and again at the soldiers; then, all of a sudden, he asked the lad:
士官沉思了一會，下了馬，命兵士們注意前方，自己爬上農(nóng)舍屋頂去。可是那屋太低了，望不見遠處。士官又下來，心里想，“非爬上樹去不可。”恰巧農(nóng)舍面前有一株高樹，樹梢在空中飄動著。士官考慮了一會兒，上下打量著樹梢和兵士的臉，忽然間少年：
"Is your sight good, you monkey?"
“喂！孩子！你眼力好嗎？”
"Mine?" replied the boy. "I can spy a young sparrow a mile away."
“眼力嗎？一里外的雀兒也看得出呢。”
"Are you good for a climb to the top of this tree?"
“你能上這樹梢嗎？”
"To the top of this tree? I? I'll be up there in half a minute."
“這樹梢？我？那真是不要半分鐘工夫。”
"And will you be able to tell me what you see up there--if there are Austrian soldiers in that direction, clouds of dust, gleaming guns, horses?"
“那么，孩子！你上去替我望望前面有沒有敵兵，有沒有煙氣，有沒有槍刺的光和馬之類的東西！”
"Certainly I shall."
“就這樣吧。”
"What do you demand for this service?"
“應(yīng)該給你多少？”
"What do I demand?" said the lad, smiling. "Nothing. A fine thing, indeed! And then--if it were for the Germans, I wouldn't do it on any terms; but for our men! I am a Lombard!"
“你說我要多少錢嗎？不要！我歡喜做這事。如果是敵人叫我，我哪里肯呢？為了國家才肯如此。我也是隆巴爾地人哩！”少年微笑著回答。
"Good! Then up with you."
“好的，那么你上去。”
"Wait a moment, until I take off my shoes."
“且慢，讓我脫了皮鞋。”
He pulled off his shoes, tightened the girth of his trousers, flung his cap on the grass, and clasped the trunk of the ash.
少年脫了皮鞋，把腰帶束緊了，將帽子擲在地上，抱向樹干去。
