評論
打印
Everything else they would need had been stored in the shelter the past several months. He heard his wife approaching and turned as she entered the room.
過去幾個月來，除了這些之外，他們所需要的所有東西都藏在避難所里。 他聽到妻子正朝臥室走來，并在她進屋的時候轉過身來。
"Ready, dear?" she asked.
“準備好了嗎，親愛的？”她問。
"Yes," he replied, "are the kids gone in?"
“是的，”他答道，“孩子們進去了嗎？”
"They're all down," she answered, "I still can't believe it's real."
“他們都下去了，”她回答說，“我仍然無法相信這是真的。”
"We've got to believe it," he said, looking her steadily in the eye, "we can't afford not to."
“我們必須要相信它，”他望著她平靜地說，“我們無法承擔不相信的后果。”
Outside, the day was crisp and clear, typical of early fall. Just right for boating on the river, fishing or bird shooting. An excellent day, he thought, for fleeing underground to escape the hell of a nuclear strike. He looked at his watch again. Four minutes had elapsed since the first alarm. Twelve minutes, more or less, remained.
外邊，秋高氣爽，是典型的初秋天氣，正適合在河上劃船、垂釣或獵鳥。他想，多么好的天氣，卻要鉆到地下來躲避該死的核彈轟炸。他再次看了看手表。從第一次警報后，已經過去了四分鐘。或多或少，還剩12分鐘。
Inside the shelter, he latched the door, and looked around to see that his family was squared away. His wife was checking the food supplies, assisted by her older son. The small children had already put their fright behind them, as is the nature of youngsters, and were drawing on the slate again in quiet, busy glee.
進入避難所，他鎖上了門，環顧四周，看到他的家人都已安頓好了。他的妻子正在大兒子的幫助下檢查食物儲備。小兒子和女兒出于孩子的天性，已經把恐懼拋到腦后，重新在石板上安靜地作起畫來，忙得高興極了。
Now it began. The waiting.
現在，等待開始了。
The man and his wife knew that others would come soon, begging and crying to be taken in now that the time was here. They had argued about this when the shelter was being built. It was in her mind to share their refuge.
男人和他的妻子知道其他人很快就會來，哭喊著乞求被收留，因為時間已經不多了。在修建避難所時他們就曾為此而爭論過。她主張分享避難所。
