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LESSON 26 The Burning of Moscow
第二十六課 焚燒莫斯科
A. D. 1812
公元1812年
When Napoleon first came within sight of Moscow, with its domes, and towers, and palaces, he gazed long and thoughtfully on that goal of his wishes. Murat was the first to enter the gates, with his splendid cavalry; but as he passed along the streets he was struck by the solitude that surrounded him. Nothing was heard but the heavy tramp of his squadrons: a deserted and abandoned city was the meagre prize for which such unparalleled efforts had been made.
當(dāng)拿破侖第一次俯瞰莫斯科，望著那些圓屋頂、塔樓和宮殿時(shí)，他凝視了很久，思索著自己的一個(gè)愿望和目標(biāo)。繆拉元帥是進(jìn)入城門的第一人，率領(lǐng)著浩浩蕩蕩的騎兵。然而當(dāng)他經(jīng)過(guò)那些街道的時(shí)候，他被四周的荒僻震驚了，除了騎兵厚重的踩踏聲之外，四周鴉雀無(wú)聲：他們那前所未有的付出換來(lái)的難道僅是這一座荒蕪的廢城嗎？
As night drew its curtain over the splendid capital, Napoleon entered the gates, and immediately appointed Mortier governor. In his directions he commanded him to abstain from all pillage "For this," said he, "you shall be answerable with your life. Defend Moscow against all, whether friend or foe."
在這座輝煌的首都夜幕降臨之際，拿破侖入城了，入城后隨即任命了莫蒂埃為州長(zhǎng)。之后，拿破侖命令莫蒂埃放棄所有的掠奪，他說(shuō)：“你要對(duì)自己的生命負(fù)責(zé)，要保衛(wèi)莫斯科免受一切威脅，不管是朋友還是敵人。”
The bright moon rose over the mighty city, tipping with silver the domes of more than two hundred churches, and pouring a flood of light over a thousand palaces, and the dwellings of three hundred thousand inhabitants. The weary arm sank to rest; but there was no sleep for Mortier's eyes. Not the gorgeous and variegated palaces and their rich ornaments, nor the parks and gardens and Oriental magnificence that everywhere surrounded him, kept him wakeful, but the ominous forebodings that some dire calamity was hanging over the silent capital.
當(dāng)一輪明月在這座雄偉的城市上空升起之時(shí)，兩百多座教堂的圓屋頂像是鍍上了銀光，一千多座宮殿和三十多萬(wàn)居民的住宅也沐浴在月光之下，疲倦的士兵已經(jīng)耷拉著手臂沉沉睡去，但是莫蒂埃沒(méi)有睡著，他一直保持著清醒，并不是被那華麗的宮殿和豐富的裝飾品所震撼，也不是被四周的公園、花園和東方的富麗堂皇所震驚，而是因?yàn)樗傆幸环N不祥的預(yù)感：一些可怕的災(zāi)難正籠罩著這座寂靜的首都。
When he had entered it, scarcely a living soul met his gaze as he looked down the long streets; and when he broke open the buildings, he found salons, and parlours, and bed-rooms, all furnished and in order—but no occupants! This sudden abandonment of their homes betokened some secret purpose, yet to be fulfilled. The midnight moon was stealing over the city, when the cry of "Fire!" reached the ears of Mortier: the first light over Napoleon's faltering empire was kindled, and that most wondrous scene of modern times commenced—The Burning of Moscow.
莫蒂埃在進(jìn)入這座城、沿著長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的街道往下看時(shí)，幾乎沒(méi)有看到一個(gè)活人。而當(dāng)他闖進(jìn)一棟大樓、發(fā)現(xiàn)大廳、客廳和臥室都裝飾的井井有條時(shí)，竟然沒(méi)有發(fā)現(xiàn)一名居住者！他們對(duì)家的突然離棄肯定預(yù)示著某些不為人知的目的，而他們的目的已經(jīng)達(dá)到了。當(dāng)午夜的月光偷偷地灑滿這座城市，莫蒂埃只聽一聲大喊“起火啦！”：自此拿破侖那搖搖欲墜的帝國(guó)上空的第一縷曙光被點(diǎn)燃，當(dāng)代最令人震驚的一幕開始上演——焚燒莫斯科。
