Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11 Captain Campbell studied the doll. Thomas could see the dread in the eyes of the men gathered around them. "I fear they took her, son," Captain Campbell said. "The rebel cavalry has been kidnapping escaped slaves. Free Negroes, too, all over these parts. They're rounding them up and taking them south to be sold." Thomas's mind spun. He swayed, and Henry grabbed his elbow to steady him. "We must do something, sir," said Henry. Other men murmured in agreement.

第十一章坎贝尔上尉仔细研究娃娃。 托马斯可以从周围人的眼中看到恐惧。 “我担心他们把她带走了，孩子，”坎贝尔上尉说。 “叛军骑兵一直在绑架逃跑的奴隶。 这里到处都是自由的黑人。 他们把他们围捕起来，带到南方去卖。” 托马斯的脑子一转。他摇摇晃晃，亨利抓住他的胳膊肘扶住他。 “我们必须做点什么，先生，”亨利说。 其他男人低声表示同意。

"I'm sorry," the captain said. "But there's a battle just ahead. Our orders are to double step it, to get to Gettysburg tonight." "It won't take us long to find her…." said Henry. A chorus rose up. "I'm in!" "Let's go!" "Attention!" Captain Campbell shouted. The men fell silent. "There is a battle just ahead! We have our orders!" "Sir," Henry said, glancing at Thomas, "what does this war mean if we turn our backs and let those men carry that little girl away? What are we fighting for, anyway?" The men seemed to hold their breath, waiting for Captain Campbell to speak. The captain shook his head. And that was it for Thomas.

“对不起，”船长说。 “但前方还有一场战斗。 我们的命令是加倍前进，今晚赶到葛底斯堡。” “我们很快就能找到她....” 亨利说。齐声欢呼起来。 “我在!”“我们走吧!”“注意!”坎贝尔上尉喊道。 男人们沉默了。“前方有一场战斗!”我们有命令!”“先生，”亨利瞥了托马斯一眼说，“如果我们背过身去，让那些人把那个小女孩带走，这场战争意味着什么? 我们到底为什么而战?”士兵们似乎都屏住了呼吸，等着坎贝尔上尉说话。 船长摇了摇头。 这就是托马斯的故事。

He took off into the woods, ignoring the voices of the men calling after him. He smashed through bushes, following the trampled path that the horses had made through the brush. His mind kept flashing back to Clem, to the moment when those men put the chain around his neck. That could not happen to Birdie! Thomas heard voices coming from deeper into the woods. He slowed his steps, and as he came over a small hill he could see them: at least ten men. They were standing around as their horses drank from a rushing stream. His eyes fell on a sack of flour tied to the saddle of one of the horses. But then the package lifted its head. Birdie! She was looking around. She moved her legs and arms.

他跑进树林，根本不理会后面的人在叫他。 他穿过灌木丛，沿着马在灌木丛中踩出的路往前走。 他的思绪不断地闪回到克莱姆，回到那些人把铁链套在他脖子上的那一刻。 这种事不可能发生在小鸟身上!托马斯听到树林深处传来了声音。 他放慢了脚步，当他翻过一座小山时，他看到了他们:至少有十个人。 他们站在旁边，马在激流中饮水。 他的目光落在一匹马的马鞍上绑着的一袋面粉上。 但随后包裹抬起了头。 小鸟!她环顾四周。 她动了动腿和胳膊。

Thomas could see no blood on her. He almost called out but caught himself. He squinted. They had tied a rope around her neck. Anger boiled up inside him. He wanted to charge at the men. But he stopped himself. He stood very still. And then his fury turned to hopelessness. The men would shoot him before he got anywhere near Birdie. And even if by some miracle he managed to sneak down and free her, how far could they get? There was only one choice. Thomas stood and walked toward the men. "Thomas!" Birdie shouted, smiling through her tears, as though Thomas could really save her. Somehow he managed to smile back. Thomas put his hands up. "You can take me, too," he said, struggling to keep his voice from breaking, to be strong for Birdie.

托马斯看不见她身上有血。 他差点叫出声来，但又忍住了。 他眯起了双眼。他们在她的脖子上系了一根绳子。 他心中怒火中烧。 他想向那些人冲去。 但他停住了。他一动不动地站着。 接着，他的愤怒变成了绝望。 在他接近伯迪之前，那些人就会开枪打死他。 就算出现奇迹，他能溜下去把她救出来，他们又能走多远呢? 只有一个选择。 托马斯站起来，朝他们走去。 “托马斯!”伯蒂喊道，泪流满面，仿佛托马斯真的能救她似的。 不知怎的，他设法报以微笑。 托马斯举起双手。“你也可以带我去。”他说，努力不让自己的声音破裂，为了小鸟坚强起来。

He felt the men's hands on him, and he had a strange wilting feeling, as if he was a plant suddenly withering away in the sun. It was how he'd felt when he was with Mr. Knox — weak and helpless. A tall rebel soldier strode up to him. Recognition grabbed Thomas by the throat.

他感觉到那些人的手在他身上，他有一种奇怪的萎蔫的感觉，好像他是一株在阳光下突然枯萎的植物。 这就是他和诺克斯先生在一起时的感觉——软弱无助。 一个高大的叛军士兵大步走向他。 托马斯的喉咙被认出来了。

The straggly beard. The cruel glint in his eye. It was him — the same man who'd beaten Henry, who'd put the pistol to his head, ready to pull the trigger. He sneered at Thomas. "Well, look here," he said, grabbing Thomas roughly by the arm, squeezing so hard Thomas thought his bone would snap. A burly man hustled up behind the tall soldier. He had a chest like a barrel and muscles that bulged through his tattered gray jacket. "This is the one I told you about," sneered the tall man. He put his face close to Thomas's. His teeth were stained yellow and brown. His breath stunk worse than a dog's. "Thought you were so smart!" he growled. "I'll show you how smart you are!" He reached around and took his pistol from his belt.

凌乱的胡须。他眼中闪着残酷的光芒。 就是他——那个打亨利的人，那个拿枪指着他的头准备扣动扳机的人。 他嘲笑托马斯。“好吧，看这里，”他说，粗暴地抓住托马斯的胳膊，用力挤压，托马斯觉得他的骨头都要断了。 一个魁梧的男人急匆匆地走到那个高大的士兵后面。 他有一个像桶一样的胸部，肌肉从他那件破烂的灰色夹克里凸出来。 “这就是我跟你说过的那个。”高个男人冷笑着说。 他把脸凑近托马斯的脸。 他的牙齿被染成了黄色和棕色。 他的口气比狗的还臭。 “我还以为你很聪明呢!”他咆哮道。 “我要让你看看你有多聪明!”他伸手从腰带上取出手枪。