Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7 The men scrambled to fold up their tents, pack up their knapsacks, and fill their canteens at the stream. Already they were grumbling about the heat. Birdie skipped around as if she was getting ready to go to a party. Thomas helped Les ready the horses for the trip, keeping his ears pricked up as he worked. A person learned by listening; that's what Clem always said. Sure enough, Thomas had learned more in the past two weeks than he'd learned in the past two years. The men were always talking about their families and their sweethearts, their hometowns

第七章男人们忙着叠好帐篷，收拾好背包，在小溪边装满饭桶。 他们已经开始抱怨天气太热了。 小鸟跳来跳去，好像准备去参加一个聚会。 托马斯帮莱斯准备好马匹，一边干活一边竖起耳朵。 通过倾听而学习的人;克莱姆总是这么说。 果然，托马斯在过去两个星期里学到的东西比他在过去两年里学到的还要多。 男人们总是谈论他们的家庭，他们的爱人，他们的家乡

and their plans for getting back home. And, of course, they talked about the war. It turned out what Clem had said was right: People in the North did think slavery was evil. It had been illegal in the North for years. Now President Lincoln wanted to end slavery everywhere in America. Except the people in the South didn't care what President Lincoln thought. They wanted to keep their slaves. Eleven Southern states were already trying to break away from the United States to start their own country. A country with slavery. Here's what Thomas had figured out: If the North won the war, the states would stay together, and slavery would be gone forever. And if the South won? Thomas tried not to think about that. But listening to the men each night, it was hard not to worry. The North had more soldiers, and better weapons and uniforms. But the rebel

还有他们回家的计划。 当然，他们也谈到了战争。 事实证明克莱姆的话是对的:北方人确实认为奴隶制是邪恶的。 多年来，这在北方一直是非法的。 林肯总统想要在美国各地结束奴隶制。 但是南方人并不关心林肯总统的想法。 他们想保留他们的奴隶。 南方的11个州已经试图脱离美国，建立自己的国家。 有奴隶制的国家。托马斯是这样想的:如果北方赢得了战争，各州就会团结在一起，奴隶制就会永远消失。 如果韩国赢了呢?托马斯尽量不去想那件事。 但每天晚上听他们说话，很难不担心。 北方有更多的士兵，更好的武器和制服。 但是反叛者

fighters were fierce, even though some fought barefoot, with rickety guns that could barely shoot. They had a ferocious battle cry — the rebel yell — that they screamed out when they were charging. "It sounds like you're being attacked by a pack of wild beasts," Henry had told him. "The sound will chill you right to your bones." And now Thomas could see how worried the men looked as they packed up the camp. Thomas overheard Les and Homer talking behind the supply wagons. He didn't mean to spy, but they were talking in loud voices. "This is going to be another Fredericksburg," Lester said. "I can feel it!" "Don't say that, Les! Don't even think it!" Homer said. Later, Thomas asked Henry about what he'd heard. Henry didn't answer right away. "Fredericksburg was a big battle we fought," he said. "Back in December."

战士们都很凶猛，尽管有些人光着脚，拿着几乎打不动的摇摇晃晃的枪。 他们发出了一种凶猛的战斗呐喊——反抗者的呐喊——这是他们在冲锋时发出的尖叫。 “听起来你好像被一群野兽袭击了。”亨利对他说。 “这声音会让你毛骨悚然。” 现在托马斯可以看到士兵们在收拾营帐时是多么着急。 托马斯无意中听到莱斯和霍默在补给车后面的谈话。 他不是有意窥探，但他们在大声交谈。 “这将是另一个弗雷德里克斯堡，”莱斯特说。 “我能感觉到!”“别这么说，莱斯!”想都别想!”荷马说。 后来，托马斯问亨利听到了什么。 亨利没有马上回答。 “弗雷德里克斯堡是我们打的一场大战，”他说。 “十二月的时候。”

"What happened there?" Henry looked into his knapsack, rummaging around, as though he might find the answer folded up with his blanket. But then he dropped his pack and sat down. He patted the grass next to him, and Thomas sat, too. Henry's face got a faraway look. And then, in a low voice, Henry told the story of that day.

“那里发生了什么事?”亨利看着他的背包，翻来翻去，好像他能找到用毯子叠起来的答案。 但随后他放下背包，坐了下来。 他拍了拍身边的草，托马斯也坐了下来。 亨利的脸上露出一种茫然的神情。 然后，亨利低声讲述了那天的故事。