6 The First Shot

CHAPTER 6 The First Shot There were many moments of waiting. Henry's thoughts drifted to the street at home when everyone was waiting for the springtime circus parade to begin. Suddenly someone cried, "Here they come!" There was rustling and muttering among the men. They pulled boxes of bullets around them and shifted their positions with great care. "Here they come! Here they come!" Gunlocks clicked.

第6章第一枪有许多等待的时刻。 当大家都在等待春天马戏团的游行开始时，亨利的思绪飘到了家里的街上。 突然有人喊道：“他们来了！”男人们之间有沙沙声和窃窃私语。 他们拖着一箱箱子弹，小心翼翼地变换着位置。 “他们来了！”他们来了！”板机。

Across the smoke-covered field came a swarm of men in gray uniforms, yelling loudly and shrilly. As he caught sight of them, Henry was suddenly troubled by the thought that his gun might not be loaded. He tried to remember when he had loaded it, but he was too nervous. A hatless general pulled his horse to a stand near the colonel of Henry's troop. He shook his fist in the other's face. "You've got to hold them back!" he shouted angrily. "You've got to hold them back!" In his nervousness, the colonel began to stammer. "A-all r-right, General, by God! We-we'll d-d-do—do our best, General." The general made a passionate gesture and rode away. The man at Henry's elbow was mumbling, as if to himself, "Oh, we're in for it now! We're in for it now!"

一群穿着灰色制服的人穿过烟雾笼罩的田野，大声尖叫着。 当他看到他们时，亨利突然想到他的枪可能没有上膛。 他试图回忆自己是什么时候装上子弹的，但他太紧张了。 一个没戴帽子的将军把他的马拉到亨利部队上校的旁边。 他在对方脸上挥舞着拳头。 “你必须阻止他们！”他愤怒地喊道。 “你必须阻止他们！”由于紧张，上校开始结巴起来。 “好——好——好，将军，上帝作证！我们会尽力的，将军。” 将军作了一个激动的手势，骑着马走了。 亨利身边的那个人喃喃自语，好像在自言自语：“哦，我们现在有麻烦了！我们现在要倒霉了！”

The captain of the company was pacing excitedly back and forth behind the men. He kept repeating, "Hold your fire, boys. Don't shoot until I tell you. Wait until they get close up." Henry took one look at the enemy in the field in front of him and stopped wondering if his gun was loaded. Before he was ready— before he had told himself that he was about to fight—he threw his rifle into position. He fired a first wild shot even before the order came, and continued working his weapon. He suddenly lost all concern for himself. He felt as if he was part of something larger. The only thing he knew was that whatever he was now a part of was in trouble. He could no more leave his troop than a little finger could leave a hand. He was always aware of his friends beside him. It was a brotherhood born of the smoke and danger of death.

连长在士兵们后面兴奋地踱来踱去。 他不停地重复：“别开枪，孩子们。 没有我的命令不要开枪。 等着他们靠近吧。” 亨利看了一眼他面前战场上的敌人，不再怀疑他的枪是否上了膛。 还没等他准备好——还没等他告诉自己要开战——他就把步枪放到了位置。 命令还没有下达，他就疯狂地开了第一枪，继续使用他的武器。 他突然完全不关心自己了。 他觉得自己是某种更大的东西的一部分。 他唯一知道的是，无论他现在是什么人，都有麻烦了。 他不能离开他的部队，就像一个小指头不能离开一只手一样。 他总是注意到身边的朋友。 这是在烟雾和死亡的危险中诞生的兄弟情谊。