就在第二天下午3点（闹钟上的时间），一个军官走进了牢房。这是他们几星期以来见到的第一位军官。他非常年轻，甚至小胡子的形状也显示出他不够老练，左边的胡子剃得重了点。

　　It was at three the next afternoon （alarm clock time） that an officer entered the cell； the first officer they had seen for weeks – and this one was very young， with inexperience even in the shape of his mustache which he had shaved too much on the left side.

　　他就像一个初次登台领奖的小学生一样窘迫不安，他说起话来粗鲁无礼，似乎要显示一种他并不具备的力量。

　　He was as embarrassed as a schoolboy making his first entry on a stage at a prize-giving， and he spoke abruptly so as to give the impression of a strength he did not possess.

　　他说道：“昨天夜间城里发生了几起谋杀，一名军事长官的副手、一位中士和一个骑自行车的女孩被杀。”他又说道：“我们不在乎女孩的死。法国男人杀死法国女人不关我们的事。”

　　He said， “There were murders last night in the town. The aide-de-camp of the military governor， a sergeant and a girl on a bicycle.” He added， “We don't complain about the girl. Frenchmen have our permission to kill Frenchwomen.”

　　很明显他事先仔细斟酌了他的讲话，但他的嘲弄做过了头，他的表演也很业余。

　　He had obviously thought up his speech carefully beforehand， but the irony was overdone and the delivery that of an amateur actor：

　　整个场面就像手势字谜游戏那样矫饰做作。

　　the whole scene was as unreal as a charade.

　　他接着说道：“你们知道自己为什么来这里，你们在这里好吃好喝，过着舒适的日子，而我们的人却在工作和战斗。不过现在你们必须付出代价了。不要怪我们，要怪你们自己的杀人凶手。我的命令是集中营里每十个人要有一个被枪决。你们有多少人？”“报数。”他厉声喝道人们闷闷不乐地照办了。“28，29，30.”人们知道不用数他也知道人数，这不过是他玩的把戏中不可省略的一句台词……

　　He said， “You know what you are here for， living comfortably， on fine rations， while our men work and fight. Well， now you've got to pay the hotel bill. Don't blame us. Blame your own murderers. My orders are that one man in every ten shall be shot in this camp. How many of you are there？” He shouted sharply， “Number off，” and sullenly they obeyed， “…… twenty-eight， twenty-nine， thirty.” They knew he knew without counting. This was just a line in his charade he couldn't sacrifice.

　　他说道：“那么，你们的名额是三个，我们并不关心是哪三个人。你们可以自己选择。死刑于明天早上7点执行。”

　　He said， “Y

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