The commander had told him to watch the assembly, and if they began to get rowdy and appear to get out of control, he should immediately inform his partner, now stationed across the street, for reinforcements, garrisoned just two blocks away.
指挥官告诉他要注意集合，如果他们开始吵闹并且失去控制，他应该立即通知他的搭档，他现在驻扎在街对面，在两个街区外驻扎的增援部队。
The young soldier, stationed on guard at a foreign city street corner, sheltered himself from the biting late evening wind by standing back against the lee side of a small, one storey building, occasionally peering around to view the large crowd that had gathered on the main street.
这个年轻的士兵站在一个外国城市的街角，站在一个小的单层建筑的背风面，避开刺骨的深夜风，偶尔环顾四周，看看聚集在大街上的大群人。
He didn’t know why the people were there, nor did he care; after all, it wasn’t his country, and none of his concern. He had been in the Army for only six months, enlisting on the same day when he had turned eighteen, and he didn’t understand the local language or any of the country’s dialects. He could speak only a few words and phrases, just enough for him to occasionally purchase some of the local food and beverages.
他不知道人们为什么在那里，他也不在乎；毕竟，那不是他的国家，也不关他的事。他在军队里只待了六个月，就在他十八岁的同一天入伍，他不懂当地的语言，也不懂这个国家的任何方言。他只能说几个词和短语，只够偶尔买些当地的食物和饮料。
Looking at the disorder on the street, he thought, it must be some kind of protest for some radical cause or other.
看着街上的混乱，他想，这一定是为了某种激进的原因而进行的某种抗议。
Suddenly, about a block up the street, the crowd emitted up a loud roar, awakening the young soldier from his marital daydream. Back into reality, he quickly scanned the area, noticing that many of the people were pointing towards a woman in the middle of the street, coming from the darkness, like an aerial statue floating above the crowd. He saw a bearded man ahead of the woman, looking as if he was towing her along. Perhaps the woman sat upon a cart or some other wheeled device, but the soldier couldn’t tell in accuracy because too many people blocked his view.
突然，大约一个街区远的地方，人群发出一声巨大的吼声，把这个年轻的士兵从他的婚姻白日梦中唤醒。回到现实中，他迅速扫视了一下这个区域，注意到许多人指向街道中间的一个女人，她从黑暗中走出来，就像一个漂浮在人群上空的空中雕像。他看见一个留着胡子的男人站在那个女人的前面，好像在拖着她一起走。也许这个女人坐在一辆马车或者其他带轮子的装置上，但是士兵不能准确地说出来，因为太多的人挡住了他的视线。
He also thought about home, half a world away, and of a girl named Lisa, whom he planned to marry during his next leave. Six more months and he would be a married man. The thought made him smile.
他还想起了远在半个地球之外的家，想起了一个名叫丽莎的女孩，他打算在下次离开时娶她为妻。再过六个月，他就是已婚男人了。这个想法使他微笑起来。
Occasionally, through small gaps between the many bodies in front of him, he could see the woman’s waist, and she appeared to be pregnant.
偶尔，通过他面前许多尸体之间的小缝隙，他可以看到女人的腰部，她似乎怀孕了。
When the shouting became louder, the young soldier kept a watchful eye on the couple as they drew nearer, and at the same time he tried to guess the crowd’s mood, but he couldn’t find out if it was good or bad. He quickly checked his weapon, just in case he might have to defend himself. Then he turned his attention to a group of five dubious and nasty-looking young men standing nearby, ones that he had seen drinking liquor earlier in the evening. He was watching them carefully to make sure they didn’t throw anything handy that might cause harm to the passing couple. Soon, the man and woman came directly in front of the young soldier and the five men, but instead of causing trouble, the drunken five began to wave their arms over their heads and cheer.
当喊声变得更大时，年轻的士兵警惕地注视着靠近的这对夫妇，同时他试图猜测人群的情绪，但是他不知道是好是坏。他迅速检查了他的武器，以防万一他可能要保护自己。然后他把注意力转向站在附近的五个半信半疑、面目可憎的年轻人，那些他在晚上早些时候看到喝酒的人。他小心翼翼地看着他们，确保他们不会随手扔出任何可能伤害这对过往夫妇的东西。很快，男人和女人直接走到年轻士兵和五个男人的前面，但是这五个醉汉没有制造麻烦，而是开始在他们头上挥舞手臂欢呼。
After a short while, the crowd became quiet and began to disperse.
过了一会儿，人群安静下来，开始散去。
Noticing the cheers, the woman turned her head and looked directly at the five men for an instant, then her gaze quickly shifted to the young soldier. Although she smiled when she nodded her head at him, the soldier could sense a deep pain in the woman’s eyes. Fascinated by what he saw, he continued to stare at the woman, his eyes locked onto hers. He couldn’t tear his gaze away. Suddenly, a feeling of solemnity seeped into the core of him like a wave of warm water, something that he had never experienced before. A moment later the woman broke the eye contact, and then she and her male companion disappeared, melting into the crowd and proceeding down the street towards one of the local inns.
女人注意到了欢呼声，她转过头，直视了那五个男人一会儿，然后她的目光迅速转向那个年轻的士兵。虽然她对他点头微笑，但士兵能感觉到那个女人眼中的深深的痛苦。他被眼前的景象迷住了，继续盯着那个女人，他的眼睛紧紧地盯着她。他无法移开目光。突然，一种庄严的感觉渗入他的内心，就像一股温暖的水流，这是他以前从未经历过的。过了一会儿，那个女人打断了她们的眼神交流，然后她和她的男伴消失了，融入了人群，沿着街道向当地的一家小旅馆走去。
Within fifteen minutes the young soldier stood sober alone, looking up and down an empty street. A moment later, he noticed three well-dressed men coming out of the darkness, traveling from the same direction as the bearded man and pregnant woman, heading directly towards him. At that same instant he heard his commander’s voice behind him, “soldier, you’re relieved of your duty here. Fall in.”
不到十五分钟，那个年轻的士兵就一个人清醒地站在那里，上下打量着一条空荡荡的街道。过了一会儿，他注意到三个衣冠楚楚的男人从黑暗中走了出来，和那个留着胡子的男人和怀孕的女人从同一个方向直接朝他走来。就在这时，他听到身后指挥官的声音：“士兵，你在这里的任务解除了。集合。”
the woman with the mournful eyes and peaceful smile had noticed the extremely bright stars overhead.
那个有着悲伤眼神和平静微笑的女人注意到了头顶上极其明亮的星星。
Marching back to the barracks in formation with the rest of the sentinels, the young soldier looked up at the clear night sky, wondering if
年轻的士兵和其他哨兵一起列队回到营房，抬头看着晴朗的夜空，想知道
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