Hemingway's Short Stories: The Eve of the Battle (4~4)

"Who of us didn't fight for a day. Actually, I just want to ask, is it true that our tanks are no longer useful?"

"It's not very useful anymore. He's still good, though. ”

"I don't think he's wrong. It looks like a good one. How much do they make over there?"

"Ten pesetas a day," I said. "Now he's paid as a lieutenant. ”

"To the Spaniards to lieutenant?"

"Yes. ”

"I think he's crazy. Or is it political?"

"He's political. ”

"Oh, that's what happened," he said. "No wonder. Hey, Ah Bald, your plane has no tail, and the wind pressure is so strong, it's not easy to skydive, it must be enough for you, right?"

"Not really, comrade," said Abald.

"How did you feel?"

"My mind didn't stop for a moment, comrade. ”

"Ah bald, how many people in that 'Junker' plane parachuted?"

"Four," said Abald, "the crew is six in total." The driver must have killed me. I noticed at the time that he immediately stopped shooting. There's also a co-pilot and machine gunner, and I think nine times out of ten, I'll take it down. The evidence is that he also stopped shooting. However, this could also be due to the fact that the machine gun was too hot. Only four people jumped anyway. Do you want me to tell you about that scene? I'm pretty good at telling you. ”

He had already sat down on the bed by this time, with a large glass of champagne in his hand, his red head and red face, all sweaty.

"Why don't anyone come to toast to me?" asked the bald. "I hope that the comrades will all toast to me, and after a toast, I will tell you about this extremely terrifying and wonderful scene. ”

We all toasted.

"Where have I been?" asked the bald.

"Besides, I see you're drunk," one pilot said. "It's terrifying, it's wonderful—no kidding, bald. It's weird, we're all going to listen to you. ”

"I'll tell you in detail," said Abald. "But I'll have to have another glass of champagne first. "When we toasted him, he had already drunk it.

"He's going to get drunk like this," said another pilot. "Pour him half a glass. ”

Ah Bald drank it dry in one gulp.

"I'll tell you the details," he said. "Let me drink some more. ”

"I said, "Ah Bald, don't drink so hard, okay? You don't have a plane to fly these days, but we have to go to the sky tomorrow, this is fun, but it's not fun. ”

"My report has gone up," Ah Bald said. "When you get to the airport, you'll be able to see my report. There must be one at the airport. ”

"Alright, Ah Bald, don't prune Su. ”

"I'll tell you in detail," said Abald. He closed and opened his eyes several times, then shouted at Al, "Hi, Comrade Santa." Then he continued: "I will always tell you in detail." Comrades, just listen. ”

So he spoke.

"It's so fresh and wonderful," said Bald, draining the champagne from his glass.

"Stop messing around, bald," said one of the pilots.

"I really feel it," Ah Bald said. "It's profound. It couldn't be more profound. ”

"Let's go back to Alcalá," said one of the pilots. "This red-skinned head can't wake up for a while. Do you want to roll the dice?"

"He'll come to his senses," said the other pilot. "He's just getting too emotional. ”

"Are you counting me?" asked the bald. "Is this how the republic repays me?"

"I say, Santa Claus," Al said. "What the hell is going on here?"

"You're going to ask me too?" said Vuld's eyes widened at him. "Even you have to come and ask me, have you never been in the line of fire, comrade?"

"No," Al said. "I accidentally burned off my eyebrows when I shaved my face. ”

"Be patient, comrade," said the bald. "I will tell you in detail about this fresh and wonderful scene. You know, I'm not just a pilot, I'm also a writer. ”

He nodded as he spoke, indicating that what he said was indeed true.

"He writes specifically for the Hundred Eyes newspaper in Murray Dean, Mississippi," said one pilot. "It hasn't stopped. People can't tell him not to write. ”

"I have a genius for writers," Ah Bald said. "I have a knack for new and unique descriptions. I had a newspaper clipping, but unfortunately I lost it, and the newspaper said I had this talent. Now I'm going to get into the details. ”

"Okay. What kind of scene do you say?"

"Comrades," said Abald. "It's indescribable. As he spoke, he stretched out his glass again.

"What am I telling you?" said one of the pilots. "He's not going to get better in a month. It's never going to get better. ”

"You," said the bald, "you little bad spirit! well, I'll tell you." My plane turned sideways and flew away, and I looked down, but no, the guy was smoking, but he kept his course and wanted to fly to the other side of the mountain. The guy fell very quickly, so I pulled up and climbed into the air and dived into it again. At that time, I still had wingman cover, and I saw that the enemy fuselage was crooked, and the smoke was doubly strong, and then the cockpit door opened, and it looked like the hearth of a blast stove, and they began to parachute. I looked back and looked down, and saw them come out of the cabin one by one, through the door of the blast furnace, jumped out and ran for their lives, as soon as the parachute opened, it looked like a big trumpet flower blooming, the enemy plane had become a big fire at this time, a strong whirl, it was really eye-opening, four parachutes slowly crossed the sky, that spectacle is also a second part of the world, and then a parachute caught fire on the side, as soon as the umbrella caught fire, the person quickly fell, I was looking at him, I only felt a series of bullets on the side, followed by it'Fiat', bullet and 'Fiat', one after another. ”

"You're a writer," one pilot said. "You should go and write an article for Heroes of Air Combat. Can you tell me what's going on?"

"Okay," said the bald. "I'll tell you. But I'm not talking nonsense to you, it's a spectacle. I've never shot such a big three-engine Junker before, and I'm so happy. ”

"Everybody's happy, bald. But you tell us what's going on. ”

"Yes," said the bald. "I'll tell you a little more wine. ”

"What was your own situation with you when you found them?"

"We turned out to be a V-shaped left echelon formation. As soon as we spotted them, we changed to a ladder-like left echelon formation, and rushed towards them with full horsepower, until we almost collided with them, and then we came and flew away. We wounded three more of them. The 'Fiats' had been hiding in the sun. When I was alone in the wilderness, they pounced. ”

"Have all your wingmen slipped away?"

"Nope. I'm to blame for that. I'm going to keep an eye on it, they're all flying away. Look at what formation you can take care of. I think they probably regrouped and flew forward. I do not know. Don't ask me. Besides, I'm tired. I was so proud. But now I'm tired. ”

"You mean sleepy. You're drunk and sleepy. ”

"I'm just tired," said Abald. "In my situation, tired, it should be. Even if I'm sleepy, I can't say I shouldn't be sleepy. What do you say, Santa?" he said to Al.

"Yes," Al said. "What's not to be sleepy. I'm sleepy myself. Are the dice still rolling?"

"We've got to get him to Alcalá, and we've got to report there," one pilot said. "What's wrong? You're losing money?"

"Lost a little bit. ”

"Would you like to flip through the book again?" the pilot asked him.

"I'll bet a thousand," Al said.

"I'm here to accompany you," the pilot said. "You don't make a lot of money there, do you?"

"Not much," Al said. "We don't make a lot of money. ”

He put the 1,000-peseta bill on the ground, took the dice and put them between the palms of his hands, clicked and shaken, and threw them on the ground with a clatter. Both are a point.

"If you want to come, you can come again," said the pilot, putting away his banknote and looking at Al.

"No," Al said. He stood up.

"Lack of money to spend?" the pilot asked him. There was curiosity in his eyes.

"No need," Al said.

"We've got to get to Alcalá as soon as possible," the pilot said. "We're going to play it another night. We're going to bring Frank along with the rest of the brothers. We can have a good time. Would you like to hitchhike back with us?"

"Yes. Want a ride?"

"No," Al said. "I walked back. Anyway, it's at the end of the street. ”

"Okay, then we're going to Alcalá. Does anyone know the password for tonight?"

"Ah, the driver of the car must know. He'd been there before dark, and he must have heard of it. ”

"Come on, Af. You drunkard who just wants to sleep. ”

"I'm not," said Abald. "Maybe I can be an ace pilot of the people's army. ”

"To be an ace pilot, you have to shoot down ten planes – even Italian planes. You've just made a fight, bald. ”

"I didn't shoot an Italian plane," Mr. Abald said. "It's a German plane. Didn't you see it, the cabin was burning so badly. It's a raging sea of fire. ”

"Get him out," one pilot said. He's writing for the newspaper in Murray City, Mississippi, again. Okay, goodbye. Thank you for letting us use your room. ”

They shook hands one by one and left. I sent them to the top of the stairs. The elevator had stopped, and I watched them go downstairs. Ah Bald let people hold one by one, his head was slowly and slowly jolting, and he was already napping. He really just wanted to sleep at the moment.

The two guys I was working with were still in their room repairing the broken camera. That's a lot of work, and it's a lot of eyesight. I asked, "Do you think it can be fixed?" and the tall man said, "Yes, it can be fixed." It won't work if you don't fix it. I've noticed that one of the parts is cracking. ”

"What guests are here?" asked another. "We've been repairing this deadly camera. ”

"It's American pilots," I said. "There's also a tanker who I used to know. ”

"Isn't it interesting? I'm sorry I can't come. ”

"Not bad," I said. "Quite interesting. ”

"It's time for you to go to sleep. We'll all have to get up early tomorrow. It's not good to wake up in the morning without energy. ”

"How much more needs to be repaired for this camera?"

"Look, it's broken again. This kind of spring is really damning. ”

"Let him fix it. We're going to have to fix it before we go to sleep. What time are you going to call us tomorrow?"

"How's five o'clock?"

"Okay. As soon as the morning dawned, it came to applaud. ”

"See you tomorrow. ”

"Health!好好睡一觉吧。 "

"Salud," I said. "We'll have to get closer tomorrow. ”

"Yes," he said. "That's what I thought, too. You have to get as close as you can. It's good, I thought of it all together. ”

When he returned to his room, he saw Al with his face facing the light, already asleep in the big chair. I put a blanket over him, but he woke up.

"I'm going. ”

"Just sleep here. I'll set the alarm for you, and I'll wake you up when the time comes. ”

"What if something goes wrong with the alarm clock," he said. "I'm better going. I can't be late. ”

"It's a shame that you lost money. ”

"They're going to get my bare ass anyway," he said. "This guy rolls dice to gamble money, and the means are called drugs. ”

"You rolled the last dice. ”

"They also have a poisonous trick, that is, they keep staring at you and betting, so that you will lose all of them. This guy is really incomprehensible. I don't think they make much money. If a person gambles for money, I think his money is always not enough for him to gamble. ”

"Do you want me to walk back with you?"

"No," he said, standing up and fastening his large Colt with a ribbon, which he had taken off when he had come to roll the dice after dinner. "No, I feel good now. I can see the future again. As long as people can see the future, it is good. ”

"I'd love to go for a walk. ”

"Don't go. Get a good night's sleep. I'm gone, and I'll be able to sleep for five hours before the battle starts. ”

"So early?"

"yes. It's not dawn yet, and you can't make a movie. You'd better get some more sleep. He took an envelope from his leather jacket and placed it on the table. "Please put these things away and send them to my brother in New York. His address is written on the reverse side of the envelope. ”

"Good. But I don't think there's any need to send it. ”

"yes," he said. "Probably not for the time being. But there are some photos or something, and they might want to keep a souvenir. He has a very beautiful wife. Would you like to see a picture of her?"

He took it out of his pocket. The photograph is tucked away in his ID book.

The photo shows a beautiful girl with light dark complexion, standing next to a rowing boat by the lake.

"It was taken in the Catskill Mountains [23]," Al said. "No, his wife is pretty good. She's a Jewish girl, not at all," he said. "Don't say it, lest I leak any more discouragement. Goodbye, man. Rest assured. I'm not going to talk nonsense to you, I feel good now. When I came out this afternoon, I didn't feel very good. ”

"Let me go for a walk with you. ”

"No need. You'll have to pass through Plaza de España when you come back, and you're going to get into trouble. Some of the sentry posts there are suspicious at night. Bye. We'll meet again tomorrow evening. ”

That's what it sounds like. ”

In the room overhead, Manolita and the Englishman were loud. It can be seen that she was not arrested.

"Yes. That's like a sentence," Al said. "Sometimes, though, you can't really say anything like that for three or four hours. ”

He had already put on the padded leather hat by this time, so his face looked dark and dull, and I noticed that he had two dark circles under his eyes.

"We'll meet at Chicote Bar tomorrow evening. ”

"Okay," he said, avoiding my gaze. "Meet at Chicote Bar tomorrow evening. ”

"What time is it?"

"Well, that's it," he said. "Meet at Chicote Bar tomorrow evening. It doesn't have to be a matter of time. With that, he went out.

If you don't know him very well, and if you haven't seen the terrain in the area where he's going to attack tomorrow, you'll be very angry at him for something. I see that there is a corner of his heart that is indeed angry, and he is very angry. There are many things that make people angry, and sacrificing yourself in vain is one of them. But then again, since you're going to attack, I'm afraid it's best to hold back that much in your heart!

* * *

[1] The so-called "cottage" is explained in other Hemingway novels, which was originally a "royal hunting house" in the suburbs.

[2] The Moors are descendants of the Berbers who entered Spain in the early eighth century. Franco had recruited a large number of Moors to serve as rebels.

[3] The Lady of the Ridge is a branch of the Berber people.

[4] A major battle of the First World War. The Somme in France, in 1916 the French General Foch launched the Battle of the Somme in order to relieve the pressure on Verdun, and suffered heavy losses.

[5] Largo Caballero (1869-1946), Spanish labor leader, Prime Minister from 1936 to 1937.

[6] That is, Samuel Gompas (1850-1924), a conservative leader of the American trade union movement. He was the president of the American Federation of Labor.

[7] John Llewellyn Lewis (1880-1969), American labor leader. The main founder and first chairman of the Federation of Industry and Industry.

[8] Carl Clausewitz (1780-1831), a famous German military theorist.

[9] Spanish: Racecourse.

[10] Henry's nickname.

[11] This is an ancient Western superstition that if you say something unlucky, you can avoid evil by touching or knocking on the wood.

[12] The northern port of Morocco, opposite Gibraltar.

[13] St. Sebastian, captain of the ancient Roman guard and an early Christian, was ordered by the emperor to be tied to a tree by order of the emperor for spreading Christianity among the army. He is considered to be the protector of shooters and soldiers.

[14] It is likely that Al was joking, as "B.F." means "big fool" and "Slob" means rice bucket.

[15] Spanish: Quartermaster's Department.

[16] Spanish: Salute, comrade.

[17] "Tar Feet" is the nickname Americans give to their North Carolinians.

[18] All are famous restaurants in New York.

[19] "In the river" (also known as "in the river without oars", see below) is a colloquial phrase that means "in difficulty", "helpless" or "unable to move". Henry didn't grasp it for a while, and mistakenly took it literally.

[20] Italian-made aircraft.

[21] Refers to a vehicle reserved for commanders and staff officers.

[22] The tongue did not listen to the call and pronounced "Spanish" as "Yabansi".

[23] In New York.