Smith shook his hand. This little guy looked like he could use a good meal, and the camp had more than enough food. In his halting French, Smith invited Luis to have lunch. When the boy nodded, Smith lifted him onto his hip, as he might have done with one of his own sons, and walked briskly toward the tent.
史密斯跟他握了握手。这个小家伙看起来可以在这儿饱餐一顿,营地有足够多的食物。史密斯用他结结巴巴的法语邀请路易去吃午餐。小男孩点点头,史密斯把他背到背上,就像对他自己的儿子那样,然后快步向帐篷走去。
Inside, dozens of young soldiers ate and talked. Smith piled two plates high with roast beef, carrots, and apple pie sprinkled with sugar.
帐篷里,一群年轻的士兵在边吃边聊,史密斯给他盛了两盘堆得高高的烤牛肉、胡萝卜,还有撒着糖的苹果派。
After lunch, Smith held Luis' hand, and they walked into the June sunlight. He knelt beside the boy and explained that he had to go back to work. Luis nodded and ran back up the path to the tall grass, turning around to wave.
午饭过后,史密斯牵着路易的手,走进六月的阳光里。他跪在小男孩儿旁边,解释说他得回去工作了。路易点点头,沿路跑回到了茂草丛,转身挥了挥手。
At 18:00 hours, as Smith was again heading for the mess tent, he saw Luis sitting in the same spot. He motioned, and Luis ran to him.
傍晚六点,史密斯再次前往那个用餐的帐篷,看见路易坐在同一个地方。他向路易招了招手,路易就跑了过来。
Dinner was fried chicken, potatoes, and peanut cookies. Smith again filled two plates, but Luis didn't eat as much as he had at lunch; it was clear that the boy wasn't used to so much food. But he clutched Smith's hand and smiled his shy smile. After dinner, Smith knelt close to Luis. "Bonsoir," he said. "A demain." (Goodnight. See you tomorrow.) He watched the boy walk up the path and out of sight.
晚饭是炸鸡、土豆、花生饼干。史密斯又给他盛了两盘,但这次路易吃的没午饭多。很明显,小男孩还不习惯吃这么多的食物。但他抓住史密斯的手,害羞地朝他微笑。晚饭后,史密斯跪在路易旁边说:“晚安,明天见。”他看着小男孩沿路走远,消失在视线中。
Henceforth, Luis ate with Smith all of the time. The other soldiers didn't mind; in fact, the boy helped ease their homesickness. Luis giggled when Smith carried him aloft on his shoulders and soon began riding along in the jeep down to the beach, where Smith supervised the unloading of freight from the ships and took inventory. When Smith oversaw construction projects in the camp, Luis tagged along. If Smith left the radius of the camp to rebuild a road or to repair a bridge, Luis waited in the vicinity for his return.
从此以后,路易就整天和史密斯一起吃饭了。其他士兵也并不介意,事实上,这个小男孩儿可以帮助减轻他们的思乡之苦。当史密斯把他高举在自己的肩上时,路易就咯咯地笑,接着,他又跟史密斯一道坐着吉普车来到海滩,史密斯在这里监督货物从船上卸下来并清点货物。当史密斯视察营地的建设工程时,路易就寸步不离。如果史密斯离开营地去重建道路或是重修桥梁时,路易就在附近等他回来。