Chapter Fifteen
Something He Shouldn't Have Done
他不该这么做
For several weeks the rain was on and off and on and off and Bruno and Shmuel did not see as much of each other as they would have liked. When they did meet Bruno found that he was starting to worry about his friend because he seemed to be getting even thinner by the day and his face was growing more and more grey. Sometimes he brought more bread and cheese with him to give to Shmuel, and from time to time he even managed to hide a piece of chocolate cake in his pocket, but the walk from the house to the place in the fence where the two boys met was a long one and sometimes Bruno got hungry on the way and found that one bite of the cake would lead to another, and that in turn led to another, and by the time there was only one mouthful left he knew it would be wrong to give that to Shmuel because it would only tease his appetite and not satisfy it.
雨断断续续地下了几周，布鲁诺和什穆埃尔的见面次数少了很多。每次见面时，布鲁诺都要替他的新朋友担忧，因为他发现什穆埃尔越来越瘦了，脸色也越来越苍白。有时候，他会多带一些面包和奶酪去给什穆埃尔吃。有时候，他还会藏一块巧克力蛋糕在口袋里，但是因为到铁丝网那边的路程实在太远，他走着走着就觉得饿了，吃了一口蛋糕就忍不住吃第二口，接着又吃一口，到最后只剩下一丁点了，他觉得把剩下的一丁点蛋糕留给什穆埃尔是不对的，因为那只会勾起什穆埃尔的食欲，却又无法填饱肚子。
Father's birthday was coming up soon, and although he said he didn't want a fuss, Mother arranged a party for all the officers serving at Out-With and a great fuss was made to prepare for it. Every time she sat down to make more plans for the party, Lieutenant Kotler was there beside her to help, and between them they seemed to make more lists than could ever possibly be needed.
爸爸的生日就快要到了。虽然爸爸说不想大张旗鼓，但是妈妈还是要邀请“赶出去”的所有军官都来参加生日派对，于是就需要准备一大堆东西。每当妈妈坐下来制订派对计划时，科特勒中尉都会在她旁边协助她，导致列出来的清单变得越来越长，远远超过了实际的需求。
Bruno decided to make a list of his own. A list of all the reasons why he didn't like Lieutenant Kotler.
布鲁诺决定自己也列一个清单，列出他讨厌科特勒中尉的所有理由。
There was the fact that he never smiled and always looked as if he was trying to find somebody to cut out of his will.
其中一个理由是，科特勒从不微笑，他似乎永远都在寻找违背他意愿的人，并试图消灭对方。
On the rare occasions when he spoke to Bruno, he addressed him as ‘little man’, which was just plain nasty because, as Mother pointed out, he just hadn't had his growth spurt yet.
科特勒很少跟布鲁诺说话，还总爱叫自己“小家伙”，这实在让人讨厌，因为就像妈妈说的那样，布鲁诺只是还没开始长个子罢了。
Not to mention the fact that he was always in the living room with Mother and making jokes with her, and Mother laughed at his jokes more than she laughed at Father's.
此外，他还经常在客厅跟妈妈开玩笑，现在他的笑话比爸爸的笑话更能逗乐妈妈。
Once when Bruno was watching the camp from his bedroom window he saw a dog approach the fence and start barking loudly, and when Lieutenant Kotler heard it he marched right over to the dog and shot it. Then there was all that nonsense that Gretel came out with whenever he was around.
还有一次，布鲁诺透过房间的窗户望向营地那边，看见一只狗在铁丝网附近乱叫，科特勒中尉听到后，径直走向那只狗，开枪打死了它。此外，只要有他在，格蕾特尔就会凑过去，跟他扯一些废话。
And Bruno still hadn't forgotten the evening with Pavel, the waiter who was really a doctor, and how angry the young lieutenant had been.
布鲁诺还记得那天晚上，科特勒对帕维尔大打出手。那个可怜的侍者，其实他的真实身份是一位医生。
Also, whenever Father was called away to Berlin on an overnight trip the lieutenant hung around the house as if he were in charge: he would be there when Bruno was going to bed and be back again in the morning before he even woke up.
每当爸爸由于公务去往柏林并且彻夜不归时，科特勒中尉就会在他家里四处走动，好像他才是家里的主人一样。布鲁诺晚上睡觉前他还没有离开，第二天早晨布鲁诺都没起床，他就又来了。
There were a lot more reasons why Bruno didn't like Lieutenant Kotler, but these were the first things that came into his mind.
布鲁诺不喜欢科特勒中尉的理由还有更多，这些只是他暂时能想到的。
On the afternoon before the birthday party Bruno was in his room with the door open when he heard Lieutenant Kotler arriving at the house and speaking to someone, although he couldn't hear anyone answering back. A few minutes later, as he was coming downstairs, he heard Mother giving instructions about what needed to be done and Lieutenant Kotler saying, ‘Don't worry, this one knows which side his bread is buttered on,’ and then laughing in a nasty way.
生日派对前一天的下午，布鲁诺待在房间里，门敞开着，他听见科特勒中尉来到家里，在跟谁说话，可是听不见任何人回他的话。几分钟之后，布鲁诺下楼时听见妈妈在交代一些事情，接着科特勒中尉说：“请不用担心，这家伙知道该把黄油涂在面包的哪一边。”然后他肆无忌惮地大笑起来。
Bruno walked towards the living room with a new book Father had given him called Treasure Island, intending to sit in there for an hour or two while he read it, but as he walked through the hallway he ran into Lieutenant Kotler, who was just leaving the kitchen.
布鲁诺走向客厅，手里还拿着爸爸给他的新书《金银岛》，打算坐在那儿读一两个小时书。可是当他经过走廊时，碰见了从厨房走出来的科特勒中尉。
'Hello, little man,' the soldier said, sneering at him as usual.
“你好，小家伙。”科特勒中尉像往常一样拿他寻开心。
'Hello,' said Bruno, frowning.
“你好。”布鲁诺皱着眉头说。
'What are you up to then?'
“你干什么去？”
Bruno stared at him and started thinking of seven more reasons to dislike him. 'I'm going in there to read my book,' he said, pointing towards the living room.
布鲁诺眼睛盯着他，又想到了七个不喜欢他的理由。“我正要去那儿看我的书。”他指向客厅说。
Without a word Kotler whipped the book out of Bruno's hands and started to flick through it. 'Treasure Island,' he said. 'What's it about then?'
科特勒一把夺过布鲁诺手里的书，漫不经心地翻阅起来。“《金银岛》。”他念叨着，“这本书讲了什么？”
'Well, there's an island,' said Bruno slowly, to make sure that the soldier could keep up. 'And there's treasure on it.'
“讲了一个小岛，”布鲁诺慢吞吞地说，以确保这个士兵听得明白，“上面有很多宝藏。”
'I could have guessed that,' said Kotler, looking at him as if there were things he would do to the boy if he were a son of his and not the son of the Commandant. 'Tell me something I don't know about it.'
“这个我已经猜到了。”科特勒一边说一边看着布鲁诺，好像如果布鲁诺不是司令官的儿子而是他的儿子，他就要教训教训布鲁诺似的，“告诉我一些我不知道的。”
'There's a pirate in it,' said Bruno. 'Called Long John Silver. And a boy called Jim Hawkins.'
“岛上有一个海盗，”布鲁诺说，“他叫约翰·西尔弗。还有一个男孩，叫吉姆·霍金斯。”
'An English boy?' asked Kotler.
“是个英国男孩？”科特勒问。
'Yes,' said Bruno.
“对。”布鲁诺说。
'Grunt,' grunted Kotler.
“哼。”科特勒发出轻蔑的声音。
Bruno stared at him and wondered how long it would be before he gave back his book. He didn't seem particularly interested in it, but when Bruno reached for it he pulled it away.
布鲁诺直瞪着他，心想他什么时候才能把书还给自己。他似乎对这本书并没有多大的兴趣，可是当布鲁诺伸手去拿时，他却把书举得高高的。
'Sorry,' he said, holding it out again, and when Bruno reached for it he pulled it away for the second time. 'Oh, I'm so sorry,' he repeated and held it out once more, and this time Bruno swiped it out of his hand quicker than he could pull it away.
“抱歉。”他一边说，一边把书递向布鲁诺，可是当布鲁诺再伸出手时，他又一次把书举到了空中。“哦，我很抱歉。”他重复道，接着他再次把书递向布鲁诺。这一次，布鲁诺一下把书抢了过来，没给他变卦的机会。
'Aren't you quick,' muttered Lieutenant Kotler between his teeth.
“你的动作挺快嘛。”科特勒中尉龇着牙说。
Bruno tried to step past him, but for some reason Lieutenant Kotler seemed to want to talk to him today.
布鲁诺想从他身边走开，可不知道为什么，他今天似乎很想和布鲁诺说话。
'All set for the party, are we?' he asked.
“准备好参加派对了，是吗？”他问。
'Well, I am,' said Bruno, who had been spending more time with Gretel lately and had developed a liking for sarcasm. 'I can't speak for you.'
“嗯，我早就准备好了。”布鲁诺说，他最近和格蕾特尔相处的机会比较多，也学会了说话带点讽刺的口气，“不过你有没有准备好，我可不知道。”
'There'll be a lot of people here,' said Lieutenant Kotler, breathing in heavily and looking around as if this were his house and not Bruno's. 'We'll be on your best behaviour, won't we?'
“到时候会来很多客人。”科特勒中尉说道，他的呼吸声有些重，同时环顾着四周，好像这里是他的家，而不是布鲁诺的家，“我们会做得很好，对吗？”
'Well, I'll be,' said Bruno. 'I can't speak for you.'
“嗯，我会。”布鲁诺说，“不过我可不知道你会不会。”
'You've a lot to say for such a little man,' said Lieutenant Kotler.
“小家伙，你可真会说话。”科特勒中尉说。
Bruno narrowed his eyes and wished he were taller, stronger and eight years older. A ball of anger exploded inside him and made him wish that he had the courage to say exactly what he wanted to say. It was one thing, he decided, to be told what to do by Mother and Father – that was perfectly reasonable and to be expected – but it was another thing entirely to be told what to do by someone else. Even by someone with a fancy title like 'Lieutenant'.
布鲁诺眯着眼睛，希望自己变得更高大、更强壮，年龄再大八岁。他的内心有一团怒火，他想鼓起勇气说出心里的话：被爸爸妈妈要求应该怎么做是一回事，因为这是合乎情理的；被其他人要求应该怎么做却是另一回事了，即便这个人拥有“中尉”这样的头衔。
'Oh, Kurt, precious, you're still here,' said Mother, stepping out of the kitchen and coming towards them. 'I have a little free time now if— Oh!' she said, noticing Bruno standing there. 'Bruno! What are you doing here?'
“哦，科特，太好了，你还没走。”妈妈从厨房里走出来说，“我现在刚好有空，如果——噢！”她说着，注意到布鲁诺站在一旁，“布鲁诺！你在这儿做什么？”
'I was going into the living room to read my book,' said Bruno. 'Or I was trying to at least.'
“我正要去客厅看书，”布鲁诺说，“至少我希望是这样。”
'Well, run along into the kitchen for the moment,' she said. 'I need a private word with Lieutenant Kotler.'
“嗯，你先去厨房待一会儿，”她说，“我要和科特勒中尉说几句话。”
And they stepped into the living room together as Lieutenant Kotler closed the doors in Bruno's face.
接着，他们一起走进客厅，科特勒中尉当着布鲁诺的面把门关上了。
Seething with anger, Bruno went into the kitchen and got the biggest surprise of his life. There, sitting at the table, a long way from the other side of the fence, was Shmuel. Bruno could barely believe his eyes.
布鲁诺怒气冲冲地走进厨房，却看到了他人生中最不可思议的事情。什穆埃尔正坐在桌子旁边，他来到了距离铁丝网那么遥远的地方。布鲁诺简直不敢相信自己的眼睛。
'Shmuel!' he said. 'What are you doing here?'
“什穆埃尔！”布鲁诺说，“你在这儿做什么？”
Shmuel looked up and his terrified face broke into a broad smile when he saw his friend standing there. 'Bruno!' he said.
什穆埃尔抬起头，当他看见自己的朋友站在这儿时，惊恐的脸上浮现出一丝灿烂的笑容。“布鲁诺！”他回应道。
'What are you doing here?' repeated Bruno, for although he still didn't quite understand what took place on the other side of the fence, there was something about the people from there that made him think they shouldn't be here in his house.
“你在这儿做什么？”布鲁诺又问了一遍。虽然他还不太明白铁丝网的另一边是怎么回事，但是他已经意识到，铁丝网另一边的人是不应该出现在他家的。
'He brought me,' said Shmuel.
“他带我来这里的。”什穆埃尔说。
'He?' asked Bruno. 'You don't mean Lieutenant Kotler?'
“他？”布鲁诺问，“你说的不会是科特勒中尉吧？”
'Yes. He said there was a job for me to do here.'
“就是他，他说这里有一项工作需要我做。”
And when Bruno looked down he saw sixty-four small glasses, the ones Mother used when she was having one of her medicinal sherries, sitting on the kitchen table, and beside them a bowl of warm soapy water and lots of paper napkins.
布鲁诺低下头，看到桌子上的六十四个小玻璃杯，妈妈以前都用这种杯子来喝药用雪利酒。杯子旁还放着一碗热肥皂水和一堆餐巾纸。
'What on earth are you doing?' asked Bruno.
“你究竟在这里做什么？”布鲁诺问。
'They asked me to polish the glasses,' said Shmuel. 'They said they needed someone with tiny fingers.'
“他们让我擦玻璃杯，”什穆埃尔说，“他们说需要手指头小的人来擦。”
As if to prove something that Bruno already knew, he held his hand out and Bruno couldn't help but notice that it was like the hand of the pretend skeleton that Herr Liszt had brought with him one day when they were studying human anatomy.
什穆埃尔伸出手来，似乎是为了证实他所说的话。布鲁诺禁不住想到，有一天上人体解剖课，李斯特先生带来的骷髅的手就是这个样子。
'I'd never noticed before,' he said in a disbelieving voice, almost to himself.
“我以前没注意过。”布鲁诺惊讶地说道，就好像是在自言自语。
'Never noticed what?' asked Shmuel.
“没注意过什么？”什穆埃尔问。
In reply, Bruno held his own hand out so that the tips of their middle fingers were almost touching. 'Our hands,' he said. 'They're so different. Look!'
布鲁诺也伸出自己的手，他们中指的指尖几乎触碰在了一起。“我们的手，”他说，“完全不一样，你看！”
The two boys looked down at the same time and the difference was easy to see. Although Bruno was small for his age, and certainly not fat, his hand appeared healthy and full of life. The veins weren't visible through the skin, the fingers weren't little more than dying twigs. Shmuel's hand, however, told a very different story.
他们同时低头看去，两只手的区别十分明显。相对于同龄的孩子，布鲁诺身材矮小了一些，而且他一点都不胖，但他的手看上去十分健康，充满了活力。他皮肤下的血管并不突出，手指也不像枯死的小树枝。什穆埃尔的手则完全不同。
'How did it get like that?' he asked.
“为什么你的手会这样？”布鲁诺问。
'I don't know,' said Shmuel. 'It used to look more like yours, but I didn't notice it changing. Everyone on my side of the fence looks like this now.'
“我不知道，”什穆埃尔说，“以前我的手也像你的手一样，可我不知道它什么时候变了。我们那边的人的手都是这样。”
Bruno frowned. He thought about the people in their striped pyjamas and wondered what was going on at Out-With and whether it wasn't a very bad idea if it made people look so unhealthy. None of it made any sense to him. Not wanting to look at Shmuel's hand any longer, Bruno turned round and opened the refrigerator, rooting about inside it for something to eat. There was half a stuffed chicken left over from lunch time, and Bruno's eyes sparkled in delight for there were very few things in life that he enjoyed more than cold chicken with sage and onion stuffing. He took a knife from the drawer and cut himself a few healthy slices and coated them with the stuffing before turning back to his friend.
布鲁诺皱了皱眉，他想着穿条纹睡衣的那些人，思考那边到底发生了什么事，那里的人们看起来都很不健康，这是不是件糟糕的事情。这几个问题，他怎么也想不明白。为了不再看什穆埃尔的手，布鲁诺转过身去，打开冰箱，在里面寻找吃的东西。冰箱里有中午吃剩的半只鸡，他一看到这半只塞着鼠尾草和洋葱的鸡，两只眼睛就发亮了。他从抽屉里拿出一把刀，切下几片鸡肉，抹上酱汁，转身走向他的朋友。
'I'm very glad you're here,' he said, speaking with his mouth full. 'If only you didn't have to polish the glasses, I could show you my room.'
“我很开心看到你在这儿。”他把嘴巴塞得鼓鼓的，“如果你不用擦这些杯子就好了，那样我就可以带你参观我的房间。”
'He told me not to move from this seat or there'd be trouble.'
“他不许我离开这个座位，否则我就会有麻烦。”
'I wouldn't mind him,' said Bruno, trying to sound braver than he really was. 'This isn't his house, it's mine, and when Father's away I'm in charge. Can you believe he's never even read Treasure Island?'
“我才不听他的话呢。”布鲁诺说，试图让自己表现得很勇敢，“这儿又不是他的家，而是我的家。爸爸不在家的时候，我是主人。你知道吗，他竟然连《金银岛》都没看过。”
Shmuel looked as if he wasn't really listening; instead his eyes were focused on the slices of chicken and stuffing that Bruno was throwing casually into his mouth. After a moment Bruno realized what he was looking at and immediately felt guilty.
什穆埃尔似乎并没有在听布鲁诺说话，他的眼睛一直注视着布鲁诺不时塞进嘴巴的鸡肉。过了一会儿，布鲁诺才明白什穆埃尔在看什么，立刻感到十分愧疚。
'I'm sorry, Shmuel,' he said quickly. 'I should have given you some chicken too. Are you hungry?'
“对不起，什穆埃尔，”他赶紧说道，“我应该分你一些鸡肉的。你饿吗？”
'That's a question you never have to ask me,' said Shmuel who, although he had never met Gretel in his life, knew something about sarcasm too.
“这还用问？”什穆埃尔说。虽然他没有见过格蕾特尔，但是他也知道怎么用讽刺的口气说话。
'Wait there, I'll cut some off for you,' said Bruno, opening the fridge and cutting another three healthy slices.
“你等着，我给你切几片。”布鲁诺说。接着他打开冰箱，切了三片鸡肉。
'No, if he comes back—' said Shmuel, shaking his head quickly and looking back and forth towards the door.
“不，如果那个人回来的话——”什穆埃尔说着，迅速地摇了摇头，并且转头看向门外。
'If who comes back? You don't mean Lieutenant Kotler?'
“如果谁回来？你是说科特勒中尉？”
'I'm just supposed to be cleaning the glasses,' he said, looking at the bowl of water in front of him in despair and then looking back at the slices of chicken that Bruno held out to him.
“我只是来这儿擦玻璃杯的。”什穆埃尔说，接着他难过地看着自己面前的那碗肥皂水，又看了看布鲁诺递给他的那几片鸡肉。
'He's not going to mind,' said Bruno, who was confused by how anxious Shmuel seemed. 'It's only food.'
“他不会介意的。”布鲁诺说，他很困惑为什么什穆埃尔看上去这么不安，“只是吃的东西而已。”
'I can't,' said Shmuel, shaking his head and looking as if he was going to cry. 'He'll come back, I know he will,' he continued, his sentences running quickly together. 'I should have eaten them when you offered them, now it's too late, if I take them he'll come in and—'
“我不能吃。”什穆埃尔摇了摇头说，看上去似乎要哭了，“他会回来的，我知道他会回来的。”他继续说道，语速也变得很快，“我应该在你刚刚递给我的时候就把它吃掉，可是现在太晚了，如果我吃的话，他就会进来，然后——”
'Shmuel! Here!' said Bruno, stepping forward and putting the slices in his friend's hand. 'Just eat them. There's lots left for our tea – you don't have to worry about that.'
“什穆埃尔，快吃！”布鲁诺说。他走上前去，将几片鸡肉放到他朋友的手中。“吃了吧。还剩下不少呢，够我们吃下午茶了，你不用担心。”
The boy stared at the food in his hand for a moment and then looked up at Bruno with wide and grateful but terrified eyes. He threw one more glance in the direction of the door and then seemed to make a decision, because he thrust all three slices into his mouth in one go and gobbled them down in twenty seconds flat.
什穆埃尔盯着手里的食物看了一会儿，然后抬起头，用既感激又惊恐的眼神看着布鲁诺。接着他再次向门口瞥了一眼，似乎终于下定了决心，把三片鸡肉同时塞进嘴巴，在不到二十秒的时间里快速吞了下去。
'Well, you don't have to eat them so quickly,' said Bruno. 'You'll make yourself sick.'
“哎呀，你不用吃得这么快。”布鲁诺说，“你这样吃很容易吐出来的。”
'I don't care,' said Shmuel, giving a faint smile. 'Thank you, Bruno.'
“没关系。”什穆埃尔给了布鲁诺一个淡淡的微笑，“谢谢你，布鲁诺。”
Bruno smiled back and he was about to offer him some more food, but just at that moment Lieutenant Kotler reappeared in the kitchen and stopped when he saw the two boys talking. Bruno stared at him, feeling the atmosphere grow heavy, sensing Shmuel's shoulders sinking down as he reached for another glass and began polishing. Ignoring Bruno, Lieutenant Kotler marched over to Shmuel and glared at him.
布鲁诺也冲他微笑了一下，正打算再拿一些食物给他的朋友，却发现科特勒中尉又出现在厨房，他看到他们说话了。布鲁诺瞪着科特勒，感觉周围的空气瞬间变得压抑起来，他还注意到什穆埃尔伸手拿起另一个玻璃杯擦洗时，肩膀变得向下倾斜。科特勒中尉没有理睬布鲁诺，而是径直走向什穆埃尔，瞪着他。
'What are you doing?' he shouted. 'Didn't I tell you to polish those glasses?'
“你在干什么？”他喊道，“不是让你把这些玻璃杯擦洗干净吗？”
Shmuel nodded his head quickly and started to tremble a little as he picked up another napkin and dipped it in the water.
什穆埃尔迅速点点头，他的身体稍微颤抖了一下，然后拿起另一张餐巾纸，蘸了点水。
'Who told you that you were allowed to talk in this house?' continued Kotler. 'Do you dare to disobey me?'
“谁允许你在这座房子里说话的？”科特勒继续说道，“你竟敢违抗我的命令？”
'No, sir,' said Shmuel quietly. 'I'm sorry, sir.'
“我不敢，先生。”什穆埃尔小声说，“对不起，先生。”
He looked up at Lieutenant Kotler, who frowned, leaning forward slightly and tilting his head as he examined the boy's face. 'Have you been eating?' he asked him in a quiet voice, as if he could scarcely believe it himself.
他抬头看向科特勒中尉。科特勒正皱着眉，身体稍稍前倾，仔细观察他的脸。“你偷吃东西了？”科特勒的语气十分平静，平静得似乎连自己都不敢相信。
Shmuel shook his head.
什穆埃尔摇了摇头。
'You have been eating,' insisted Lieutenant Kotler. 'Did you steal something from that fridge?'
“你就是偷吃东西了。”科特勒中尉十分肯定地说，“你是从冰箱里偷的？”
Shmuel opened his mouth and closed it. He opened it again and tried to find words, but there were none. He looked towards Bruno, his eyes pleading for help.
什穆埃尔张开嘴巴，然后又闭上，接着又张开，他似乎想要说些什么，不过还是没说。他看着布鲁诺，用眼神向布鲁诺乞求帮助。
'Answer me!' shouted Lieutenant Kotler. 'Did you steal something from that fridge?'
“回答我！”科特勒中尉喊道，“你是不是从冰箱里偷东西吃了？”
'No, sir. He gave it to me,' said Shmuel, tears welling up in his eyes as he threw a sideways glance at Bruno. 'He's my friend,' he added.
“没有，先生，是他给我吃的。”什穆埃尔说着，泪水涌了出来。他偷偷瞥了一眼布鲁诺。“他是我的朋友。”他又说道。
'Your … ?' began Lieutenant Kotler, looking across at Bruno in confusion. He hesitated. 'What do you mean he's your friend?' he asked. 'Do you know this boy, Bruno?'
“你的……”科特勒中尉一脸困惑地看向布鲁诺，似乎有些犹豫。“你说他是你的朋友？”他问，“布鲁诺，你认识他吗？”
Bruno's mouth dropped open and he tried to remember the way you used your mouth if you wanted to say the word 'yes'. He'd never seen anyone look so terrified as Shmuel did at that moment and he wanted to say the right thing to make things better, but then he realized that he couldn't; because he was feeling just as terrified himself.
布鲁诺的嘴巴张得大大的，想要如实回答“是”。他从没见过有人像此刻的什穆埃尔这样惊恐不安，他非常想说出真话，好让事情发生转变，可是他意识到自己根本做不到，因为他心里也害怕极了。
'Do you know this boy?' repeated Kotler in a louder voice. 'Have you been talking to the prisoners?'
“你认识他吗？”科特勒的声音比之前又大了一些，“你刚刚是在跟这个罪犯说话吗？”
'I … he was here when I came in,' said Bruno. 'He was cleaning glasses.'
“我……我进来的时候他就已经在这儿了。”布鲁诺说，“他在擦玻璃杯。”
'That's not what I asked you,' said Kotler. 'Have you seen him before? Have you talked to him? Why does he say you're his friend?'
“我没问你这个。”科特勒说，“你以前见过他吗？你有没有和他说过话？为什么他会说你是他的朋友？”
Bruno wished he could run away. He hated Lieutenant Kotler, but he was advancing on him now and all Bruno could think of was the afternoon when he had seen him shooting a dog and the evening when Pavel had made him so angry that he—
布鲁诺真希望自己可以马上逃走。他讨厌科特勒，可是科特勒正在步步紧逼。此时，布鲁诺想到，那天下午，他看见科特勒开枪打死了那只狗；还有那天晚上，他那么粗暴地对待帕维尔。
'Tell me, Bruno!' shouted Kotler, his face growing red. 'I won't ask you a third time.'
“回答我，布鲁诺！”科特勒喊道，他的脸已经涨得通红，“不要让我问你第三遍。”
'I've never spoken to him,' said Bruno immediately. 'I've never seen him before in my life. I don't know him.'
“我没和他说过话。”布鲁诺赶紧回答道，“我以前从来没有见过他，我不认识他。”
Lieutenant Kotler nodded and seemed satisfied with the answer. Very slowly he turned his head back to look at Shmuel, who wasn't crying any more, merely staring at the floor and looking as if he was trying to convince his soul not to live inside his tiny body any more, but to slip away and sail to the door and rise up into the sky, gliding through the clouds until it was very far away.
科特勒中尉点了点头，似乎对这个回答非常满意。他慢慢地转头看向什穆埃尔，而什穆埃尔此时已经停止了哭泣，只是呆呆地盯着地板，似乎在努力劝告自己的灵魂不要再待在这副瘦小的身躯里，快点逃离出去，飘向空中，穿过云层，飞到遥远的地方。
'You will finish polishing all these glasses,' said Lieutenant Kotler in a very quiet voice now, so quiet that Bruno almost couldn't hear him. It was as if all his anger had just changed into something else. Not quite the opposite, but something unexpected and dreadful. 'And then I will come to collect you and bring you back to the camp, where we will have a discussion about what happens to boys who steal. This is understood, yes?'
“你先把这些杯子全部擦完。”科特勒中尉的声音很轻，轻到布鲁诺几乎听不见。他刚刚的怒气仿佛已经转变成某种别的东西，他的态度并不是变好了，而是变得更加捉摸不定，更加令人不安。“然后我会来接你，带你回营地。到时候我们来谈谈该怎么处罚偷东西的小孩。听明白了吗？”
Shmuel nodded and picked up another napkin and started to polish another glass; Bruno watched as his fingers shook and knew that he was terrified of breaking one. His heart sank, but as much as he wanted to, he couldn't look away.
什穆埃尔点了点头，他又拿起一张餐巾纸，开始擦另一个玻璃杯。布鲁诺注意到，什穆埃尔的手指在颤抖，他知道什穆埃尔害怕把杯子打碎。布鲁诺的心情很沉重，却不愿意把视线从什穆埃尔身上移开。
'Come on, little man,' said Lieutenant Kotler, coming towards Bruno now and putting an unfriendly arm around his shoulder. 'You go to the living room and read your book and leave this little — to finish his work.' He used the same word he had used to Pavel when he had sent him to find the tyre.
“过来，小家伙。”科特勒中尉说着，朝布鲁诺走了过来，非常不友好地把一只手臂搁在他的肩膀上。“去客厅里看你的书，让这个小东西完成他的工作。”他又用了上次吩咐帕维尔搬轮胎时说的那个难听的词。
Bruno nodded and turned round and left the kitchen without looking back. His stomach churned inside him and he thought for a moment that he was going to be sick. He had never felt so ashamed in his life; he had never imagined that he could behave so cruelly. He wondered how a boy who thought he was a good person really could act in such a cowardly way towards a friend. He sat in the living room for several hours but couldn't concentrate on his book and didn't dare to go back to the kitchen until later that evening, when Lieutenant Kotler had already come back and collected Shmuel and taken him away again.
布鲁诺点了点头，转身离开了厨房，没有再往回看。他的胃里翻腾得厉害，他觉得自己好像生病了。他从来没有感到这么羞愧过，也从来没有想象过自己竟然会这么残忍。他在想，一个自认为是好人的男孩，怎么会在自己的朋友面前表现得如此懦弱。他在客厅里坐了几小时，却无法静下心来看书，他也不敢再回到厨房。直到晚上，科特勒中尉过来把什穆埃尔带走了。
Every afternoon that followed, Bruno returned to the place in the fence where they met, but Shmuel was never there. After almost a week he was convinced that what he had done was so terrible that he would never be forgiven, but on the seventh day he was delighted to see that Shmuel was waiting for him, sitting cross-legged on the ground as usual and staring at the dust beneath him.
接下来的每天下午，布鲁诺都会去他们平时见面的那个地方，可是什穆埃尔一直没有出现。就这样，差不多一周过去了。布鲁诺确信自己做了一件大错特错的事情，他永远不会被什穆埃尔原谅了。可就在第七天，他欣喜地发现什穆埃尔又在那里等他了。什穆埃尔像往常一样盘着腿，眼睛盯着地上的泥土。
'Shmuel,' he said, running towards him and sitting down, almost crying with relief and regret. 'I'm so sorry, Shmuel. I don't know why I did it. Say you'll forgive me.'
“什穆埃尔。”布鲁诺喊道，他跑到什穆埃尔面前，一屁股坐在地上，都快要哭了。他的心里既释然，又懊悔。“什穆埃尔，我很抱歉，我不知道我为什么会那么做。请你原谅我。”
'It's all right,' said Shmuel, looking up at him now. There was a lot of bruising on his face and Bruno grimaced, and for a moment he forgot about his apology.
“没关系。”什穆埃尔说着，抬起头看向布鲁诺。什穆埃尔的脸上有很多淤青。布鲁诺看到后，心里难过极了。在好长一段时间里，他都忘记了自己正在道歉。
'What happened to you?' he asked and then didn't wait for an answer. 'Was it your bicycle? Because that happened to me back in Berlin a couple of years ago. I fell off when I was going too fast and was black and blue for weeks. Does it hurt?'
“你怎么了？”布鲁诺问，但是还没等什穆埃尔回答，他就自问自答起来，“你是不是骑自行车摔的？因为几年前我在柏林时，就从自行车上摔下来过，我骑得太快了，摔得鼻青脸肿，过了几周才好。你疼吗？”
'I don't feel it any more,' said Shmuel.
“已经不疼了。”什穆埃尔说。
'It looks like it hurts.'
“可是看上去很疼。”
'I don't feel anything any more,' said Shmuel.
“我现在已经没有任何感觉了。”什穆埃尔说。
'Well, I am sorry about last week,' said Bruno. 'I hate that Lieutenant Kotler. He thinks he's in charge but he isn't.' He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to get sidetracked. He felt that he should say it one last time and really mean it. 'I'm very sorry, Shmuel,' he said in a clear voice. 'I can't believe I didn't tell him the truth. I've never let a friend down like that before. Shmuel, I'm ashamed of myself.'
“上周那件事，我很抱歉。”布鲁诺说，“我讨厌科特勒中尉，他把自己当成主人，可他并不是。”说到这儿，他犹豫了一会儿，觉得自己不应该忘了最重要的事情。他觉得自己应该再次真诚地道歉。“我很抱歉，什穆埃尔。”他一字一句地说。“我不敢相信，我竟然没有说出事实。我以前从来没有让朋友那么失望。什穆埃尔，我为自己感到羞耻。”
And when he said that, Shmuel smiled and nodded and Bruno knew that he was forgiven, and then Shmuel did something that he had never done before. He lifted the bottom of the fence up like he did whenever Bruno brought him food, but this time he reached his hand out and held it there, waiting until Bruno did the same, and then the two boys shook hands and smiled at each other.
听到布鲁诺说的这些话，什穆埃尔的脸上露出了微笑，点了点头，布鲁诺知道自己已经得到了什穆埃尔的原谅。接着什穆埃尔做了一件他从未做过的事情。他把铁丝网的底部拽了起来，就像每次布鲁诺要递给他食物时那样，可是这一次，他伸出了自己的手，等待着布鲁诺把手也伸过来。接着两个男孩的手握在了一起，彼此露出了微笑。
It was the first time they had ever touched.
他们第一次接触到了对方。