My train left Dantzic in the morning generally about eight o'clock; but once a week we had to wait for the arrival of the steamer from Stockholm.
火車在八點左右離開丹茲克,每周僅一個班次,通常,火車要等來自斯德哥爾摩的輪船上下船乘客上車后發(fā)車。
It was the morning of the steamer's arrival that I came down from the hotel,
今天早上,輪船抵達后,我從賓館走出,
and found that my engineer had been so seriously injured that he could not perform his work.
發(fā)現(xiàn)當班的火車司機傷勢嚴重,顯然已不能正常上班,
I went immediately to the engine house to procure another engineer,
我立即趕去機車庫,想找位司機頂班,
for I supposed there were three or four in reserve there, but I was disappointed.
我原以為機車庫會有三四位機動司機,但是最后只有失望而歸。
I heard the puffing of the steamer, and the passengers would be on hand in fifteen minutes.
聽見汽輪發(fā)出巨大汽笛聲,一刻鐘后,旅客們將抵達車站。
I ran to the guards and asked them if they knew where there was an engineer, but they did not.
我向警衛(wèi)處跑去,咨詢他們是否他們知道哪里能找到火車司機,他們無從應答。
I then went to the firemen and asked them if anyone of them felt competent to run the engine to Bromberg.
接著,我又跑去鍋爐班,詢問他們是否了解有人能充任司機,將火車一路開到布朗伯格。
No one dared to attempt it.
大家面面相覷,無人敢試。
The distance was nearly one hundred miles.
從丹茲克到布朗伯格行程幾乎一百英里,
What was to be done?
接下來該怎么辦?
The steamer stopped at the wharf, and those who were going on by rail came flocking to the station.
輪船已經(jīng)泊靠碼頭,那些準備趕火車的旅客朝火車站蜂擁而來。
They had eaten breakfast on board the boat, and were all ready for a fresh start.
旅客們在船上吃完早餐,正準備迎接新的一天。
The train was in readiness in the long station house, and the engine was steaming and puffing away impatiently in the distant firing house.
火車臥在長長的站房前,一切準備就緒,遠處車頭冒出白煙,不耐煩地噗噗吼著。
It was past nine o'clock.
九點已過。
"Come, why don't we start?" growled an old, fat Swede, who had been watching me narrowly for the last fifteen minutes.
“嗨!為什么還不開車?”一位年邁肥胖的瑞典人向我吼叫,他一直仔細地打量我,差不多直直盯了一刻鐘。
And upon this there was a general chorus of anxious inquiry, which soon settled to downright murmuring.
隨后,周圍一片質問嘆氣沖著我嚷起,很快變成了成群抱怨。