美国语文第五册 第197期：癫狂的火车司机（07）
This was spoken to the poor fireman, who at that moment attempted to rise, and the frightened man sank back again.
此刻，那可怜的锅炉工正想立身站起，听见克罗尔的疯狂吼叫，吓得连忙匍匐在地，不敢动弹。
“Here's Little Oscue just before us,” CRIed out one of the guard.
“我们前方就是小奥斯卡。”一名警卫情急中喊道，
But even as he spoke, the buildings were at hand.
说时迟，那时快，那些建筑群已扑面而来。
A sickening sensation settled upon my heart, for I supposed that we were now gone.
我心里泛起一阵恶心，我清楚或许我们已踏上了不归路，
The houses flew by like lightning.
房舍箭一般飞快掠过。
I knew if the officers here had turned the switch as usual, we should be hurled into eternity in one fearful crash.
我知道，此处站台的执勤官如果像往常那样转动手柄，火车势必引起可怕碰撞，我们一车人就将彻底完蛋。
I saw a flash, it was another engine, I closed my eyes; but still we thundered on!
我看见一道闪光，那是另一列火车，我不由得闭上了双眼，可火车仍在闪电般奔驰。
The officers had seen our speed, and knowing that we would not be able to stop, in that distance,
站台执勤官觉察到我们这列火车速度不同寻常，知道我们无法停止，
they had changed the switch, so that we went forward.
隔着老远，他们便变换了岔道，整节列车才得以继续冲向前方。
But there was sure death ahead, if we did not stop.
如果列车不停止的话，前方仍然遭遇死亡。
Only fifteen miles from us was the town of Schwetz, on the Vistula;
此时，我们距离位于维斯的希维切镇只有15英里了。
and at the rate we were going we should be there in a few minutes, for each minute carried us over a mile.
以目前速度计算，几分钟内我们即可到达，因为此刻列车速度已达到每分钟一英里以上。
The shrieks of the passengers now rose above the crash of the rails,
铁轨剧烈的碰撞声激起旅客们的尖叫，
and more terrific than all else arose the demoniac yells of the mad engineer.
远远比那位着魔般疯狂、不停嘶喊的司机更为恐怖。
"Merciful heavens!" gasped the guardsman, there's not a moment to lose; Schwetz is close.
“仁慈的上帝！”警卫气喘吁吁地说，“几乎没有时间了，希维切快到了，
But hold, he added; “let's shoot him.”
抓牢点。”他接着说，“我来枪击他！”
