No Other Choice—别无选择（乔治·布莱克）（第三章）
A new episode in my life started. Arrangements were made for me to go to school in Rotterdam for my last year. I would live with my grandmother and aunt and spend the weekends at home with my mother and sisters in The Hague. I was glad to be back in Holland. The curriculum at school was, of course, quite different from that of the English school in Cairo. In some subjects I was behind, in some ahead, especially in languages, but, on the whole, I did not find it too difficult to adjust myself. I made new friends and, naturally, I felt more integrated and part of the scene than I had done in Cairo. The winter of 1940 was cold and there was a lot of ice so that I was able to go for long skating trips on the canals around Rotterdam. There were still ample food supplies although a distribution system was being put in place. Of the war, which anyway had not yet started in earnest, we noticed very little. Occasionally a British or German aircraft was brought down which had violated Dutch neutrality. The members of the crew would be interned if they were alive or buried with military honours if they had been killed. Among the population there was, in general, a feeling of quiet confidence that Holland could manage to remain neutral, as it had done in the First World War, provided it took care not to offend either side, especially its more irascible Eastern neighbour. The German invasion of Norway and Denmark shook this confidence to its roots and the mood became more pessimistic. In spite of the strict neutrality, the sympathies of the vast majority of the Dutch people lay with the British and the French, especially the former. In spite of colonial rivalries, at times of great dangers in their history - the Eighty Years War and the French occupation under Napoleon - the Dutch had always looked to Britain for help. Since it was a constant of British policy on the continent that the Low Countries should remain independent, they never did so in vain. Also, being a commercial and seafaring nation, they felt closer in spirit to the British than to the Germans whose martial traditions were foreign to them and which they feared and disliked, especially in their recent national-socialist manifestation.
【我生命中新的一篇就此开始了。最后一学年准备安排我去鹿特丹上学。我会和我的祖母住在一起，周末我会和母亲和妹妹们在海牙的家里度过。我很高兴回到荷兰。当然，学校的课程与开罗的英语学校完全不同。在某些科目上我落后了，在某些科目上则领先，尤其是在语言方面，总的来说，我并不觉得适应新生活很难。我结交了新朋友，自然而然地，我感觉比在开罗时更容易融入到周围去。 1940 年的冬天很冷，河面结了很多冰，所以我可以在鹿特丹周围的运河上进行长时间的滑冰。尽管当时正在建立战时系统，但仍然有充足的食物供应。这场战争无论如何还没有真正开始。我们几乎没有注意到，偶尔会有一架英国或德国飞机因违反荷兰中立原则而被击落。船员如果还活着，将被拘留，如果他们被杀，他们将会被以军事荣誉埋葬。总体而言，民众对于荷兰能够保持中立充满信心，就像它在第一次世界大战中所做的那样，只要它不冒犯任何一方，尤其是更残暴的东部邻国。然而，德国对挪威和丹麦的入侵动摇了这种信心的根基，人民的情绪变得更加悲观。尽管荷兰严格保持中立，但绝大多数荷兰人同情英国和法国，尤其是英国。尽管英荷之间有殖民竞争，但在荷兰历史上的重大危险时期——八十年战争和被拿破仑统治下的法国占领——荷兰人总是向英国寻求帮助。由于低地国家应该保持独立是英国在欧洲大陆的一贯政策，荷兰人的求助从来没有白费。此外，作为一个商业和航海国家，他们在精神上更接近英国人，而不是德国人，德国的军事传统对他们来说是陌生的，他们害怕和厌恶，尤其是在德国最近的纳粹表现中。】
When I was woken in the early hours of Friday the 10th of May by the sound of an explosion, my first reaction was that a passing car must have burst a tyre. I turned over to go to sleep again when there was another explosion followed by machine-gun fire. My grandmother came into my room with a worried look asking me what I thought those explosions could be. 'Probably a German or Allied aircraft which has violated our neutrality,' I said, half believing this and half wanting to put her mind at rest.
【5月10日星期五的凌晨，当我被一声爆炸声吵醒时，我的第一反应是一辆经过的汽车爆胎了。我翻了个身想再去睡觉，这时又传来一声爆炸声，接着是机枪的枪声。我的祖母走进我的房间，一脸忧虑地问我这些爆炸是怎么回事。“可能是德国或盟军的飞机违反了我们的中立原则，”我说，我半数是因为相信这一点，半数是想让她放心。】
Still, I got up and looked out of the window. People, most of them still half dressed, were standing in little groups in the street or leaning out of the windows. Some had even climbed on the roof tops. All were looking up at the sky where several aircraft were giving each other chase and firing bursts of machine-gun fire. From the direction of the port came the sound of heavy explosions. This was clearly more than an aircraft violating our neutrality. 'War, invasion, Germans' - these menacing words came drifting up to me from the excited groups in the street below. I switched on the radio. The announcer, his voice heavy with foreboding, kept on repeating the same news. In the early hours of the morning German troops had crossed the frontier and were now engaged in heavy fighting with the Dutch Army which had been ordered to resist. War had been declared, the Dutch Ambassador in Berlin recalled and the Allies asked for assistance.
【尽管如此，我还是站了起来，看着窗外。人们或三五成群地站在街上，或把头探出窗外，其中大多数还没穿好衣服。有些人甚至爬上了屋顶。所有人都抬头仰望天空，几架飞机在互相追逐，并发出阵阵机关枪的射击声。从港口的方向传来沉重的爆炸声。这显然不仅仅是一架飞机侵犯了我们的中立。“战争，侵略，德国人”——这些威胁性的话语从下面街道上震惊的人群中向我涌来。我打开收音机。播音员的声音充满了不祥的感觉，他不停地重复着同样的新闻。凌晨时分，德国军队越过边境，与奉命抵抗的荷兰军队展开激战。战争已经开始，荷兰驻柏林大使被召回，同时向盟国请求援助。】
That morning the atmosphere in the streets was reminiscent of a public holiday. The streets were full of people who, having had no experience of war, were quite heedless of the danger from the air.Their mood reflected patriotic fervour mingled with indignation at the treachery and meanness of this attack by a powerful neighbour on a small country which only wished to live in peace. There was no question of going to school and my friends and I made our way to the centre of the city from where the sound of battle came. We were all in a state of joyful excitement, most inappropriate to the occasion. This mood was heightened by one particular news item broadcast in the course of the morning. The government, as a gesture of hostility towards the enemy, had abolished the teaching of German in the schools. On reflection, this seemed a particularly irrelevant measure. One would have thought that, at that juncture, it would have had more important things to worry about. But as schoolboys we were, of course, delighted.
【那天早晨，街上的气氛让人想起假日。街上到处都是没有战争经验的人，他们完全没有注意到来自空中的危险。他们的情绪反映了爱国热情，并夹杂着对一个强大的邻国对一个只希望和平生活的小国进行这次背叛和卑鄙攻击的愤慨。因为不需要上学，我和我的朋友们来到了市中心，从那里传来了战斗的声音。我们都处于一种兴高采烈的兴奋状态，这与当时的场合极不相称。上午播出的一条特别的新闻加剧了这种情绪。作为对敌人敌视的一种表示，政府在学校里废除了德语教学。仔细想想，这似乎是一个特别无关紧要的措施。人们可能会认为，在这个时刻，它有更重要的事情要操心。但作为小学生，我们当然很高兴。】
When we got near to the centre of the city, we were driven back by gunfire. As they crossed the frontier, the Germans had simultaneously dropped paratroops over Rotterdam to occupy the airfield and the bridges across the river Maas, which linked the Northern with the Southern Netherlands. These objectives were stubbornly defended by the Marines, garrisoned in Rotterdam, but they were suffering heavy casualties and the Germans kept dropping new waves of paratroops. In a few places, not far from our home, bombs had fallen and houses been hit.
【当我们接近市中心时，我们被炮火喝退了。当德国人越过边境时，他们同时在鹿特丹空降伞兵，以占领机场和连接荷兰北部和南部的马斯河上的桥梁。这些要地被驻扎在鹿特丹的海军陆战队顽强地守卫着，但他们遭受了严重的伤亡，德国人不断派出新的伞兵。在离我们家不远的几个地方，炸弹落下，有房屋被击中。】
In the course of the day the reality of war began to make itself felt and drove away the euphoria of the first hours. There was no question now of leaving for The Hague to join my mother and sisters. The Germans had also dropped paratroops on an airfield between Rotterdam and The Hague and were using the autobahn between the two cities as a landing strip. It would have been impossible to get through. In a few days when the situation might be clearer, I would attempt the journey.
【在这一天的过程中，战争的现实开始显现出来，驱散了最初几个小时的欢愉。现在我已经不需要再去海牙找我的母亲和妹妹们了。德国人还在鹿特丹和海牙之间的一个机场空投了伞兵，并利用鹿特丹和海牙之间的高速公路作为降落跑道。那是不可能通过的。过几天情况可能会比较明朗的时候，我就会尝试去汇合。】
In Rotterdam the fighting in the centre of the city continued over the next few days. Though the Germans had managed to establish a foothold there, the Marines were holding out. Elsewhere, the Dutch Army was retreating westwards on all fronts. Little or no help was forthcoming from France and Britain which were too busy stemming the German tide in Belgium and Northern France.
【在鹿特丹，市中心的战斗持续了几天。尽管德国人已经在那里建立了立足点，但海军陆战队仍在顽强抵抗。在其他地方，荷兰军队在所有战线上向西撤退。法国和英国几乎没有提供任何帮助，因为它们正忙于遏止德国在比利时和法国北部的攻势。】
Then came the 14th of May. The sky was cloudless, as it had been all those four days of war. We were just sitting down to lunch when they came. The sirens sounded and their wailing merged with the heavy drone of aircraft. Wave after wave of enemy bombers came flying in and, turning almost overhead for their run in, dropped their bombs and incendiaries on the centre of the city. Time and time again came the sickening whine of the Stukas as they dived, followed by explosion after explosion and, time and time again, we thought our end had come. I don't think the attack lasted more than twenty minutes, but to us it seemed to be going on for ever as we sat under the table in the dining-room with kitchen pans on our heads, in accordance with instructions given over the radio. Gradually the noise died down like a thunderstorm drifting away. The high diminishing drone of a laggard enemy aircraft, a few explosions at ever longer intervals, then all was quiet until we became aware of a roar. At first it puzzled us, but soon we recognised it for the roar of flames. I looked out of the window. Our square was still standing but over it hung a thick pall of black smoke totally obscuring the sky. The entire old centre of the city was burning.
【然后到了5月14日。天空万里无云，就像前四天的战争一样。敌人来的时候，我们正坐下来吃午饭。警报器响起，哀号声与沉重的飞机轰鸣声混在一起。一波又一波的敌人轰炸机飞进来，几乎就在人们的头顶上，飞机把炸弹和燃烧弹扔在城市中心。斯图卡号俯冲时，一次又一次传来令人作呕的哀鸣，接着是一声又一声的爆炸声，一次又一次，我们以为我们的末日到了。我想，进攻持续的时间不超过二十分钟，但是，在我们看来，进攻似乎永远不会停止。我们按照广播的指示，坐在餐室的桌子底下，把厨房的锅顶在头上。喧闹声渐渐平息下来，像一场雷雨渐渐远去。一架落后的敌机发出的高度递减的轰鸣声，间隔越来越长的几次爆炸，然后一切都变得安静，直到我们听到一声轰鸣。一开始我们很困惑，但很快我们就认出那是火焰的轰鸣声。我向窗外望去。我们的广场仍然矗立着，但上面笼罩着一层厚厚的黑烟，完全遮住了天空。整个城市中心都在燃烧。】
The streets were full of people fleeing from the burning hell. Some were half dressed, others were pushing prams and handcarts with the few belongings they had managed to snatch with them. Many were injured, dazed or crying. In a nearby church an emergency hospital was immediately set up to deal with the casualties. I worked there all night, together with many other people from our neighbourhood. We felt both grateful and guilty that we should still have a roof over our heads.
【街上到处都是逃离燃烧的地狱的人。一些人衣衫不整，另一些人推着婴儿车和手推车，里面装着他们从车上抢来的几件东西。许多人受伤，他们或晕眩或哭泣。在附近的一座教堂里，立即建立了一家紧急医院来处理伤员。我和邻居们一起在那里帮工了一整夜。我们感到既感激又内疚，因为我们还能有个栖身之所。】
That same evening came another heavy blow. It was announced that Holland, threatened with similar attacks on other big cities, had surrendered. The Queen and the government, together with virtually the whole fleet, had left for England to continue the struggle from there. The next day the German Army entered the city. It was a bitter sight, but as I watched them in their tanks and armed vehicles, I felt an inner certainty that the day would come when British troops would march through these same streets to liberate us. I saw before my eyes a Scots regiment, their kilts swinging and pipes swirling coming down the road to our square, as I had seen them many times in Egypt. I saw it almost as if it was a vision.
【就在那天晚上，又来了一个沉重的打击。据宣布，荷兰已经投降，因为德国威胁要对其他大城市发动类似的袭击。女王和政府，连同几乎整个舰队，已经逃到英国，继续在那里进行斗争。第二天，德国军队进入这座城市。这是一幅痛苦的景象，但当我看着他们坐在坦克和装甲车里时，我内心确信，总有一天英国军队会穿过这些街道来解放我们。我眼前看到一个苏格兰军团，他们的方格呢裙摇摆着，风笛打着漩，沿着大路来到我们的广场，就像我在埃及看到过很多次的那样。我仿佛看到了幻象。】
Soon help began to arrive from all over the country which, recovering from the shock, found that so far the war had been too short to do much damage. Order was re-established, the dead were buried and a beginning made with clearing away the rubble. After a few days, things began to settle down and I decided to venture on my bike to The Hague to find out how my mother and sisters were.
【很快，来自全国各地的援助开始陆续到来，他们从震惊中恢复过来，发现到目前为止，战争时间太短，造成的损害不大。秩序恢复了，死者被埋葬，开始清理废墟。几天后，事情开始安定下来，我决定冒险骑自行车去海牙，看看我的母亲和姐妹们怎么样了。】
When I arrived at our flat, I rang the bell, but nobody answered. I rang again, then opened the door with my key. Nobody was there. This was strange. Even stranger were some dirty teacups on the table. I had never known my mother go out without washing up first. I decided to enquire from the neighbours. When the woman next door saw me, she raised her hands in astonishment and said, 'What! You are still here? We thought you had gone to England with your mother and sisters.'
【当我到达我们的公寓时，我按了门铃，但没有人应声。我又按了一次门铃，然后用钥匙打开了门。没有人在那里。奇怪。更奇怪的是桌子上有一些脏茶杯。我从来没见到过母亲不先洗碗就出门。我决定问问邻居们。隔壁的女人看到我时，惊讶地举起双手说:“什么!你还在这儿?我们还以为你和你的母亲和妹妹们去英国了呢。”】
'To England?' I exclaimed in great surprise. 'I know nothing about that.' As British subjects we had been registered at the British Consulate. On the third day of the war my mother had been warned by telephone that if she wished to avail herself of the last opportunity to flee to England, she must report at the Consulate by five o'clock that afternoon. When she said that she would like to leave but did not want to go without me, she was told that, no doubt, I would also have been warned. My sisters at that time were two attractive teenagers and fearing the worst of the behaviour of the German soldiery, my mother felt that she should take them to safety, if she had the opportunity. In haste they had packed a few belongings and left in the hope of seeing me on the boat. This was all the neighbour could tell me.
【“到英国?”我非常惊奇地叫道。“我对此一无所知。”作为英国国民，我们在英国领事馆登记过。战争爆发的第三天，我母亲接到电话警告说，如果她想利用最后的机会逃往英国，她必须在当天下午五点以前到领事馆报到。当她说她想要离开，但没有我她不会走的时候，她被告知，我也会毫无疑问地被通知到的。我的姐姐当时是两个漂亮的少女，她们害怕德国士兵的恶劣行为，母亲觉得如果有机会，她应该把她们带到安全的地方。匆忙中，她们收拾了一些东西就离开了，希望能在船上见到我。邻居只能告诉我这些。】
