No Other Choice—别无选择（乔治·布莱克）（第四章~Section 2）

     One Thursday evening, the traditional night for guest nights, I found myself being led to the podium by the commander through a large assembly hall, where the whole ship's company was waiting. I was feeling nervous and saw with apprehension the moment approaching when he would finish his short introduction and I would have to launch forth on my talk. Fortunately I had prepared my opening sentences. By the time I was through these most of my nervousness had gone. The lecture was a success and I was rewarded with loud applause.

【一个星期四的晚上，这是传统的聚会之夜，指挥官把我领到讲台上，穿过一个大会议厅，全舰的人都在那里等着我。我感到很紧张，担心地看到他即将完成简短的介绍，我要开始我的演讲了。庆幸的是，我的开场白准备好了。当我演讲的时候，我的紧张情绪已经消失了。演讲很成功，我得到了热烈的掌声。】

     For the last part of the course we were transferred to yet another establishment, HMS King Alfred, in nearby Hove. In contrast to Lancing, all Gothic and pseudo-medieval, King Alfred was all glass and steel and very modern. It had been a Lido before the war with restaurants and swimming pools, now used as drill halls and lecture rooms. It was here that we had to sit our final examination before being commissioned.

【在培训的最后一部分，我们被转移到另一个“公司”，阿尔弗雷德。与所有哥特式和伪中世纪的地方不同，阿尔弗雷德全身都是由玻璃和钢铁构成，非常现代化。战前这里是一个丽都，有餐馆和游泳池，现在用作演习和演讲室。就是在这里，我们参加正式入伍前的最终考核。】

     The tension never let up. Indeed, it seemed to be considered an essential part of this course. It was sustained by an elaborate system of examinations and weekly tests, which in the event of failure, resulted in immediate dismissal from the course. Now with the passing-out exam just a few weeks ahead the tension mounted to an almost unbearable pitch.

【紧张氛围从未缓和。事实上，它似乎被认为是本考核的一个重要部分。它是由一个精心设计的考试和每周测试系统维持的，如果有一次不及格，就会被立即开除。现在离最终考核只有几周了，紧张的氛围几乎到了无法忍受的地步。】

     When the lists with the results were put up, I found myself among the lucky ones and was able to go to collect my uniform.

【当成绩单出来的时候，我发现自己是名列前茅，能够去领取我的制服。】

     The commissioning ceremony the next day was performed by an old admiral, recalled from retirement for this sort of thing, and was accompanied by a complicated and confusing piece of drill. One had to walk up to the admiral, stand to attention, salute, take off one's cap, put it under one's arm, accept the commission, put it with the cap, shake hands with the admiral, put on one's cap, without dropping the commission, salute again and turn smartly away. We rehearsed this procedure several times beforehand, but even so I remained worried that in the excitement of the moment I would put the commission on my head and hand my cap to the admiral.

【第二天的服役仪式是由一位退役的老海军上将主持的，他是为了这类事情而被召回来的，服役仪式同时还进行了一项复杂而令人困惑的演习。人们必须向海军上将走去，立正，敬礼，脱下帽子，夹在腋下，接受委任，把帽子和帽子连在一起，同海军上将握手，戴上帽子，行个礼，潇洒地转身离开。这个过程我们事先排练了好几次，但即便如此，我还是担心，在那激动而紧张的时刻，我会不小心把勋章戴在头上，把帽子递给上将。】

     However, all passed off well and that evening I, together with many other happy and at last carefree young officers, crowded into the first class compartments of the London train on our way home to show ourselves off for a few days to proud parents, sisters and girl friends.

【然而，一切都进行得很顺利。那天晚上，我和其他快乐的、不再有忧虑的年轻军官挤在伦敦火车的头等车厢里，准备在自豪的父母、姐妹和女朋友面前炫耀几天。】

     At the end of our leave we had to return for a further fortnight's post-graduate training to King Alfred. It was during this period that a man came down from the Admiralty to lecture to us on the various branches of naval service open to us. Starting with a short description of life on battleships, the lecturer worked his way through cruisers, destroyers and submarines down to MTBs, minesweepers and landing-craft. Right at the end of his talk he added, 'There is one other branch, which I should mention. It is called "Special Service" and I cannot tell you very much about it because it is secret and, as far as we are concerned, the people who join it vanish.'

【假期结束时，我们必须返回阿尔弗雷德那里接受为期两周的研究培训。就在这段时间，一个人从海军部来到我们面前，给我们讲解海军服役的各个部门。从简短地描述战舰上的生活开始，讲师从巡洋舰、驱逐舰、潜艇，一直到舰炮、扫雷舰和登陆艇。在介绍结束时，他补充说:“还有一个分支，我应该提一下。它叫‘特别行动’，我不能告诉你太多关于它的情况，因为它是不对外公开的，而且就我所知，加入它的人都会再无音讯。”】

     I at once pricked up my ears. This sounded exactly what I wanted. Special Service, secret, people not heard of again. It must be intelligence work, the landing of agents on the enemy coast. That same day I put my name down for Special Service, with destroyers as second choice. I suppose the reason was simply a hunger for adventure. I wanted to be a real member of the Dutch underground. I wanted to be dropped into Holland to do secret, important work and I thought Special Service would provide this opportunity.

【我立刻竖起耳朵。这正是我想要的。特种部队，秘密部队，销声匿迹的人。这一定是情报工作，特工在敌人海岸登陆进行工作。就在同一天，我申请了特种部队，驱逐舰是第二志愿。我想原因仅仅是对冒险的渴望。我想成为一名真正的荷兰地下组织成员。我想被派到荷兰去做一些秘密的、重要的工作，我想特勤处会给我这个机会。】

     I had done well in navigation and, before getting a final appointment, I was sent with a few others to the Royal Naval College in Greenwich, on a three-week navigation course. It was an appointment which had many advantages. The course itself was not arduous, compared to what we had been through, and every evening we were free to go up to town.

【我的水上成绩很好，在得到最后的通知之前，我和其他几个人被送到位于格林威治的皇家海军学院，参加为期三周的航海课程。这是一个有许多好处的训练。与我们所经历的相比，这条路并不难走，每天晚上我们都可以自由地到城里去。】

     At the end of my navigation course, I was given a short leave. While I was home I received a letter instructing me to report to HMS Dolphin, the Submarine Headquarters in Portsmouth for Special Service. I was much dismayed when I read this. The last thing I had thought of was submarines to which I did not feel particularly attracted. When the lecturer had enumerated the various possibilities, he had given no indication that Special Service was in any way connected with this weapon. I had signed on, however, for whatever it was; there was no going back now. I had made a blind date and I had to keep it.

【在我的航海课程结束时，我得到了一个短暂的假期。在我回家的时候，我收到一封信，要我到位于朴次茅斯的海豚号潜艇司令部报到。当我读到这篇文章时，我非常沮丧。我的最后一个志愿是潜水艇，我觉得它对我没有特别的吸引力。当讲师列举各种可能性时，他没有指出“特别行动”与这种武器有任何关系。不管怎样，我还是签了约;现在没有回头路了。我安排了一次“相亲”，我必须遵守。】

     HMS Dolphin was located in a large fort built by French prisoners of war in Napoleonic times. It guards the western bank of the entrance to Portsmouth harbour. On arrival, I was informed that I was to be a member of a small mixed group of officers and other ranks who were to be trained as divers for midget submarines.

【海豚号位于拿破仑时代法国战俘建造的一个大型堡垒内。它守卫着朴茨茅斯港入口的西岸。抵达后，我被告知，我将成为一个由军官和其他军官组成的混合小组的一员，他们将接受训练，成为小型潜艇的潜水员。】

     Our training group, which was small and consisted of some twelve men only, had two unusual features. It was mixed. That is to say officers and other ranks trained together, with no distinction between them during working hours; and it was commanded by a medical officer. The reason was that in the initial period the training was more a question of endurance than of acquisition of special skills. Continuous medical supervision was required to find out how the trainees were reacting to long periods under water.

【我们的训练队很小，只有十二个人，有两个与平常训练不同的地方。军官和其他职级的人在一起接受训练，在工作时间内没有区别;而且由医官指挥，原因是，在最初阶段，训练更多的是一个耐力问题，而不是学习什么特殊技能。需要进行持续的医疗监督，以了解学员长时间在水下的反应。】

     After a few weeks' training in the deep tank that towers above HMS Dolphin, and in a lonely creek nearby, we were to be transferred to a base on one of the islands off the west coast of Scotland, to start training on actual midget submarines. Before this there was one hurdle to pass. Below a certain depth the pressure of the water is such that it affects the oxygen in the containers and slightly alters its substance. Certain people are allergic to this altered oxygen and if they breathe it they lose consciousness.

【在“海豚号”上方的深水池里进行了几周的训练后，我们将被转移到苏格兰西海岸的一个岛屿上的一个基地，开始训练真正的潜艇。在此之前，还有一个障碍需要跨越。在一定深度以下，水的压力就会影响容器中的氧气，并轻微地改变氧气的物质。某些人对这种改变的氧气过敏，如果他们呼吸它，他们会失去意识。】

     It was essential therefore that we should be tested in this respect before being sent on the next part of the course. I have never quite understood why this test could not be carried out in artificial conditions at the beginning of the training period and why it was necessary to wait till the trainee had acquired sufficient practice to be able to dive to such a depth. Be that as it may, the outcome of the test as far as I was concerned was negative. When I descended to the required depth I lost consciousness and was quickly hauled back to the surface.

【因此，在我们开始下一部分课程之前，我们必须在这方面接受测试。我一直不太明白，为什么不能在训练初期就在人工条件下进行这项测试，为什么必须等到受训人有了足够的练习才能潜到这样的深度。如此，我所关心的测试结果是不合格。当我潜到要求的深度时，我失去了知觉，很快就被拉回了水面。】

     Removed from the course, I was given the job of officer of the watch on HMS Dolphin, pending a new appointment. I now spent my hours of duty walking up and down the landing stage with a long telescope under my arm and exchanging pleasantries with the attractive Wrens who manned the motor launches linking the various Naval establishments and ships in the harbour. I had to see to it that the flag was hoisted and lowered at the right time, that bugles were sounded when it was required, and the bosun's whistle blown when officers in command of ships arrived at or left the landing stage. One day the captain of HMS Dolphin called me into his office and asked me if I would be interested in fast boats and plenty of action. This was just the sort of thing that appealed to me. I was therefore told I was to go to London early the next day and report to an address in Palace Street, just off Victoria Street.

【我被从课程中除名后，被任命为皇家海军海豚号的值班军官，等待新的任命。现在，我花了几个小时的时间在登陆台上走来走去，胳膊下夹着一架长长的望远镜，与那些漂亮的鹪鹩们寒暄寒暄。鹪鹩们操纵着连接港口内各种海军设施和船只的汽艇。我必须确保旗帜在适当的时间升起和降下，必要时吹响号角，指挥船只的军官们到达或离开登陆场时吹响水手长的哨子。有一天，英国皇家海军海豚号的舰长把我叫进他的办公室，问我是否对快艇和大量的冒险感兴趣。这正是吸引我的东西。因此，我被告知第二天一早要去伦敦，到王宫街的一个地址报到，就在维多利亚街旁边。】

     When I got there, the doorkeeper gave me a pass to fill in and took me to the first floor, where a young lieutenant RNVR showed me into a room. At a large desk near the window sat a captain RN. He was small and slender with a sallow complexion and dark, thinning hair. He spoke abruptly but his manner was friendly enough.

【当我到达那里时，门卫给了我一张通行证，让我去一层，一个年轻的中尉带我进了一个房间。窗边的一张大桌子上坐着一位皇家海军上尉。他身材瘦小，面色蜡黄，头发又黑又稀疏。他说话很唐突，但态度很友好。】

     He asked many questions about my background, my escape from Holland and my schooling. He then told me to write my biography in considerable detail. When I had finished I handed it in and was asked to come back after lunch.

【他问了我许多关于我的背景、我逃离荷兰的经历和我的学校教育的问题。然后他让我详细地写我的经历。我写完后就交上去了，他让我午饭后回来。】

     When I returned the captain put his cap on, picked up a black ebony stick with silver knob and asked me to accompany him. We walked to a tall, narrow building, just opposite the entrance to St James's tube station.

【我回来的时候，海军上尉戴上帽子，拿起一根有银柄的黑檀木手杖，要我陪他走。我们走到一座又高又窄的建筑前，就在圣詹姆斯地铁站入口的对面。】

     Here again I had to fill in a pass, and the captain took me to a small room on the top floor. It had an attic window and was almost filled by two large desks placed against each other. At one of these sat a major in his shirt-sleeves, a handsome man with very thick, glossy blond hair. Without his uniform jacket on I could not tell his regiment so I took him to be a Royal Marine. After all, I was being interviewed for service in fast boats, so I presumed that this must be a branch of the Admiralty.

【在这里我又得填一张通行证，上尉把我带到顶层的一个小房间。房间里有一扇阁楼窗户，两张大桌子靠在一起，几乎塞满了房间。在其中一所桌子旁坐着一个穿着衬衫的少校，他是一个长得很帅的男人，一头浓密而光滑的金发。没有穿制服，我无法说出他所在的军队，所以我认为他是一名皇家海军陆战队员。毕竟，我被分配到在快艇上服役，所以我猜想这一定是海军部的一个分支。】