英國語文第五冊(雙語):圍攻魁北克(2)

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Great preparations were made throughout the fleet and the army for the decisive movement; but the plans were still kept secret. A wise caution was observed in this respect; for the treachery of a single deserter might have imperilled the success of the expedition had its exact object been known. At nine o'clock at night, on the 13th of September, 1759, the first division of the army, 1600 strong, silently removed into flat-bottomed boats. The soldiers were in high spirits: Wolfe led in person. About an hour before day-light, the flotilla dropt down with the ebb-tide, "Weather favourable; a star light night."

全軍上下都為這一決定性時刻做好了準(zhǔn)備；但是這個計劃依然未公開。從這一點上看，伍爾夫是多么的聰明和謹(jǐn)慎；因為如果通知全軍上下的話，只要有一個逃兵走漏了風(fēng)聲，就會將整個計劃置于險地。1759年9月13日晚上九點，1600名第一部分官兵悄悄登上了平底船。官兵們士氣高漲：因為伍爾夫親自帶隊。大約天亮前一個小時，借著落潮，他們將船放入水里，“天氣很好；一整晚天空都布滿繁星?！?/p>

Silently and swiftly, unchallenged by the French sentries, Wolfe's flotilla dropped down the stream in the shade of the overhanging cliffs. The rowers scarcely stirred the waters with their oars; the soldiers sat motionless. Not a word was spoken, save by the young general. He, as a midshipman on board of his boat afterwards related, repeated, in a low voice, to the officers by his side, Gray's "Elegy in a Country Churchyard;" and as he concluded the beautiful verses, he said, "Now, gentlemen, I would rather be the author of that poem than take Quebec!"

他們動作迅速，但卻輕盈，沒有引起法軍哨兵的注意，借著突出的巖石在水面上的陰影，伍爾夫率領(lǐng)艦隊開始行進(jìn)。槳手們劃船時幾乎沒有激起一點水面的變化；官兵們坐著一動不動。伍爾夫下令誰也不許發(fā)出聲音。海軍軍校出身的他在船上不斷低聲對他旁邊的軍官重復(fù)著格雷的“墓畔哀歌“；說到這首詩美麗的韻律時，他說”伙計們，與拿下魁北克相比，我更愿意當(dāng)這首詩歌的作者！“

But while Wolfe thus in the poet's words gave vent to the intensity of his feelings, his eye was constantly bent upon the dark outline of the heights under which he was hurrying. He recognised at length the appointed spot (now called Wolfe's Cove), and leaped ashore. Some of the leading boats, conveying the light company of the 78th Highlander, had, in the meantime, been carried about two hundred yards lower down by the strength of the tide. These Highlanders, under Captain Donald MacDonald, were the first to land. Immediately over their heads hung a woody precipice, without path or track upon its rocky face. On the summit, a French sentinel marched to and fro, still unconscious of their presence.

但是正當(dāng)他沉浸在詩歌中，宣泄情感時，他的眼前被巖石陰影擋住，馬上變得一片漆黑。他認(rèn)出來了這兒地方，這就是接頭的地方（現(xiàn)在的伍爾夫灣），于是他跳上岸。同時，幾艘載著蘇格蘭高地78軍團(tuán)士兵的船也順著潮水上了岸。這些高地人由唐納德·麥克唐納隊長率領(lǐng)，最先登陸。擺在他們眼前的是懸崖，崖壁上無路可循。在山頂處，有一個法軍哨兵在來回巡邏，依然沒有注意到敵人的出現(xiàn)。