In the wardroom of the Prince of Wales, Victor Henry could sense the subtle gloom hanging over the ship.
在威尔士亲王号的军官室里,维克多·亨利可以感觉出笼罩着全舰的那种阴郁的气氛。
What the conference had accomplished to increase help for Eng-land remained undisclosed;
这次会议在增加对英国的援助方面罂得了一些什么样的进展,尚未公布出来;
and in itself this clearly struck the battleship's officers as a bad sign.
而这事本身显然使舰上的军官们感觉到是个不好的兆头。
These men, veterans of two combat year s, of air attacks and gun fights, had a subdued dismal air, despite the grandeur of their ship and the stuffy luxury of their wardroom.
这些人都是在空袭和炮战中浴粤奋战了两年的老兵;尽管他们的军舰是那么富丽堂皇,他们的军官;又那么豪华气派,他们的情绪却很压抑。
The predicament of England seemed soaked in their bones.
英国的困境似乎渗进了他们的骨髓。
They could not Believe that Winston Churchill had risked the best ship in their strained navy, and his own life, only to return empty-handed.
他们无法相信,温斯顿·丘吉尔为了这次会议把他们那已经元气大伤的海军中最好的一艘军舰,连同他自己的生命都拿来冒险,到头来竟会空手而归。
That wasn't Winnie's style.
这可不是温尼的风格。
But vague hope, rather than real confidence, was the note in their conversation
然而,他们谈话的调子都很悲观,只有渺茫的希望,而没有真正的信心。
Major-General Tillet came up to Victor Henry after dinner that evening, and laid a lean hand on his shoulder.
这天晚饭过后,梯莱特少将走到维克多·亨利身边,将一只瘦削的手按住他的肩头。
Like to have a look at the submarine sightings chart, Henry?
想看看潜艇布局图吗,亨利?
The prime Minister thought you might.
首相认为你有可能想看看。
Red secrecy warnings blazed on the steel door that Tillet opened.
梯莱特打开的那扇钢舱门上亮着红色保密信号灯。
Dressed in a one-piece garment like a mechanic's coveralls, stooped and heavy-eyed, Churchill pondered a map of the Russian front all across one bulkhead.
丘吉尔身穿一件像机械师工作服式样的连衣裤,弓着背,垂着眼皮,正在察看一幅占了一面舱壁的俄国前线地图。
Opposite hung a chart of the Atlantic.
正对面的舱壁上挂着一幅大西洋海图。
Young officers worked over dispatches at a table in the middle of the room, in air thick with tobacco smoke.
舱室里烟雾腾腾,几位年轻军官正在屋中央的一张桌子上处理电讯收发工作。
There, said the Prime Minister to Tillet and Pug Henry, gesturing at the map of the Soviet Union with his cigar. There is an awful unfolding picture.
那儿,首相用手中的雪茄指了指那幅苏联地图,对梯莱特和帕格亨利说,那儿是一幅正在展开的可怕的画卷。