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"I have no family," replied the boy. "I am a foundling. I do a little work for everybody. I remained here to see the war."
“我没有家族，是个孤儿。也会替人家做点事体涵为想看着打仗，所以留在此地。”少年 回答说。
"Have you seen any Austrians pass?"
“见有奥国兵走过么？”
"No; not for these three days."
“不，这三天没有见到。”
The officer paused a while in thought; then he leaped from his horse, and leaving his soldiers there, with their faces turned towards the foe, he entered the house and mounted to the roof. The house was low; from the roof only a small tract of country was visible. "It will be necessary to climb the trees," said the officer, and descended. Just in front of the garden plot rose a very lofty and slender ash-tree, which was rocking its crest in the azure. The officer stood a brief space in thought, gazing now at the tree, and again at the soldiers; then, all of a sudden, he asked the lad:
士官沉思了一会，下了马，命兵士们注意前方，自己爬上农舍屋顶去。可是那屋太低了，望不见远处。士官又下来，心里想，“非爬上树去不可。”恰巧农舍面前有一株高树，树梢在空中飘动着。士官考虑了一会儿，上下打量着树梢和兵士的脸，忽然间少年：
"Is your sight good, you monkey?"
“喂！孩子！你眼力好吗？”
"Mine?" replied the boy. "I can spy a young sparrow a mile away."
“眼力吗？一里外的雀儿也看得出呢。”
"Are you good for a climb to the top of this tree?"
“你能上这树梢吗？”
"To the top of this tree? I? I'll be up there in half a minute."
“这树梢？我？那真是不要半分钟工夫。”
"And will you be able to tell me what you see up there--if there are Austrian soldiers in that direction, clouds of dust, gleaming guns, horses?"
“那么，孩子！你上去替我望望前面有没有敌兵，有没有烟气，有没有枪刺的光和马之类的东西！”
"Certainly I shall."
“就这样吧。”
"What do you demand for this service?"
“应该给你多少？”
"What do I demand?" said the lad, smiling. "Nothing. A fine thing, indeed! And then--if it were for the Germans, I wouldn't do it on any terms; but for our men! I am a Lombard!"
“你说我要多少钱吗？不要！我欢喜做这事。如果是敌人叫我，我哪里肯呢？为了国家才肯如此。我也是隆巴尔地人哩！”少年微笑着回答。
"Good! Then up with you."
“好的，那么你上去。”
"Wait a moment, until I take off my shoes."
“且慢，让我脱了皮鞋。”
He pulled off his shoes, tightened the girth of his trousers, flung his cap on the grass, and clasped the trunk of the ash.
少年脱了皮鞋，把腰带束紧了，将帽子掷在地上，抱向树干去。
