On every side death stared us in the face; no human skill could avert it any longer.
死亡四处紧紧地盯着我们，再也没有任何路可以幸免逃脱。
We saw the moment approach when we must bid farewell to earth,
当我们看到死亡的脚步一步步走近，意识到与这个世界最后告别的时刻即将来临；
yet without feeling that unutterable horror which must have been experienced by the unhappy victims at Cawnpore.
伴随内心无以言传的巨大恐惧，相必坎布尔不幸的罹难者肯定也经历类似濒死体验；
We were resolved rather to die than to yield, and were fully persuaded that in twenty-four hours all would be over.
我们打定主意，即便受难赴死也不会屈服，甚至完全相信，不过区区24小时之内，一切终将尘埃落定，
The engineer had said so, and all knew the worst. We women strove to encourage each other, and to perform the light duties which had been assigned to us, such as conveying orders to the batteries,
那位随军工程师也是这么说的。大家都很清楚，我们已经深陷最为难捱的黑暗。女人们彼此拼命鼓劲，完成分配给我们那些较轻的活儿，比如给那些街垒炮手送送消息，
and supplying the men with provisions, especially cups of coffee, which we prepared day and night.
或给男人们发些生活补给；咖啡尤其必不可少，为此，我们从早到晚忙碌不停。
I had gone out to try to make myself useful, in company with Jessie Brown, the wife of a corporal in my husband's regiment.
我走出家门，看自己能否帮上什么忙，还要去陪伴杰西.布朗，我丈夫那个团里一位下士的妻子。
Poor Jessie had been in a state of restless excitement all through the siege, and had fallen away visibly within the last few days.
可怜的杰西从围城开始，一直焦躁不安，不过几天时间，她明显地消瘦了，
A constant fever consumed her, and her mind wandered occasionally,
还一直在发烧，时而精神恍惚；
especially that day, when the recollections of home seemed powerfully present to her.
尤其那天她似乎失去自控，真的好像回到了家乡；
At last, overcome with fatigue, she lay down on the ground, wrapped up in her plaid.
后来因疲劳过度躺卧地上，身上裹着一条格子呢毛毯。
I sat beside her, promising to awaken her when, as she said, her "father should return from the plowing."
我坐在她的身边，指望能够唤醒她，她突然开口说道：“爸爸该从地里回来了。”
