42. 尤塞瑞恩

 
“科恩中校说那笔交易依然有效，一切顺利。”丹比少校笑着告诉尤塞瑞恩，既谨慎又满意 (with a prissy and gratified smile)。
“不，不是的。”
“噢，是的，的确是的，”丹比少校关切地(benevolently)坚持道，“事实上，一切比以前好多了。你真是运气好(stroke of luck)，差一点就被那个女人给杀了。现在，这笔交易可以顺利成交了。”
“我跟科恩中校没做任何交易。”
丹比少校兴致勃勃地乐观劲儿突然间消失的无影无踪 (effervescent optimism vanished instantly)，他顿时冒出一身冷汗 (he broke out at once into a bubbling sweat)。“你确实跟他谈过一笔交易，不是吗？”他百思不得其解地问道 (asked in anguished puzzlement)，“你们难道没有达成协议吗？”
“我毁了协议。”
“可你们达成协议时是握了手的，不是吗？你像个正人君子那样答应了他。”
“可我改主意了。”
“哦，唉。”丹比少校叹了口气。他用一块折叠起来的白手帕徒劳地擦拭著他那忧郁的眉头。“可为什么呢，尤塞瑞恩？他们给你的是一笔很好的交易。”
“是一笔卑鄙的交易 (a lousy deal)，丹比。一笔令人作呕的交易 (an odious deal)。”
“哦，唉，”丹比少校烦躁地叹着气，抬起一只光溜溜的手，抹了一把自己金属丝般的黑头发。那一头又粗又短的卷发早让汗水给浸透了。“哦，唉。”
“丹比，你难道不认为这笔交易令人作呕吗？”
丹比少校思索了一下。“是的，我是觉得它令人作呕，”他勉勉强强地承认道。那双鼓出的圆眼睛里流露出困惑不解的神情。“既然你不喜欢，为什么又要做这笔交易呢？”
“我是一时软弱，我是想救自己的命。”尤塞瑞恩阴郁地，嘲讽地打趣道。”
“难道你现在就不想救自己的命了吗？”
“正因为了想救自己的命，我才不让他们派我去执行更多的飞行任务。”
“那么，让他们送你回国，你就不会再有任何危险了。”
“我让他们送我回国，是因为我已经执行了五十次以上的飞行任务，”尤塞瑞恩说，“既不是因为我被那姑娘捅了一刀，也不是因为我变成了这么个顽固不化的东西。”
戴着眼镜的丹比少校使劲摇了摇头，满脸真实又苦恼的神情 (in sincere and bespectacled vexation)。
“那样一来，他们就得把几乎所有的人送回国去。大多数人都已经完成了五十次以上的飞行任务。卡思卡特上校不可能一下子要求增派这么多毫无经验的补充机组人员，那样的话，上头就会派人来查：他就掉进他自己设的陷阱里去了(he caught in his own trap)。” “那就是他的问题。”
“不，不不，尤塞瑞恩，”丹比少校焦虑地(solicitously)反对道，“这是你的问题。因为；如果你不履行这笔交易，一旦你签了出院手续，他们马上就会对你进行军法审判。” 尤塞瑞恩把拇指搁在鼻尖上朝丹比少校做了个蔑视的手势，沾沾自喜，洋洋得意地哈哈一笑 (laughed with smug elation)。“叫他们见鬼去吧：别骗我啦，丹比, 他们根本不会这样做。”
“可他们为什么不会？”丹比少校问道,惊奇地眨着眼睛。
“因为我眼下已经把他们握在手心里了。有份官方报告说，我是被一个前来暗杀他们的纳粹刺客刺伤的。在这种情况下，他们要是再对我进行军法审判的话，那不是出他们自己的洋相嘛。”
“可是，尤塞瑞恩！”丹比少校叫道(exclaimed)，“还有另一份官方报告说，你是在从事黑市交易时被一个单纯的姑娘刺伤的, 你涉及破坏活动以及向敌方出售军事秘密。”
尤塞瑞恩不由得大吃一惊，又是诧异又是失望，“另一份官方报告？” “尤塞瑞恩，他们想准备多少份官方报告就可以准备多少份，对于任何一种特定情况，他们需要哪份就可以选用哪份；这儿点你难道不知道吗？”
“哦，唉，”尤塞瑞恩垂头丧气地嘟哝著(in heavy dejection)，面无血色 (the blood draining from his face)。“哦，唉。”
丹比少校出于一片好意(with a look of vulturous well-meaming), 急切而又热心地劝道(pressed forward avidly)。“尤塞瑞恩，他们叫你做什么你就做什么，让他们送你回国吧，这对大家都好。”
“对卡思卡特，科恩和我有好处，并不是对大家。”

“是对大家。”丹比少校坚持道，“这样做问题全都解决了。”
“对飞行组里那些继续执行更多飞行任务的人也有好处吗？” 丹比少校抽动了一下(flinched)，不舒服地把脸转了一下，答道：“尤塞瑞恩，”“如果你逼得卡思卡特上校对你进行军法审判，并证明你犯有所指控的所有罪行的话，那对任何人都没有好处，你会长期坐牢，你的一生就给毁了。”
尤塞瑞恩越听心里越着急(with a growing feeling of concern)。“他们会指控我犯了什么罪呢？”
“在弗拉拉上空作战无能；不听指挥，拒绝执行与敌方交火的命令，以及开小差。”
尤塞瑞恩严肃地吸了吸两颊(sucked his cheeks in soberly)，“他们能指控我所有这些罪状吗？弗拉拉空战后，他们发给我一枚勋章。现在他们又怎么能够指控我作战无能呢？” “阿费将宣誓作证，说你和麦克沃特在给上级的报告中说了假话。” “我敢打赌，那个杂种准会这么干的。” “他们还将证明你犯有下列罪行，”丹比少校一件一件地列举著，“强奸，参与范围广泛的黑市交易，从事破坏活动，以及向敌方出售军事秘密等等。” “他们如何证明这些呢？这些事情我一样也没干过。” “可是他们手里的证人会作证说你干过。只需说服那些人，除掉你对国家有好处，就可以找到他们所需要的全部人证。从某一方面说，除掉你对国家会有好处。” “从哪方面呢？”尤塞瑞恩追问道(demanded)。他一只胳膊肘撑著慢慢抬起身, 强压心头的敌意(with bridling hostility). 丹比少校身子往后缩了缩，擦了擦额头来。“唉，尤塞瑞恩，”他结结巴巴地争辩道(with an apologetic stammer)，“眼下，把卡思卡特上校和科恩中校搞得声名狼藉 (bring ... into disrepute)，对作战是没有好处。让我们面对现实，尤塞瑞恩, 不管怎么说，大队的记录确实很好。如果对你进行了军法审判而最后又证实了你无罪，其他人很可能也会拒绝执行更多的飞行任务，卡思卡特上校就会当众丢脸，部队的作战能力也许就会被毁掉。所以，从那一方面讲，证明你有罪并把你关进监狱，对国家是会有好处的，即使你无罪。” “你说得多么动听啊(what a sweet way you have putting things)！”尤塞瑞恩厉声道(snapped), 怨恨里带着刻薄 (with caustic resentment)。 丹比少校的脸红了。不敢正眼看尤塞瑞恩，他的身子局促不安地扭动著(squirmed and squinted uneasily)。“请不要怪我，”他带著焦虑而诚恳的神情恳求道，“你也知道这不是我的过错。我现在所做的这一切，只不过是试图客观地看待问题，为一个极其困难的局面解套。”
“这个局面不是我造成的。”
“可你能够解决它。你还能干些什么呢？你又不愿意执行更多的飞行任务。”
“我可以逃走。”
“逃走？”
“开小差，溜之大吉。我可以甩开眼前这个乌七八糟的局面，开溜(start running)。”
丹比少校大吃一惊。“往哪儿跑？你能去哪儿呢？”
“我可以轻而易举地跑到罗马去，在那儿藏起来。”
“每一分钟都生活在他们随时会找到你的危险中？不，不，不，不，尤塞瑞恩。那样做是卑鄙可耻的(ignoble)，灾难性的。 逃避问题是永远解决不了问题的。请相信我，我是在尽力帮你的。”
“那个好心的侦探把拇指戳进我的伤口之前就是这么说的，”尤塞瑞恩嘲讽地反驳道。 “我不是侦探，”丹比少校回答道， 带着愤怒，双颊又涨红了。
“我是个大学教授，我具有极强的是非感，我决不会欺骗你，也决不会对任何人撒谎。” “要是大队里有谁向你问起我们的这次谈话，那你怎么办？”
“那我就对他撒个谎。”
尤塞瑞恩大笑起来，带着嘲讽。尽管丹比少校面红耳赤，浑身不自在，此时却也松了一口气，靠坐到椅子上。他似乎希望看见尤塞瑞恩情绪的这种预示著短暂的缓和的变化。尤塞瑞恩凝视著丹比少校，神情中既流露出有所保留的伶悯又带著轻蔑(a mixture of reserved pity and contempt) 。他背靠著床头坐了起来，点燃一支香烟，微笑着，露出一副苦中取乐的神情，怀著一种奇特的同情，盯著丹比少校的脸。这是一张鲜活的，极度惊恐的脸。自从轰炸阿维尼翁的那天，德里德尔将军下令把丹比少校拖出去枪毙时起，那种惊恐便永远地烙在了这张脸上。那些被惊吓出来的皱纹永久地留在了这张脸上，像深深的黑色伤疤。尤塞瑞恩为这位文雅正派的中年理想主义者感到难过就正像他总为许多有着这样或那样的小毛病，遇到这种或那种小麻烦的人感到难过的那样。
他故作亲热地说：“丹比，你怎么能够跟卡思卡特和科恩这样的人一块共事呢？这难道不使你倒胃口吗？” 尤塞瑞恩大的这个问题似乎使丹比少校感到惊奇。“跟他们共事是为了帮助我的祖国，”他回答说，似乎这个回答是显而易见的。
“卡思卡特上校和科恩中校是我的上级，执行他们的命令是我能对我们所进行的这场战争作出的唯一贡献。我和他们共事，是因为这是我的职责，而且，”他垂下眼睛，压低嗓门补充说，也因为我不是个富于进取心的人。”
“你的祖国已经不再需要你的帮助了，” 尤塞瑞恩大心平气和地开导他说，“所以你现在所做的一切只是在帮他们。”
“我尽量不这么考虑问题，”丹比少校坦率地承认道，“我只着眼于取得的大的成果上，同时忘掉他们也在获得成功这一事实。我极力骗自己说，他们微不足道。”
“你知道，我的麻烦也就在这里，”尤塞瑞恩抱拢双臂，摆出一副沉思的模样说道，“在我和我的全部理想之间，我总是发现许多个沙伊斯科普夫、佩克姆、科恩、卡思卡特那样的人，而这种人又多多少少改变了我的理想。”
“你应当尽量不去想他们，”丹比少校口气肯定地劝告说，“你决不能让他们改变你的行为准则。理想是美好的，但人有时却不是那么美好、你应当尽量抬起头来看大局。”
尤塞瑞恩怀疑地摇了摇头，拒绝了丹比。“当我抬起头来时，我看到的是人们都在设法赚钱。我看不见天堂，看不见圣人，也看不见天使。我只看见人们利用每一次正当的冲动和每一场人类的悲剧，大把大把地捞钱。”
“可你应当尽量不去想这类事情。”丹比少校坚持道，“你应当尽量别让这类事情搞得你心烦意乱。” “噢，我倒也没有真的心烦意乱过。不过，叫我心烦意乱的是，他们把我当成了傻瓜。他们以为自己很聪明，而我们其余的人都很笨，你知道，丹比，我刚才突然头一回冒出这么个念头，也许他们是对的。” “可你也应当尽量别去想这种事。”丹比少校争辩道，“你应当只考虑国家的利益和人类的尊严。”
“是啊，”尤塞瑞恩说。
“我真的是这个意思，尤塞瑞恩。这不是第一次世界大战。你千万不要忘了，我们现在是在跟侵略者作战。如果他们打赢了，他们不会让我们两个中的任何人活下去。” “这我知道，”尤塞瑞恩硬邦邦地回答道。他突然恼怒地板起了脸。“哼，丹比，无论他们发给我那枚勋章的理由是什么，那勋章反正是我自己挣来的。我已经执行了七十次该死的飞行任务，别再对我讲那些为拯救祖国而战斗的废话。我一直在为拯救祖国而战斗，现在我要为救我自己而战。祖国已经没有什么危险了，而我却正处在危险之中。”
“战争还没有结束呢。德国人正朝安特卫普推进。”
“几个月之内，德国人就会被打败。再过几个月，日本人也会被打败。如果我现在战死了，那就不是为国捐躯，而是替卡思卡特和科恩送死。所以，在此期间，我要交回我的轰炸瞄准器。从现在起，我只考虑我自己。”
丹比少校高傲地笑笑，颇为宽容地反问道，“可是，尤塞瑞恩，要是每个人都这么想呢？”
“要真是那样，我不这么想，我不就成了个头号傻瓜了吗？”尤塞瑞恩露出一副嘲讽的表情，身体坐得更直了。“你知道吗？我有一种奇怪的感觉，好像我以前也和什么人进行过一次跟这次一模一样的谈话。这跟牧师的感觉一样，他觉得每件事他都经历过两次。”
“牧师希望你让他们把你送回国去。”
“牧师希望什么，我才不在乎呢。”
“哦，唉。”丹比少校叹了口气，遗憾而失望地摇了摇头，“他担心自己可能影响了你。”
“他没有影响我。你知道我可能会干什么吗？我可能会一直呆在医院的这张病床上，像植物那样活着。我在这儿可以舒舒服服地过植物般的生活，让别人去拿主意吧。” “你必须自己拿主意，”丹比少校反驳道，“一个人不能活得像植物那样。” “为什么不能？” 丹比少校眼中出现了一丝淡淡的热情。“像一株植物那样生活必定是很愉快的，”他若有所思地承认道。 “是糟糕透顶的，”尤塞瑞恩说。 “不，摆脱了所有这些疑虑和压力的生活必定是非常舒适的，”丹比少校坚持道，“我觉得我很愿意活得像株植物，那样就不必为大事情操心拿主意了。”
“什么样的植物呢，丹比？”
“黄瓜，或者胡萝卜。” “什么样的黄瓜？是好黄瓜还是坏黄瓜？”
“噢，当然是好黄瓜咯。” “那么，你只要一成熟，他们就会把你摘下来，切成片做色拉。” 丹比少校沉下脸来。“那只能是坏黄瓜啦。”
“那么，他们会让你腐烂掉，把你拿去给好黄瓜当肥料，好让它们快些成熟。”
“要是那样的话，恐怕我不会愿意活得像株植物，”丹比少校无可奈何地微微一笑，伤感地说。
“丹比，我真的必须让他们送我回国吗？”生活严肃地问他。
丹比少校耸了耸肩。“这是救你自己的一种方法。” “这是毁掉我自己的一种方法，丹比。这个道理你应该明白的。”
“你可以得到许多你想要的东西。”
“没有多少我想要的东西，”生活回答道。他内心突然涌起一股愤怒和失望，举起拳头狠狠地捶著床垫。“真他妈的，丹比！我的不少朋友在这场战争中送了命。这笔交易我不能做。让那个妓女捅了一刀，这算是我所经历过的最好的事情了。”
“那你甘愿进监狱吗？”
“你会愿意让他们送你回国吗？”
“我当然愿意！”丹比少校斩钉截铁地说，“我肯定愿意。”过了一会，他又用不那么肯定的口气加上了一句。“不错，要是我处在你的地位，我想我会让他们送我回国的。”他忧虑不安地思索了片刻之后，很不自在地拿定了主意。接著，他流露出极为痛苦的神情，厌恶地猛然把脸扭向一边，脱口叫道，“噢，是的，当然啦，我会让他们送我回国的！可我是个最最胆小的人，我根本不可能处在你的位置上。”
“可假如你不是个胆小的人呢？”尤塞瑞恩目不转睛地打量著他问道，“假如你的确有勇气跟某个人作对呢？”
“要真是那样，我是不会让他们送我回国的，”丹比少校断然发誓说。他的声音强劲有力，欢快热情。“可我肯定不会让他们对我进行军法审判。”
“你愿意执行更多的飞行任务吗？”
“不，当然不愿意。那样做无异于全面投降。再说，我可能会送命的。”
“那你会逃走吗？” 丹比少校露出高傲的神色，刚要反驳，又突然停住了，他那半张开的嘴巴也默默地闭上了。他厌烦地噘起了嘴唇。“我想，我根本就没有什么希望，不是吗？”
不一会，他的前额和凸出的眼球又显出了紧张不安。他把两只软绵绵的手腕交叉著放在膝盖上，坐在那儿，屏住呼吸，垂下眼睛盯著地板，默默地承认了自己的失败。陡斜的暗影从窗外映了进来。尤塞瑞恩神情严肃地看着他。一辆疾驶而来的汽车在外面猛然刹住，发出一阵嘎的声响。随后，传来了什么人匆匆跑进大楼的咯咯脚步声。可是他们俩谁也没有动一动。
“不，你还有希望。”尤塞瑞恩愣了好一会，才想出一个主意来。

“米洛也许会帮助你。他比卡思卡特上校有来头，他还欠我几桩人情呢。”
丹比摇了摇头，语调平淡地回答道：“米洛和卡思卡特上校现在是伙伴啦。他让卡思卡特上校当上了副总裁，还答应他战争结束后给他安排一个重要的职务。”
“那么，前一等兵温特格林会帮助我们的，”尤塞瑞恩叫道。
“他恨他们两个，这件事准会把他惹火的。”
丹比少校又一次悲哀地摇了摇头。“米洛和前一等兵温特格林上个星期合伙了，他们现在全都是MM辛迪加联合体的合伙人了。”
“这么说我们没有希望了，是吗？”
“没有希望了。” “没有一点希望了，是吗？”
“没有，没有一点希望了，”丹比少校承认道。过了一会，他抬起脸，说出一个尚未成熟的想法来。“如果他们能够像使其他人失踪那样让我们失踪，使我们摆脱这些沉重的负担，那不是件好事情吗？” 尤塞瑞恩认为那不是件好事。丹比少校忧郁地点点头，表示同意，随后便又垂下了眼睛。两个人全都觉得毫无希望了。突然，走廊里传来一阵很响的脚步声，牧师可著嗓门嚷嚷著冲进门来。他带来了一个令人振奋的消息，是关于奥尔的。他又高兴又激动、有那么一两分钟连话都说不成句了。他的眼睛里闪动著喜悦的泪花、当尤塞瑞恩终于听明白牧师的话时，他不敢相信地大叫一声，抬腿从床上跳了下来。
“瑞典？”他大声问。
“奥尔！”牧师大声说。
“奥尔？”尤塞瑞恩大声问。
“瑞典！”牧师叫道。他兴高采烈地不住地点著头，开心地、兴奋地咧嘴笑着，得意洋洋地满屋子走个不停。“我告诉你，这是个奇迹！奇迹，我又信仰上帝啦！真的。在海上漂了这么多个星期，最后竟被冲到瑞典海岸上去啦！这是个奇迹！”
“冲到岸上去的？见鬼！”尤塞瑞恩大声说，他在屋里蹦来蹦去，欣喜若狂地冲著墙壁、冲著天花板、冲著牧师和丹比少校吼叫著。
“他不是被冲到瑞典海岸上去的。他是划到那儿去的。他是划到那儿去的，牧师，他是划到那儿去的。”
“划到那儿去的？”
“他预先就这么计划好的！他是存心去瑞典的。”
“噢，这我不管。”牧师依旧热情洋溢地回答说，“这仍然是个奇迹，这是人类智慧和忍耐力所创造的奇迹；瞧瞧，他干出了什么事情来！”牧师伸出双手捂往脑
袋，笑得弯下了腰，“你们难道想象不出来他的样子吗？”他惊奇地叫道，“你们难道想象不出来他的样子？坐在黄色的救生艇里，握著那把小小的蓝色船桨，趁著黑夜划过直布罗陀海峡”
“身后拖著那根钓鱼线，一路上吃着生鳕鱼划到瑞典，每天下午还给自己泡茶喝。”
“我甚至能看见他的样子！”牧师大叫道，他停了一下，趁机喘了口气，接著又赞叹下去。“我告诉你们，这是人类不屈不挠的毅力所创造的奇迹；这也正是我从现在起要做的事情。我也要不屈不挠，是的，我要不屈不挠。”
“奥尔自始至终都知道自己在干什么！”尤塞瑞恩欣喜若狂地叫道；他得意洋洋地高高举起两个拳头，似乎想从拳头里面挤压出什么启示来。他猛地转过身面对著丹比少校。“丹比，你这个笨蛋，到底还是有希望的、你难道没看出来吗？甚至克莱文杰也可能还活在那片云彩里面呢，他就藏在那里面的一个什么地方，要一直等到安全了才出来。”
“你们在说些什么呀？”丹比少校困惑地问，“你们两个在说些什么呀？”
“给我弄些酸苹果来，丹比，还有坚果。快去呀，丹比，快去呀。
趁著这会儿还来得及，给我弄些酸苹果和七叶树坚果来，给你自己也弄一些。”
“七叶树坚果？酸苹果？要这些做什么？”
“当然是塞到我们的腮帮子里去咯。”尤塞瑞恩自责而又绝望地高高扬起两只手臂。“唉，我为什么不听他的呢？我为什么就没有信心呢？”
“你疯了吗？”丹比少校惊恐而困惑地问道，“尤塞瑞恩，请你告诉我你们在讲些什么，好吗？”
“丹比，奥尔预先就这么计划好的。你难道不明白吗？他从一开始就是这么打算的。他甚至演习过如何让自己的飞机被击落下来。每次执行飞行任务时，他都要演习一遍。可我竟然不愿意跟他一起飞！唉，我为什么不听他的呢？他叫我跟他一起飞，可我竟然不愿意！丹比，再给我弄些龅牙来，还有装牙的牙套。只要装成一副愚蠢无知的傻瓜模样，就没有人会怀疑你其实是个机灵鬼。所有这些东西我都需要。唉，我为什么不听他的话呢？现在我明白他一直想跟我说什么了，我甚至明白了那个姑娘为什么拿鞋砸他的脑袋。”
“为什么？”牧师追问道。 尤塞瑞恩猛地转过身，一把抓住牧师衬衣的前襟，恳求道：“牧师，帮帮我吧！请帮帮我。把我的衣服找来。赶快去找，行吗？我现在就需要它们。”
牧师抬起腿就往外走。“好吧，尤塞瑞恩，我去找。可你的衣服在哪儿呢？我怎么才能拿到它们呢？”
“谁要是拦住你不让拿，你就吓唬他们，对他们吹胡子瞪眼睛。
牧师，给我把制服拿来！我的衣服肯定在这医院里的某个地方。你这辈子就这么一次，干成件事情吧。”
牧师坚定地挺了挺肩膀，又咬了咬牙。“别着急，尤塞瑞恩。我会给你把制服拿来的。可那个姑娘为什么拿她的鞋砸奥尔的脑袋呢？ 求你告诉我吧。”
“因为是他出钱叫她干的，就为这个！可她打得还不够狠，所以他只好划到瑞典去了。牧师，给我把制服找来，我好离开这个地方。
问问达克特护士吧，她会帮你找到的。只要能甩开我，她什么都愿意干的。”
“你要去哪儿呀？”牧师冲出房间后，丹比少校担心地问道，“你打算干什么呀？”
“我打算逃走，”尤塞瑞恩用欢快而清晰的嗓音宣布道。他已经拉开了睡衣领口处的扣子。 “噢，不。”丹比少校叹息了一声，用两只手掌来来口口地轻轻拍著自己那张汗淋淋的脸。“你不能逃走。你能逃到哪儿去？你能到哪儿去呢？”
“去瑞典。”
“去瑞典？”丹比少校惊奇地叫道，“你要跑到瑞典去？你疯了吗？”
“奥尔已经去了。”
“噢，不不，不不，不，”丹比少校恳求道，“不，尤塞瑞恩，你永远也到不了那儿。你不能跑到瑞典去。你连船都不会划。”
“可是，只要你离开这儿后，闭上嘴不吭气，找个机会让我搭上一架飞机，我就可以到罗马去。”
“可他们会找到你的，”丹比少校固执地争辩道，“会把你抓回来，会更加严厉地惩罚你的。”
“这一回，他们要想抓住我可得使出吃奶的力气来。”
“他们会使出吃奶的力气来的。就算他们找不到你，你过的将会是一种什么样的日子呀？你永远只能孤零零地一个人呆著，没有任何人会跟你在一起，而且，你随时随地可能会被人出卖。”
“我现在就是过的这种日子。”
“可你不能就这么背弃你的职责一走了之，”丹比坚持道，“这是一种十分消极的行为，是逃避现实。”
尤塞瑞恩轻快而蔑视地哈哈一笑，又摇了摇头。“我并没有逃离我的职责，我正冲著它跑过去呢，为了救自己的性命而逃走，这根本算不上消极。你当然知道是谁在逃避现实，丹比，对吗？不是我，也不是奥尔。”
“牧师，请你跟他谈谈，好吗？他要开小差，他想逃到瑞典去。”
“太棒了！”牧师欢呼起来。他得意地把一个装满尤塞瑞恩衣服的枕套扔到床上。“逃到瑞典去吧，尤塞瑞恩。我要留在这儿，不屈不挠地坚持下去，是的，我要不屈不挠地坚持下去。每次我遇到卡思卡特上校和科恩中校时，我都要找他们的碴儿，跟他们胡搅蛮缠。我不怕他们，就连椎斗将军我也敢找他闹事。”
“德里德尔将军调走了。”尤塞瑞恩一边提醒他，一边套上裤子； 匆匆忙忙地把衬衣下摆塞进裤腰里。“现在是佩克姆将军当指挥官了。”
牧师依旧信心十足地唠叨著，“那么，我就找佩克姆将军闹事，甚至找沙伊斯科普夫将军闹事。你知道我还要于什么吗？我下回见到布莱克上尉时要朝他的鼻子狠揍一拳。是的，我要朝他的鼻子狠揍一拳。我要找个周围有许多人的时候揍他，这样他就没有机会还手了。”
“你们两个都疯了吗？”丹比少校抗议道。他内心充满了痛苦、敬畏和恼怒，两只突出的眼球楞睁著。“你们两个是不是都失去理智了？尤塞瑞恩，听著”
“我告诉你，这是个奇迹，”牧师宣布道，他一手抓住丹比少校的手腕，拉起胳膊，拖著他转著圈子跳起华尔兹舞来。“一个真正的奇迹。如果奥尔能划到瑞典去，那我就要不屈不挠地坚持下去，定能战胜卡思卡特上校和科恩中校。”
“牧师，请你住嘴好吗？”丹比少校一边有礼貌地恳求著，一边从牧师手里挣脱出来，焦虑不安地轻轻拍了几下自己那汗淋淋的前额。随后，他俯下身去对正在伸手拿鞋子的尤塞瑞恩说，“可上校那里”
“他那儿怎么样我才不管呢。”
“但这实际上可能会”
“叫他们两人全都见鬼去吧！”
“但这实际上可能会帮他们的忙，”丹比少校固执地坚持道，“你想过这一点没有？”
“让这两个杂种升官发财去吧，我才不管呢。既然我没有办法阻止他们，我就只能靠开小差来给他们捣捣乱了。现在我有我自己的职责，丹比、我一定要到瑞典去。”
“你绝不会成功的，这是不可能的。从这儿跑到瑞典，单从地理上讲，就几乎是不可能的。”
“见鬼，这我知道，丹比。可我至少得试一试。在罗马有个小女孩，要是我能找到她、我想把她救出来。要是我能找到她，我就把她带到瑞典去。所以、这并不完全是为了我自己，不是吗？”
“你绝对是疯了。你的良心将使你永远不得安宁。”
“上帝保佑我的良心吧。”尤塞瑞恩哈哈大笑。“我要是没有什么担惊受怕的事情就觉得活不下去了。对吗，牧师？” “我下回见到布莱克上尉时要朝他的鼻子狠揍一拳，”牧师得意地说。他先伸出左臂往空中打了两拳，又像翻晒干草一样笨拙地挥了挥右臂。“就像这样。” “可这不是丢脸的事情吗？” “什么丢脸的事情？我现在这个样子才更丢人现眼呢。”尤塞瑞恩把第二根鞋带结结实实地系好后，一下子跳了起来。“喂，丹比，我准备走啦。你看怎么样？请你闭上嘴不吭气，让我搭上一架飞机好吗？”
丹比少校默默地打量著尤塞瑞恩，他的脸上浮现出一丝奇怪而凄惨的微笑。他已经不再出汗了，显得十分镇定。“要是我真的阻拦你，你会怎么办？”他用悲哀的嘲弄口吻问道，“狠狠揍我一顿吗？” 听到这句问话，尤塞瑞恩吃了一惊，觉得自尊心受到了伤害。
“不，当然不。你为什么这样说呢？”
“我要狠狠揍你一顿，”牧师夸耀地说。他一步跳到丹比少校跟前，摆出挥拳格斗的架势。“我要狠狠地揍你和布莱克上尉一顿，可能还要揍惠特科姆中士一顿。如果我发现我再也不必害怕惠特科姆中士了，那不是太妙了吗？”
“你打算阻拦我吗？”尤塞瑞恩紧紧盯住丹比少校问。
丹比少校从牧师面前跳到一旁，犹豫了片刻之后脱口说道： “不，当然不！”他突然急切而有力地朝著门口的方向挥了挥两只手臂。“我当然不会阻拦你。走吧，看在上帝的分上，赶快走吧！你需要钱吗？”
“我有点钱。”
“喏，我这儿也有些钱，”丹比少校掏出厚厚一叠意大利钞票塞给尤塞瑞恩，热情洋溢，激动万分。他又用双手紧紧握住尤塞瑞恩的手，既是给他鼓劲，也是为了使自己的手指不再颤抖。 “这个时候住在瑞典一定是很惬意的，”他羡慕地说，“那儿的姑娘非常可爱，那儿的人们非常开明。”
“再见，尤塞瑞恩，”牧师告别说，“祝你好运。我要在这儿不屈不挠地坚持下去，战争结束后我们会再见的。”
“再见，牧师。谢谢你，丹比。”
“你觉得怎么样，尤塞瑞恩？”
“很好，不，我很害怕。”
“这就对了，”丹比少校说，“那是你还活著，因为那不会是什么好玩的事。”
尤塞瑞恩往外走去。“不，是挺好玩的。”
“我说的是实话，尤塞瑞恩。你每一天，每分钟都要保持警惕。他们会布下天罗地网抓你的。”
“我时时刻刻都会保待警惕的。”
“你得赶快跑。”
“我是要跑的。”
“赶快跑吧！”丹比少校叫道。
尤塞瑞恩跑了出去。内特利的妓女藏在门外，举刀砍了下去，差一点砍到他。他跑掉了。

第四十二章 Chapter 42
CHAPTER 42: YOSSARIAN
Summary

Yossarian tells Major Danby that he is breaking his deal with Cathcart and Korn. Danby is surprised and tells Yossarian that Cathcart will initiate court-martial proceedings against him if Yossarian does not accept. They will probably charge Yossarian with incompetence, insubordination, refusal to engage the enemy, and desertion. He tells Danby that he will probably run away.

The chaplain runs in excitedly, carrying news that Orr is safe in Sweden. Orr has rowed all the way; Yossarian realizes that Orr had planned his escape all along and that crashing into the sea was part of a clever plan. Yossarian regrets that he had refused to fly with Orr, when Orr had asked him. Danby tries to dissuade Yossarian from running away, but he has made up his mind to follow Orrós lead. The chaplain is ecstatic and helps Yossarian get ready for the journey . Yossarian decides to go to Rome, pick up the prostituteós sister, and leave for Sweden. Yossarian boards a plane and jumps out with a parachute. Natelyós prostitute is waiting by the plane door and tries to stab Yossarian as he jumps. The knife misses him by inches, and he survives.

Notes

Yossarian finally does the honorable thing. In his case escape is more honorable than accepting Colonel Kornós deal. Yossarian is willing to risk everything for the sake of his ideals. His actions becomes a source of inspiration for Danby, just like Orrós. Yossarianós escape route is somewhat uncertain. At the novelós end the reader does not know for sure whether Yossarian will reach Sweden. The novel ends on a note of hope, which is a sharp contrast to the pessimism and despair that runs through most of the novel.

整体分析 Overall Analyses
角色分析 Character Analysis
OVERALL ANALYSES

CHARACTER ANALYSIS

Colonel Cathcart

The squadron commander who aims to be promoted to general. He constantly raises the number of missions that the men must fly and thereby helps glorify himself. He volunteers his squadron for the most difficult missions. He is willing to use anything, even religion, to get publicity for himself. He asks the chaplain to conduct prayer meetings before each mission, so that he can get his name into The Saturday Evening Post. He is unscrupulous and lies when he appears as a witness during the interrogation of the chaplain.

Doc Daneeka

Serves as chief medical officer for the squadron. He has the authority to send Yossarian home, but he turns down Yossarianós pleas by citing "Catch 22." He tells Yossarian: "We live in an age of distrust and deteriorating spiritual values." He is afraid of flying and has his name forged onto different flight manifests in order for him to collect enough flight time each month. This leads the air force bureaucracy to believe that he is killed in the plane crash along with McWatt. Doc Daneekaós life is determined by bureaucracy and official records.

Hungry Joe

Is sex-crazy and war-crazy. He takes nude photos of young prostitutes which never come out. He has flown more combat tours than any other in the Air Force. He suffers from nightmares whenever he is off-duty, and settles down into "a normal state of terror" when back on duty. He dies in his sleep. Unlike Yossarian, Joe eagerly awaits each new mission.

McWatt

Yossarian describes McWatt as "the craziest combat man of them all, probably because he was perfectly sane as still did not mind the war." McWatt loves flying his plane as low as possible . He takes frightful risks which lead to the deaths of Kid Sampson and himself.

Major Major

Due to a computer error he is promoted to major. Though successful in his career, he is shunned by all the soldiers in the squadron and becomes a recluse. Major Major avoids meeting anyone in his office by jumping out of the window.

Milo Minderbinder

The mess sergeant who runs a huge black market operation. He even accepts money from the Nazis to bomb his own squadron and comes through unscathed when he proves to the senate investigation committee that this operation profits the capitalist side. He is an entrepreneurial genius and regards war as a mere mercenary business. The scale of his operation is mind boggling. He even sells shares in his company to the airman at Pianosa.

Heller satirizes the vast American potential for individual entrepreneurship in a capitalistic market through the amazing commercial adventures of Milo. Heller also ridicules Miloós pretentious patriotism when he describes how Milo names the planes he uses for his black-marketing operations "Courage," "Truth," "Justice," "Liberty," "Love," "Honor," and "Patriotism." Other airmen are made to fly missions which are put on Miloós record. Milo is not averse to removing parachutes and life saving devices from combat aircraft. He leaves behind messages like "Whatós good for M&M Enterprises is good for the country." This is a parallel to President Eisenhowerós Defense Secretary Charles Wilsonós statement, "Whatós good for general Motors is good for the country and vice-versa."

Chaplain A. T. Tappman

The shy and unsure group chaplain. He understands the plight of Yossarian and his fellow airmen and tries to help them by speaking on their behalf to the commanding officers. However, he is not successful since Major Major refuses to see him and Colonel Cathcart intimidates him. He is falsely accused of being "Washington lrving." He remains faithful to Yossarian and even helps him escape. He is a sensitive person who realizes that there is too much unhappiness in the world. In the end, the chaplain asserts himself and is even willing to punch Major Danby should he try to stop Yossarian from escaping.

Captain John Yossarian

The antithesis of a conventional hero; but he is not an anti-hero since he is not petty, ignominious, ineffectual, or passive . He is an individual fighting for survival in a system that wishes to annihilate him. Yossarian believes that he is likely to die for the glory of the commanding officers; he tries to escape death by feigning illness and even insanity. He is only partially successful and he has to return to duty after a few days in hospital .

Yossarian is haunted by memories of his fellow airmen who have died on earlier missions. The deaths of Kraft, Mudd, and Snowden have affected him adversely. Throughout the novel, Yossarian appears to be on edge. He loses his nerve on the mission to Bologna and orders that the plane turn back. After Snowdenós death, he refuses to wear his uniform, since Snowden has bled to death in his arms. Yossarian desperately searches for a female companion, but most of his endeavors end in Roman brothels . His relationships with women are brief and unsatisfactory. Toward the end of the novel, Yossarian accepts Kornós deal, but soon changes his mind and stands up for what is right. He needs to escape to keep his sanity. He is already a war hero, having flown over seventy missions, risking his life for his country.

构思分析 Plot Analysis (Structure)

When Heller began his writing career in the late 1940s, he turned his back on traditional methods of story-telling. He seemed to resent the "realism" of the conventional mode of fiction with its rational structure, its assumptions of continuity in plot, situation, and character, and its neat attempts to draw well-defined resolutions. His own experience as an airman in World War II caused him to distrust the cause-and effect relation of surface reality as something merely superficial which captured only outer reality. So in his fiction, Heller developed a structure and style that suited the absurdities in public and private life that he observed around him.

The dislocation of episodic continuity serves a dual purpose. Some of the events are juxtaposed not on the basis of chronology but randomly so as to highlight their inter-relationship and to emphasize certain ironic contrasts.

Besides, the episodes of the novel are so structured as to create a gradually increasing tension through the sinister events represented in them. Heller gives us several accounts, scattered over various chapters, of the catastrophic events in Yossarianós plane leading up to a death. Each attempt at narrating the gory details serves to intensify the traumatic impact it has on the morale and psyche of Yossarian.

The overall time structure of the novel does acquire some chronological continuity through the intermittent repetition of certain crucial incidents. Recurrent references include the monumental growth of Minderbinderós black-market operations, the death of Snowden, Cathcartós raising of the number of missions, and Orrós repeated ditching of his planes at sea.

主题分析 Themes Analysis

THEME ANALYSIS

Catch-22 depicts the absurdities and excesses of life in war time conditions; on the other hand , it castigates the insanity and inhumanity of bureaucratic systems both in wartime and in peace. It is not surprising, then that the postwar generation of the 1950s and 1960s identified closely with the attempt to expose the vicious strengths and flaws of any bureaucracy. They saw the book as a tirade against the hatreds of the cold war ethos, the suspicions and persecution of the McCarthy era, and the mindless military and industrial expansion.

An example of Hellerós technique of parodying the contemporary post-World War II scenarios is evident in the portrayal of Milo Minderbinderós black-market operations. Miloós syndicate becomes a symbol for the a moral tactics employed by entrepreneurs in a free market.

Though Catch-22 deals with many contemporary issues of the 1950s and early ū60s, its central concern is with Yossarianós search for a strategy of survival amid the horrors and absurdities of war. The novel is a bitter and savage attack on the illogical and inhumane regulations enshrined by the military bureaucracy in the form of the Catch-22. Yossarian and the men are reduced to a state of near impotence which drives them to varying depths of psychological despair.

Heller's novel depicts not just manós struggles with life, but also his all-pervasive fear of death. All through the novel Yossarian is preoccupied with death. He remarks at one stage: "The enemy is anyone whoós going to get you killed, no matter which side heós on." His own commanders keep irrationally raising the required number of missions. In his desperate bid for life, Yossarian asserts: "Ióve been fighting all along to save my country. Now Ióm going to fight a little to save myself." His desire for self- preservation stems immediately from his fear of death, and his growing awareness that his impending death will serve no worthwhile purpose except to boost his superiors. He becomes painfully aware that his military bosses are bent on sending him to his death; their objective is not at all different from the enemy's.

In the final analysis, Catch-22 may be read as a sort of "bildungsroman." This leads him on to a newer consciousness which forces him to react against the death-principle inherent in war by embracing the all-important principles of life and love.

问题 Questions

学习题目 Study Questions

STUDY QUESTIONS/ESSAY TOPICS

How does Heller employ time as a structural as well as a thematic device in Catch-22?

What functions do the hospital in Pianosa and the officerós apartments in Rome serve in the novel?

Discuss the importance of Hellerós novel as more than just an anti-war protest? Describe how Heller mingles humor and terror, comedy and tragedy to produce dazzling yet realistic effects in his novel.

Examine, in some detail, the growth of Yossarian as a character who moves from escapism to hope, courage and a sense of responsibility?

What effect does the proliferation of Milo Minderbinder's black- market operations have on the lives of the men in the squadron? What is Heller's intention in depicting the Crazy undertaking of M&M Enterprises?

Examine how Heller satirizes both the military bureaucracy and capitalistic enterprise in Catch-22.

Discuss the role played by the chaplain in the novel. Can he be considered a success in his profession and as a person?

Explain how Heller presents different perspectives on life and death through some of the major characters he depicts in his novel.

Examine Yossarian as an anti-hero or victim-hero in the novel.

Discuss in detail the central dramatic issue in the novel- Yossarianós search for a strategy for survival.

Other books: Catch As Catch Can; Good As Good; God Knows; Closing Time; No Laughing Matter; Picture This; Portrait of An Artist, As An Old Man; Something Happended