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Smith and Luis 1 Ever since the arrival of the American military Luis Dutarte's world had changed. Overnight a military camp had sprung to life on the empty field just below his home in Normandy. For a seven-year-old orphan it was in essence a dream come to life. His keeper Mrs. Bijeaux had to drag him in at night from his terrace on the cliff overlooking the beach. 2 Now he watched wide-eyed as jeeps roared up the road and men scrambled about emptying trucks loaded with guns ammunition food and giant army bags. He yawned as the scent of crisp bacon eggs coffee and the smell of toast came from the kitchen tent. He tilted his small head back breathing in the fragrance. His stomach moaned. 3 Ronald Smith a lieutenant in the Seabees the US Navy's Construction Battalion held a clipboard and checked off the morning's accomplishments. The hospital tent was complete as was the new shower. 4 Smith and his top sergeant had been busy since dawn and it was now noon. He dispatched him then took a moment and touched the breast pocket that held the photo of his wife and two young sons. It had been more than a year since he'd been deployed and last seen them. 5 When the lieutenant turned to go he saw something in the tall grass on the hill. He waved. A small hand waved back. There was a moment of hesitation; then the boy timidly made his way down. 6 Smith tried out his high school French hoping he could remember the right wording: "Comment t'appelles-tu?" (What is your name?) 7 The boy blushed and his eyes shone. "Luis" he said. 8 Smith shook his hand. This little guy looked like he could use a good meal and the camp had more than enough food. In his halting French Smith invited Luis to have lunch. When the boy nodded Smith lifted him onto his hip as he might have done with one of his own sons and walked briskly toward the tent. 9 Inside dozens of young soldiers ate and talked. Smith piled two plates high with roast beef carrots and apple pie sprinkled with sugar. 10 After lunch Smith held Luis' hand and they walked into the June sunlight. He knelt beside the boy and explained that he had to go back to work. Luis nodded and ran back up the path to the tall grass turning around to wave. 11 At 18:00 hours as Smith was again heading for the mess tent he saw Luis sitting in the same spot. He motioned and Luis ran to him. 12 Dinner was fried chicken potatoes and peanut cookies. Smith again filled two plates but Luis didn't eat as much as he had at lunch; it was clear that the boy wasn't used to so much food. But he clutched Smith's hand and smiled his shy smile. After dinner Smith knelt close to Luis. "Bonsoir" he said. "A demain." (Goodnight. See you tomorrow.) He watched the boy walk up the path and out of sight. 13 Henceforth Luis ate with Smith all of the time. The other soldiers didn't mind; in fact the boy helped ease their homesickness. Luis giggled when Smith carried him aloft on his shoulders and soon began riding along in the jeep down to the beach where Smith supervised the unloading of freight from the ships and took inventory. When Smith oversaw construction projects in the camp Luis tagged along. If Smith left the radius of the camp to rebuild a road or to repair a bridge Luis waited in the vicinity for his return. 14 As the summer of 1944 passed Smith's French improved and Luis learned to say hello goodbye jeep ship and ice cream even though their conversations stayed pretty concise. 15 In mid-October when Smith received orders to leave France he drove to the local authorities to make some inquiries. He ascertained that Luis had been abandoned at birth and had no living relatives. But when he petitioned to adopt him and become his legal guardian the answer was straightforward and firm: no. 16 Notwithstanding the regulations Smith enclosed Luis in a hug and promised to return for him later. The two had grown so close amongst the trials of war and Smith 174 New Horizon College English Third Edition knew he would never forget the boy. What Smith could never have imagined was that he would never see Luis again. 17 After the war ended Smith took a multitude of trips returning to France looking for Luis. But try as he might the familiar landmarks were gone. France was a country torn apart by the bombs of the war and then pieced back together again. Each day Smith would grieve. Yet he remained dogged in his search for Luis. Smith knew in his heart that Luis was still alive and waiting but he simply could not find any remnant of the boy he had come to love like a son. He combed through phone books and even hired a private investigator. His repeated failures haunted him as he repeatedly asked himself punishing questions: Why have I failed Luis? What could I have done differently? 18 As he grew older Smith's pain increased. Finally old age forced him to stop traveling but Smith dwelled more and more on his one broken promise and lifelong regret. 19 In his final will Smith instructed his children to continue where he had left off pleading with them to find Luis. 史密斯上尉和路易的故事 自从美国军队到来后，路易·迪塔尔特的世界发生了变化。一夜之间，在诺曼底他家下面的空地上，一个军营就矗立了起来。对一个七岁的孤儿来说，其实是梦境成真了。他家门前的大露台位于峭壁上，可以俯瞰沙滩，到了晚上，他的监护人比诺夫人得把他从那儿拽回屋。 现在，他眼睛睁得大大的，看着吉普车咆哮着沿路而上，士兵们来回奔忙，正在从卡车上卸载枪支、弹药、食物和巨大军用口袋。他打了个呵欠，这时闻到一阵脆培根、鸡蛋、咖啡和烤面包的香味从厨房帐篷传来。他扬起了小脑袋，闻着传来的香味。他的肚子在咕噜咕噜地叫。 罗纳德·史密斯，美国海军工程营上尉，拿着一块笔记板，在核对早晨任务完成的情况。医护帐篷已建成，新的淋浴室也完工了。 史密斯和他的军士长从早晨一直忙到现在，都已经是中午了。他打发走了军士长，抽出时间，从胸前的口袋里摸出了他的妻子和两个年幼儿子的合照。他上一次见到他们之后，被派到这里已经过了一年多了。 上尉正要转身离开，他发现小山丘上的茂草丛中有什么东西。他挥了挥手，一只小手也挥了挥。犹豫了片刻，小男孩怯怯地走了下来。 史密斯试着用高中学过的法语，希望自己记得的法语表达是正确的：“你叫什么名字?” 小男孩儿脸红了，眼睛闪着光，说：“路易。” 史密斯跟他握了握手。这个小家伙看起来可以在这儿饱餐一顿，营地有足够多的食物。史密斯用他结结巴巴的法语邀请路易去吃午餐。小男孩点点头，史密斯把他背到背上，就像对他自己的儿子那样，然后快步向帐篷走去。 帐篷里，一群年轻的士兵在边吃边聊，史密斯给他盛了两盘堆得高高的烤牛肉、胡萝卜，还有撒着糖的苹果派。 午饭过后，史密斯牵着路易的手，走进六月的阳光里。他跪在小男孩儿旁边，解释说他得回去工作了。路易点点头，沿路跑回到了茂草丛，转身挥了挥手。 傍晚六点，史密斯再次前往那个用餐的帐篷， 看见路易坐在同一个地方。他向路易招了招手， 路易就跑了过来。 晚饭是炸鸡、土豆、花生饼干。史密斯又给他盛了两盘，但这次路易吃的没午饭多。很明显，小男孩还不习惯吃这么多的食物。但他抓住史密斯的手，害羞地朝他微笑。晚饭后，史密斯跪在路易旁边说：“晚安，明天见。”他看着小男孩沿路走远，消失在视线中。 从此以后，路易就整天和史密斯一起吃饭了。其他士兵也并不介意，事实上，这个小男孩儿可以帮助减轻他们的思乡之苦。当史密斯把他高举在自己的肩上时，路易就咯咯地笑，接着，他又跟史密斯一道坐着吉普车来到海滩，史密斯在这里监督货物从船上卸下来并清点货物。当史密斯视察营地的建设工程时，路易就寸步不离。如果史密斯离开营地去重建道路或是重修桥梁时，路易就在附近等他回来。 1944年的夏天过去了，史密斯的法语水平有所提高，而路易也学会了用英语说“你好”，“再见”，“吉普车”，“轮船”和“冰淇淋”，尽管他们的谈话内容仍然很简练。 十月中旬，史密斯接到了命令要离开法国，他开车到地方当局做了一些咨询。他查明了路易在出生时就被遗弃了，没有亲人在世。但当他申请收养路易，成为他的法定监护人时，得到的答案直接而明确：不行。 虽然有规定，史密斯还是紧紧地把路易抱在怀里，答应以后一定会回来找他。在战争的磨难中两人变得愈发亲近，史密斯知道自己是永远不会忘记这个男孩的，但是史密斯绝对没有想到的是他再也见不到路易了。 战争结束后，史密斯曾多次返回法国寻找路易。尽管他竭尽全力，熟悉的标志却都消失了。法国被战争的炮火撕碎，然后又被重新拼凑起来。史密斯每天都十分悲痛。然而，他仍坚持不懈地在寻找路易。史密斯心里坚信路易还活着，还在等他，但是他就是找不到这个他曾经当亲生儿子对待的男孩的一点点踪迹。他翻遍了电话簿，甚至雇了一个私家侦探。他一次次地失败，他不停地问一直在折磨着自己的问题：为什么我会让路易失望呢? 我当时如果做了不同的选择又会怎样？ 随着史密斯的老去，他的痛苦在逐渐加重。最终，他因为年龄太大无法再长途旅行了，但是他越来越纠结于自己这个无法实现的诺言和终生的遗憾。 在他的遗愿中，史密斯让他的孩子们继续他没完成的事情，恳求他们找到路易。 |
