"Yes!" exclaimed the elder Coretti, growing animated, "it is a real pleasure to me to see him once more, the general of my division. Ah, how quickly I have grown old! It seems as though it were only the other day that I had my knapsack on my shoulders and my gun in my hands, at that affair of the 24th of June, when we were on the point of coming to blows. Umberto was going to and fro with his officers, while the cannon were thundering in the distance; and every one was gazing at him and saying, 'May there not be a bullet for him also!' I was a thousand miles from thinking that I should soon find myself so near him, in front of the lances of the Austrian uhlans; actually, only four paces from each other, boys. That was a fine day; the sky was like a mirror; but so hot! Let us see if we can get in."

可莱谛的父亲兴高采烈地说：“真快乐啊！又看见师长了！啊！我也老了哩！记得那年六月二十四日——好像是昨天的事：那时我负了革囊捐了抢走着，差不多快到前线了。温培尔脱君率领了部下将校走过，大炮的声音已经远远地听到，大家都说：‘但愿子弹不要中着殿下。’在敌兵的枪口前面会和温塔尔脱君那样接近，我是万料不到的。两人之间，相隔不过四步远呢。那天天晴，天空像镜一样，但是很热！——喂！让我们进去看吧。”

We had arrived at the station; there was a great crowd,--carriages, policemen, carabineers, societies with banners. A regimental band was playing. The elder Coretti attempted to enter the portico, but he was stopped. Then it occurred to him to force his way into the front row of the crowd which formed an opening at the entrance; and making way with his elbow, he succeeded in thrusting us forward also. But the undulating throng flung us hither and thither a little. The wood-seller got his eye upon the first pillar of the portico, where the police did not allow any one to stand; "Come with me," he said suddenly, dragging us by the hand; and he crossed the empty space in two bounds, and went and planted himself there, with his back against the wall.

我们到了车站，那里已挤满了群众，——马车、警察、骑兵及擎着旗帜的团体。军乐队奏着乐曲。可莱谛的父亲用两腕将塞满在入口处的群众分开，让我们安全通过。群众波动着，都在我们后面跟来。可莱谛的父亲眼向着有警察拦在那里的地方：“跟我来！”他说着拉了我们的手进去，背靠着墙壁站着。

A police brigadier instantly hurried up and said to him, "You can't stand here."

警察走过来说：“不得立在这里！”

"I belong to the fourth battalion of forty-nine," replied Coretti, touching his medal.

“我是属于四十九联队四大队的。”可莱谛的父亲把勋章指给警察看。

The brigadier glanced at it, and said, "Remain."

“那可以。”警察看着勋章说。

"Didn't I say so!" exclaimed Coretti triumphantly; "it's a magic word, that fourth of the forty-ninth! Haven't I the right to see my general with some little comfort,--I, who was in that squadron? I saw him close at hand then; it seems right that I should see him close at hand now. And I say general! He was my battalion commander for a good half-hour; for at such moments he commanded the battalion himself, while it was in the heart of things, and not Major Ubrich, by Heavens!"

“你们看，‘四十九联队四大队’，这一句话有着不可思议的力量哩！他原是我的队长，不可以靠近些看他吗？那时和他靠得很近，今日也靠近些才好呢！”