Napoleon Bonaparte

拿破仑·波拿马

About a hundred years ago there lived a great general whose name was Napoleon Bonaparte. He was the leader of the French army; and France was at war with nearly all the countries around. He wanted very much to take his soldiers into Italy; but between France and Italy there are high mountains called the Alps¹, the tops of which are covered

with snow.

大约在一百年前，有一个伟大的将军，名叫拿破仑·波拿马。他是法国军队的统帅。当时法国几乎对所有的邻国作战。他非常迫切地想把军队开进意大利。但是在法国和意大利之间，有一座高山，叫阿尔卑斯山，山顶上覆盖着积雪。

"Is it possible to cross the Alps?" asked Napoleon.

“能越过阿尔卑斯山吗?”拿破仑问。

The men who had been sent to look at the passes over the mountains shook their heads. Then one of them said, "It may be possible, but—”

被派去查看山道的人都摇头。其中一个说:“也许可能，但是—”

"Let me hear no more,”said Napoleon. "Forward to Italy!"

“别让我再听到这些，”拿破仑说。“向意大利前进!”

People laughed at the thought of an army of sixty thousand men crossing the Alps where there was no road But Napoleon waited to see that everything was in good order, and then he gave the order to march.

人们觉得一支六万人的军队想翻越没有道路的阿尔卑斯山的想法非常可笑，但是拿破仑只等看到一切都准备就绪，就下令出发。

The long line of soldiers and horses and cannons² stretched for twenty miles. When they came to a steep³ place where there seemed to be no way to go farther⁴ the trumpets⁵ sounded "Charge!" Then every man did his best, and the whole army moved right onward⁶.

大队人马和大炮绵延20英里。当他们来到一处看起来无路可走的陡峭的山地时，吹起了冲锋号。“冲啊!”这时每个人都尽了最大的努力，整个军队继续顺利前进。

Soon they were safe over the Alps. In four days they were marching on the plains of Italy.

不久他们就平安地翻过了阿尔卑斯山。四天后，他们就在意大利的平原上行军了。

"The man who has made up his mind to win,”said Napoleon, "will never say Impossible'."

“下定决心要取得胜利的人，”拿破仑说，“永远不会说‘不可能’。”