Text B Let Him not Die（第1页）
TextBLetHimnotDie!
ErichMariaRemarque
TrahurWesleyWheen
[1]Hadwegohetrethisperimostofuswouldlyhavegonemad。Onlythuswerewepreparedforwhatawaitedus。Wedidnotbreakdotedourselves;ourtwentyyears，whichmademahingsogrievous，helpedusinthis。Butbyfarthemostimportawasthatitawakenedinusastrong，praseofespritdecorps，whithefielddevelopedihingthataroseoutofthewar—radeship。
[2]IsitbyKemmerich’sbed。Heissinkingsteadily。Aroundusisagreatotion。Ahospitaltramhasarrivedandthewouobemselected。ThedoctorpassesbyKemmerich’sbedwithoutongathim。
[3]“ime，Franz，”Isay。
[4]Heraiseshimselfonthepillowwithhiselbows。“Theyhaveamputatedmyleg。”
[5]Heknowsittoothen。Inodandanswer，“Youmustbethankfulyou’veeoff>
[6]Heissilent。
[7]Iresume:“Itmighthavebeenbothlegs，Franz。Wegelerhaslhtarm。That’smuchworse。Besides，youwillbegoinghome。”Helooksatme。“Doyouthinkso?”
[8]“Ofcourse。”
[9]“Doyouthis。
[10]“Sure，Franz。Oovertheoperation。”
[11]Hebeetobenddown。Istoopoverbinandhewhispers，“Idon’tthinkso。”
[12]“Don’ttalkrubbish;Franz，inacoupleofdaysyou’llseeforyourself。Whatisitanyutatedleg?Heretheypatchupfarwsthanthat。”
[13]Heliftsonehand。“Lh，thesefingers。”
[14]“That’stheresultoftheoperatiolyandyou’llsoonbewellagain。Dotheylookafteryouproperly?”
[15]Hepointstoadishthatisstillhalffull。Igetexcited。“Franz，youmusteat。Eatihing。Thatlooksgoodtoo。”
[16]Heturnsaausehesaysslowly，“Iwaobeeahead-foresteronce。”
[17]“Soyoumaystill，”Iassurehim。“Therearesplendidartificiallimbsnow，you’dhardlykhingmissing。Theyarefixedontothemusovethefingersandworkaewithanartifid。Aheywillalwaysbemakingnewimprovements。”
[18]Forawhileheliesstill。Thenhesays，“Youtakemylace-upbootswithyouforMüller。”
[19]Inodaosaytehim。Hislipshavefallenaway，hismouthhasbeelarger，histeethstidlookasthoughtheyweremadeofchalk。Thefleshmelts，theforeheadbulgesmorepromiheesprotrude。Theskeletitselfthrough。Theeyesarealreadysunkenin。Inacoupleofhoursitwillbeover。
[20]HeishatIhaveseenthus;butwegrewuptogetherandthatalwaysmakesitabitdifferent。Ihavecopiedhisessays。Atschoolheusedtowearabrowncoatwithabeltandshinysleeves。Hewastheooo，whocoulddothegiant’sturalbar。Hishairflewinhisfacelikesilkwhe。Kantorekroudofhim。Buthe’tstaes。Hisskie;hehadsomethingofthegirlabouthim。
[21]Iglamyboots。Theyarebigandclumsy，thebreechesaretu，andstandinguponelookswell-builtahesegreatdraiwhehingandstrip，suddenlywehaveslenderlegsagainandslightshoulders。Wearenolongersoldiersbutlittlemorethanboys;noonewouldbelievethatwecouldcarrypacks。Itisastrawheahenwebees，andalmostfeelourselvestobeso。WhenbathingFranzKemmerichlookedasslightandfrailasachild。Thereheliesnohhttopassbythisbedandsay，“ThatisFranzKemmerieteenandahalfyearsold，hedoesn’twahimnotdie!”
[22]Mythoughtsbeefused。Thisatmosphereofcarboligrehelungs，itisathickgruel，itsuffocates。
[23]Itgrowsdark。Kemmerich’sfagescolour，itliftsfromthepillowandissopalethatitgleams。Themouthmovesslightly。Idrawohim。Hewhispers，“Ifyoufindmywatdithome。。。”
[24]Idoisnouseanymore。Noone。Iamwretchedwithhelplesshisforeheadwithitshollowtemples，thismouththateeth，thissharphefat，weepingwomaowhomImustwrite。Ifoerweresentoffalready!
[25]Hotoandfrowithbottlesandpails。Ohemesup，castsaglaKemmeridgoesawayagain。Youseeheisarehebed。
[26]IbendoverFranzandtalktohimasthoughthatcouldsavehim，“PerhapsyouwillgotothevaleseatKlthevillas，Franz。Thenyouthewindowacrossthefieldstothetwotreesonthehorizon。Itistheloveliesttimeoftheyearhes;atevenihesunlightlooklikemotherof-pearl。AndthelaneofpoplarsbytheKlosterbach，whereweusedtocatchsticklebacks!Youbuildanaquariumagainandkeepfishinit，andyougowithoutaskinganyone，youplaythepianoifyouwantto。”
[27]Ileandownoverhisfacewhitheshadow。Hestillbreathes，lightly。Hisfaceiswet，heisg。WhatafinemessIhavemadeofitwithmyfoolishtalk!