就在第二天下午3點（鬧鐘上的時間），一個軍官走進了牢房。這是他們幾星期以來見到的第一位軍官。他非常年輕，甚至小胡子的形狀也顯示出他不夠老練，左邊的胡子剃得重了點。

　　It was at three the next afternoon （alarm clock time） that an officer entered the cell； the first officer they had seen for weeks – and this one was very young， with inexperience even in the shape of his mustache which he had shaved too much on the left side.

　　他就像一個初次登臺領獎的小學生一樣窘迫不安，他說起話來粗魯無禮，似乎要顯示一種他并不具備的力量。

　　He was as embarrassed as a schoolboy making his first entry on a stage at a prize-giving， and he spoke abruptly so as to give the impression of a strength he did not possess.

　　他說道：“昨天夜間城里發生了幾起謀殺，一名軍事長官的副手、一位中士和一個騎自行車的女孩被殺。”他又說道：“我們不在乎女孩的死。法國男人殺死法國女人不關我們的事。”

　　He said， “There were murders last night in the town. The aide-de-camp of the military governor， a sergeant and a girl on a bicycle.” He added， “We don't complain about the girl. Frenchmen have our permission to kill Frenchwomen.”

　　很明顯他事先仔細斟酌了他的講話，但他的嘲弄做過了頭，他的表演也很業余。

　　He had obviously thought up his speech carefully beforehand， but the irony was overdone and the delivery that of an amateur actor：

　　整個場面就像手勢字謎游戲那樣矯飾做作。

　　the whole scene was as unreal as a charade.

　　他接著說道：“你們知道自己為什么來這里，你們在這里好吃好喝，過著舒適的日子，而我們的人卻在工作和戰斗。不過現在你們必須付出代價了。不要怪我們，要怪你們自己的殺人兇手。我的命令是集中營里每十個人要有一個被槍決。你們有多少人？”“報數。”他厲聲喝道人們悶悶不樂地照辦了。“28，29，30.”人們知道不用數他也知道人數，這不過是他玩的把戲中不可省略的一句臺詞……

　　He said， “You know what you are here for， living comfortably， on fine rations， while our men work and fight. Well， now you've got to pay the hotel bill. Don't blame us. Blame your own murderers. My orders are that one man in every ten shall be shot in this camp. How many of you are there？” He shouted sharply， “Number off，” and sullenly they obeyed， “…… twenty-eight， twenty-nine， thirty.” They knew he knew without counting. This was just a line in his charade he couldn't sacrifice.

　　他說道：“那么，你們的名額是三個，我們并不關心是哪三個人。你們可以自己選擇。死刑于明天早上7點執行。”

　　He said， “Y