迟到的代价

字幕原文

A train was racing toward a bend, already running late. 一列火车正冲向一个弯道，它本来就已经晚点了。

Just past the curve was a station where it was supposed to wait for another train coming the other way. 过了那个弯就是个车站，它本该在那里等对面开来的另一趟车。

The driver knew he was cutting it fine, 司机明知时间卡得特别紧，

but he figured he could make it. 但他觉得自己能赶上。

He didn't. 结果并没有。

The two trains met head-on, and fifty people lost their lives, 两列火车迎面撞了个正着，五十个人丢了性命，

all because someone was a few minutes behind time. 这一切全是因为有人慢了几分钟。

Elsewhere, a great battle hung in the balance. 在另一个地方，一场大战胜负悬于一线。

A general had been ordered to bring up his reserves at the crucial moment. 一位将军接到命令，要在关键时刻带预备队压上去。

He arrived, but too late, and the day was lost. 他赶到了，但晚了一步，仗全输了。

A businessman who had always paid his debts found himself short of cash, 一个向来按时还债的生意人突然资金周转不灵，

and a friend promised to lend him the money by noon. 有个朋友答应在中午前把钱借给他。

The friend strolled in at a quarter past. 结果那个朋友十二点一刻才慢悠悠地赶来。

By then, the man's credit had collapsed and his business was finished. 那时候，这人的信用已经崩了，生意也彻底完蛋了。

And a prisoner was pardoned at the very last minute, 还有一个囚犯在最后一刻等来了赦免，

but the rider carrying the pardon arrived five minutes after the execution. 但送信的骑手在行刑五分钟后才赶到。

None of these people meant any harm. 这些人谁都没有恶意。

They just assumed a few minutes wouldn't matter. 他们只是以为差个几分钟没什么大不了的。

Usually, they don't. 平时确实是没什么关系。

But you never know in advance which few minutes are the ones that will. 但你永远无法提前知道，究竟是哪几分钟会惹出大祸。