The first alarm sounded while it was still dark, and as the sky paled to a faint gray which might be cloud, a reconnaissance plane puttered like a sewing machine over Loyang and its suburbs.

• 第一波警报拉响的时候天还没亮，天空泛着清浅若云的灰白，一架侦察机缝衣服似地徘徊在洛阳和附近郊区的上空。