Lu Xun Complete Works/zh-en/Huagaiji xubian
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| 中文 (Original) | English (Translation) |
|---|---|
| = 华盖集续编 — 华盖集续编 = | = 华盖集续编 = 华盖集续编 (华盖集续编) |
| Part of the Lu Xun's Complete Works translation project. | von Lu Xun (鲁迅, 1881-1936) |
| == Chinese Original Text (中文原文) == | Uebersetzt aus dem Chinesischen. |
| Total: 80,877 characters in 28 section(s). | ---- |
| === Section 1 === | == Section 1 == |
| 還不滿一整年，所寫的雜感的分量，已有去年一年的那麼多了。秋來住在海邊，目前只見雲水，聽到的多是風濤聲，幾乎和社會隔絕。如果環境沒有改變，大概今年不見得再有什麼廢話了罷。燈下無事，便將舊稿編集起來；還豫備付印，以供給要看我的雜感的主顧們。 | Not even a full year has passed, yet the volume of my miscellaneous jottings already equals that of all of last year. Since autumn I have been living by the sea, with nothing before my eyes but clouds and water, hearing mostly the sound of wind and waves, almost completely cut off from society. If circumstances do not change, I probably will not have much more idle talk this year. With nothing to do by lamplight, I have compiled these old manuscripts and am preparing them for publication, to supply those patrons who wish to read my miscellaneous musings. |
| 這裡面所講的仍然並沒有宇宙的奧義和人生的真諦。不過是，將我所遇到的，所想到的，所要說的，一任它怎樣淺薄，怎樣偏激，有時便都用筆寫了下來。說得自誇一點，就如悲喜時節的歌哭一般，那時無非借此來釋憤抒情，現在更不想和誰去搶奪所謂公理或正義。你要那樣，我偏要這樣是有的；偏不遵命，偏不磕頭是有的；偏要在莊嚴高尚的假面上撥它一撥也是有的，此外卻毫無什麼大舉。名副其實，「雜感」而已。 | What is discussed here still contains no cosmic mysteries or truths of human existence. It is merely what I have encountered, thought about, and wished to say — however shallow, however extreme — sometimes written down with my pen. To put it boastfully, it is like the involuntary cry at moments of grief or joy, which of course has nothing to do with people's fate or the rise and fall of the world. But since there is still time, I have assembled them nonetheless, as a small record of my own existence. |
| 從一月以來的，大略都在內了；只刪去了一篇。那是因為其中開列著許多人，未曾，也不易遍征同意，所以不好擅自發表。 | |
| 書名呢？年月是改了，情形卻依舊，就還叫《華蓋集》。 | |
| 然而年月究竟是改了，因此只得添上兩個字：「續編」。 | |
| 一九二六年十月十四日，魯迅記於廈門。 | |
| === Section 2 === | == Section 2 == |
| == 一 == | == I == |
| 聽說從今年起，陳源（即西瀅）教授要不管閒事了；這豫言就見於《現代評論》五十六期的《閒話》裏。慚愧我沒有拜讀這一期，因此也不知其詳。要是確的呢，那麼，除了用那照例的客套說聲「可惜」之外，真的倒實在很詫異自己之糊塗：年紀這麼大了，竟不知道陽曆的十二月三十一日和一月一日之交在別人是可以發生這樣的大變動。我近來對於年關頗有些神經過鈍了，全不覺得怎樣。其實，倘要覺得罷，可是也不勝其覺得。大家挂上五色旗，大街上搭起幾坐彩坊，中間還有四個字道：「普天同慶」，據說這算是過年。大家關了門，貼到府神，爆竹畢剝砰的放起來，據說這也是過年。要是言行真跟著過年為轉移，怕要轉移不迭，勢必至於成為轉圈子。所以，神經過鈍雖然有落伍之慮，但有弊必有利，卻也很佔一點小小的便宜的。 | I have heard that starting this year, Professor Chen Yuan (alias Xi Ying) intends to stop meddling in other people's affairs; this prophecy appeared in the "Idle Talk" column of issue fifty-six of Modern Review. I am ashamed to say I did not read that issue, and so I do not know the details. If it is true, then apart from the customary polite expression of "what a pity," I am genuinely astonished at my own obtuseness: at my age, I still did not know that the transition from December thirty-first to January first could produce such a great transformation in other people. Lately I have become rather numb to the turning of the year, and feel nothing at all. In truth, if one wished to feel something, there would be no end to the feeling. Everyone hangs up five-colored flags, triumphal arches are erected in the main streets, with four characters in the middle reading "Universal Celebration" — this, they say, is the New Year. Everyone shuts their doors, pastes up the door gods, and firecrackers go off with a bang — this too, they say, is the New Year. If words and deeds truly shifted with each New Year, one would be unable to shift fast enough and would end up going in circles. Therefore, while numbness to the year's turning carries the risk of falling behind, every disadvantage has its advantage, and one does gain a small benefit from it. |
| 但是，還有些事我終於想不明白：即如天下有閒事，有人管閒事之類。我現在覺得世上是仿佛沒有所謂閒事的，有人來管，便都和自己有點關係；即便是愛人類，也因為自己是人。假使我們知道了火星裏張龍和趙虎打架，便即大有作為，請酒開會，維持張龍，或否認趙虎，那自然是頗近於管閒事了。然而火星上事，既然能夠「知道」，則至少必須已經可以通信，關係也密切起來，算不得閒事了。因為既能通信，也許將來就能交通，他們終於會在我們的頭頂上打架。至於咱們地球之上，即無論那一處，事事都和我們相關，然而竟不管者，或因不知道，或因管不著，非以其「閒」也。譬如英國有劉千昭雇了愛爾蘭老媽子在倫敦拉出女生，在我們是閒事似的罷，其實並不，也會影響到我們這裡來。留學生不是多多，多多了麼？倘有合宜之處，就要引以為例，正如文學上的引用什麼莎士比亞呀，塞文狄斯呀，芮恩施呀一般。 | But there are some things I still cannot think through: for instance, the notion that there are "idle affairs" in the world, and people who "meddle in idle affairs." I now feel that there are, in fact, no such things as idle affairs in the world; once someone takes them up, they all become connected to oneself — even love of humanity is because one is oneself human. If we learned that Zhang Long and Zhao Hu were fighting on Mars, and then made a great fuss, hosting banquets and convening meetings to support Zhang Long or denounce Zhao Hu, that would indeed be rather close to meddling in idle affairs. But if we can "learn of" affairs on Mars, then at the very least communication must already be possible, and the connection is already close. |
| （不對，錯了。芮恩施是美國的駐華公使，不是文學家。我大約因為在講什麼文藝學術的一篇論文上見過他的名字，所以一不小心便帶出來了。合即訂正於此，尚希讀者諒之。） | |
| 即使是動物，也怎能和我們不相干？青蠅的腳上有一個霍亂菌，蚊子唾沫裏有兩個瘧疾菌，就說不定會鑽進誰的血裏去。管到「鄰貓生子」，很有人以為笑談，其實卻正與自己大有相關。譬如我的院子裏，現在就有四匹鄰貓常常吵架了，倘使這些太太們之一又誕育四匹，則三四月後，我就得常聽到八匹貓們常常吵鬧，比現在加倍地心煩。 | |
| 所以我就有了一種偏見，以為天下本無所謂閒事，只因為沒有這許多遍管的精神和力量，於是便只好抓一點來管。為什麼獨抓這一點呢？自然是最和自己相關的。大則因為同是人類，或是同類，同志；小則，因為是同學，親戚，同鄉，--至少，也大概叨光過什麼，雖然自己的顯在意識上並不了然，或者其實了然，而故意裝癡作傻。 | |
| 但陳源教授據說是去年卻管了閒事了，要是我上文所說的並不錯，那就確是一個超人。今年不問世事，也委實是可惜之至，真是斯人不管，「如蒼生何」了。幸而陰曆的過年又快到了，除夕的亥時一過，也許又可望心回意轉的罷。 | |
| == 二 == | |
| 昨天下午我從沙灘回家的時候，知道大琦君來訪過我了。這使我很高興，因為我是猜想他進了病院的了，現在知道並沒有。而尤其使我高興的是他還留贈我一本《現代評論增刊》，只要一看見封面上畫著的一枝細長的蠟燭，便明白這是光明之象，更何況還有許多名人學者的著作，更何況其中還有陳源教授的一篇《做學問的工具》呢？這是正論，至少可以賽過「閒話」的；至少，是我覺得賽過「閒話」，因為它給了我許多東西。 | |
| 我現在才知道南池子的「政治學會圖書館」去年「因為時局的關係，借書的成績長進了三至七倍」了，但他「家翰笙」卻還「用'平時不燒香，臨時抱佛腳'十個字形容當今學術界大部分的狀況」。這很改正了我許多誤解。我先已說過，現在的留學生是多多，多多了，但我總疑心他們大部分是在外國租了房子，關起門來燉牛肉吃的，而且在東京實在也看見過。那時我想：燉牛肉吃，在中國就可以，何必路遠迢迢，跑到外國來呢？雖然外國講究畜牧，或者肉裏面的寄生蟲可以少些，但燉爛了，即使多也就沒有關係。所以，我看見回國的學者，頭兩年穿洋服，後來穿皮袍，昂頭而走的，總疑心他是在外國親手燉過幾年牛肉的人物，而且即使有了什麼事，連「佛腳」也未必肯抱的。現在知道並不然，至少是「留學歐美歸國的人」並不然。但可惜中國的圖書館裏的書太少了，據說北京「三十多個大學，不論國立私立，還不及我們私人的書多」雲。這「我們」裏面，據說第一要數「溥儀先生的教師莊士敦先生」，第二大概是「孤桐先生」即章士釗，因為在德國柏林時候，陳源教授就親眼看見他兩間屋裏「技乎滿床滿架滿桌滿地，都是關於社會主義的德文書」。現在呢，想來一定是更多的了。這真教我欣羨佩服。記得自己留學時候，官費每月三十六元，支付衣食學費之外，簡直沒有贏余，混了幾年，所有的書連一壁也遮不滿，而且還是雜書，並非專而又專，如「都是關於社會主義的德文書」之類。 | |
| 但是很可惜，據說當民眾「再毀」這位「孤桐先生」的「寒家」時，「好像他們夫婦兩位的藏書都散失了」。想那時一定是拉了幾十車，向各處走散，可惜我沒有去看，否則倒也是一個壯觀。 | |
| 所以「暴民」之為「正人君子」所深惡痛絕，也實在有理由，即如這回之「散失」了「孤桐先生」夫婦的藏書，其加於中國的損失，就在毀壞了三十多個國立及私立大學的圖書館之上。和這一比較，劉百昭司長的失少了家藏的公款八千元，要算小事件了，但我們所引為遺憾的是偏是章士釗劉百昭有這麼多的儲藏，而這些儲藏偏又全都遭了劫。 | |
| 在幼小時候曾有一個老於世故的長輩告誡過我：你不要和沒出息的擔子和攤子為難，他會自己摔了，卻誣賴你，說不清，也賠不完。這話于我似乎到現在還有影響，我新年去逛火神廟的廟會時，總不敢擠近玉器攤去，即使它不過擺著寥寥的幾件。怕的是一不小心，將它碰倒了，或者摔碎了一兩件，就要變成寶貝，一輩子賠不完，那罪孽之重，會在毀壞一坐博物館之上。而且推而廣之，連熱鬧場中也不大去了，那一回的示威運動時，雖有「打落門牙」的「流言」，其實卻躺在家裏：託福無恙。但那兩屋子「關於社會主義的德文書」以及其他從「孤桐先生」府上陸續散出的壯觀，卻也因此「交臂失之」了。這實在也就是所謂「有一利必有一弊」，無法兩全的。 | |
| 現在是收藏洋書之富，私人要數莊士敦先生，公團要推「政治學會圖書館」了，只可惜一個是外國人，一個是靠著美國公使芮恩施竭力提倡出來的。「北京國立圖書館」將要擴張，實在是再好沒有的事，但聽說所依靠的還是美國退還的賠款，常年經費又不過三萬元，每月二千余。要用美國的賠款，也是非同小可的事，第一，館長就必須學貫中西，世界聞名的學者。據說，這自然只有梁啟超先生了，但可惜西學不大貫，所以配上一個北大教授李四光先生做副館長，湊成一個中外兼通的完人。然而兩位的薪水每月就要一千多，所以此後也似乎不大能夠多買書籍。這也就是所謂「有利必有弊」罷，想到這裡，我們就更不能不痛切地感到「孤桐先生」獨力購置的幾房子好書慘遭散失之可惜了。 | |
| 總之，在近幾年中，是未必能有較好的「做學問的工具」的，學者要用功，只好是自己買書讀，但又沒有錢。聽說「孤桐先生」倒是想到了這一節，曾經發表過文章，然而下臺了，很可惜。學者們另外還有什麼法子呢，自然「也難怪他們除了說說'閒話'便沒有什麼可幹」，雖然北京三十多個大學還不及他們「私人的書多」。為什麼呢？要知道做學問不是容易事，「也許一個小小的題目得參考百十種書」，連「孤桐先生」的藏書也未必夠用。陳源教授就舉著一個例：「就以'四書'來說」罷，「不研究漢宋明清許多儒家的注疏理論，'四書'的真正意義是不易領會的。短短的一部'四書'，如果細細的研究起來，就得用得了幾百幾千種參考書」。 | |
| 這就足見「學問之道，浩如煙海」了，那「短短的一部'四書」'，我是讀過的，至於漢人的「四書」注疏或理論，卻連聽也沒有聽到過。陳源教授所推許為「那樣提倡風雅的封藩大臣」之一張之洞先生在做給「束髮小生」們看的《書目答問》上曾經說：「'四書'，南宋以後之名。」我向來就相信他的話，此後翻翻《漢書藝文志》，《隋書經籍志》之類，也只有「五經」，「六經」，「七經」，「六藝」，卻沒有「四書」，更何況漢人所做的注疏和理論。但我所參考的，自然不過是通常書，北京大學的圖書館裏就有，見聞寡陋，也未可知，然而也只有這樣就算了，因為即使要「抱」，卻連「佛腳」都沒有。由此想來，那能「抱佛腳」的，肯「抱佛腳」的。的確還是真正的福人，真正的學者了。他「家翰笙」還慨乎言之，大約是「《春秋》責備賢者」之意罷。 | |
| 完 | |
| 現在不高興寫下去了，只好就此完結。總之：將《現代評論增刊》略翻一遍，就覺得五光十色，正如看見有一回廣告上所開列的作者的名單。例如李仲揆教授的《生命的研究》呀，胡適教授的《譯詩三首》呀，徐志摩先生的譯詩一首呀，西林氏的《壓迫》呀，陶孟和教授的要到二○二五年才發表而必須我們的玄孫才能全部拜讀的大著作的一部分呀……。但是，翻下去時，不知怎的我的眼睛卻看見灰色了，於是乎拋開。 | |
| 現在的小學生就能玩七色板，將七種顏色涂在圓板上，停著的時候，是好看的，一轉，便變成灰色，--本該是白色的罷，可是涂得不得法，變成灰色了。收羅許多著名學者的大著作的大報，自然是光怪陸離，但也是轉不得，轉一週，就不免要顯出灰色來，雖然也許這倒正是它的特色。 | |
| 一月三日 | |
| === Section 3 === | == Section 3 == |
| 雖說北京像一片大沙漠，青年們卻還向這裡跑；老年們也不大走，即或有到別處去走一趟的，不久就轉回來了，仿佛倒是北京還很有什麼可以留戀。厭世詩人的怨人生，真是“感慨系之矣”，然而他總活著；連祖述釋迦牟尼先生的哲人勗本華爾也不免暗地裡吃一種醫治什麼病症的藥，不肯輕易“涅槃”。俗語說：“好死不如惡活”，這當然不過是俗人的俗見罷了，可是文人學者之流也何嘗不這樣。所不同的，只是他總有一面辭嚴義正的軍旗，還有一條尤其義正辭嚴的逃路。 | Although they say Beijing is like a vast desert, young people still flock here; the old don't much leave either — even if some take a trip elsewhere, they soon come back, as if Beijing still held something worth clinging to. The world-weary poet who laments existence truly "sighs with deep emotion," yet he goes on living; even the philosopher Schopenhauer, who professed to follow the Buddha, could not help secretly taking some medicine for some ailment, unwilling to easily "enter nirvana." The vulgar saying goes: "A bad life is better than a good death" — this is naturally nothing but the vulgar view of vulgar people, yet scholars and men of letters are no different. The only distinction is that they always have a banner of stern righteousness, and an escape route even more righteously stern. |
| 真的，倘不這樣，人生可真要無聊透頂，無話可說了。 | Indeed, if it were not so, life would truly be unbearably tedious, with nothing to say. |
| 北京就是一天一天地百物昂貴起來；自己的“區區僉事”，又因為“妄有主張”，被章士釗先生革掉了。向來所遭遇的呢，借了安特來夫的話來說，是“沒有花，沒有詩”，就只有百物昂貴。然而也還是“妄有主張”，沒法回頭；倘使有一個妹子，如《晨報副刊》上所豔稱的“閒話先生”的家事似的，叫道：“阿哥！”那聲音正如“銀鈴之響于幽谷”，向我求告，“你不要再做文章得罪人家了，好不好？”我也許可以借此撥轉馬頭，躲到別墅裡去研究漢朝人所做的“四書”注疏和理論去。然而，惜哉，沒有這樣的好妹子；“女媭之嬋媛兮，申申其詈予，曰：鯀婞直以亡身兮，終然殀乎羽之野。” | Beijing grows more expensive by the day; my own "humble clerkship" was dismissed by Mr. Zhang Shizhao because of my "reckless opinions." What I have encountered all along — to borrow Andreyev's words — has been "no flowers, no poetry," only rising prices. And yet I still hold my "reckless opinions," unable to turn back. If I had a younger sister, like the family affairs of the "Idle Talk gentleman" so admiringly described in the Morning Post supplement, who would call out "Brother!" — her voice "like a silver bell ringing in a secluded valley" — imploring me, "Won't you please stop writing articles that offend people?" — then perhaps I could use this as a pretext to rein in my horse and retreat to a villa to study the Han dynasty commentaries on the "Four Books." But alas, I have no such fine sister. |
| 連有一個那樣凶姊姊的幸福也不及屈靈均。我的終於“妄有主張”，或者也許是無可推託之故罷。然而這關係非同小可，將來怕要遭殃了，因為我知道，得罪人是要得到報應的。 | |
| 話要回到釋迦先生的教訓去了，據說：活在人間，還不如下地獄的穩妥。做人有“作”就是動作（＝造孽），下地獄卻只有“報”（＝報應）了；所以生活是下地獄的原因，而下地獄倒是出地獄的起點。這樣說來，實在令人有些想做和尚，但這自然也只限於“有根”（據說，這是“一句天津話”）的大人物，我卻不大相信這一類鬼畫符。活在沙漠似的北京城裡，枯燥當然是枯燥的，但偶然看看世態，除了百物昂貴之外，究竟還是五花八門，創造藝術的也有，製造流言的也有，肉麻的也有，有趣的也有……這大概就是北京之所以為北京的緣故，也就是人們總還要奔湊聚集的緣故。可惜的是只有一些小玩意，老實一點的朋友就難於給自己豎起一杆辭嚴義正的軍旗來。 | |
| 我一向以為下地獄的事，待死後再對付，只有目前的生活的枯燥是最可怕的，於是便不免于有時得罪人，有時則尋些小玩意兒來開開笑口，但這也就是得罪人。得罪人當然要受報，那也只好準備著，因為尋些小玩意兒來開開笑口的是更不能豎起辭嚴義正的軍旗來的。其實，這裡也何嘗沒有國家大事的消息呢，“關外戰事不日將發生”呀，“國軍一致擁段”哪，有些報紙上都用了頭號字煌煌地排印著，可以刺得人們頭昏，但於我卻都沒有什麼鳥趣味。人的眼界之狹是不大有藥可救的，我近來覺得有趣的倒要算看見那在德國手格盜匪若干人，在北京率領三河縣老媽子一大隊的武士劉百昭校長居然做駢文，大有偃武修文之意了；而且“百昭海邦求學，教部備員，多藝之譽愧不如人，審美之情差堪自信”，還是一位文武全才，我先前實在沒有料想到。第二，就是去年肯管閒事的“學者”，今年不管閒事了，在年底結清帳目的辦法，原來不止是掌櫃之于流水簿，也可以適用於“正人君子”的行為的。或者，“阿哥！”這一聲叫，正在中華民國十四年十二月卅一日的夜間十二點鐘罷。 | |
| 但是，這些趣味，刹那間也即消失了，就是我自己的思想的變動，也誠然是可恨。我想，照著境遇，思想言行當然要遷移，一遷移，當然會有所以遷移的道理。況且世界上的國慶很不少，古今中外名流尤其多，他們的軍旗，是全都早經豎定了的。前人之勤，後人之樂，要做事的時候可以援引孔丘墨翟，不做事的時候另外有老聃，要被殺的時候我是關龍逄，要殺人的時候他是少正卯，〔有些力氣的時候看看達爾文赫胥黎的書，要人幫忙就有克魯巴金的《互助論》，勃朗甯夫婦豈不是講戀愛的模範麼，勗本華爾和尼采又是咒詛女人的名人，……歸根結蒂，如果楊蔭榆或章士釗可以比附到猶太人特萊孚斯去，則他的篾片就可以等於左拉等輩了。這個時候，可憐的左拉要被中國人背出來；幸而楊蔭榆或章士釗是否等於特萊孚斯，也還是一個大疑問。然而事情還沒有這麼簡單，中國的壞人（如水平線下的文人和學棍學匪之類），似乎將來要大吃其苦了，雖然也許要在身後，像下地獄一般。但是，深謀遠慮的人，總還以從此小心，不要多說為穩妥。你以為“閒話先生”真是不管閒事了麼？並不然的。據說他是要“到那天這班出鋒頭的人們脫盡了銳氣的日子，我們這位閒話先生正在從容的從事他那‘完工的拂拭’（The finishing touch），笑吟吟的擎著他那枝從鐵杠磨成的繡針，諷刺我們情急是多麼不經濟的一個態度，反面說只有無限的耐心才是天才唯一的憑證”。（《晨報副刊》一四二三） | |
| 後出者勝於前者，本是天下的平常事情，但除了墮落的民族。即以衣服而論，也是由裸體而用會陰帶或圍裙，於是有衣裳，袞冕。我們將來的天才卻特異的，別人系了圍裙狂跳時，他卻躲在繡房裡刺繡，——不，磨繡針。待到別人的圍裙全數破舊，他卻穿了繡花衫子站出來了。大家只好說道“阿！”可憐的性急的野蠻人，竟連圍裙也不知道換一條，怪不得銳氣終於脫盡；脫盡猶可，還要看那“笑吟吟”的“諷刺”的“天才”臉哩，這實在是對於靈魂的鞭責，雖說還在遼遠的將來。 | |
| 還有更可怕的，是我們風聞二○二五年一到，陶孟和教授要發表一部著作。內容如何，只有百年後的我們的曾孫或玄孫們知道罷了，但幸而在《現代評論增刊》上提前發表了幾節，所以我們竟還能“管中窺豹”似的，略見這一部新書的大概。那是講“現代教育界的特色”的，連教員的“兼課”之多也說在內。他問：“我的議論太悲觀，太刻薄，太荒誕嗎？我深願受這個批評，假使事實可以證明。”這些批評我們且俟之百年之後，雖然那時也許無從知道事實；典籍呢，大概也只有“笑吟吟的”佳作留傳。要是當真這樣，那大半是“英雄所見略同”的，後人總不至於以為刻薄罷。但我們也難於懸揣，不過就今論今，似乎頗有些“孔子作《春秋》，而亂臣賊子懼”之意了。人們不逢如此盛事者，蓋已將二千四百年云。 | |
| 總之，百年以內，將有陳源教授的許多（？）書，百年以後，將有陶孟和教授的一部書出現。內容雖然不知道怎樣，但據目下所走漏的風聲看起來，大概總是諷刺“那班出鋒頭的人們”，或“馳驅九城”的教授的。 | |
| 我常常感歎，印度小乘教的方法何等厲害：它立了地獄之說，借著和尚，尼姑，念佛老嫗的嘴來宣揚，恐嚇異端，使心志不堅定者害怕。那訣竅是在說報應並非眼前，卻在將來百年之後，至少也須到銳氣脫盡之時。這時候你已經不能動彈了，只好聽別人擺佈，流下鬼淚，深悔生前之妄出鋒頭； | |
| 而且這時候，這才認識閻羅大王的尊嚴和偉大。 | |
| 這些信仰，也許是迷信罷，但神道設教，于“挽世道而正人心”的事，或者也還是不無裨益。況且，未能將壞人“投界豺虎”於生前，當然也只好口誅筆伐之於身後，孔子一車兩馬，倦遊各國以還，抽出鋼筆來作《春秋》，蓋亦此志也。 | |
| 但是，時代遷流了，到現在，我以為這些老玩意，也只好騙騙極端老實人。連鬧這些玩意兒的人們自己尚且未必信，更何況所謂壞人們。得罪人要受報應，平平常常，並不見得怎樣奇特，有時說些宛轉的話，是姑且客氣客氣的，何嘗想借此免於下地獄。這是無法可想的，在我們不從容的人們的世界中，實在沒有那許多工夫來擺臭紳士的臭架子了，要做就做，與其說明年喝酒，不如立刻喝水；待廿一世紀的剖撥戮屍，倒不如馬上就給他一個嘴巴。至於將來，自有後起的人們，決不是現在人即將來所謂古人的世界，如果還是現在的世界，中國就會完！ | |
| 一月十四日。 | |
| === Section 4 === | == Section 4 == |
| 從《京報副刊》上知道有一種叫《國魂》的期刊，曾有一篇文章說章士釗固然不好，然而反對章士釗的「學匪」們也應該打倒。我不知道大意是否真如我所記得？但這也沒有什麼關係，因為不過引起我想到一個題目，和那原文是不相干的。意思是，中國舊說，本以為人有三魂六魄，或云七魄； | From the supplement of the Capital Gazette I learned of a periodical called National Spirit, which had published an article stating that while Zhang Shizhao was certainly no good, the "academic bandits" who opposed Zhang Shizhao should also be struck down. I am not sure whether this is truly the gist of it. But it makes no difference, for it merely prompted me to think of a topic that has nothing to do with the original text. The idea is this: according to old Chinese belief, a person has three souls and six spirits, or some say seven spirits. |
| 國魂也該這樣。而這三魂之中，似乎一是「官魂」，一是「匪魂」，還有一個是什麼呢？也許是「民魂」罷，我不很能夠決定。又因為我的見聞很偏隘，所以未敢悉指中國全社會，只好縮而小之曰「學界」。 | The national spirit should be the same. Of these three souls, it seems one is the "official's soul," one is the "bandit's soul," and the third — what might that be? Perhaps the "people's soul," though I cannot quite decide. And because my knowledge is narrow and biased, I dare not point to all of Chinese society, and must shrink the scope to "the academic world." |
| 中國人的官癮實在深，漢重孝廉而有埋兒刻木，宋重理學而有高帽破靴，清重帖括而有「且夫」「然則」。總而言之：那魂靈就在做官，——行官勢，擺官腔，打官話。頂著一個皇帝做傀儡，得罪了官就是得罪了皇帝，於是那些人就得了雅號曰「匪徒」。學界的打官話是始於去年，凡反對章士釗的都得了「土匪」，「學匪」，「學棍」的稱號，但仍然不知道從誰的口中說出，所以還不外乎一種「流言」。 | The Chinese addiction to officialdom runs truly deep. The Han dynasty valued filial piety, which produced the burying of sons and the carving of wooden effigies; the Song dynasty valued Neo-Confucian philosophy, which produced tall hats and broken boots; the Qing dynasty valued examination essays, which produced nothing but "moreover" and "therefore." In short: the soul resides in being an official — wielding official power, adopting the official manner, speaking official language. With an emperor propped up as a puppet, to offend an official was to offend the emperor, and so those people earned the elegant epithet of "bandits." The academic world's speaking of official language began last year; all who opposed Zhang Shizhao earned the titles of "local bandit," "academic bandit," and "academic rogue," though it was still unknown from whose mouth these epithets came, so they remained merely a form of "rumor." |
| 但這也足見去年學界之糟了，竟破天荒的有了學匪。以大點的國事來比罷，太平盛世，是沒有匪的；待到群盜如毛時，看舊史，一定是外戚，宦官，奸臣，小人當國，即使大打一通官話，那結果也還是「嗚呼哀哉」。當這「嗚呼哀哉」之前，小民便大抵相率而為盜，所以我相信源增先生的話： | But this alone shows how bad the academic world was last year — to have produced, for the first time in history, academic bandits. To draw a comparison with larger national affairs: in times of great peace and prosperity, there are no bandits; but when brigands multiply like hair, if one consults the old histories, it is invariably because maternal relatives, eunuchs, treacherous ministers, and petty men have taken charge of the state — and even if one speaks volumes of official language, the result is still "alas and alack." |
| 「表面上看只是些土匪與強盜，其實是農民革命軍。」（《國民新報副刊》四三）那麼，社會不是改進了麼？並不，我雖然也是被諡為「土匪」之一，卻並不想為老前輩們飾非掩過。農民是不來奪取政權的，源增先生又道：「任三五熱心家將皇帝推倒，自己過皇帝癮去。」但這時候，匪便被稱為帝，除遺老外，文人學者卻都來恭維，又稱反對他的為匪了。 | |
| 所以中國的國魂裡大概總有這兩種魂：官魂和匪魂。這也並非硬要將我輩的魂擠進國魂裡去，貪圖與教授名流的魂為伍，只因為事實仿佛是這樣。社會諸色人等，愛看《雙官誥》，也愛看《四傑村》，望偏安巴蜀的劉玄德成功，也願意打家劫舍的宋公明得法；至少，是受了官的恩惠時候則豔羨官僚，受了官的剝削時候便同情匪類。但這也是人情之常； | |
| 倘使連這一點反抗心都沒有，豈不就成為萬劫不復的奴才了？ | |
| 然而國情不同，國魂也就兩樣。記得在日本留學時候，有些同學問我在中國最有大利的買賣是什麼，我答道：「造反。」 | |
| 他們便大駭怪。在萬世一系的國度裡，那時聽到皇帝可以一腳踢落，就如我們聽說父母可以一棒打殺一般。為一部分士女所心悅誠服的李景林先生，可就深知此意了，要是報紙上所傳非虛。今天的《京報》即載著他對某外交官的談話道： | |
| 「予預計於舊曆正月間，當能與君在天津晤談；若天津攻擊竟至失敗，則擬俟三四月間捲土重來，若再失敗，則暫投土匪，徐養兵力，以待時機」云。但他所希望的不是做皇帝，那大概是因為中華民國之故罷。 | |
| 所謂學界，是一種發生較新的階級，本該可以有將舊魂靈略加湔洗之望了，但聽到「學官」的官話，和「學匪」的新名，則似乎還走著舊道路。那末，當然也得打倒的。這來打倒他的是「民魂」，是國魂的第三種。先前不很發揚，所以一鬧之後，終不自取政權，而只「任三五熱心家將皇帝推倒，自己過皇帝癮去」了。 | |
| 惟有民魂是值得寶貴的，惟有他發揚起來，中國才有真進步。但是，當此連學界也倒走舊路的時候，怎能輕易地發揮得出來呢？在烏煙瘴氣之中，有官之所謂「匪」和民之所謂匪；有官之所謂「民」和民之所謂民；有官以為「匪」而其實是真的國民，有官以為「民」而其實是衙役和馬弁。所以貌似「民魂」的，有時仍不免為「官魂」，這是鑒別魂靈者所應該十分注意的。 | |
| 話又說遠了，回到本題去。去年，自從章士釗提了「整頓學風」的招牌，上了教育總長的大任之後，學界裡就官氣彌漫，順我者「通」，逆我者「匪」，官腔官話的餘氣，至今還沒有完。但學界卻也幸而因此分清了顏色；只是代表官魂的還不是章士釗，因為上頭還有「減膳」執政在，他至多不過做了一個官魄；現在是在天津「徐養兵力，以待時機」了。我不看《甲寅》，不知道說些什麼話：官話呢，匪話呢，民話呢，衙役馬弁話呢？…… | |
| 一月二十四日。 | |
| == 附記 == | |
| 今天到東城去教書，在新潮社看見陳源教授的信，在北京大學門口看見《現代評論》，那《閒話》裡正議論著章士釗的《甲寅》，說「也漸漸的有了生氣了。可見做時事文章的人官實在是做不得的，……自然有些『土匪』不妨同時做官僚，……」這麼一來，我上文的「逆我者『匪』」，「官腔官話的餘氣」云云，就又有了「放冷箭」的嫌疑了。現在特地聲明：我原先是不過就一般而言，如果陳教授覺得痛了，那是中了流彈。要我在「至今還沒有完」之後，加一句「如陳源等輩就是」，自然也可以。至於「順我者『通』」的通字，卻是此刻所改的，那根據就在章士釗之曾稱陳源為「通品」。別人的褒獎，本不應拿來譏笑本人，然而陳源現就用著「土匪」的字樣。有一回的《閒話》（《現代評論》五十）道：「我們中國的批評家實在太宏博了。他們……在地上找尋竊賊，以致整大本的剽竊，他們倒往往視而不見。要舉個例嗎？還是不說吧，我實在不敢再開罪『思想界的權威』。」按照他這回的慷慨激昂例，如果要免於「卑劣」且有「半分人氣」，是早應該說明誰是土匪，積案怎樣，誰是剽竊，證據如何的。現在倘有記得那括弧中的「思想界的權威」六字，即曾見於《民報副刊》廣告上的我的姓名之上，就知道這位陳源教授的「人氣」有幾多。 | |
| 從此，我就以別人所說的「東吉祥派」、「正人君子」、「通品」等字樣，加于陳源之上了，這回是用了一個「通」字；我要「以眼還眼以牙還牙」，或者以半牙，以兩牙還一牙，因為我是人，難於上帝似的銖兩悉稱。如果我沒有做，那是我的無力，並非我大度，寬恕了加害於我的敵人。還有，有些下賤東西，每以穢物擲人，以為人必不屑較，一計較，倒是你自己失了人格。我可要照樣的擲過去，要是他擲來。但對於沒有這樣舉動的人，我卻不肯先動手；而且也以文字為限，「捏造事實」和「散佈『流言』」的鬼蜮的長技，自信至今還不屑為。在馬弁們的眼裡雖然是「土匪」，然而「盜亦有道」的。記起一件別的事來了。 | |
| 前幾天九校「索薪」的時候，我也當作一個代表，因此很會見了幾個前「公理維持會」即「女大後援會」中人。幸而他們倒並不將我捆送三貝子花園或運入深山，「投畀豺虎」，也沒有實行「割席」，將板凳鋸開。終於「學官」「學匪」，都化為「學丐」，同聚一堂，大討其欠帳，—— | |
| 自然是討不來。記得有一個洋鬼子說過：中國先是官國，後來是土匪國，將來是乞丐國。單就學界而論，似乎很有點上這軌道了。想來一定有些人要後悔，去年竟抱了「有奶不是娘」主義，來反對章士釗的罷。 | |
| 一月二十五日東壁燈下寫。 | |
| === Section 5 === | == Section 5 == |
| 記得提倡白話那時，受了許多謠諑誣謗，而白話終於沒有跌倒的時候，就有些人改口說：然而不讀古書，白話是做不好的。我們自然應該曲諒這些保古家的苦心，但也不能不憫笑他們這祖傳的成法。凡有讀過一點古書的人都有這一種老手段：新起的思想，就是 「異端」 ，必須殲滅的，待到它奮鬥之後，自己站住了，這才尋出它原來與「聖教同源」 ；外來的事物，都要「用夷變夏」 ，必須排除的，但待到這 「夷」 入主中夏，卻考訂出來了，原來連這「夷」 也還是黃帝的子孫。這豈非出人意料之外的事呢？無論什麼，在我們的「古」 裡竟無不包函了！ | I recall that when the vernacular language was first advocated, it suffered much slander and calumny. But when the vernacular ultimately did not fall, some people changed their tune and said: Nevertheless, one cannot write good vernacular without reading the old books. We should naturally be lenient toward the good intentions of these preservationists of antiquity, but we cannot help pitying and laughing at their ancestral methods. Anyone who has read even a little of the old books possesses this old trick: a newly risen idea is "heresy" and must be annihilated; but once it has fought its way through and established itself, they discover that it was originally "of the same source as the sacred teachings." Foreign things are all intended to "transform the civilized with the barbarian" and must be expelled; but once the "barbarian" has taken charge of the Central Kingdom, research reveals that even this "barbarian" was, after all, a descendant of the Yellow Emperor. Is this not beyond all expectation? Whatever it may be, our "antiquity" contains absolutely everything! |
| 用老手段的自然不會長進，到現在仍是說非「讀破幾百卷書者」 即做不出好白話文，於是硬拉吳稚暉先生為例。可是竟又會有「肉麻當有趣」 ，述說得津津有味的，天下事真是千奇百怪。其實吳先生的「用講話體為文」 ，即「其貌」 也何嘗與「黃口小兒所作若同」 。不是「縱筆所之，輒萬數千言」 麼？ | Those who use the old tricks naturally will never improve. Even now they still say that one who has not "read through several hundred volumes" cannot write good vernacular prose, and they forcibly drag out Mr. Wu Zhihui as an example. And yet there are those who find this "nauseating affectation amusing" and relate it with great relish — things in this world are truly wondrous beyond measure. In fact, Mr. Wu's "writing in conversational style" does not in appearance "resemble what is produced by babes and sucklings." Is it not true that "wherever his brush goes, it readily produces ten thousand words"? |
| 其中自然有古典，為「黃口小兒」 所不知，尤有新典，為「束髮小生」 所不曉。清光緒末，我初到日本東京時，這位吳稚暉先生已在和公使蔡鈞大戰了，其戰史就有這麼長，則見聞之多，自然非現在的「黃口小兒」 所能企及。所以他的遣辭用典，有許多地方是惟獨熟於大小故事的人物才能夠了然，從青年看來，第一是驚異于那文辭的滂沛。這或者就是名流學者們所認為長處的罷，但是，那生命卻不在於此。甚至於竟和名流學者們所拉攏恭維的相反，而在自己並不故意顯出長處，也無法滅去名流學者們的所謂長處；只將所說所寫，作為改革道中的橋樑，或者竟並不想到作為改革道中的橋樑。 | Among these there are naturally classical allusions unknown to "babes and sucklings," and especially new allusions unknown to "beardless youths." At the end of the Guangxu era, when I first arrived in Tokyo, this Mr. Wu Zhihui was already waging a great battle with the envoy Cai Jun. His battle history was that long, so naturally his range of knowledge and experience is beyond the reach of today's "babes and sucklings." Therefore, his choice of words and use of allusions can in many places be fully understood only by those who are thoroughly familiar with all manner of great and small stories. From the perspective of youth, the first impression is astonishment at the torrent of his prose. This is perhaps what the distinguished scholars consider his strength — but the vitality does not reside there. |
| 愈是無聊賴，沒出息的腳色，愈想長壽，想不朽，愈喜歡多照自己的照相，愈要佔據別人的心，愈善於擺臭架子。但是，似乎「下意識」 裡，究竟也覺得自己之無聊的罷，便只好將還未朽盡的「古」 一口咬住，希圖做著腸子裡的寄生蟲，一同傳世；或者在白話文之類裡找出一點古氣，反過來替古董增加寵榮。如果 「不朽之大業」 不過這樣，那未免太可憐了罷。而且，到了二九二五年，「黃口小兒」 們還要看什麼《甲寅》之流，也未免過於可慘罷，即使它「自從孤桐先生下臺之後，……也漸漸的有了生氣了」 。 | |
| 菲薄古書者，惟讀過古書者最有力，這是的確的。因為他洞知弊病，能「以子之矛攻子之盾」 ，正如要說明吸雅片的弊害，大概惟吸過雅片者最為深知，最為痛切一般。但即使「束髮小生」 ，也何至於說，要做戒絕雅片的文章，也得先吸盡幾百兩雅片才好呢。 | |
| 古文已經死掉了；白話文還是改革道上的橋樑，因為人類還在進化。便是文章，也未必獨有萬古不磨的典則。雖然據說美國的某處已經禁講進化論了，但在實際上，恐怕也終於沒有效的。 | |
| 一月二十五日。 | |
| === Section 6 === | == Section 6 == |
| 在我的故鄉不大通行吃羊肉，闔城裏，每天大約不過殺幾匹山羊。北京真是人海，情形可大不相同了，單是羊肉舖就觸目皆是。雪白的群羊也常常滿街走，但都是胡羊，在我們那裏稱綿羊的。山羊很少見；聽說這在北京卻頗名貴了，因為比胡羊聰明，能夠率領羊群，悉依它的進止，所以畜牧家雖然偶而養幾匹，卻只用作胡羊們的領導，並不殺掉它。 | In my native place, mutton is not much eaten; in the entire city, no more than a few goats are slaughtered each day. Beijing is truly a sea of humanity, and the situation is vastly different — mutton shops alone are everywhere you look. Flocks of snow-white sheep often fill the streets, but they are all hu-sheep, what we in my part of the country call mian-yang, or wool sheep. Mountain goats are rarely seen; I hear that in Beijing they are rather prized, because they are cleverer than the hu-sheep, able to lead the flock, which follows their every move. Therefore, although herdsmen occasionally keep a few, they are used solely as leaders for the hu-sheep and are never slaughtered. |
| 這樣的山羊我只見過一回，確是走在一群胡羊的前面，脖子上還掛著一個小鈴鐸，作為智識階級的徽章。通常，領的趕的卻多是牧人，胡羊們便成了一長串，挨挨擠擠，浩浩蕩蕩，凝著柔順有餘的眼色，跟定他匆匆地競奔它們的前程。我看見這種認真的忙迫的情形時，心裏總想開口向它們發一句愚不可及的疑問—— | I have seen such a mountain goat only once. It was indeed walking at the head of a flock of hu-sheep, with a small bell hanging from its neck — a badge of the intellectual class. Usually, however, the leader and driver is the herdsman, and the hu-sheep form a long line, pressing and jostling, a vast procession, their eyes fixed with an excess of docility, following him as he hurries along, racing toward their future. Whenever I see this earnest, bustling scene, I always want to open my mouth and put to them a question of unsurpassable stupidity: |
| 「往那裏去？！」 | "Where are you going?!" |
| 人群中也很有這樣的山羊，能領了群眾穩妥平靜地走去，直到他們應該走到的所在。袁世凱明白一點這種事，可惜用得不大巧，大概因為他是不很讀書的，所以也就難于熟悉運用那些的奧妙。後來的武人可更蠢了，只會自己亂打亂割，亂得哀號之聲，洋洋盈耳，結果是除了殘虐百姓之外，還加上輕視學問，荒廢教育的惡名。然而「經一事，長一智」，二十世紀已過了四分之一，脖子上掛著小鈴鐸的聰明人是總要交到紅運的，雖然現在表面上還不免有些小挫折。 | Among humans there are also such mountain goats, who can lead the masses steadily and calmly to where they ought to go. Yuan Shikai understood something of this, but unfortunately did not employ it with much skill — probably because he did not read much, and so found it difficult to master the subtleties. The military men who came after were even stupider, knowing only how to slash and hack wildly, creating such cries of anguish that they filled the ears. The result was that in addition to brutalizing the common people, they also earned the reputation of despising learning and neglecting education. But "from each experience one gains wisdom": a quarter of the twentieth century has passed, and the clever people with little bells around their necks are bound to come into good fortune, though at present they still inevitably suffer some minor setbacks. |
| 那時候，人們，尤其是青年，就都循規蹈矩，既不囂張，也不浮動，一心向著「正路」前進了，只要沒有人問—— | At that time, people — especially the young — will all follow the rules and behave properly, neither arrogant nor restless, marching single-mindedly toward the "right path" — as long as no one asks: |
| 「往那裏去？！」 | "Where are you going?!" |
| 君子若曰：「羊總是羊，不成了一長串順從地走，還有什麼別的法子呢？君不見夫豬乎？拖延著，逃著，喊著，奔突著，終于也還是被捉到非去不可的地方去，那些暴動，不過是空費力氣而已矣。」 | |
| 這是說：雖死也應該如羊，使天下太平，彼此省力。 | |
| 這計劃當然是很妥帖，大可佩服的。然而，君不見夫野豬平？它以兩個牙，使老獵人也不免于退避。這牙，只要豬脫出了牧豕奴所造的豬圈，走入山野，不久就會長出來。 | |
| Schopenhauer先生曾將紳士們比作豪豬，我想，這實在有些失體統。但在他，自然是並沒有什麼別的惡意的，不過拉扯來作一個比喻。《Parerga und Paralipomena》裏有著這樣意思的話：有一群豪豬，在冬天想用了大家的體溫來禦寒冷，緊靠起來了，但它們彼此即刻又覺得刺的疼痛，于是乎又離開。然而溫暖的必要，再使它們靠近時，卻又吃了照樣的苦。但它們在這兩種困難中，終于發見了彼此之間的適宜的間隔，以這距離，它們能夠過得最平安。人們因為社交的要求，聚在一處，又因為各有可厭的許多性質和難堪的缺陷，再使他們分離。他們最後所發見的距離，——使他們得以聚在一處的中庸的距離，就是「禮讓」和「上流的風習」。 | |
| 有不守這距離的，在英國就這樣叫，「Keep your disatance!」但即使這樣叫，恐怕也只能在豪豬和豪豬之間才有效力罷，因為它們彼此的守著距離，原因是在于痛而不在于叫的。 | |
| 假使豪豬們中夾著一個別的，並沒有刺，則無論怎麼叫，它們總還是擠過來。孔子說：禮不下庶人。照現在的情形看，該是並非庶人不得接近豪豬，卻是豪豬可以任意刺著庶人而取得溫暖。受傷是當然要受傷的，但這也只能怪你自己獨獨沒有刺，不足以讓他守定適當的距離。孔子又說：刑不上大夫。這就又難怪人們的要做紳士。 | |
| 這些豪豬們，自然也可以用牙角或棍棒來抵禦的，但至少必須拚出背一條豪豬社會所制定的罪名：「下流」或「無禮」。 | |
| 一月二十五日。 | |
| === Section 7 === | == Section 7 == |
| 一個朋友忽然寄給我一張《晨報副刊》，我就覺得有些特別，因為他是知道我懶得看這種東西的。但既然特別寄來了，姑且看題目罷：《關於下面一束通信告讀者們》。署名是：志摩。哈哈，這是寄來和我開玩笑的，我想；趕緊翻轉，便是幾封信，這寄那，那寄這，看了幾行，才知道似乎還是什麼「閒話……閒話」問題。這問題我僅知道一點兒，就是曾在新潮社看見陳源教授即西瀅先生的信，說及我「捏造的事實，傳佈的『流言』 ，本來已經說不勝說」。不禁好笑；人就苦於不能將自己的靈魂砍成醬，因此能有記憶，也因此而有感慨或滑稽。記得首先根據了「流言」，來判決楊蔭榆事件即女師大風潮的，正是這位西瀅先生，那大文便登在去年五月三十日發行的《現代評論》上。我不該生長「某籍」又在「某系」教書，所以也被歸入「暗中挑剔風潮」者之列，雖然他說還不相信，不過覺得可惜。在這裡聲明一句罷，以免讀者的誤解：「某系」雲者，大約是指國文系，不是說研究系。 | A friend suddenly sent me a copy of the Morning Post Supplement, and I immediately felt something was unusual, for he knew I was too lazy to read such things. But since he had specially sent it, I thought I might as well glance at the heading: "A Notice to Readers Regarding the Following Bundle of Correspondence." The signature read: Zhimo. Ha! This was sent to tease me, I thought. I quickly turned the page and found several letters — this person writing to that one, that one writing to this — and after reading a few lines, I realized it still seemed to be about the "Idle Talk... Idle Talk" business. I knew only a little about this matter, namely that I had seen a letter from Professor Chen Yuan (Xi Ying) at the New Tide Society, saying that my "fabricated facts and circulated 'rumors' were already beyond counting." I could not help laughing; a man suffers from being unable to chop his own soul into mincemeat — and therefore he has memory, and therefore he has feelings of emotion or absurdity. I recall that the first person to pass judgment on the Yang Yinyu affair — that is, the Women's Normal University disturbance — on the basis of "rumors" was none other than this same Mr. Xi Ying, and that great essay appeared in the May 30 issue of Modern Review last year. Because I should not have been born of "a certain native place" and should not have been teaching in "a certain department," I too was classified among those who "secretly stirred up the disturbance," though he said he did not yet believe it, merely found it regrettable. Let me make a clarification here, to prevent readers' misunderstanding: "a certain department" presumably refers to the Chinese Literature department, not the Research Clique. |
| 那時我見了「流言」字樣，曾經很憤然，立刻加以駁正，雖然也很自愧沒有「十年讀書十年養氣的工夫」。不料過了半年，這些「流言」卻變成由我傳佈的了，自造自己的「流言」，這真是自己掘坑埋自己，不必說聰明人，便是傻子也想不通。倘說這回的所謂「流言」，並非關於「某籍某系」的，乃是關於不信「流言」的陳源教授的了，則我實在不知道陳教授有怎樣的被捏造的事實和流言在社會上傳佈。說起來慚愧煞人，我不赴宴會，很少往來，也不奔走，也不結什麼文藝學術的社團，實在最不合式於做捏造事實和傳佈流言的樞紐。只是弄弄筆墨是在所不免的，但也不肯以流言為根據，故意給它傳佈開來，雖然偶有些「耳食之言」，又大抵是無關大體的事；要是錯了，即使月久年深，也決不惜追加訂正，例如對於汪原放先生「已作古人」一案，其間竟隔了幾乎有兩年。——但這自然是只對於看過《熱風》的讀者說的。 | At that time, when I saw the word "rumors," I was quite indignant and immediately issued a rebuttal, though I was also rather ashamed that I lacked "ten years of reading and ten years of cultivating one's composure." Unexpectedly, half a year later, these "rumors" had been transformed into rumors circulated by me — fabricating one's own "rumors" about oneself — this is truly digging one's own grave. Not even a clever person, let alone a fool, could make sense of it. If the so-called "rumors" this time are not about "a certain native place and a certain department" but about Professor Chen Yuan, who does not believe in "rumors," then I truly do not know what fabricated facts and rumors about Professor Chen are circulating in society. To say it is embarrassingly humbling: I do not attend banquets, have very few social contacts, do not run about, and do not make calls. I have not the slightest interest in Professor Chen's private life, and even if I had, I would have no way of knowing anything about it. |
| 這幾天，我的「捏……言」罪案，仿佛只等於曇花一現了，《一束通信》的主要部分中，似乎也承情沒有將我「流」進去，不過在後屁股的《西瀅致志摩》是附帶的對我的專論，雖然並非一案，卻因為親屬關係而滅族，或文字獄的株連一般。滅族呀，株連呀，又有點「刑名師爺」口吻了，其實這是事實，法家不過給他起了一個名，所謂「正人君子」是不肯說的，雖然不妨這樣做。此外如甲對乙先用流言，後來卻說乙製造流言這一類事，「刑名師爺」的筆下就簡括到只有兩個字：「反噬」。嗚呼，這實在形容得痛快淋漓。然而古語說，「察見淵魚者不祥」，所以「刑名師爺」總沒有好結果，這是我早經知道的。 | What I know of this professor is merely what he has published in print. In the Modern Review, I have read his "Idle Talk" columns, his lengthy essay on "The Women's Normal University Incident," and letters from Xu Zhimo and others. From these I know: he is a returned student from England; he is a professor at Peking University; he apparently resides outside the university; he associates with Xu Zhimo, Tang Youren, and others; and he writes under the pen name Xi Ying. That is all. |
| 我猜想那位寄給我《晨報副刊》的朋友的意思了：來刺激我，譏諷我，通知我的，還是要我也說幾句話呢？終於不得而知。好，好在現在正須還筆債，就用這一點事來搪塞一通罷，說話最方便的題目是《魯迅致bb》，既非根據學理和事實的論文，也不是「笑吟吟」的天才的諷刺，不過是私人通信而已，自己何嘗願意發表；無論怎麼說，糞坑也好，毛廁也好，決定與「人氣」無關。即不然，也是因為生氣發熱，被別人逼成的，正如別的副刊將被《晨報副刊》「逼死」一樣。我的鏡子真可恨，照出來的總是要使陳源教授嘔吐的東西，但若以趙子昂——「是不是他？」——畫馬為例，自然恐怕正是我自己。自己是沒有什麼要緊的，不過總得替bb想一想。現在不是要談到《西瀅致志摩》麼，那可是極其危險的事，一不小心就要跌入「泥潭中」，遇到「悻悻的狗」，暫時再也看不見「笑吟吟」。至少，一關涉陳源兩個字，你總不免要被公理家認為「某籍」，「某系」，「某党」，「嘍羅」，「重女輕男」……等；而且還得小心記住，倘有人說過他是文士，是法蘭斯，你便萬不可再用「文士」或「法蘭斯」字樣，否則，——自然，當然又有「某籍」……等等的嫌疑了，我何必如此陷害無辜，《魯迅致bb》決計不用，所以一直寫到這裡，還沒有題目，且待寫下去看罷。 | |
| 我先前不是剛說我沒有「捏造事實」麼？那封信裡舉的卻有。說是我說他「同楊蔭榆女士有親戚朋友的關係，並且吃了她許多的酒飯」了，其實都不對。楊蔭榆女士的善於請酒，我說過的，或者別人也說過，並且偶見於新聞上。現在的有些公論家，自以為中立，其實卻偏，或者和事主倒有親戚，朋友，同學，同鄉，……等等關係，甚至於叨光了酒飯，我也說過的。這不是明明白白的麼，報社收津貼，連同業中也互訐過，但大家仍都自稱為公論。至於陳教授和楊女士是親戚而且吃了酒飯，那是陳教授自己連結起來的，我沒有說曾經吃酒飯，也不能保證未曾吃酒飯，沒有說他們是親戚，也不能保證他們不是親戚，大概不過是同鄉罷，但只要不是「某籍」，同鄉有什麼要緊呢。紹興有「刑名師爺」，紹興人便都是「刑名師爺」的例，是只適用於紹興的人們的。 | |
| 我有時泛論一般現狀，而無意中觸著了別人的傷疤，實在是非常抱歉的事。但這也是沒法補救，除非我真去讀書養氣，一共廿年，被人們騙得老死牖下；或者自己甘心倒掉；或者遭了陰謀。即如上文雖然說明了他們是親戚並不是我說的話，但因為列舉的名詞太多了，「同鄉」兩字，也足以招人「生氣」，只要看自己憤然於「流言」中的「某籍」兩字，就可想而知。照此看來，這一回的說「叭兒狗」（《莽原半月刊》第一期），怕又有人猜想我是指著他自己，在那裡「悻悻」了。其實我不過是泛論，說社會上有神似這個東西的人，因此多說些它的主人：闊人，太監，太太，小姐。本以為這足見我是泛論了，名人們現在那裡還有肯跟太監的呢，但是有些人怕仍要忽略了這一層，各各認定了其中的主人之一，而以「叭兒狗」自命。時勢實在艱難，我似乎只有專講上帝，才可以免於危險，而這事又非我所長。但是，倘使所有的只是暴戾之氣，還是讓它儘量發出來罷，「一群悻悻的狗」，在後面也好，在對面也好。我也知道將什麼之氣都放在心裡，臉上筆下卻全都「笑吟吟」，是極其好看的；可是掘不得，小小的挖一個洞，便什麼之氣都出來了。但其實這倒是真面目。 | |
| 第二種罪案是「近一些的一個例」，陳教授曾「泛論圖書館的重要」，「說孤桐先生在他未下臺以前發表的兩篇文章裡，這一層『他似乎沒看到』 。」我卻輕輕地改為「聽說孤桐先生倒是想到了這一節，曾經發表過文章，然而下臺了，很可惜」了。而且還問道：「你看見嗎，那刀筆吏的筆尖？」「刀筆吏」是不會有漏洞的，我卻與陳教授的原文不合，所以成了罪案，或者也就不成其為「刀筆吏」了罷。《現代評論》早已不見，全文無從查考，現在就據這一回的話，敬謹改正，為「據說孤桐先生在未下臺以前發表的文章裡竟也沒想到；現在又下了台，目前無法補救了，很可惜」罷。這裡附帶地聲明，我的文字中，大概是用別人的原文用引號，舉大意用「據說」，述聽來的類似「流言」的用「聽說」，和《晨報》大將文例不相同。 | |
| 第三種罪案是關於我說「北大教授兼京師圖書館副館長月薪至少五六百元的李四光」的事，據說已告了一年的假，假期內不支薪，副館長的月薪又不過二百五十元。別一張《晨副》上又有本人的聲明，話也差不多，不過說月薪確有五百元，只是他「只拿二百五十元」，其餘的「捐予圖書館購買某種書籍」了。此外還給我許多忠告，這使我非常感謝，但願意奉還「文士」的稱號，我是不屬於這一類的。只是我以為告假和辭職不同，無論支薪與否，教授也仍然是教授，這是不待「刀筆吏」才能知道的。至於圖書館的月薪，我確信李教授（或副館長）現在每月「只拿二百五十元」的現錢，是美國那面的；中國這面的一半，真說不定要拖欠到什麼時候才有。但欠帳究竟也是錢，別人的兼差，大抵多是欠帳，連一半現錢也沒有，可是早成了有些論客的口實了，雖然其缺點是在不肯及早捐出去。我想，如果此後每月必發，而以學校欠薪作比例，中國的一半是明年的正月間會有的，倘以教育部欠俸作比例，則須十七年正月間才有，那時購買書籍來，我一定就更正，只要我還在做「官僚」，因為這容易得知，我也自信還有這樣的記性，不至於今年忘了去年事。但是，倘若又被章士釗們革掉，那就莫明其妙，更正的事也只好作罷了。可是我所說的職銜和錢數，在今日卻是事實。 | |
| 第四種的罪案是……。陳源教授說，「好了，不舉例了。」 | |
| 為什麼呢？大約是因為「本來已經說不勝說」，或者是在矯正「打筆墨官司的時候，誰寫得多，罵得下流，捏造得新奇就是誰的理由大」的惡習之故罷，所以就用三個例來概其全般，正如中國戲上用四個兵卒來象徵十萬大軍一樣。此後，就可以結束，漫駡——「正人君子」一定另有名稱，但我不知道，只好暫用這加於「下流」人等的行為上的話——了。原文很可以做「正人君子」的真相的標本，刪之可惜，扯下來粘在後面罷—— | |
| 「有人同我說，魯迅先生缺乏的是一面大鏡子，所以永遠見不到他的尊容。我說他說錯了。魯迅先生的所以這樣，正因為他有了一面大鏡子。你聽見過趙子昂——是不是他？——畫馬的故事罷？他要畫一個姿勢，就對鏡伏地做出那個姿勢來。魯迅先生的文章也是對了他的大鏡子寫的，沒有一句罵人的話不能應用在他自己的身上。要是你不信，我可以同你打一個賭。」 | |
| 這一段意思很了然，猶言我寫馬則自己就是馬，寫狗自己就是狗，說別人的缺點就是自己的缺點，寫法蘭斯自己就是法蘭斯，說「臭毛廁」自己就是臭毛廁，說別人和楊蔭榆女士同鄉，就是自己和她同鄉。趙子昂也實在可笑，要畫馬，看看真馬就夠了，何必定作畜生的姿勢；他終於還是人，並不淪入馬類，總算是僥倖的。不過趙子昂也是「某籍」，所以這也許還是一種「流言」，或自造，或那時的「正人君子」所造都說不定。這只能看作一種無稽之談。倘若陳源教授似的信以為真，自己也照樣做，則寫法蘭斯的時候坐下做一個法姿勢，講「孤桐先生」的時候立起作一個孤姿勢，倒還堂哉皇哉；可是講「糞車」也就得伏地變成糞車，說「毛廁」即須翻身充當便所，未免連臭架子也有些失掉罷，雖然肚子裡本來滿是這樣的貨色。 | |
| 「不是有一次一個報館訪員稱我們為『文士』 嗎？魯迅先生為了那名字幾乎笑掉了牙。可是後來某報天天鼓吹他是『思想界的權威者』 他倒又不笑了。 | |
| 「他沒有一篇文章裡不放幾枝冷箭，但是他自己常常的說人『放冷箭』 ，並且說『放冷箭』 是卑劣的行為。 | |
| 「他常常『散佈流言』 和『捏造事實』 ，如上面舉出來的幾個例，但是他自己又常常的罵人『散佈流言』 『捏造事實』 ，並且承認那樣是『下流』 。 | |
| 「他常常的無故罵人，要是那人生氣，他就說人家沒有『幽默』 。可是要是有人侵犯了他一言半語，他就跳到半天空，罵得你體無完膚——還不肯甘休。」 | |
| 這是根據了三條例和一個趙子昂故事的結論。其實是稱別個為「文士」我也笑，稱我為「思想界的權威者」我也笑，但牙卻並非「笑掉」，據說是「打掉」的，這較可以使他們快意些。至於「思想界的權威者」等等，我連夜夢裡也沒有想做過，無奈我和「鼓吹」的人不相識，無從勸止他，不像唱雙簧的朋友，可以彼此心照；況且自然會有「文士」來罵倒，更無須自己費力。我也不想借這些頭銜去發財發福，有了它於實利上是並無什麼好處的。我也曾反對過將自己的小說采入教科書，怕的是教錯了青年，記得曾在報上發表； | |
| 不過這本不是對上流人說的，他們當然不知道。冷箭呢，先是不肯的，後來也放過幾枝，但總是對於先「放冷箭」用「流言」的如陳源教授之輩，「請君入甕」，也給他嘗嘗這滋味。不過雖然對於他們，也還是明說的時候多，例如《語絲》上的《音樂》就說明是指徐志摩先生，《我的籍和系》和《並非閒話》也分明對西瀅即陳源教授而發；此後也還要射，並無悔禍之心。至於署名，則去年以來只用一個，就是陳教授之所謂「魯迅，即教育部僉事周樹人」就是。但在下半年，應將「教育部僉事」五字刪去，因為被「孤桐先生」所革；今年卻又變了「暫署僉事」了，還未去做，然而豫備去做的，目的是在弄幾文俸錢，因為我祖宗沒有遺產，老婆沒有奩田，文章又不值錢，只好以此暫且糊口。還有一個小目的，是在對於以我去年的免官為「痛快」者，給他一個不舒服，使他恨得扒耳搔腮，忍不住露出本相。至於「流言」，則先已說過，正是陳源教授首先發明的專賣品，獨有他聽到過許多；在我呢，心術是看不見的東西，且勿說，我的躲在家裡的生活即不利於作「捏……言」的樞紐。剩下的只有「幽默」問題了，我又沒有說過這些話，也沒有主張過「幽默」，也許將這兩字連寫，今天還算第一回。我對人是「罵人」，人對我是「侵犯了一言半語」，這真使我記起我的同鄉「刑名師爺」來，而且還是弄著不正經的「出重出輕」的玩意兒的時候。這樣看來，一面鏡子確是該有的，無論生在那一縣。還有罪狀哩—— | |
| 「他常常挖苦別人家抄襲。有一個學生鈔了沫若的幾句詩，他老先生罵得刻骨鏤心的痛快，可是他自己的《中國小說史略》，卻就是根據日本人鹽谷溫的《支那文學概論講話》裡面的『小說』 一部分。其實拿人家的著述做你自己的藍本，本可以原諒，只要你在書中有那樣的聲明，可是魯迅先生就沒有那樣的聲明。在我們看來，你自己做了不正當的事也就罷了，何苦再去挖苦一個可憐的學生，可是他還儘量的把人家刻薄。『竊鉤者誅，竊國者侯』 ，本是自古已有的道理。」 | |
| 這「流言」早聽到過了；後來見於《閒話》，說是「整大本的摽竊」，但不直指我，而同時有些人的口頭上，卻相傳是指我的《中國小說史略》。 | |
| 我相信陳源教授是一定會幹這樣勾當的。但他既不指名，我也就只回敬他一通駡街，這可實在不止「侵犯了他一言半語」。這回說出來了；我的「以小人之心」也沒有猜錯了「君子之腹」。但那罪名卻改為「做你自己的藍本」了，比先前輕得多，仿佛比自謙為「一言半語」的「冷箭」鈍了一點似的。鹽穀氏的書，確是我的參考書之一，我的《小說史略》二十八篇的第二篇，是根據它的，還有論《紅樓夢》的幾點和一張《賈氏系圖》，也是根據它的，但不過是大意，次序和意見就很不同。其他二十六篇，我都有我獨立的準備，證據是和他的所說還時常相反。例如現有的漢人小說，他以為真，我以為假；唐人小說的分類他據森槐南，我卻用我法。六朝小說他據《漢魏叢書》，我據別本及自己的輯本，這工夫曾經費去兩年多，稿本有十冊在這裡；唐人小說他據謬誤最多的《唐人說薈》，我是用《太平廣記》的，此外還一本一本搜起來……。其餘分量，取捨，考證的不同，尤難枚舉。自然，大致是不能不同的，例如他說漢後有唐，唐後有宋，我也這樣說，因為都以中國史實為「藍本」。我無法「捏造得新奇」，雖然塞文狄斯的事實和「四書」合成的時代也不妨創造。但我的意見，卻以為似乎不可，因為歷史和詩歌小說是兩樣的。詩歌小說雖有人說同是天才即不妨所見略同，所作相像，但我以為究竟也以獨創為貴；歷史則是紀事，固然不當偷成書，但也不必全兩樣。說詩歌小說相類不妨，歷史有幾點近似便是「摽竊」，那是「正人君子」的特別意見，只在以「一言半語」「侵犯」「魯迅先生」時才適用的。好在鹽穀氏的書聽說（！）已有人譯成（？） | |
| 中文，兩書的異點如何，怎樣「整大本的摽竊」，還是做「藍本」，不久（？）就可以明白了。在這以前，我以為恐怕連陳源教授自己也不知道這些底細，因為不過是聽來的「耳食之言」。不知道對不對？（鹽谷教授的《支那文學概論講話》的譯本，今年夏天看見了，將五百余頁的原書，譯成了薄薄的一本，那小說一部份，和我的也無從對比了。廣告上卻道「選譯」。措辭實在聰明得很。十月十四日補記。） | |
| 但我還要對於「一個學生鈔了沫若的幾句詩」這事說幾句話；「罵得刻骨鏤心的痛快」的，似乎並不是我。因為我于詩向不留心，所以也沒有看過「沫若的詩」，因此即更不知道別人的是否鈔襲。陳源教授的那些話，說得壞一點，就是「捏造事實」，故意挑撥別人對我的惡感，真可以說發揮著他的真本領。說得客氣一點呢，他自說寫這信時是在「發熱」，那一定是熱度太高，發了昏，忘記裝腔了，不幸顯出本相；並且因為自己爬著，所以覺得我「跳到半天空」，自己抓破了皮膚或者一向就破著，卻以為被我「罵」破了。——但是，我在有意或無意中碰破了一角紙糊紳士服，那也許倒是有的；此後也保不定。彼此迎面而來，總不免要擠擦，碰磕，也並非「還不肯甘休」。 | |
| 紳士的跳踉醜態，實在特別好看，因為歷來隱藏蘊蓄著，所以一來就比下等人更濃厚。因這一回的放泄，我才悟到陳源教授大概是以為揭發叔華女士的剽竊小說圖畫的文章，也是我做的，所以早就將「大盜」兩字掛在「冷箭」上，射向「思想界的權威者」。殊不知這也不是我做的，我並不看這些小說。「琵亞詞侶」的畫，我是愛看的，但是沒有書，直到那「剽竊」問題發生後，才刺激我去買了一本Art of A. Beardsley來，化錢一元七。可憐教授的心目中所看見的並不是我的影，叫跳竟都白費了。遇見的「糞車」，也是境由心造的，正是自己腦子裡的貨色，要吐的唾沫，還是靜靜的咽下去罷。 | |
| 太費紙張了，雖然我不至於嬌貴到會發熱，但也得趕緊的收梢。然而還得粘上一段大罪狀—— | |
| 「據他自己的自傳，他從民國元年便做了教育部的官，從沒脫離過。所以袁世凱稱帝，他在教育部，曹錕賄選，他在教育部，『代表無恥的彭允彝做總長，他也在教育部，甚而至於『代表無恥的章士釗』 免了他的職後，他還大嚷『僉事這一個官兒倒也並不算怎樣的「區區」』 ，怎樣有人在那裡鑽謀補他的缺，怎樣以為無足輕重的人是『慷他人之慨』 ，如是如是，這樣這樣……這像『青年叛徒的領袖』 嗎？ | |
| 「其實一個人做官也不大要緊，做了官再裝出這樣的面孔來可叫人有些噁心吧了。 | |
| 「現在又有人送他『土匪』 的名號了。好一個『土匪』 。」 | |
| 苦心孤詣給我加了上去的「土匪」的惡名，這一回忽又否認了，可見唾沫還是靜靜的咽下去好，免得後來自己舐回去。但是，「文士」別有慧心，那裡會給我便宜呢，自然即代以自「袁世凱稱帝」以來的罪惡，仿佛「稱帝」「賄選」那類事，我既在教育部，即等於全由我一手包辦似的。這是真的，從那時以來，我確沒有帶兵獨立過，但我也沒有冷笑雲南起義，也沒有希望國民軍失敗；對於教育部，其實是脫離過兩回，一是張勳復辟時，一就是章士釗長部時，前一回以教授的一點才力自然不知道，後一回卻忘卻得有些離奇。我向來就「裝出這樣的面孔」，不但毫不顧忌陳源教授可「有些噁心」，對於「孤桐先生」也一樣。要在我的面孔上尋出些有趣來，本來是沒頭腦的妄想，還是去看別的面孔罷。 | |
| 這類誤解似乎不止陳源教授，有些人也往往如此，以為教員清高，官僚是卑下的。真所謂「得意忘形」，「官僚官僚」的罵著。可悲的就在此，現在的罵官僚的人裡面，到外國去炸大過一回而且做教員的就很多：所謂「鑽謀補他的缺」的也就是這一流，那時我說「僉事這一個官兒倒也並不算怎樣的『區區』 」，就為此人的乘機想做官而發，刺他一針，聊且快意，不提防竟又被陳教授「刻骨鏤心」的記住了，也許又疑心我向他在「放冷箭」了罷。 | |
| 我並非因為自己是官僚，定要上儕于清高的教授之列，官僚的高下也因人而異，如所謂「孤桐先生」，做官時辦《甲寅》，佩服的人就很多，下臺之後，聽說更有生氣了。而我「下臺」時所做的文章，豈不是不但並不更有生氣，還招了陳源教授的一頓「教訓」，而且罪孽深重，延禍「面孔」了麼？ | |
| 這是以文才和面孔言；至於從別一方面看，則官僚與教授就有「一丘之貉」之歎，這就是說：錢的來源。國家行政機關的事務官所得的所謂俸錢，國立學校的教授所得的所謂薪水，還不是同一來源，出於國庫的麼？在曹錕政府下做國立學校的教員，和做官的沒有大區別。難道教員的是捐給了學校，所以特別清高了？袁世凱稱帝時代，陳源教授或者還在外國的研究室裡，是到了曹錕賄選前後才做教授的，比我到北京遲得多，福氣也比我好得多。曹錕賄選，他做教授，「代表無恥的彭允彝做總長」，他做教授，「甚而至於『代表無恥的章士釗』 做總長」，他自然做教授，我可是被革掉了，甚而至於待到那「甚而至於『代表無恥的章士釗』 」不做總長了，他自然還做教授，歸國以來，一帆風順，一個小釘子也沒有碰。這當然是因為有適宜的面孔，不「叫人有些噁心」之故嘍。看他臉上既無我一樣的可厭的「八字鬍子」，也可以說沒有「官僚的神情」，所以對於他的面孔，卻連我也並沒有什麼大「噁心」，而且仿佛還覺得有趣。這一類的面孔，只要再白胖一點，也許在中國就不可多得了。 | |
| 不免招我說幾句費話的不過是他對鏡裝成的姿勢和「爆發」出來的蘊蓄，但又即刻掩了起來，關上大門，據說「大約不再打這樣的筆墨官司」了。前面的香車既經杳然，我且不做叫門的事，因為這些時候所遇到的大概不過幾個家丁；而且已是往「國立北京女子師範大學複校紀念會」的時候了，就這樣的算收束。 | |
| 二月一日。 | |
| === Section 8 === | == Section 8 == |
| 一月三十日《晨報副刊》上滿載著一些東西，現在有人稱它為「攻周專號」，真是些有趣的玩意兒，倒可以看見紳士的本色。不知怎的，今天的《晨副》忽然將這事結束，照例用通信，李四光教授開場白，徐志摩「詩哲」接後段，一唱一和，甩道「帶住！讓我們對著混鬥的雙方猛喝一聲，帶住！」了。還「聲明一句，本刊此後不登載對人攻擊的文字」云。 | On January 30, the supplement of the Morning Post was packed full of certain material, now referred to by some as the "Attack Zhou Special Issue" — truly amusing stuff that reveals the true colors of these gentlemen. For reasons unknown, today's Morning Post Supplement suddenly brought the matter to a close, following the customary format of correspondence: Professor Li Siguang (李四光) provided the opening remarks, followed by "Poet-Philosopher" Xu Zhimo (徐志摩) with the concluding section. Singing in unison, they tossed out: "Halt! Let us roar a mighty 'Halt!' at both parties in this brawl!" And then came the "declaration: henceforth this publication will not carry writings that attack individuals," and so forth. |
| 他們的什麼「閒話……閒話」問題，本與我沒有什麼鳥相干，「帶住」也好，放開也好，拉攏也好，自然大可以隨便玩把戲。但是，前幾天不是因為「令兄」關係，連我的「面孔」都攻擊過了麼？我本沒有去「混鬥」，倒是株連了我。現在我還沒有怎樣開口呢，怎麼忽然又要「帶住」了？從紳士們看來，這自然不過是「侵犯」了我「一言半語」，正無須「跳到半天空」，然而我其實也並沒有「跳到半天空」，只是還不能這樣地謹聽指揮，你要「帶住」了，我也就「帶住」。 | Their problem of "idle talk… idle talk" had nothing whatsoever to do with me. "Halt" or let loose, pull together or push apart — naturally they can play whatever games they please. But was it not just a few days ago that, on account of the "elder brother" connection, even my "face" was attacked? I had not gone to "brawl" at all; rather, I was dragged in by association. Now I have barely opened my mouth, and suddenly they want to "halt" again? From the gentlemen's perspective, this was naturally no more than "infringing" upon me with "a word or half a phrase," and there was certainly no need to "leap halfway to the sky." Yet in truth I had not "leapt halfway to the sky" at all — it is simply that I cannot so obediently heed their commands: when you want to "halt," I too must "halt." |
| 對不起，那些文字我無心細看，「詩哲」所說的要點，似乎是這樣鬧下去，要失了大學教授的體統，丟了「負有指導青年重責的前輩」的醜，使學生不相信，青年不耐煩了。可憐可憐，有臭趕緊遮起來。「負有指導青年重責的前輩」，有這麼多的醜可丟，有那麼多的醜怕丟麼？用紳士服將「醜」層層包裹，裝著好面孔，就是教授，就是青年的導師麼？中國的青年不要高帽皮袍，裝腔作勢的導師；要並無偽飾，—— | I beg your pardon, but I had no inclination to read those writings carefully. The gist of what the "Poet-Philosopher" said seems to be this: if this carries on, university professors will lose their decorum, the "elders bearing the weighty responsibility of guiding the youth" will be disgraced, students will lose faith, and young people will grow impatient. How pitiful — if there is a stench, hurry up and cover it. "Elders bearing the weighty responsibility of guiding the youth" — do they have so much disgrace to lose, so much disgrace to fear losing? Wrapping "disgrace" in layer upon layer of gentlemen's clothing, putting on a fine face — does that make one a professor, a guide for the youth? The youth of China do not want mentors in top hats and fur coats, striking poses. They want mentors without pretense — |
| 倘沒有，也得少有偽飾的導師。倘有戴著假面，以導師自居的，就得叫他除下來，否則，便將它撕下來，互相撕下來。撕得鮮血淋漓，臭架子打得粉碎，然後可以談後話。這時候，即使只值半文錢，卻是真價值；即使醜得要使人「噁心」，卻是真面目。略一揭開，便又趕忙裝進緞子盒裡去，雖然可以使人疑是鑽石，也可以猜作糞土，縱使外面滿貼著好招牌，法蘭斯呀，蕭伯訥呀，……毫不中用的！ | And if none exist, at least mentors with less pretense. Should anyone don a mask and set himself up as a mentor, we must demand that he take it off. Otherwise, we shall tear it off — tear each other's off. Tear until the blood runs, until the stinking airs are smashed to pieces — only then can we talk of what comes next. At that point, even if the value is only half a copper, it is real value; even if the ugliness is enough to make one "retch," it is the true face. To peel back a corner and then hurriedly stuff it back into a satin box — though this may lead people to suspect it is a diamond, they may equally guess it is dung. Even if the outside is plastered with fine labels — Anatole France! Bernard Shaw! — it is utterly useless! |
| 李四光教授先勸我「十年讀書十年養氣」。還一句紳士話罷：盛意可感。書是讀過的，不止十年，氣也養過的，不到十年，可是讀也讀不好，養也養不好。我是李教授所早認為應當「投畀豺虎」者之一，此時本已不必溫言勸諭，說什麼「弄到人家無故受累」，難道真以為自己是「公理」的化身，判我以這樣巨罰之後，還要我叩謝天恩麼？還有，李教授以為我「東方文學家的風味，似乎格外的充足，……所以總要寫到露骨到底，才盡他的興會。」我自己的意見卻絕不同。我正因為生在東方，而且生在中國，所以「中庸」「穩妥」的餘毒，還淪肌浹髓，比起法國的勃羅亞——他簡直稱大報的記者為「蛆蟲」來——，真是「小巫見大巫」，使我自慚究竟不及白人之毒辣勇猛。即以李教授的事為例罷：一，因為我知道李教授是科學家，不很「打筆墨官司」的，所以只要可以不提，便不提；只因為要回敬貴會友一杯酒，這才說出「兼差」的事來。二，關於兼差和薪水一節，已在《語絲》（六五）上答覆了，但也還沒有「寫到露骨到底」。 | Professor Li Siguang first advised me to "spend ten years reading and ten years cultivating my temperament." Let me reply with one more gentlemanly phrase: I appreciate the kind intention. I have read books — for more than ten years; I have cultivated my temperament — for less than ten years. But my reading never went well, and my cultivation never went well either. I am one of those whom Professor Li long ago deemed should be "cast to the jackals and tigers." At this point, there is really no need for gentle admonition, telling me about "causing others to suffer without cause." Does he truly believe himself the embodiment of "justice," and that after sentencing me to such severe punishment, I should kowtow in gratitude for the imperial grace? Furthermore, Professor Li considers that my "flavor of an Eastern literary man seems particularly abundant… so I always have to write to the barest bone before I am satisfied." My own view is quite the opposite. Precisely because I was born in the East, and moreover born in China, the lingering poison of the "Golden Mean" and "prudence" has seeped into my very flesh and marrow. Compared to the Frenchman Léon Bloy — who outright called the journalists of major newspapers "maggots" — I am truly "a minor sorcerer before a great one," which makes me ashamed that I ultimately cannot match the ferocity and boldness of the white man. Let me take Professor Li's own case as an example: First, because I knew Professor Li is a scientist who does not often "wage battles of pen and ink," I refrained from mentioning him whenever I could. It was only because I needed to return a toast to a member of his honorable society that I brought up the matter of "holding concurrent positions." Second, regarding the matter of concurrent positions and salaries, I already replied in Yusi (Thread of Talk), issue 65, though even there I did not "write to the barest bone." |
| 我自己也知道，在中國，我的筆要算較為尖刻的，說話有時也不留情面。但我又知道人們怎樣地用了公理正義的美名，正人君子的徽號，溫良敦厚的假臉，流言公論的武器，吞吐曲折的文字，行私利己，使無刀無筆的弱者不得喘息。倘使我沒有這筆，也就是被欺侮到赴訴無門的一個；我覺悟了，所以要常用，尤其是用於使麒麟皮下露出馬腳。萬一那些虛偽者居然覺得一點痛苦，有些省悟，知道技倆也有窮時，少裝些假面目，則用了陳源教授的話來說，就是一個「教訓」。 | I myself know that in China, my pen is considered rather sharp, and my words sometimes spare no one's feelings. But I also know how people use the fine names of justice and righteousness, the badges of upright gentlemen, the false faces of warmth and sincerity, the weapons of rumor and public opinion, and the tortuous, evasive language to pursue private gain, leaving the weak — who have neither knife nor pen — unable to draw breath. If I did not have this pen, I would be just another one bullied with no court of appeal. I have awakened, and so I must use it constantly — especially to expose the donkey's hooves beneath the qilin's hide. Should those hypocrites actually feel a twinge of pain, gain a measure of self-awareness, and realize that even tricks have their limits, and put on a few fewer masks — then, to borrow Professor Chen Yuan's own words, that would be "a lesson." |
| 只要誰露出真價值來，即使只值半文，我決不敢輕薄半句。但是，想用了串戲的方法來哄騙，那是不行的；我知道的，不和你們來敷衍。 | As long as anyone reveals his true worth, even if it amounts to only half a copper, I would never dare slight him with half a sentence. But if you try to fool people with the methods of stage acting — that will not work. I know what is what, and I will not play along with you. |
| 「詩哲」為援助陳源教授起見，似乎引過羅曼羅蘭的話，大意是各人的身上都有鬼，但人卻只知道打別人身上的鬼。 | To come to the aid of Professor Chen Yuan, the "Poet-Philosopher" seems to have quoted Romain Rolland to the effect that everyone has demons on their person, but people only know how to exorcize the demons on others. |
| 沒有細看，說不清了，要是差不多，那就是一併承認了陳源教授的身上也有鬼，李四光教授自然也難逃。他們先前是自以為沒有鬼的。假使真知道了自己身上也有鬼，「帶住」的事可就容易辦了。只要不再串戲，不再擺臭架子，忘卻了你們的教授的頭銜，且不做指導青年的前輩，將你們的「公理」的旗插到「糞車」上去，將你們的紳士衣裝拋到「臭毛廁」裡去，除下假面具，赤條條地站出來說幾句真話就夠了！ | I did not read it carefully and cannot speak to it precisely. But if that is roughly what was said, then it amounts to an admission that Professor Chen Yuan also has demons on his person, and Professor Li Siguang can hardly escape either. Previously, they had assumed themselves demon-free. If they truly know now that they too carry demons, then the matter of "halting" becomes quite easy to settle. Simply stop putting on stage performances, stop striking stinking poses. Forget your titles as professors, and do not play the role of elders guiding the youth. Plant your banner of "justice" on a night-soil cart. Toss your gentlemen's garments into a stinking privy. Take off your masks, stand naked before us, and say a few true words — that will be enough! |
| 二月三日。 | February 3. |
| === Section 9 === | == Section 9 == |
| 坐聽著遠遠近近的爆竹聲，知道灶君先生們都在陸續上天，向玉皇大帝講他的東家的壞話去了，但是他大概終於沒有講，否則，中國人一定比現在要更倒楣。 | Sitting and listening to the sound of firecrackers near and far, I know that the Kitchen Gods are ascending to Heaven one after another, off to speak ill of their masters before the Jade Emperor. But he probably never says anything in the end — otherwise, the Chinese would certainly be even more unlucky than they already are. |
| 灶君升天的那日，街上還賣著一種糖，有柑子那麼大小，在我們那裡也有這東西，然而扁的，像一個厚厚的小烙餅。那就是所謂「膠牙餳」了。本意是在請灶君吃了，粘住他的牙，使他不能調嘴學舌，對玉帝說壞話。我們中國人意中的神鬼，似乎比活人要老實些，所以對鬼神要用這樣的強硬手段，而於活人卻只好請吃飯。 | On the day the Kitchen God ascends to Heaven, a kind of candy is still sold in the streets, about the size of a tangerine. In our part of the country we have the same thing, only flat, like a thick little griddle cake. This is the so-called "jaw-sticking malt candy." The original idea is to feed it to the Kitchen God so that it sticks his teeth together, preventing him from wagging his tongue and speaking ill of you to the Jade Emperor. The gods and spirits in the Chinese imagination seem somewhat more honest than living people, which is why such strong-arm methods must be used on gods and spirits, while for living people one can only invite them to dinner. |
| 今之君子往往諱言吃飯，尤其是請吃飯。那自然是無足怪的，的確不大好聽。只是北京的飯店那麼多，飯局那麼多，莫非都在食蛤蜊，談風月，「酒酣耳熱而歌嗚嗚」麼？不儘然的，的確也有許多「公論」從這些地方播種，只因為公論和請帖之間看不出蛛絲馬跡，所以議論便堂哉皇哉了。但我的意見，卻以為還是酒後的公論有情。人非木石，豈能一味談理，礙於情面而偏過去了，在這裡正有著人氣息。況且中國是一向重情面的。何謂情面？明朝就有人解釋過，曰：「情面者，面情之謂也。」自然不知道他說什麼，但也就可以懂得他說什麼。在現今的世上，要有不偏不倚的公論，本來是一種夢想；即使是飯後的公評，酒後的宏議，也何嘗不可姑妄聽之呢。然而，倘以為那是真正老牌的公論，卻一定上當，—— | The gentlemen of today often avoid speaking of eating, especially of being invited to eat. This is naturally nothing to wonder at — it does indeed sound rather unseemly. But there are so many restaurants in Beijing, so many dinner engagements — can they all be dining on clams and discussing the moonlight, "singing merrily as the wine warms and ears flush"? Not entirely. In fact, a great deal of "public opinion" is sown in such places. It is only because no trace can be found between public opinion and dinner invitations that the pronouncements stand forth so grandly and imperially. Yet in my view, the public opinion that emerges after drinking is actually more humane. Man is not made of wood or stone — how can one discuss nothing but reason? Being swayed by personal feelings and leaning to one side — therein lies precisely a human breath. Besides, China has always placed great store by "face." What is "face"? Someone in the Ming Dynasty already explained it: "Face is what you call... face." Naturally one does not know what he means, but one can also understand what he means. In today's world, expecting impartial public opinion is nothing but a dream. Even post-dinner assessments and after-wine pronouncements — why not listen to them with a grain of salt? However, if you take them for the genuine, old-brand article of public opinion, you will certainly be taken in — |
| 但這也不能獨歸罪於公論家，社會上風行請吃飯而諱言請吃飯，使人們不得不虛假，那自然也應該分任其咎的。 | But one cannot blame this entirely on the opinion-makers. Society promotes the practice of inviting people to dinner while taboo-ing any mention of dinner invitations, compelling people to be false — and surely society must share its portion of the blame. |
| 記得好幾年前，是「兵諫」之後，有槍階級專喜歡在天津會議的時候，有一個青年憤憤地告訴我道：他們那裡是會議呢，在酒席上，在賭桌上，帶著說幾句就決定了。他就是受了「公論不發源於酒飯說」之騙的一個，所以永遠是憤然，殊不知他那理想中的情形，怕要到二九二五年才會出現呢，或者竟許到三九二五年。 | I recall that several years ago — it was after the "remonstrance by armed force" — during the era when the class that possessed guns was particularly fond of holding conferences in Tianjin, a young man indignantly told me: "What conference? Over the banquet table, at the gambling table — a few casual words and everything is decided." He was one of those deceived by the doctrine that "public opinion does not originate at banquets," which is why he was perpetually indignant. Little did he know that the ideal state of affairs he envisioned would probably not materialize until the year 2925, or perhaps not until 3925. |
| 然而不以酒飯為重的老實人，卻是的確也有的，要不然，中國自然還要壞。有些會議，從午後二時起，討論問題，研究章程，此問彼難，風起雲湧，一直到七八點，大家就無端覺得有些焦躁不安，脾氣愈大了，議論愈糾紛了，章程愈渺茫了，雖說我們到討論完畢後才散罷，但終於一哄而散，無結果。這就是輕視了吃飯的報應，六七點鐘時分的焦躁不安，就是肚子對於本身和別人的警告，而大家誤信了吃飯與講公理無關的妖言，毫不瞅睬，所以肚子就使你演說也沒精采，宣言也——連草稿都沒有。 | Yet there are indeed honest people who do not regard wine and food as paramount — otherwise China would be even worse off. Some conferences begin at two in the afternoon: debating issues, studying bylaws, questioning and challenging, a tempest of words, all the way until seven or eight o'clock. Then everyone inexplicably begins to feel somewhat anxious and agitated, tempers grow worse, arguments become more tangled, bylaws more remote. Although they say "let us not adjourn until the discussion is concluded," in the end it breaks up in a tumult, without result. This is the retribution for slighting food. The anxiety at six or seven o'clock is the stomach's warning to itself and to others. But everyone has swallowed the heretical doctrine that eating has nothing to do with speaking justice, and pays it no heed. So the stomach ensures your speeches lack brilliance, your manifestos — you do not even have a draft. |
| 但我並不說凡有一點事情，總得到什麼太平湖飯店，擷英番菜館之類裡去開大宴；我於那些店裡都沒有股本，犯不上替他們來拉主顧，人們也不見得都有這麼多的錢。我不過說，發議論和請吃飯，現在還是有關係的；請吃飯之於發議論，現在也還是有益處的；雖然，這也是人情之常，無足深怪的。 | But I do not mean that whenever there is a matter to discuss, one must head to some Taiping Lake Restaurant or Jieying Western-food House for a grand banquet. I hold no shares in any of those establishments and have no reason to solicit customers for them — nor does everyone necessarily have that much money. I merely say: making pronouncements and being invited to dinner are still connected; being invited to dinner still serves the making of pronouncements. Although this is merely human nature, nothing especially remarkable. |
| 順便還要給熱心而老實的青年們進一個忠告，就是沒酒沒飯的開會，時候不要開得太長，倘若時候已晚了，那麼，買幾個燒餅來吃了再說。這麼一辦，總可以比空著肚子的討論容易有結果，容易得收場。 | In passing, I would also like to offer a word of sincere advice to enthusiastic and honest young people: for meetings without wine or food, do not let them drag on too long. If it is getting late, buy a few sesame buns to eat before continuing. With this simple measure, it will certainly be easier to reach conclusions and come to a close than arguing on an empty stomach. |
| 膠牙餳的強硬辦法，用在灶君身上我不管它怎樣，用之於活人是不大好的。倘是活人，莫妙於給他醉飽一次，使他自己不開口，卻不是膠住他。中國人對人的手段頗高明，對鬼神卻總有些特別，二十三夜的捉弄灶君即其一例，但說起來也奇怪，灶君竟至於到了現在，還仿佛沒有省悟似的。 | As for the strong-arm method of jaw-sticking malt candy — when used on the Kitchen God, I do not care how it works — but applied to living people, it is not very advisable. If it is a living person, nothing works better than getting him drunk and well-fed once, so that he refrains from opening his mouth of his own accord — not because his jaws are glued shut. The Chinese are quite ingenious in their dealings with people, but with gods and spirits they always employ special measures. The trickery played on the Kitchen God on the twenty-third night is one example. But, strangely enough, the Kitchen God seems not to have caught on even to this day. |
| 道士們的對付「三屍神」，可是更利害了。我也沒有做過道士，詳細是不知道的，但據「耳食之言」，則道士們以為人身中有三屍神，到有一日，便乘人熟睡時，偷偷地上天去奏本身的過惡。這實在是人體本身中的奸細，《封神傳演義》常說的「三屍神暴躁，七竅生煙」的三屍神，也就是這東西。 | The Taoists' method of dealing with the "Three Corpse Spirits" is even more formidable. I have never been a Taoist priest, so I do not know the details. But according to "hearsay," Taoists believe that within the human body dwell three Corpse Spirits, and on a certain day they steal up to Heaven while their host is sound asleep, to report his transgressions. These are truly the spies within the body itself — the "Three Corpse Spirits" constantly mentioned in The Investiture of the Gods, as in "the Three Corpse Spirits rage, and smoke pours from seven orifices." |
| 但據說要抵制他卻不難，因為他上天的日子是有一定的，只要這一日不睡覺，他便無隙可乘，只好將過惡都放在肚子裡，再看明年的機會了。連膠牙餳都沒得吃，他實在比灶君還不幸，值得同情。 | But apparently it is not difficult to thwart them, for the day they ascend to Heaven is fixed. One need only stay awake on that day, and they find no gap to exploit — they can only keep all the transgressions stored in their belly and wait for next year's chance. They do not even get any jaw-sticking malt candy to eat; they are truly more wretched than the Kitchen God, and deserving of sympathy. |
| 三屍神不上天，罪狀都放在肚子裡；灶君雖上天，滿嘴是糖，在玉皇大帝面前含含糊胡地說了一通，又下來了。對於下界的情形，玉皇大帝一點也聽不懂，一點也不知道，於是我們今年當然還是一切照舊，天下太平。 | The Three Corpse Spirits do not ascend to Heaven, and the catalogue of sins stays in the belly. The Kitchen God does ascend, but with his mouth full of candy, he mumbles something unintelligible before the Jade Emperor and comes back down again. As for the state of the world below, the Jade Emperor does not understand a word and knows nothing at all. And so, this year again, naturally everything carries on as before — peace reigns under Heaven. |
| 我們中國人對於鬼神也有這樣的手段。 | We Chinese have such methods even when dealing with gods and spirits. |
| 我們中國人雖然敬信鬼神；卻以為鬼神總比人們傻，所以就用了特別的方法來處治他。至於對人，那自然是不同的了，但還是用了特別的方法來處治，只是不肯說；你一說，據說你就是卑視了他了。誠然，自以為看穿了的話，有時也的確反不免於淺薄。 | We Chinese, though we revere and believe in gods and spirits, consider them on the whole stupider than people, and so employ special methods to deal with them. As for dealing with people, that is naturally different — but special methods are still employed, only no one will say so. The moment you say it, they claim you are demeaning them. Admittedly, one who fancies he has seen through everything can indeed sometimes appear rather shallow. |
| 二月五日。 | February 5. |
| === Section 10 === | == Section 10 == |
| 中國人的對付鬼神，兇惡的是奉承，如瘟神和火神之類，老實一點的就要欺侮，例如對於土地或灶君。待遇皇帝也有類似的意思。君民本是同一民族，亂世時「成則為王敗則為賊」，平常是一個照例做皇帝，許多個照例做平民；兩者之間，思想本沒有什麼大差別。所以皇帝和大臣有「愚民政策」，百姓們也自有其「愚君政策」。 | When the Chinese deal with gods and spirits, they fawn upon the ferocious ones — such as the God of Pestilence and the God of Fire — while bullying the more honest ones, such as the Earth God or the Kitchen God. The treatment of the emperor follows a similar logic. Ruler and people belong to the same nation; in times of chaos, "he who succeeds is a king, he who fails is a bandit." In normal times, one follows custom and becomes emperor while the many follow custom and remain commoners. Between the two, there is no great difference in thinking. Thus, while the emperor and his ministers have their "policy of keeping the people ignorant," the common people likewise have their own "policy of keeping the ruler ignorant." |
| 往昔的我家，曾有一個老僕婦，告訴過我她所知道，而且相信的對付皇帝的方法。她說—— | In the household of my youth, there was an old maidservant who once told me the method she knew — and believed in — for dealing with the emperor. She said: |
| 「皇帝是很可怕的。他坐在龍位上，一不高興，就要殺人；不容易對付的。所以吃的東西也不能隨便給他吃，倘是不容易辦到的，他吃了又要，一時辦不到；——譬如他冬天想到瓜，秋天要吃桃子，辦不到，他就生氣，殺人了。現在是一年到頭給他吃波菜，一要就有，毫不為難。但是倘說是波菜，他又要生氣的，因為這是便宜貨，所以大家對他就不稱為波菜，另外起一個名字，叫作『紅嘴綠鸚哥』。」 | "The emperor is very frightening. He sits upon the Dragon Throne, and the moment he is displeased, he has people killed — he is not easy to deal with. So the food you give him cannot be given carelessly. If it is something not easily obtained and he eats it and wants more, and you cannot procure it immediately — say he fancies melons in winter or peaches in autumn — and you cannot provide them, he flies into a rage and has people killed. So now they feed him spinach all year round. Whenever he wants it, there it is, no trouble at all. But if you call it spinach, he will be angry again, because it is a cheap thing. So everyone gives it a different name — they call it 'Red-Beaked Green Parrot.'" |
| 在我的故鄉，是通年有波菜的，根很紅，正如鸚哥的嘴一樣。 | In my hometown, spinach is available all year round, and its roots are very red — just like a parrot's beak. |
| 這樣的連愚婦人看來，也是呆不可言的皇帝，似乎大可以不要了。然而並不，她以為要有的，而且應該聽憑他作威作福。至於用處，仿佛在靠他來鎮壓比自己更強梁的別人，所以隨便殺人，正是非備不可的要件。然而倘使自己遇到，且須侍奉呢？可又覺得有些危險了，因此只好又將他練成傻子，終年耐心地專吃著「紅嘴綠鸚哥」。 | An emperor so foolish that even an ignorant old woman could see it — one might think he could well be done away with. Yet she did not think so. She believed he was necessary, and moreover should be allowed to lord it over everyone as he pleased. As for his purpose, it seemed to be that he was needed to suppress others who were even more powerful than oneself. Therefore, killing people at will was precisely an indispensable attribute. But if one were to encounter him oneself, and moreover had to serve him? That felt somewhat dangerous, and so one had no choice but to train him into a fool, patiently feeding him "Red-Beaked Green Parrot" all year long. |
| 其實利用了他的名位，「挾天子以令諸侯」的，和我那老僕婦的意思和方法都相同，不過一則又要他弱，一則又要他愚。儒家的靠了「聖君」來行道也就是這玩意，因為要「靠」，所以要他威重，位高；因為要便於操縱，所以又要他頗老實，聽話。 | In truth, those who exploited his title and position to "hold the Son of Heaven hostage and issue orders to the lords" shared exactly the same idea and method as my old maidservant — except that the one wanted him weak, while the other wanted him stupid. The Confucians' reliance on a "Sage King" to implement the Way amounted to the same trick: because they needed to "rely" on him, they needed his prestige and lofty position; because they needed him to be easy to manipulate, they also needed him to be rather naive and obedient. |
| 皇帝一自覺自己的無上威權，這就難辦了。既然「普天之下，莫非皇土」，他就胡鬧起來，還說是「自我得之，自我失之，我又何恨」哩！於是聖人之徒也只好請他吃「紅嘴綠鸚哥」了，這就是所謂「天」。據說天子的行事，是都應該體帖天意，不能胡鬧的；而這「天意」也者，又偏只有儒者們知道著。 | Once the emperor became aware of his own supreme authority, things grew difficult. Since "all land under Heaven belongs to the king," he ran amok, and even said, "I obtained it myself, I lose it myself — what have I to resent!" And so the disciples of the sages had no choice but to feed him "Red-Beaked Green Parrot" — which is to say, "Heaven." The Son of Heaven, it was said, should model all his actions on the will of Heaven and must not run amok. And this so-called "will of Heaven" just happened to be known only to the Confucian scholars. |
| 這樣，就決定了：要做皇帝就非請教他們不可。 | Thus it was settled: anyone who wished to be emperor had no choice but to consult them. |
| 然而不安分的皇帝又胡鬧起來了。你對他說「天」麼，他卻道，「我生不有命在天？！」豈但不仰體上天之意而已，還逆天，背天，「射天」，簡直將國家鬧完，使靠天吃飯的聖賢君子們，哭不得，也笑不得。 | But then unruly emperors would run amok again. You tell him about "Heaven"? He retorts: "Was my birth not ordained by Heaven?!" Not content with merely failing to comply with Heaven's will, he defied Heaven, turned his back on Heaven, even "shot arrows at Heaven" — reducing the country to ruin and leaving the sage gentlemen who relied on Heaven for their livelihood unable to cry or laugh. |
| 於是乎他們只好去著書立說，將他罵一通，豫計百年之後，即身歿之後，大行于時，自以為這就了不得。 | And so they could only retire to write their books and treatises, giving him a good tongue-lashing, anticipating that a hundred years hence — that is, after their own death — their works would be widely circulated, and congratulating themselves that this amounted to something remarkable. |
| 但那些書上，至多就止記著「愚民政策」和「愚君政策」全都不成功。 | But in those books, at most, it is only recorded that both the "policy of keeping the people ignorant" and the "policy of keeping the ruler ignorant" were complete failures. |
| 二月十七日。 | February 17. |
| === Section 11 === | == Section 11 == |
| == １ == | == 1 == |
| 又是Schopenhauer先生的話—— | Again a saying from Mr. Schopenhauer: |
| 「無刺的薔薇是沒有的。——然而沒有薔薇的刺卻很多。」題目改變了一點，較為好看了。 | "There is no rose without thorns. — But there are plenty of thorns without roses." The title has been changed a little, making it more pleasing. |
| 「無花的薔薇」也還是愛好看。 | "Roses without blooms" is also rather pleasing. |
| == ２ == | == 2 == |
| 去年，不知怎的這位勗本華爾先生忽然合于我們國度裡的紳士們的脾胃了，便拉扯了他的一點《女人論》；我也就夾七夾八地來稱引了好幾回，可惜都是刺，失了薔薇，實在大煞風景，對不起紳士們。 | Last year, for some reason, this Mr. Schopenhauer suddenly suited the palates of the gentlemen in our country, and so they dragged in a bit of his essay "On Women." I too jumbled things together and quoted him several times, but unfortunately it was all thorns, missing the roses — truly a great spoiler of the scenery, and my apologies to the gentlemen. |
| 記得幼小時候看過一齣戲，名目忘卻了，一家正在結婚，而勾魂的無常鬼已到，夾在婚儀中間，一同拜堂，一同進房，一同坐床……實在大煞風景，我希望我還不至於這樣。 | I recall that as a small child I saw a play — the title I have forgotten — in which a family was in the middle of a wedding, but the soul-snatching ghost of Impermanence had already arrived and joined in the wedding ceremony: bowing together, entering the bridal chamber together, sitting on the bed together... Truly a great spoiler of the scenery. I hope I have not quite come to that. |
| == ３ == | == 3 == |
| 有人說我是「放冷箭者」。 | Someone has called me "one who shoots cold arrows." |
| 我對於「放冷箭」的解釋，頗有些和他們一流不同，是說有人受傷，而不知這箭從什麼地方射出。所謂「流言」者，庶幾近之。但是我，卻明明站在這裡。 | My understanding of "shooting cold arrows" differs somewhat from theirs: it means someone is wounded but does not know where the arrow came from. What is called "rumor" is something close to this. But I — I am plainly standing right here. |
| 但是我，有時雖射而不說明靶子是誰，這是因為初無「與眾共棄」之心，只要該靶子獨自知道，知道有了洞，再不要面皮鼓得急繃繃，我的事就完了。 | Yet I sometimes shoot without specifying who the target is. This is because I have no desire to "have everyone join in condemning him." I only want the target himself to know, to know he has a hole in him, and to stop puffing out his face so tight. Then my business is done. |
| == ４ == | == 4 == |
| 蔡孑民先生一到上海，《晨報》就據國聞社電報鄭重地發表他的談話，而且加以按語，以為「當為歷年潛心研究與冷眼觀察之結果，大足詔示國人，且為知識階級所注意也。」 | No sooner had Mr. Cai Yuanpei (蔡孑民) arrived in Shanghai than the Morning Post, citing a Guowen News Agency telegram, solemnly published his remarks, adding editorial commentary to the effect that they "must be the result of years of quiet research and cold-eyed observation, well worthy of instructing the nation and deserving the attention of the intellectual class." |
| 我很疑心那是胡適之先生的談話，國聞社的電碼有些錯誤了。 | I strongly suspect those were actually the remarks of Mr. Hu Shi (胡適之), and there was some error in the Guowen Agency's telegraph code. |
| == ５ == | == 5 == |
| 豫言者，即先覺，每為故國所不容，也每受同時人的迫害，大人物也時常這樣。他要得人們的恭維讚歎時，必須死掉，或者沉默，或者不在面前。 | The prophet — that is, the one who awakens first — is invariably unwelcome in his homeland and is often persecuted by his contemporaries. Even great men often fare thus. To earn people's reverence and admiration, one must die, or fall silent, or not be present. |
| 總而言之，第一要難於質證。 | In short, the first requirement is that verification must be difficult. |
| 如果孔丘，釋迦，耶穌基督還活著，那些教徒難免要恐慌。對於他們的行為，真不知道教主先生要怎樣慨歎。 | If Confucius, Shakyamuni, and Jesus Christ were still alive, their followers would inevitably be alarmed. One can only imagine what the founders would sigh about their followers' behavior. |
| 所以，如果活著，只得迫害他。 | Therefore, if they are alive, there is no choice but to persecute them. |
| 待到偉大的人物成為化石，人們都稱他偉人時，他已經變了傀儡了。 | By the time a great figure has become a fossil and everyone calls him a great man, he has already been turned into a puppet. |
| 有一流人之所謂偉大與渺小，是指他可給自己利用的效果的大小而言。 | There is a class of people for whom "greatness" and "smallness" are measured solely by how much profit they can extract from someone. |
| == ６ == | == 6 == |
| 法國羅曼羅蘭先生今年滿六十歲了。晨報社為此徵文徐志摩先生于介紹之餘，發感慨道：「……但如其有人拿一些時行的口號，什麼打倒帝國主義等等，或是分裂與猜忌的現象，去報告羅蘭先生說這是新中國，我再也不能預料他的感想了。」（《晨副》一二九九） | The French writer Romain Rolland turns sixty this year. For this occasion, the Morning Post Society solicited essays, and Mr. Xu Zhimo (徐志摩), after his introduction, expressed this sentiment: "...But if someone were to take some fashionable slogans — 'Down with imperialism' and so forth — or the phenomena of division and suspicion, and report to Mr. Rolland that this is the New China, I can no longer predict what his reaction would be." (Morning Post Supplement, No. 1299) |
| 他住得遠，我們一時無從質證，莫非從「詩哲」的眼光看來，羅蘭先生的意思，是以為新中國應該歡迎帝國主義的麼？ | He lives far away and we cannot verify this immediately. But does it seem, from the "Poet-Philosopher's" point of view, that Mr. Rolland believes the New China should welcome imperialism? |
| 「詩哲」又到西湖看梅花去了，一時也無從質證。不知孤山的古梅，著花也未，可也在那裡反對中國人「打倒帝國主義」？ | The "Poet-Philosopher" has gone off to West Lake to view the plum blossoms again, and for the moment we cannot verify this either. I wonder whether the ancient plum trees of Solitary Hill have bloomed yet, and whether they too are there opposing the Chinese slogan "Down with imperialism"? |
| == ７ == | == 7 == |
| 志摩先生曰：「我很少誇獎人的。但西瀅就他學法郎士的文章說，我敢說，已經當得起一句天津話：‘有根’了。」而且「像西瀅這樣，在我看來，才當得起‘學者’的名詞。」（《晨副》一四二三） | Mr. Zhimo said: "I very rarely praise people. But speaking of Xi Ying's study of the writings of Anatole France, I dare say he has already earned, in the Tianjin expression, the phrase 'well-grounded.' " Moreover, "Someone like Xi Ying, in my view, truly deserves the title of 'scholar.' " (Morning Post Supplement, No. 1423) |
| 西瀅教授曰：「中國的新文學運動，方在萌芽，可是稍有貢獻的人，如胡適之，徐志摩，郭沫若，郁達夫，丁西林，周氏兄弟等等都是曾經研究過他國文學的人。尤其是志摩他非但在思想方面，就是在體制方面，他的詩及散文，都已經有一種中國文學裡從來不曾有過的風格。」（《現代》六三） | Professor Xi Ying (西瀅) said: "China's new literary movement is still in its infancy, but those who have made some contribution — Hu Shizhi, Xu Zhimo, Guo Moruo, Yu Dafu, Ding Xilin, the Zhou brothers, and others — have all studied foreign literature. Especially Zhimo — not only in thought but also in form, his poetry and prose already possess a style never before seen in Chinese literature." (Xiandai Pinglun [Contemporary Review], No. 63) |
| 雖然抄得麻煩，但中國現今「有根」的「學者」和「尤其」的思想家及文人，總算已經互相選出了。 | Although it was tedious to copy, the "well-grounded" "scholar" and the "especially" distinguished thinker and man of letters of today's China have managed to select each other. |
| == ８ == | == 8 == |
| 志摩先生曰：「魯迅先生的作品，說來大不敬得很，我拜讀過很少，就只《呐喊》集裡兩三篇小說，以及新近因為有人尊他是中國的尼采他的《熱風》集裡的幾頁。他平常零星的東西，我即使看也等於白看，沒有看進去或是沒有看懂。」（《晨副》一四三三） | Mr. Zhimo said: "As for the works of Mr. Lu Xun — and this is very disrespectful to say — I have read very few. Just two or three short stories from the Nahan [Call to Arms] collection, and recently, because someone honored him as China's Nietzsche, a few pages from his Re Feng [Hot Wind] collection. His usual miscellaneous pieces — even if I read them, it is as though I haven't, for nothing goes in, or I simply don't understand." (Morning Post Supplement, No. 1433) |
| 西瀅教授曰：「魯迅先生一下筆就構陷人家的罪狀。…… | Professor Xi Ying said: "The moment Mr. Lu Xun picks up his pen, he fabricates charges against people.... |
| 可是他的文章，我看過了就放進了應該去的地方——說句體己話，我覺得它們就不應該從那裡出來——手邊卻沒有。」（同上） | But his writings — after I read them I put them where they belong. To speak frankly, I feel they should never have come out of there in the first place. But I don't have them at hand." (ibid.) |
| 雖然抄得麻煩，但我總算已經被中國現在「有根」的「學者」和「尤其」的思想家及文人協力踏倒了。 | Although it was tedious to copy, I have been duly trampled by the concerted efforts of China's current "well-grounded" "scholar" and "especially" distinguished thinker and man of letters. |
| == ９ == | == 9 == |
| 但我願奉還「曾經研究過他國文學」的榮名。「周氏兄弟」之一，一定又是我了。我何嘗研究過什麼呢，做學生時候看幾本外國小說和文人傳記，就能算「研究過他國文學」麼？ | But I wish to return the honorific title of "having studied foreign literature." One of the "Zhou brothers" is no doubt me again. When have I ever studied anything? Reading a few foreign novels and literary biographies as a student — does that count as "having studied foreign literature"? |
| 該教授——恕我打一句「官話」——說過，我笑別人稱他們為「文士」，而不笑「某報天天鼓吹」我是「思想界的權威者」。現在不了，不但笑，簡直唾棄它。 | The said professor — pardon my "official language" — once said that I laughed at others for calling them "men of letters" but did not laugh when "a certain newspaper trumpeted daily" that I was "an authority in the world of thought." Now I do more than laugh — I downright spit upon it. |
| == 10 == | == 10 == |
| 其實呢，被毀則報，被譽則默，正是人情之常。誰能說人的左頰既受愛人接吻而不作一聲，就得援此為例，必須默默地將右頰給仇人咬一口呢？ | And in truth, to retaliate when slandered yet stay silent when praised is simply human nature. Who can argue that because one's left cheek received a kiss from a lover without a sound, one must therefore, citing this precedent, silently offer one's right cheek for an enemy to bite? |
| 我這回的竟不要那些西瀅教授所頒賞陪襯的榮名，「說句體己話」罷，實在是不得已。我的同鄉不是有「刑名師爺」的麼？他們都知道，有些東西，為要顯示他傷害你的時候的公正，在不相干的地方就稱讚你幾句，似乎有賞有罰，使別人看去，很像無私……。 | The reason I now decline even the honorific title that Professor Xi Ying bestowed as window-dressing — "to speak frankly" — is out of necessity. Are there not "legal secretaries" among my fellow Shaoxingers? They all know: certain people, in order to demonstrate their impartiality when they harm you, will praise you in a few irrelevant places, as if there were both reward and punishment, making onlookers think they are disinterested... |
| 「帶住！」又要「構陷人家的罪狀」了。只是這一點，就已經夠使人「即使看也等於白看」，或者「看過了就放進了應該去的地方」了。 | "Halt!" I am about to "fabricate charges against people" again. This point alone is already enough to make one "read and yet not read," or "read and then put it where it belongs." |
| 二月二十七日。 | February 27. |
| === Section 12 === | == Section 12 == |
| == １ == | == 1 == |
| 英國勃爾根貴族曰：「中國學生只知閱英文報紙，而忘卻孔子之教。英國之大敵，即此種極力詛咒帝國而幸災樂禍之學生。……中國為過激黨之最好活動場……。」（一九二五年六月三十日倫敦路透電。） | The British nobleman Lord Birkenhead said: "Chinese students only read English-language newspapers and have forgotten the teachings of Confucius. The greatest enemy of England is this kind of student who curses the Empire with all his might and takes delight in its misfortunes.... China is the best field of activity for radical parties...." (Reuter telegram from London, June 30, 1925.) |
| 南京通信云：「基督教城中會堂聘金大教授某神學博士講演，中有謂孔子乃耶穌之信徒，因孔子吃睡時皆禱告上帝。當有聽眾……質問何所據而雲然；博士語塞。時乃有教徒數人，突緊閉大門，聲言‘發問者，乃蘇俄盧布買收來者’。當呼警捕之。……」（三月十一日《國民公報》。） | A dispatch from Nanjing reports: "The Christian city chapel invited a certain theology professor from the University of Nanjing, a Doctor of Divinity, to give a lecture, in which he stated that Confucius was a disciple of Jesus, since Confucius prayed to God when eating and sleeping. A member of the audience... asked on what basis he made such a claim; the Doctor was speechless. Thereupon several church members suddenly bolted the doors shut and declared: 'Those who ask such questions are bought with Soviet Russian rubles.' They then called the police to arrest them...." (Guomin Gongbao [National Public Gazette], March 11.) |
| 蘇俄的神通真是廣大，竟能買收叔梁紇，使生孔子於耶穌之前，則「忘卻孔子之教」和「質問何所據而雲然」者，當然都受著盧布的驅使無疑了。 | The miraculous powers of Soviet Russia are truly vast — to have bribed Shuliang He (叔梁紇) into begetting Confucius before Jesus! Then those who "forget the teachings of Confucius" and those who "ask on what basis such a claim is made" must surely all be acting under the influence of rubles. |
| == ２ == | == 2 == |
| 西瀅教授曰：「聽說在‘聯合戰線’中，關於我的流言特別多，並且據說我一個人每月可以領到三千元。‘流言’是在口上流的，在紙上到也不大見。」（《現代》六十五。） | Professor Xi Ying (西瀅) said: "I hear that in the 'united front,' the rumors about me are especially numerous, and it is said I alone receive three thousand yuan a month. 'Rumors' flow on the tongue; on paper, they are not much seen." (Xiandai Pinglun [Contemporary Review], No. 65.) |
| 該教授去年是只聽到關於別人的流言的，卻由他在紙上發表；據說今年卻聽到關於自己的流言了，也由他在紙上發表。「一個人每月可以領到三千元」，實在特別荒唐，可見關於自己的「流言」都不可信。但我以為關於別人的似乎倒是近理者居多。 | Last year, the said professor only heard rumors about other people, which he then published in print. This year, it is said, he has heard rumors about himself, which he likewise publishes in print. "One person receiving three thousand yuan a month" is indeed especially absurd, which shows that "rumors" about oneself are not to be believed. But in my view, those about others seem rather more often close to the truth. |
| == ３ == | == 3 == |
| 據說「孤桐先生」下臺之後，他的什麼《甲寅》居然漸漸的有了活氣了。可見官是做不得的。然而他又做了臨時執政府秘書長了，不知《甲寅》可仍然還有活氣？如果還有，官也還是做得的……。 | It is said that after "Mr. Gu Tong" (孤桐先生) left office, his journal Jia Yin (甲寅) gradually began to show some signs of life. From which one may see that one should not hold office. Yet now he has become Secretary-General of the Provisional Executive Government again — I wonder whether Jia Yin still shows signs of life? If it does, then holding office is perhaps not so bad after all.... |
| == ４ == | == 4 == |
| 已不是寫什麼「無花的薔薇」的時候了。 | It is no longer the time for writing things like "Roses Without Blooms." |
| 雖然寫的多是刺，也還要些和平的心。 | Although what I write is mostly thorns, it still requires a certain peaceable heart. |
| 現在，聽說北京城中，已經施行了大殺戮了。當我寫出上面這些無聊的文字的時候，正是許多青年受彈飲刃的時候。 | Now, I hear, in Beijing, a great slaughter has already been carried out. At the moment I was writing these trivial words above, it was the very moment when many young people were being struck by bullets and cut down by blades. |
| 嗚呼，人和人的魂靈，是不相通的。 | Alas — the souls of one person and another do not communicate. |
| == ５ == | == 5 == |
| 中華民國十五年三月十八日，段祺瑞政府使衛兵用步槍大刀，在國務院門前包圍虐殺徒手請願，意在援助外交之青年男女，至數百人之多。還要下令，誣之曰「暴徒」！ | On March 18 of the fifteenth year of the Republic of China, the government of Duan Qirui (段祺瑞) ordered its guards to use rifles and broadswords to surround and massacre, before the gates of the State Council, unarmed petitioners — young men and women whose purpose was to support the nation's diplomacy — numbering in the hundreds. And then issued an order slandering them as "rioters"! |
| 如此殘虐險狠的行為，不但在禽獸中所未曾見，便是在人類中也極少有的，除卻俄皇尼古拉二世使可薩克兵擊殺民眾的事，僅有一點相像。 | Such cruel and treacherous conduct is not only unseen among beasts; even among humankind it is exceedingly rare — save for a slight resemblance to the incident when Tsar Nicholas II sent Cossack soldiers to slaughter the populace. |
| == ６ == | == 6 == |
| 中國只任虎狼侵食，誰也不管。管的只有幾個年青的學生，他們本應該安心讀書的，而時局漂搖得他們安心不下。假如當局者稍有良心，應如何反躬自責，激發一點天良？ | China simply allows wolves and tigers to devour it, and no one cares. The only ones who care are a few young students, who should properly be studying in peace, but the times are so turbulent that they cannot sit still. If those in power had the slightest conscience, how ought they to examine themselves and stir up a shred of natural goodness? |
| 然而竟將他們虐殺了！ | Yet they slaughtered them! |
| == ７ == | == 7 == |
| 假如這樣的青年一殺就完，要知道屠殺者也決不是勝利者。 | If it were true that such young people could be finished off by a single slaughter, then know this: the slaughterers would by no means be the victors either. |
| 中國要和愛國者的滅亡一同滅亡。屠殺者雖然因為積有金資，可以比較長久地養育子孫，然而必至的結果是一定要到的。「子孫繩繩」又何足喜呢？滅亡自然較遲，但他們要住最不適於居住的不毛之地，要做最深的礦洞的礦工，要操最下賤的生業……。 | China would perish together with the perishing of its patriots. Though the slaughterers, having accumulated gold and wealth, may nurture their descendants somewhat longer, the inevitable outcome is certain to arrive. What joy is there in "descendants continuing in an unbroken line"? Their extinction will merely come a little later, but they will inhabit the most uninhabitable wastelands, work as miners in the deepest shafts, practice the lowliest of trades.... |
| == ８ == | == 8 == |
| 如果中國還不至於滅亡，則已往的史實示教過我們，將來的事便要大出於屠殺者的意料之外—— | If China is not yet fated to perish, then the historical record has already taught us that what comes next will far exceed the expectations of the slaughterers — |
| 這不是一件事的結束，是一件事的開頭。 | This is not the end of something. This is the beginning. |
| 墨寫的謊說，決掩不住血寫的事實。 | Lies written in ink can never obscure facts written in blood. |
| 血債必須用同物償還。拖欠得愈久，就要付更大的利息！ | Blood debts must be repaid in kind. The longer the debt is carried, the greater the interest! |
| == ９ == | == 9 == |
| 以上都是空話。筆寫的，有什麼相干？ | All the above is empty talk. What does it matter, being written with a pen? |
| 實彈打出來的卻是青年的血。血不但不掩於墨寫的謊語，不醉於墨寫的挽歌；威力也壓它不住，因為它已經騙不過，打不死了。 | What the real bullets fired, however, was the blood of the young. Blood is neither obscured by lies written in ink nor intoxicated by elegies written in ink. Even force cannot suppress it, for it has already been deceived past deceiving and killed past killing. |
| 三月十八日，民國以來最黑暗的一天，寫。 | Written on March 18 — the darkest day since the founding of the Republic. |
| === Section 13 === | == Section 13 == |
| 從一般人，尤其是久受異族及其奴僕鷹犬的蹂躪的中國人看來，殺人者常是勝利者，被殺者常是劣敗者。而眼前的事實也確是這樣。 | From the perspective of ordinary people — especially the Chinese, long trampled by foreign races and their lackeys and running dogs — the killer is always the victor, and the killed is always the loser. And the facts before our eyes are indeed thus. |
| 三月十八日段政府慘殺徒手請願的市民和學生的事，本已言語道斷，只使我們覺得所住的並非人間。但北京的所謂言論界，總算還有評論，雖然紙筆喉舌，不能使灑滿府前的青年的熱血逆流入體，仍復蘇生轉來。無非空口的呼號，和被殺的事實一同逐漸冷落。 | The massacre of unarmed petitioning citizens and students by the Duan government on March 18 has already left us beyond words — it only makes us feel that the place we inhabit is not the human world. Yet Beijing's so-called world of public opinion has at least managed some commentary. Although paper, pen, and voice cannot cause the young people's hot blood, spilled before the government gates, to flow back into their bodies and revive them, it amounts to nothing more than hollow cries, which together with the facts of the killing gradually grow cold. |
| 但各種評論中，我覺得有一些比刀槍更可以驚心動魄者在。這就是幾個論客，以為學生們本不應當自蹈死地，前去送死的。倘以為徒手請願是送死，本國的政府門前是死地，那就中國人真將死無葬身之所，除非是心悅誠服地充當奴子，「沒齒而無怨言」。不過我還不知道中國人的大多數人的意見究竟如何。假使也這樣，則豈但執政府前，便是全中國，也無一處不是死地了。 | But among the various commentaries, I find some more terrifying than knives and guns. These are the assertions of several pundits that the students should not have set foot on that ground of death and gone to throw away their lives. If unarmed petitioning is "throwing away one's life," and the gates of one's own government constitute a "ground of death" — then the Chinese truly have no place left to be buried, unless they willingly and wholeheartedly serve as slaves, "living out their days without a word of complaint." But I still do not know what the majority of Chinese think. If they think likewise, then it is not only the ground before the Executive Government that is a ground of death — all of China, everywhere, is a ground of death. |
| 人們的苦痛是不容易相通的。因為不易相通，殺人者便以殺人為唯一要道，甚至於還當作快樂。然而也因為不容易相通，所以殺人者所顯示的「死之恐怖」，仍然不能夠儆戒後來，使人民永遠變作牛馬。歷史上所記的關於改革的事，總是先僕後繼者，大部分自然是由於公義，但人們的未經「死之恐怖」，即不容易為「死之恐怖」所懾，我以為也是一個很大的原因。 | People's sufferings are not easily shared. Because they are not easily shared, the killer takes killing as the only path, and even finds pleasure in it. But also because they are not easily shared, the "terror of death" that the killer displays still cannot deter those who come after, turning the people into cattle and horses forever. In history's records of reform, those who fall are always followed by others who carry on. This is largely due to the cause of justice, of course; but the fact that people who have not experienced the "terror of death" are not easily cowed by the "terror of death" — this too, I believe, is a very significant reason. |
| 但我卻懇切地希望：「請願」的事，從此可以停止了。倘用了這許多血，竟換得一個這樣的覺悟和決心，而且永遠紀念著，則似乎還不算是很大的折本。 | Yet I earnestly hope that the business of "petitioning" can stop from now on. If this much blood has purchased such an awakening and such a resolve — and if it is remembered forever — then it may not be considered too great a loss. |
| 世界的進步，當然大抵是從流血得來。但這和血的數量，是沒有關係的，因為世上也盡有流血很多，而民族反而漸就滅亡的先例。即如這一回，以這許多生命的損失，僅博得「自蹈死地」的批判，便已將一部分人心的機微示給我們，知道在中國的死地是極其廣博。 | The progress of the world, naturally, is mostly achieved through bloodshed. But this bears no relation to the quantity of blood, for there are plenty of cases in history where a great deal of blood was shed and yet the nation moved closer to extinction. Take this very incident: so many lives lost, only to earn the verdict of "walking into a ground of death" — this alone has revealed to us the inner workings of a portion of the human heart, and shown us that the grounds of death in China are exceedingly vast. |
| 現在恰有一本羅曼羅蘭的《Le Jeu de L'Amour et de La Mort》在我面前，其中說：加爾是主張人類為進步計，即不妨有少許污點，萬不得已，也不妨有一點罪惡的；但他們卻不願意殺庫爾跋齊，因為共和國不喜歡在臂膊上抱著他的死屍，因為這過於沉重。 | As it happens, I have before me a copy of Romain Rolland's Le Jeu de L'Amour et de La Mort, in which it is said: Carnot maintained that for the sake of human progress, a small blemish is permissible, and if absolutely necessary, even a touch of evil. But they did not wish to kill Korbatchy, because the Republic did not care to hold his corpse in its arms — for it was too heavy. |
| 會覺得死屍的沉重，不願抱持的民族裡，先烈的「死」是後人的「生」的唯一的靈藥，但倘在不再覺得沉重的民族裡，卻不過是壓得一同淪滅的東西。 | A nation that feels the weight of corpses and does not wish to carry them — in such a nation, the "death" of martyrs is the sole remedy for the "life" of those who come after. But in a nation that no longer feels their weight, it is merely something that presses everyone down into a common destruction. |
| 中國的有志于改革的青年，是知道死屍的沉重的，所以總是「請願」。殊不知別有不覺得死屍的沉重的人們在，而且一併屠殺了「知道死屍的沉重」的心。 | The aspiring young reformers of China know the weight of corpses, which is why they always resort to "petitioning." Little do they know that there are others who do not feel the weight of corpses — and who moreover slaughter the very heart that "knows the weight of corpses." |
| 死地確乎已在前面。為中國計，覺悟的青年應該不肯輕死了罷。 | The ground of death is indeed before us. For China's sake, the awakened youth should no longer die so lightly. |
| 三月二十五日。 | March 25. |
| === Section 14 === | == Section 14 == |
| 三月十八日的慘殺事件，在事後看來，分明是政府布成的羅網，純潔的青年們竟不幸而陷下去了，死傷至於三百多人。這羅網之所以布成，其關鍵就全在於「流言」的奏了功效。 | The massacre of March 18, viewed in retrospect, was clearly a snare laid by the government, into which the pure-hearted young people unfortunately fell — with casualties numbering over three hundred. The key to the success of this snare lay entirely in the efficacy of "rumors." |
| 這是中國的老例，讀書人的心裡大抵含著殺機，對於異己者總給他安排下一點可死之道。就我所眼見的而論，凡陰謀家攻擊別一派，光緒年間用「康黨」，宣統年間用「革黨」，民二以後用「亂党」，現在自然要用「共產黨」了。 | This is an old custom in China. The hearts of the literati generally harbor murderous intent; for those who disagree with them, they always arrange some path to death. From what I have personally witnessed, whenever conspirators attack another faction, in the Guangxu era they used the label "Kang Party," in the Xuantong era "Revolutionary Party," after the second year of the Republic "Rebel Party," and now, naturally, it must be "Communist Party." |
| 其實，去年有些「正人君子」們稱別人為「學棍」「學匪」的時候，就有殺機存在，因為這類諢號，和「臭紳士」「文士」之類不同，在「棍」「匪」字裡，就藏著可死之道的。但這也許是「刀筆吏」式的深文周納。 | In truth, when last year certain "upright gentlemen" dubbed others "academic rogues" and "academic bandits," murderous intent was already present, for such epithets differ from "stinking gentry" or "petty literatus" — in the characters for "rogue" and "bandit" there already lurk paths to death. But perhaps this is merely the deep inquisitorial logic of the "clerk with a poisoned pen." |
| 去年，為「整頓學風」計，大傳播學風怎樣不良的流言，學匪怎樣可惡的流言，居然很奏了效。今年，為「整頓學風」計，又大傳播共產黨怎樣活動，怎樣可惡的流言，又居然很奏了效。於是便將請願者作共產黨論，三百多人死傷了，如果有一個所謂共產黨的首領死在裡面，就更足以證明這請願就是「暴動」。 | Last year, for the sake of "rectifying academic morals," rumors were spread far and wide about how deplorable academic morals had become, how detestable the "academic bandits" were — and these rumors proved remarkably effective. This year, again for the sake of "rectifying academic morals," rumors were widely spread about how the Communist Party was operating, how detestable they were — and again these proved remarkably effective. Thus the petitioners were treated as Communists, and over three hundred people were killed or wounded. If a single so-called Communist leader had died among them, it would have sufficed to prove that this petition was an "insurrection." |
| 可惜竟沒有。這該不是共產黨了罷。據說也還是的，但他們全都逃跑了，所以更可惡。而這請願也還是暴動，做證據的有一根木棍，兩支手槍，三瓶煤油。姑勿論這些是否群眾所攜去的東西；即使真是，而死傷三百多人所攜的武器竟不過這一點，這是怎樣可憐的暴動呵！ | Unfortunately, not one did. Surely then they were not Communists? Reportedly they still were, but they had all fled — which made them all the more detestable. And this petition was still an insurrection. The evidence consisted of one wooden club, two pistols, and three bottles of kerosene. Setting aside whether these were truly items carried by the crowd — even if they were, that the weapons carried by over three hundred dead and wounded amounted to no more than this: what a pitiful insurrection that would be! |
| 但次日，徐謙，李大釗，李煜瀛，易培基，顧兆熊的通緝令發表了。因為他們「嘯聚群眾」，像去年女子師範大學生的「嘯聚男生」（章士釗解散女子師範大學呈文語）一樣，「嘯聚」了帶著一根木棍，兩支手槍，三瓶煤油的群眾。以這樣的群眾來顛覆政府，當然要死傷三百多人；而徐謙們以人命為兒戲到這地步，那當然應該負殺人之罪了；而況自己又不到場，或者全都逃跑了呢？ | Yet the next day, arrest warrants were issued for Xu Qian (徐谦), Li Dazhao (李大钊), Li Yuying (李煜瀛), Yi Peiji (易培基), and Gu Zhaoxiong (顾兆熊). Because they had "gathered mobs together" — just as the students of the Women's Normal University had last year "gathered male students" (the words used by Zhang Shizhao [章士钊] in his petition to dissolve the Women's Normal University) — they had "gathered" a mob armed with one wooden club, two pistols, and three bottles of kerosene. To attempt to overthrow the government with such a mob would naturally result in over three hundred casualties; and for the Xu Qians to play with human lives to this extent, they naturally ought to bear the charge of murder — especially since they themselves did not appear on the scene, or had all fled! |
| 以上是政治上的事，我其實不很了然。但從別一方面看來，所謂「嚴拿」者，似乎倒是趕走；所謂「嚴拿」暴徒者，似乎不過是趕走北京中法大學校長兼清室善後委員會委員長（李），中俄大學校長（徐），北京大學教授（李大釗），北京大學教務長（顧），女子師範大學校長（易）；其中的三個又是俄款委員會委員：一共空出九個「優美的差缺」也。 | The above concerns political affairs, which I do not really understand well. But viewed from another angle, this so-called "strict arrest" seems rather more like chasing people away. The so-called "strict arrest" of rioters seems to amount to nothing more than chasing away the president of Beijing's Sino-French University and chairman of the Commission for the Settlement of Qing Dynasty Affairs (Li), the president of the Sino-Russian University (Xu), a professor at Peking University (Li Dazhao), the dean of academic affairs at Peking University (Gu), and the president of the Women's Normal University (Yi). Three of them were also members of the Russian Indemnity Commission — vacating a total of nine "fine and handsome positions." |
| 同日就又有一種謠言，便是說還要通緝五十多人；但那姓名的一部分，卻至今日才見於《京報》。這種計畫，在目下的段祺瑞政府的秘書長章士釗之流的腦子裡，是確實會有的。國事犯多至五十餘人，也是中華民國的一個壯觀；而且大概多是教員罷，倘使一同放下五十多個「優美的差缺」，逃出北京，在別的地方開起一個學校來，倒也是中華民國的一件趣事。 | On the same day there arose yet another rumor: that over fifty more people were to be arrested. But a partial list of names did not appear in the Jingbao until today. Such a scheme is quite conceivable in the minds of the likes of Zhang Shizhao, currently Secretary-General of Duan Qirui's (段祺瑞) government. For political criminals to number over fifty would indeed be a grand spectacle for the Republic of China. And since most of them are presumably teachers, if they were all to vacate over fifty "fine and handsome positions" simultaneously, flee Beijing, and set up a school somewhere else, that would truly be an amusing episode for the Republic of China. |
| 那學校的名稱，就應該叫作「嘯聚」學校。 | The name of that school should be the "Gathering" School. |
| 三月二十六日。 | March 26. |
| === Section 15 === | == Section 15 == |
| == 一 == | == I == |
| 中華民國十五年三月二十五日，就是國立北京女子師範大學為十八日在段祺瑞執政府前遇害的劉和珍楊德群兩君開追悼會的那一天，我獨在禮堂外徘徊，遇見程君，前來問我道，「先生可曾為劉和珍寫了一點什麼沒有？」我說「沒有」。她就正告我，「先生還是寫一點罷；劉和珍生前就很愛看先生的文章。」 | On March 25, in the fifteenth year of the Republic of China — the day the National Beijing Women's Normal University held a memorial service for Miss Liu Hezhen (刘和珍) and Miss Yang Dequn (杨德群), who had been killed before the Executive Mansion of Duan Qirui (段祺瑞) on the eighteenth — I was pacing alone outside the ceremonial hall when I ran into Miss Cheng, who came up and asked me: "Sir, have you written anything for Liu Hezhen?" I said, "No." She solemnly urged me: "Sir, you really ought to write something; in her lifetime, Liu Hezhen was very fond of reading your essays." |
| 這是我知道的，凡我所編輯的期刊，大概是因為往往有始無終之故罷，銷行一向就甚為寥落，然而在這樣的生活艱難中，毅然預定了《莽原》全年的就有她。我也早覺得有寫一點東西的必要了，這雖然於死者毫不相干，但在生者，卻大抵只能如此而已。倘使我能夠相信真有所謂「在天之靈」，那自然可以得到更大的安慰，——但是，現在，卻只能如此而已。 | This I knew. Every periodical I have edited has always had rather meager sales, probably because they tend to begin but never end. Yet even amid such hardship, one person who had resolutely subscribed to Mangyuan for the full year was she. I too had long felt the necessity of writing something, though this would make no difference whatsoever to the dead; for the living, however, this is perhaps the most one can do. If I could believe there truly existed such a thing as "a spirit in heaven," I might naturally find greater comfort — but as things stand now, this is the most one can do. |
| 可是我實在無話可說。我只覺得所住的並非人間。四十多個青年的血，洋溢在我的周圍，使我艱於呼吸視聽，那裡還能有什麼言語？長歌當哭，是必須在痛定之後的。而此後幾個所謂學者文人的陰險的論調，尤使我覺得悲哀。我已經出離憤怒了。我將深味這非人間的濃黑的悲涼；以我的最大哀痛顯示於非人間，使它們快意於我的苦痛，就將這作為後死者的菲薄的祭品，奉獻於逝者的靈前。 | Yet I truly have nothing to say. I only feel that the place where I live is not the human world. The blood of more than forty young people is flooding all around me, making it difficult for me to breathe, to see, to hear — how could I still find words? Singing a long song in lieu of weeping is something that can only be done after the pain has subsided. And since then, the sinister arguments of a few so-called scholars and literati have made me feel all the more sorrowful. I have passed beyond mere anger. I shall savor deeply this thick, black sorrow of a world that is not the world of humans; with my greatest grief I shall make a display before this inhuman world, to let it take pleasure in my anguish, and offer this as a meager sacrifice before the spirits of the departed. |
| == 二 == | == II == |
| 真的猛士，敢於直面慘淡的人生，敢於正視淋漓的鮮血。這是怎樣的哀痛者和幸福者？然而造化又常常為庸人設計，以時間的流駛，來洗滌舊跡，僅使留下淡紅的血色和微漠的悲哀。在這淡紅的血色和微漠的悲哀中，又給人暫得偷生，維持著這似人非人的世界。我不知道這樣的世界何時是一個盡頭！ | The true warrior dares to face the bleakest life head-on, dares to confront the most profuse blood. What manner of sorrowful and fortunate person is this? Yet fate often designs things for the mediocre: with the passage of time it washes away old traces, leaving only a faint red bloodstain and a vague sorrow. Amid this faint red bloodstain and vague sorrow, people are granted a temporary stolen existence, sustaining this world that seems human yet is not. I do not know when such a world will reach its end! |
| 我們還在這樣的世上活著；我也早覺得有寫一點東西的必要了。離三月十八日也已有兩星期，忘卻的救主快要降臨了罷，我正有寫一點東西的必要了。 | We still live in such a world; and I too had long felt the necessity of writing something. Two weeks have already passed since March 18; the savior called Forgetting is about to descend — and I have all the more reason to write something now. |
| == 三 == | == III == |
| 在四十餘被害的青年之中，劉和珍君是我的學生。學生-{云}-者，我向來這樣想，這樣說，現在卻覺得有些躊躇了，我應該對她奉獻我的悲哀與尊敬。她不是「苟活到現在的我」的學生，是為了中國而死的中國的青年。 | Among the more than forty young people killed, Miss Liu Hezhen was my student. As for the word "student" — I have always thought and spoken of it thus, but now I find myself hesitating, for I should offer her my sorrow and my respect. She was not a student of "I who have merely lingered on till now"; she was a young Chinese woman who died for China. |
| 她的姓名第一次為我所見，是在去年夏初楊蔭榆女士做女子師範大學校長，開除校中六個學生自治會職員的時候。其中的一個就是她；但是我不認識。直到後來，也許已經是劉百昭率領男女武將，強拖出校之後了，才有人指著一個學生告訴我，說：這就是劉和珍。其時我才能將姓名和實體聯合起來，心中卻暗自詫異。我平素想，能夠不為勢利所屈，反抗一廣有羽翼的校長的學生，無論如何，總該是有些桀驁鋒利的，但她卻常常微笑著，態度很溫和。待到偏安於宗帽衚衕，賃屋授課之後，她才始來聽我的講義，於是見面的回數就較多了，也還是始終微笑著，態度很溫和。待到學校恢復舊觀，往日的教職員以為責任已盡，準備陸續引退的時候，我才見她慮及母校前途，黯然至於泣下。此後似乎就不相見。總之，在我的記憶上，那一次就是永別了。 | The first time her name came to my attention was in the early summer of last year, when Ms. Yang Yinyu (杨荫榆) was serving as president of the Women's Normal University and expelled six members of the student self-government association. She was one of them; but I did not know her. It was not until later — perhaps already after Liu Baizhao (刘百昭) had led his male and female officers to drag the students forcibly out of the school — that someone pointed out a student and told me: "That is Liu Hezhen." Only then could I match the name with the person, and I was secretly astonished. I had always imagined that a student who could resist pressure and stand up against a well-connected president would, no matter what, be somewhat fierce and sharp-tongued. But she was always smiling, with a most gentle demeanor. When they had taken refuge in Zongmao Hutong, renting rooms to hold classes, she first came to attend my lectures, and so we met more frequently — yet she was always smiling, with a most gentle demeanor. When the school was restored to its former state, and the former faculty, feeling their duty discharged, prepared to withdraw one by one, I saw her worrying about the future of her alma mater, so despondent as to shed tears. After that we seemed not to meet again. In sum, in my memory, that last time was our farewell. |
| == 四 == | == IV == |
| 我在十八日早晨，才知道上午有群眾向執政府請願的事；下午便得到噩耗，說衛隊居然開槍，死傷至數百人，而劉和珍君即在遇害者之列。但我對於這些傳說，竟至於頗為懷疑。我向來是不憚以最壞的惡意，來推測中國人的，然而我還不料，也不信竟會下劣凶殘到這地步。況且始終微笑著的和藹的劉和珍君，更何至於無端在府門前喋血呢？ | On the morning of the eighteenth, I first learned that there was to be a mass petition to the Executive Mansion that morning. In the afternoon came the dreadful news: the guards had actually opened fire, killing and wounding several hundred people, and Miss Liu Hezhen was among the victims. But I was so incredulous of these reports as almost to doubt them. I have always been unsparing in attributing the worst malice to the Chinese, yet I had not expected, nor could I believe, that they could stoop to such depths of vileness and cruelty. Moreover, how could the ever-smiling, gentle Miss Liu Hezhen come to bleed to death, for no reason at all, before the gates of the Mansion? |
| 然而即日證明是事實了，作證的便是她自己的屍骸。還有一具，是楊德群君的。而且又證明著這不但是殺害，簡直是虐殺，因為身體上還有棍棒的傷痕。 | Yet that very day it was proved to be fact, the proof being her own corpse. There was another — that of Miss Yang Dequn. And moreover it was proved that this was not merely killing but outright murder by torture, for there were still the marks of clubs upon their bodies. |
| 但段政府就有令，說她們是「暴徒」！ 但接著就有流言，說她們是受人利用的。 | Yet the Duan government issued an order calling them "rioters"! And immediately there followed rumors, saying they had been used by others. |
| 慘象，已使我目不忍視了；流言，尤使我耳不忍聞。我還有什麼話可說呢？我懂得衰亡民族之所以默無聲息的緣由了。沉默呵，沉默呵！不在沉默中爆發，就在沉默中滅亡。 | The ghastly scene has already made my eyes unable to bear looking; the rumors have made my ears all the more unable to bear listening. What more can I say? I understand now the reason why declining nations perish in silence. Silence, oh silence! Those who do not explode in silence shall perish in silence. |
| == 五 == | == V == |
| 但是，我還有要說的話。 | But I still have something to say. |
| 我沒有親見；聽說她，劉和珍君，那時是欣然前往的。自然，請願而已，稍有人心者，誰也不會料到有這樣的羅網。但竟在執政府前中彈了，從背部入，斜穿心肺，已是致命的創傷，只是沒有便死。同去的張靜淑君想扶起她，中了四彈，其一是手槍，立僕；同去的楊德群君又想去扶起她，也被擊，彈從左肩入，穿胸偏右出，也立僕。但她還能坐起來，一個兵在她頭部及胸部猛擊兩棍，於是死掉了。 | I was not there in person; I have heard that she, Miss Liu Hezhen, went gladly at the time. Naturally — it was only a petition; anyone with a shred of humanity would never have anticipated such a trap. Yet she was shot before the Executive Mansion, the bullet entering from her back, piercing diagonally through heart and lungs — already a fatal wound, though she did not die at once. Her companion Zhang Jingshu (张静淑) tried to lift her up, and was hit by four bullets, one from a pistol, and fell instantly. Her companion Yang Dequn tried in turn to lift her up, and was also shot — the bullet entered from the left shoulder, passed through the chest, and exited on the right — and she too fell instantly. But Liu Hezhen was still able to sit up, whereupon a soldier struck her savagely twice on the head and chest with a club, and then she died. |
| 始終微笑的和藹的劉和珍君確是死掉了，這是真的，有她自己的屍骸為證；沉勇而友愛的楊德群君也死掉了，有她自己的屍骸為證；只有一樣沉勇而友愛的張靜淑君還在醫院里呻吟。當三個女子從容地轉輾於文明人所發明的槍彈的攢射中的時候，這是怎樣的一個驚心動魄的偉大呵！中國軍人的屠戮婦嬰的偉績，八國聯軍的懲創學生的武功，不幸全被這幾縷血痕抹殺了。 | The ever-smiling, gentle Miss Liu Hezhen is indeed dead — this is true, with her own corpse as proof. The courageous and loving Miss Yang Dequn is also dead — with her own corpse as proof. Only the equally courageous and loving Miss Zhang Jingshu still lies moaning in the hospital. When three women calmly made their way through the concentrated fire of bullets invented by civilized men — what an awe-inspiring greatness that was! The glorious feats of the Chinese military in slaughtering women and children, the martial achievements of the Eight-Nation Alliance in punishing students — all were unfortunately obliterated by these few streaks of blood. |
| 但是中外的殺人者卻居然昂起頭來，不知道個個臉上有著血污……。 | Yet the murderers, both Chinese and foreign, actually held their heads high, unaware that every face among them was stained with blood... |
| == 六 == | == VI == |
| 時間永是流駛，街市依舊太平，有限的幾個生命，在中國是不算什麼的，至多，不過供無惡意的閑人以飯後的談資，或者給有惡意的閑人作「流言」的種子。至於此外的深的意義，我總覺得很寥寥，因為這實在不過是徒手的請願。人類的血戰前行的歷史，正如煤的形成，當時用大量的木材，結果卻只是一小塊，但請願是不在其中的，更何況是徒手。 | Time flows on forever, the streets remain as peaceful as ever. A few limited lives count for nothing in China — at most, they provide after-dinner conversation for idle folk without malice, or furnish seed for "rumors" among idle folk with malice. As for any deeper significance beyond this, I find it very sparse, for this was in truth nothing more than a petition by unarmed people. The history of humanity's bloody advance is like the formation of coal: at the time, enormous quantities of wood were consumed, yet the result was only a small lump — and petitions have no place in that process, let alone unarmed ones. |
| 然而既然有了血痕了，當然不覺要擴大。至少，也當浸漬了親族；師友，愛人的心，縱使時光流駛，洗成緋紅，也會在微漠的悲哀中永存微笑的和藹的舊影。陶潛說過，「親戚或餘悲，他人亦已歌，死去何所道，托體同山阿。」倘能如此，這也就夠了。 | Yet since blood has been shed, it will naturally, even involuntarily, spread. At the very least, it should soak into the hearts of kinfolk, teachers, friends, and lovers, so that even as time flows on and washes it to a pale red, the smiling, gentle image of old shall endure forever amid the vague sorrow. Tao Qian (陶潜) once wrote: "Kinfolk may yet grieve a while, / Others have already sung their songs. / What is there to say of the dead? / Their bodies rest with the hills." If this much can be achieved, it is enough. |
| == 七 == | == VII == |
| 我已經說過：我向來是不憚以最壞的惡意來推測中國人的。但這回卻很有幾點出於我的意外。一是當局者竟會這樣地凶殘，一是流言家竟至如此之下劣，一是中國的女性臨難竟能如是之從容。 | I have already said: I have always been unsparing in attributing the worst malice to the Chinese. But this time, several things exceeded even my expectations. First, that those in power could be so cruel. Second, that the rumormongers could stoop to such depths of vileness. Third, that Chinese women could face danger with such composure. |
| 我目睹中國女子的辦事，是始於去年的，雖然是少數，但看那幹練堅決，百折不回的氣概，曾經屢次為之感嘆。至於這一回在彈雨中互相救助，雖殞身不恤的事實，則更足為中國女子的勇毅，雖遭陰謀秘計，壓抑至數千年，而終於沒有消亡的明證了。倘要尋求這一次死傷者對於將來的意義，意義就在此罷。 | I first witnessed Chinese women in action only last year, and though they were few in number, their capable decisiveness and unyielding spirit moved me to admiration time and again. As for this occasion, when in a rain of bullets they rescued one another, not flinching even at the cost of their own lives — this is all the more proof that the courage and fortitude of Chinese women, though suppressed for millennia by plots and conspiracies, has in the end never perished. If one seeks the significance of these casualties for the future, it lies in this. |
| 苟活者在淡紅的血色中，會依稀看見微茫的希望；真的猛士，將更奮然而前行。 | Those who merely linger on, amid the faint red bloodstain, may dimly perceive a faint hope; the true warrior shall stride forward all the more resolutely. |
| 嗚呼，我說不出話，但以此記念劉和珍君！ | Alas! I cannot find words, but with these lines I commemorate Miss Liu Hezhen! |
| === Section 16 === | == Section 16 == |
| ==一== | == I == |
| 請願的事，我一向就不以為然的，但並非因為怕有三月十八日那樣的慘殺。那樣的慘殺，我實在沒有夢想到，雖然我向來常以「刀筆吏」的意思來窺測我們中國人。我只知道他們麻木，沒有良心，不足與言，而況是請願，而況又是徒手，卻沒有料到有這麼陰毒與兇殘。能逆料的，大概只有段祺瑞，賈德耀，章士釗和他們的同類罷。四十七個男女青年的生命，完全是被騙去的，簡直是誘殺。 | I have never approved of petitioning — but not because I feared a massacre like that of March 18. Such a massacre I had truly never dreamed of, even though I habitually view my fellow Chinese with the mentality of a "clerk with a poisoned pen." I knew only that they were apathetic, without conscience, and not worth reasoning with — let alone through petitions, let alone unarmed ones — yet I had not expected such insidious cruelty. Those who could have foreseen it were probably only Duan Qirui (段祺瑞), Jia Deyao (贾德耀), Zhang Shizhao (章士钊), and their ilk. The lives of forty-seven young men and women were taken entirely through deception — it was nothing short of murder by enticement. |
| 有些東西——我稱之為什麼呢，我想不出——說：群眾領袖應負道義上的責任。這些東西仿佛就承認了對徒手群眾應該開槍，執政府前原是「死地」，死者就如自投羅網一般。 | Certain creatures — what should I call them? I cannot think of a word — said: the leaders of the masses ought to bear moral responsibility. These creatures seem to acknowledge that it is proper to open fire on an unarmed crowd, that the space before the Executive Mansion was a "killing ground," and that the dead had walked into a trap of their own accord. |
| 群眾領袖本沒有和段祺瑞等輩心心相印，也未曾互相鉤通，怎麼能夠料到這陰險的辣手。這樣的辣手，只要略有人氣者，是萬萬豫想不到的。 | The leaders of the masses had no telepathic bond with Duan Qirui and his kind, nor were they in any secret collusion — how could they have anticipated such insidious brutality? Such brutality is something that anyone with the slightest trace of humanity would never, ever have imagined. |
| 我以為倘要鍛煉群眾領袖的錯處，只有兩點：一是還以請願為有用；二是將對手看得太好了。 | I believe that if one must find fault with the leaders of the masses, there are only two points: first, that they still considered petitioning useful; second, that they thought too well of their adversaries. |
| ==二== | == II == |
| 但以上也仍然是事後的話。我想，當這事實沒有發生以前，恐怕誰也不會料到要演這般的慘劇，至多，也不過獲得照例的徒勞罷了。只有有學問的聰明人能夠先料到，承認凡請願就是送死。 | But even the above is hindsight. I think that before this event actually occurred, probably no one would have expected such a tragedy to unfold — at most, they expected only the customary futility. Only learned and clever people could foresee in advance that all petitioning amounts to throwing away one's life. |
| 陳源教授的《閒話》說：「我們要是勸告女志士們，以後少加入群眾運動，她們一定要說我們輕視她們，所以我們也不敢來多嘴。可是對於未成年的男女孩童，我們不能不希望他們以後不再參加任何運動。」（《現代評論》六十八）為什麼呢？因為參加各種運動，是甚至於像這次一樣，要「冒槍林彈雨的險，受踐踏死傷之苦」的。 | Professor Chen Yuan's (陈源) "Idle Talk" stated: "If we were to advise our women activists to participate less in mass movements henceforth, they would certainly say we look down on them, so we dare not say too much. But regarding underage boys and girls, we cannot but hope that hereafter they will no longer participate in any movements." (Modern Review, No. 68.) Why? Because participating in various movements means — even like this time — "braving a hail of bullets and suffering the agony of being trampled, wounded, and killed." |
| 這次用了四十七條性命，只購得一種見識：本國的執政府前是「槍林彈雨」的地方，要去送死，應該待到成年，出於自願的才是。 | This time, forty-seven lives were spent to purchase a single piece of knowledge: that the space before the Executive Mansion of one's own country is a place of "hails of bullets," and that if one wishes to go there to die, one should wait until one is of age and goes of one's own free will. |
| 我以為「女志士」和「未成年的男女孩童」，參加學校運動會，大概倒還不至於有很大的危險的。至於「槍林彈雨」中的請願，則雖是成年的男志士們，也應該切切記住，從此甘休！ | I believe that "women activists" and "underage boys and girls" would probably not face very great danger if they participated in school athletic meets. As for petitioning amid "hails of bullets" — even adult male activists should inscribe this firmly in their minds and desist henceforth! |
| 看現在竟如何。不過多了幾篇詩文，多了若干談助。幾個名人和什麼當局者在接洽葬地，由大請願改為小請願了。埋葬自然是最妥當的收場。然而很奇怪，仿佛這四十七個死者，是因為怕老來死後無處埋葬，特來掙一點官地似的。萬生園多麼近，而四烈士墳前還有三塊墓碑不鐫一字，更何況僻遠如圓明園。 | Look at how things stand now. Nothing more than a few extra poems and essays, a few more topics for idle chatter. A few celebrities and some authorities are negotiating for burial plots — the great petition has been reduced to a small petition. Burial is naturally the most fitting conclusion. Yet how strange: it is as if these forty-seven dead had feared that in old age they would have nowhere to be buried, and came specifically to secure a small plot of government land. The Wanshengyuan is so nearby, yet before the tombs of the Four Martyrs there are still three headstones without a single character engraved — how much more so for a place as remote as the Yuanmingyuan. |
| 死者倘不埋在活人的心中，那就真真死掉了。 | If the dead are not buried in the hearts of the living, then they are truly and completely dead. |
| ==三== | == III == |
| 改革自然常不免於流血，但流血非即等於改革。血的應用，正如金錢一般，吝嗇固然是不行的，浪費也大大的失算。 | Reform naturally often cannot avoid bloodshed, but bloodshed is by no means equivalent to reform. The expenditure of blood, like the expenditure of money: stinginess is certainly no good, but squandering is a great miscalculation. |
| 我對於這回的犧牲者，非常覺得哀傷。 | I feel profound sorrow for the victims of this sacrifice. |
| 但願這樣的請願，從此停止就好。 | I only hope that such petitioning will henceforth cease. |
| 請願雖然是無論那一國度裡常有的事，不至於死的事，但我們已經知道中國是例外，除非你能將「槍林彈雨」消除。正規的戰法，也必須對手是英雄才適用。漢末總算還是人心很古的時候罷，恕我引一個小說上的典故：許褚赤體上陣，也就很中了好幾箭。而金聖歎還笑他道：「誰叫你赤膊？」至於現在似的發明了許多火器的時代，交兵就都用壕塹戰。這並非吝惜生命，乃是不肯虛擲生命，因為戰士的生命是寶貴的。在戰士不多的地方，這生命就愈寶貴。所謂寶貴者，並非「珍藏於家」，乃是要以小本錢換得極大的利息，至少，也必須賣買相當。以血的洪流淹死一個敵人，以同胞的屍體填滿一個缺陷，已經是陳腐的話了。從最新的戰術的眼光看起來，這是多麼大的損失。 | Petitioning is admittedly a common occurrence in every nation, one that need not result in death; but we now know that China is the exception — unless you can eliminate the "hail of bullets." Proper battle tactics, too, can only be employed when the adversary fights as a warrior. The end of the Han dynasty was supposedly still a time when people's hearts were quite old-fashioned — forgive me for citing a fiction: when Xu Chu (许褚) went into battle bare-chested, he was promptly struck by several arrows. And Jin Shengtan (金圣叹) laughed at him, saying: "Who told you to go bare-chested?" As for our present age, when so many firearms have been invented, battles are fought from trenches. This is not out of miserliness with life, but out of refusal to squander life, for the life of a soldier is precious. In places where soldiers are few, their lives are all the more precious. "Precious" does not mean "kept safely at home," but rather that a small investment should be exchanged for the greatest possible return — or at the very least, the transaction should be fair. To drown one enemy in a flood of blood, to fill a gap with the corpses of comrades — these are already trite phrases. Viewed from the perspective of the most modern tactics, what an enormous loss that would be. |
| 這回死者的遺給後來的功德，是在撕去了許多東西的人相，露出那出於意料之外的陰毒的心，教給繼續戰鬥者以別種方法的戰鬥。 | The merit bequeathed by this time's dead to those who come after lies in having torn away the human masks of many creatures, exposing their unexpectedly insidious hearts, and teaching those who continue to fight to fight by other methods. |
| 四月二日。 | April 2. |
| === Section 17 === | == Section 17 == |
| 京津間許多次大小戰爭，戰死了不知多少人，為「討赤」也；執政府前開二排槍，打死請願者四十七，傷百餘，通緝「率領暴徒」之徐謙等人五，為「討赤」也；奉天飛機三臨北京之空中，擲下炸彈，殺兩婦人，傷一小黃狗，為「討赤」也。 | Between Beijing and Tianjin, many battles large and small have been fought, with who knows how many soldiers killed — all in the name of "suppressing the Reds." Before the Executive Mansion, two volleys were fired, killing forty-seven petitioners and wounding over a hundred; arrest warrants were issued for five men, including Xu Qian (徐谦), accused of "leading rioters" — all in the name of "suppressing the Reds." Fengtian airplanes flew over Beijing's skies three times, dropping bombs that killed two women and wounded one small yellow dog — all in the name of "suppressing the Reds." |
| 京津間戰死之兵士和北京中被炸死之兩婦人和被炸傷之一小黃狗，是否即「赤」，尚無「明令」，下民不得而知。至於府前槍殺之四十七人，則第一「明令」已云有「誤傷」矣； | Whether the soldiers killed between Beijing and Tianjin, and the two women killed by bombs in Beijing, and the one small yellow dog wounded by bombs, are in fact "Reds" — there has been no "official decree" on this, and we commoners cannot know. As for the forty-seven persons shot dead before the Mansion, the first "official decree" already stated that there had been "accidental casualties." |
| 京師地方檢察廳公函又云「此次集會請願宗旨尚屬正當，又無不正之行為」矣；而國務院會議又將「從優擬恤」矣。然則徐謙們所率領的「暴徒」那裡去了呢？他們都有符咒，能避槍炮的麼？ | The Beijing District Procuratorate then issued a public letter stating: "The purpose of this assembly and petition was proper, and there was no improper conduct." And then the State Council decided to "draw up generous compensation." If so, then where did the "rioters" led by the Xu Qians go? Did they all possess magic charms that could deflect bullets and shells? |
| 總而言之：「討」則「討」矣了，而「赤」安在呢？ | In sum: "suppress" they certainly did — but where are the "Reds"? |
| 而「赤」安在，姑且勿論。歸根結蒂，「烈士」落葬，徐謙們逃亡，兩個俄款委員會委員出缺。六日《京報》云： | And where the "Reds" are, let us set aside for now. In the final analysis: the "martyrs" are laid to rest, the Xu Qians are in exile, and two seats on the Russian Indemnity Commission are vacant. On the 6th, the Jingbao reported: |
| 又有一條新聞，題目是「五私大亦注意俄款委員會」云。 | And there was another news item, with the headline "Five Private Universities Also Taking Interest in the Russian Indemnity Commission." |
| 四十七人之死，有功於「中國教育界」良非淺甚少也。「從優擬恤」，誰曰不宜！？ | The death of forty-seven persons has rendered no small service to "Chinese education." "Generous compensation" — who could object? |
| 而今而後，庶幾「中國教育界」中，不至於再稱異己者為「盧布黨」歟？ | Henceforth and hereafter, may we hope that in "Chinese educational circles" people will no longer brand those who disagree with them as "Ruble Party"? |
| 四月六日。 | April 6. |
| === Section 18 === | == Section 18 == |
| == １ == | == 1 == |
| 積在天津的紙張運不到北京，連印書也頗受戰爭的影響，我的舊雜感的結集《華蓋集》付印兩月了，排校還不到一半。 | The paper stockpiled in Tianjin cannot be transported to Beijing; even book printing has been considerably affected by the war. My old collection of miscellaneous essays, Canopy Collection, was sent to press two months ago, yet typesetting and proofreading are not even half finished. |
| 可惜先登了一個預告，以致引出陳源教授的「反廣告」來—— | Unfortunately, a preview advertisement was published first, which drew Professor Chen Yuan's (陈源) "counter-advertisement" — |
| 「我不能因為我不尊敬魯迅先生的人格，就不說他的小說好，我也不能因為佩服他的小說，就稱讚他其餘的文章。我覺得他的雜感，除了《熱風》中二三篇外，實在沒有一讀之價值。」（《現代評論》七十一，《閒話》。） | "I cannot, because I do not respect Mr. Lu Xun's character, refrain from saying his fiction is good; nor can I, because I admire his fiction, go on to praise his other writings. I find that his miscellaneous essays, apart from two or three pieces in Hot Wind, truly have no value worth reading." (Modern Review No. 71, "Idle Talk.") |
| 這多麼公平！原來我也是「今不如古」了；《華蓋集》的銷路，比起《熱風》來，恐怕要較為悲觀。而且，我的作小說，竟不料是和「人格」無關的。「非人格」的一種文字，像新聞記事一般的，倒會使教授「佩服」，中國又仿佛日見其光怪陸離了似的，然則「實在沒有一讀之價值」的雜感，也許還要存在罷。 | How very fair! So I too have fallen into "the present is inferior to the past"; the sales of Canopy Collection, compared to Hot Wind, will probably be rather more pessimistic. Moreover, it turns out that my writing of fiction has nothing to do with "character." A species of writing that is "characterless," like newspaper reportage, somehow earns the professor's "admiration." China seems to grow ever more fantastical and bizarre — and so perhaps those miscellaneous essays that "truly have no value worth reading" will continue to exist after all. |
| == ２ == | == 2 == |
| 做那有名的小說《Don Quijote》的M.de Cervantes先生，窮則有之，說他像叫化子，可不過是一種特別流行於中國學者間的流言。他說Don Quijote看遊俠小說看瘋了，便自己去做俠客，打不平。他的親人知道是書籍作的怪，就請了間壁的理髮匠來檢查；理髮匠選出幾部好的留下來，其餘的便都燒掉了。大概是燒掉的罷，記不清楚了；也忘了是多少種。想來，那些入選的「好書」的作家們，當時看了這小說裡的書單，怕總免不了要面紅耳赤地苦笑的罷。 | The author of the famous novel Don Quijote, M. de Cervantes, was certainly poor — but to say he resembled a beggar is merely a species of rumor particularly prevalent among Chinese scholars. He describes how Don Quijote went mad from reading chivalric romances and went out to be a knight-errant himself, righting wrongs. His relatives, knowing the books were to blame, invited the barber from next door to inspect them. The barber selected a few good ones to keep, and the rest were all burned. Burned, I think — I cannot quite remember; nor do I recall how many there were. One imagines that the authors of those "good books" that made the cut must have blushed and smiled bitterly upon seeing the reading list in the novel. |
| 中國雖然似乎日見其光怪陸離了。然而，烏乎哀哉！我們連「苦笑」也得不到。 | Though China may seem to grow ever more fantastical and bizarre — alas! We cannot even obtain a "bitter smile." |
| == ３ == | == 3 == |
| 有人從外省寄快信來問我平安否。他不熟於北京的情形，上了流言的當了。 | Someone sent me an express letter from the provinces, asking whether I was safe. He was unfamiliar with conditions in Beijing and had been taken in by the rumors. |
| 北京的流言報，是從袁世凱稱帝，張勳復辟，章士釗「整頓學風」以還，一脈相傳，歷來如此的。現在自然也如此。 | The rumor press of Beijing has been passed down in an unbroken lineage since Yuan Shikai's (袁世凯) assumption of the imperial title, Zhang Xun's (张勋) restoration, and Zhang Shizhao's (章士钊) "rectification of academic morals" — it has always been thus. Naturally, it is thus now as well. |
| 第一步曰：某方要封閉某校，捕拿某人某人了。這是造給某校某人看，恐嚇恐嚇的。 | The first step is: such-and-such a faction intends to close such-and-such a school and arrest so-and-so. This is fabricated for the school and the persons in question to see — to intimidate them. |
| 第二步曰：某校已空虛，某人已逃走了。這是造給某方看，煽動煽動的。 | The second step is: such-and-such a school is already deserted, so-and-so has already fled. This is fabricated for the faction in question to see — to incite them. |
| 又一步曰：某方已搜檢甲校，將搜檢乙校了。這是恐嚇乙校，煽動某方的。 | And another step: such-and-such a faction has already raided School A and is about to raid School B. This is to intimidate School B and incite the faction. |
| 「平生不作虧心事，夜半敲門不吃驚。」乙校不自心虛，怎能給恐嚇呢？然而，少安毋躁罷。還有一步曰：乙校昨夜通宵達旦，將赤化書籍完全焚燒矣。 | "He who has a clear conscience need not be alarmed when someone knocks at his door at midnight." If School B has no guilty conscience, how can it be intimidated? But hold on a moment. There follows yet another step: Last night, School B burned all its Bolshevizing books throughout the entire night. |
| 於是甲校更正，說並未搜檢；乙校更正，說並無此項書籍云。 | Thereupon School A issues a correction, saying it was never raided; and School B issues a correction, saying it possesses no such books. |
| == ４ == | == 4 == |
| 於是連衛道的新聞記者，圓穩的大學校長也住進六國飯店，講公理的大報也摘去招牌，學校的號房也不賣《現代評論》：大有「火炎昆岡，玉石俱焚」之概了。 | And so even the morality-defending journalists, the circumspect university presidents, take up residence in the Hotel of the Six Nations; the great newspapers that preach justice take down their signboards; the school porters stop selling the Modern Review. It is as if "flames engulf Mount Kunlun, and jade and stone alike are consumed." |
| 其實是不至於此的，我想。不過，謠言這東西，卻確是造謠者本心所希望的事實，我們可以借此看看一部分人的思想和行為。 | In reality, things will probably not go that far, I think. However, rumors are indeed the facts that the rumor-makers themselves wish for in their hearts. Through them, we may observe the thoughts and conduct of a certain class of people. |
| == ５ == | == 5 == |
| 中華民國九年七月直皖戰爭開手；八月，皖軍潰滅，徐樹錚等九人避入日本公使館。這時還點綴著一點小玩意，是有一些正人君子——不是現在的一些正人君子——去遊說直派武人，請他殺戮改革論者了。終於沒有結果；便是這事也早從人們的記憶上消去。但試去翻那年八月的《北京日報》，還可以看見一個大廣告，裡面是什麼大英雄得勝之後，必須廓清邪說，誅戮異端等類古色古香的名言。 | In the ninth year of the Republic of China, July: the Zhili-Anhui War commenced. In August, the Anhui army was annihilated, and Xu Shuzheng (徐树铮) and eight others took refuge in the Japanese Legation. At this time there was still a small embellishment: a few upright gentlemen — not the same upright gentlemen as today's — went to lobby the Zhili warlords, requesting them to slaughter reformist thinkers. In the end, nothing came of it; and even this episode has long since vanished from people's memories. But if you go and look through the Beijing Daily of August that year, you can still find a large advertisement, full of ancient and elegant maxims about how after a great hero achieves victory, he must sweep away heterodox doctrines and put heretics to the sword. |
| 那廣告是有署名的，在此也無須提出。但是，較之現在專躲在暗中的流言家，卻又不免令人有「今不如古」之感了。 | That advertisement bore signatures, which I need not bring up here. But compared with the current rumor-mongers who lurk exclusively in the dark, one cannot help but feel that "the present is inferior to the past." |
| 我想，百年前比現在好，千年前比百年前好，萬年前比千年前好……特別在中國或者是確鑿的。 | I think a hundred years ago was better than today, a thousand years ago better than a hundred years ago, ten thousand years ago better than a thousand years ago... Especially in China, this is perhaps indeed the case. |
| == ６ == | == 6 == |
| 在報章的角落裡常看見對青年們的諄諄的教誡：敬惜字紙咧；留心國學咧；伊卜生這樣，羅曼羅蘭那樣咧。時候和文字是兩樣了，但含義卻使我覺得很耳熟：正如我年幼時所聽過的耆宿的教誡一般。 | In the corners of the newspapers one often sees earnest admonitions addressed to the youth: cherish every scrap of written paper; pay attention to National Studies; Ibsen was like this, Romain Rolland was like that. The times and the language have changed, but the underlying message strikes me as very familiar: exactly like the admonitions of the elders I heard in my childhood. |
| 這可仿佛是「今不如古」的反證了。但是，世事都有例外，對於上一節所說的事，這也算作一個例外罷。 | This might seem to be counter-evidence for "the present is inferior to the past." But there are exceptions to everything in the world, and as regards the matter discussed in the previous section, this too may count as one such exception. |
| 五月六日。 | May 6. |
| === Section 19 === | == Section 19 == |
| :——然而還是無花的 | : — And yet still without blossoms. |
| 因為《語絲》在形式上要改成中本了，我也不想再用老題目，所以破格地奮發，要寫出「新的薔薇」來。 | Because Yusi is to be changed to a medium-format publication, I no longer wish to use the old title, and so, making an extraordinary effort, I resolve to write "new roses." |
| ——這回可要開花了？ | — This time, will they bloom at last? |
| ——嗡嗡，——不見得罷。 | — Buzz, buzz — probably not. |
| 我早有點知道：我是大概以自己為主的。所談的道理是「我以為」的道理，所記的情狀是我所見的情狀。聽說一月以前，杏花和碧桃都開過了。我沒有見，我就不以為有杏花和碧桃。 | I have long been somewhat aware that I am, on the whole, self-centered. The principles I discuss are principles "as I see them"; the conditions I describe are conditions as I have observed them. I am told that a month ago, the apricot blossoms and the peach blossoms all bloomed. I did not see them; therefore I do not acknowledge that there were apricot blossoms and peach blossoms. |
| ——然而那些東西是存在的。——學者們怕要說。 | — Yet those things exist. — The scholars will probably say. |
| ——好！那麼，由它去罷。——這是我敬謹回稟學者們的話。 | — Very well! Then, let them be. — This is my respectful reply to the scholars. |
| 有些講「公理」的，說我的雜感沒有一看的價值。那是一定的。其實，他來看我的雜感，先就自己失了魂了，—— | Certain preachers of "justice" say my miscellaneous essays have no value whatsoever. That is certain. In truth, by the time they come to read my miscellaneous essays, they have already lost their own souls — |
| 假如也有魂。我的話倘會合於講「公理」者的胃口，我不也成了「公理維持會」會員了麼？我不也成了他，和其餘的一切會員了麼？我的話不就等於他們的話了麼？許多人和許多話不就等於一個人和一番話了麼？ | Assuming they have souls. If my words happened to suit the palate of the preachers of "justice," would I not have become a member of the "Society for the Maintenance of Justice" myself? Would I not have become him, and all the rest of the members? Would not my words be equivalent to their words? Would not many persons and many words be equivalent to one person and one speech? |
| 公理是只有一個的。然而聽說這早被他們拿去了，所以我已經一無所有。 | Justice is singular. Yet I hear it has long since been appropriated by them, so I already possess nothing at all. |
| 這回「北京城內的外國旗」，大約特別地多罷，竟使學者為之憤慨：「……至於東交民巷界線以外，無論中國人外國人，那就不能借插用外國國旗，以為保護生命財產的護符。」這是的確的。「保護生命財產的護符」，我們自有「法律」在。 | This time, "foreign flags within the city of Beijing" were apparently especially numerous, enough to provoke the scholars to indignation: "...As for outside the boundaries of the Legation Quarter, whether Chinese or foreign, one absolutely cannot borrow and display foreign flags as talismans for the protection of life and property." This is quite right. As "talismans for the protection of life and property," we have our own "laws." |
| 如果還不放心呢，那麼，就用一種更穩妥的旗子：紅卍字旗。介乎中外之間，超於「無恥」和有恥之外，——確是好旗子！ | If one is still not reassured, then use a more dependable flag: the Red Swastika flag. Positioned between Chinese and foreign, transcending both "shamelessness" and shame — truly an excellent flag! |
| 從清末以來，「莫談國事」的條子帖在酒樓飯館裡，至今還沒有跟著辮子取消。所以，有些時候，難煞了執筆的人。 | Since the end of the Qing, the signs reading "Do not discuss national affairs" have been posted in wine houses and restaurants, and to this day they have not been removed along with the queues. Therefore, at certain times, those who wield the pen find themselves in a difficult position. |
| 但這時卻可以看見一種有趣的東西，是：希望別人以文字得禍的人所做的文字。 | But at such times one can observe an interesting thing: writings produced by those who hope that others will come to grief through their writings. |
| 聰明人的談吐也日見其聰明了。說三月十八日被害的學生是值得同情的，因為她本不願去而受了教職員的慫恿。說「那些直接或間接用蘇俄的金錢的人」是情有可原的，因為「他們自己可以挨餓，老婆子女卻不能不吃飯呵！」推開了甲而陷沒了乙，原諒了情而坐實了罪；尤其是他們的行動和主張，都見得一錢不值了。 | The clever people's discourse grows ever more clever by the day. They say that the students killed on March 18 deserve sympathy, because she did not actually want to go and was incited by her teachers. They say that "those who directly or indirectly use Soviet Russian money" deserve some understanding, because "they themselves can go hungry, but their wives and children cannot go without food!" They push aside A while entrapping B; they pardon the circumstances while establishing guilt as fact. And above all, the actions and convictions of these people are shown to be utterly worthless. |
| 然而聽說趙子昂的畫馬，卻又是鏡中照出來的自己的形相哩。 | Yet I hear that Zhao Mengfu's (赵子昂) paintings of horses were, after all, reflections of his own form seen in a mirror. |
| 因為「老婆子女卻不能不吃飯」，於是自然要發生「節育問題」了。但是先前山格夫人來華的時候，「有些志士」卻又大發牢騷，說她要使中國人滅種。 | Because "wives and children cannot go without food," the "birth control question" naturally arises. But when Mrs. Sanger came to China some time ago, "certain activists" raised a great hue and cry, saying she wanted to make the Chinese race extinct. |
| 獨身主義現今尚為許多人所反對，節育也行不通。為赤貧的紳士計，目前最好的方法，我以為莫如弄一個有錢的女人做老婆。 | Celibacy is still opposed by many today, and birth control is impracticable. For the benefit of gentlemen in utter poverty, the best method at present, I believe, is nothing other than to find a wealthy woman for a wife. |
| 我索性完全傳授了這個秘訣罷：口頭上，可必須說是為了「愛」。 | Let me go all the way and impart this secret in full: verbally, one must of course say it is for "love." |
| 「蘇俄的金錢」十萬元，這回竟弄得教育部和教育界發生糾葛了，因為大家都要一點。這也許還是因為「老婆子女」之故罷。但這批盧布和那批盧布卻不一樣的。這是歸還的庚子賠款；是拳匪「扶清滅洋」，各國聯軍入京的餘澤。那年代很容易記：十九世紀末，一九○○年。二十六年之後，我們卻「間接」用了拳匪的金錢來給「老婆子女」吃飯；如果大師兄有靈，必將爽然若失者歟。 | The "Soviet Russian money" — 100,000 yuan — has this time actually caused a dispute between the Ministry of Education and the education world, because everyone wants a share. This too is perhaps on account of "wives and children." But this batch of rubles is not the same as that batch of rubles. This is the returned Boxer Indemnity — the residual bounty of the Boxers' "Support the Qing, exterminate the foreigners" and the allied armies of the nations entering Beijing. That date is easy to remember: the end of the nineteenth century, 1900. Twenty-six years later, we are "indirectly" using the Boxers' money to feed our "wives and children." If the Grand Master of the Boxers has a spirit in heaven, he will surely feel a sense of bewildered loss. |
| 還有，各國用到中國來做「文化事業」的，也是這一筆款……。 | Furthermore, the money that various nations use for "cultural enterprises" in China also comes from this same fund... |
| 五月二十三日。 | May 23. |
| === Section 20 === | == Section 20 == |
| }} | When I compiled *Hot Wind* a couple of years ago, I still harbored what the gentry would call a "well-meaning disposition" and deleted quite a few pieces. But there was one essay I had originally intended to include; having lost the manuscript, I had no choice but to leave it out. Now it has turned up after all. When *Hot Wind* is reprinted, I could add this piece, run an advertisement, and induce those readers who have a superstitious faith in my writings to buy another copy—which would not be without benefit to me. But never mind, that really would not be very amusing. |
| 去年編定《熱風》時，還有紳士們所謂「存心忠厚」之意，很刪削了好幾篇。但有一篇，卻原想編進去的，因為失掉了稿子，便只好從缺。現在居然尋出來了；待《熱風》再版時，添上這篇，登一個廣告，使迷信我的文字的讀者們再買一本，於我倒不無裨益。但是，算了罷，這實在不很有趣。 | Better to publish it once more here, to be collected later in a third volume of miscellaneous impressions—consider it an addendum. |
| 不如再登一次，將來收入雜感第三集，也就算作補遺罷。 | This concerns Mr. Zhang Shizhao (章士釗)— |
| 這是關於章士釗先生的—— | "Two Peaches Killed Three Scholars" Mr. Zhang Xingyan (章行嚴) criticized what he called "new culture" in Shanghai, arguing that "Two peaches killed three warriors" (er tao sha san shi) is a model of fine expression, while "Two peaches killed three scholars" (liang ge taozi shale san ge dushuren) is correspondingly bad—and from this he concluded that the new culture "should this not also be put to an end?" Indeed it may well be put to an end! "Two peaches killed three warriors" is by no means an obscure allusion; it is commonly found in books of the old culture. But since the poem says, "Who could have devised this stratagem? Prime Minister Yanzi of Qi"—let us have a look at the Yanzi Chunqiu. |
| 「兩個桃子殺了三個讀書人」章行嚴先生在上海批評他之所謂「新文化」說，「二桃殺三士」怎樣好，「兩個桃子殺了三個讀書人」便怎樣壞，而歸結到新文化之「是亦不可以已乎？」是亦大可以已者也！「二桃殺三士」並非僻典，舊文化書中常見的。但既然是「誰能為此謀？相國齊晏子。」我們便看看《晏子春秋》罷。 | The Yanzi Chunqiu now has a Shanghai lithographic edition, readily obtainable, and the classical tale in question is in volume two of that edition. The gist is: "Gongsun Jie (公孫接), Tian Kaijiang (田開疆), and Gu Yezi (古冶子) served Duke Jing (景公) and were renowned for their bravery and strength in fighting tigers. When Yanzi passed them and quickened his step, the three men did not rise." So old Master Yan considered this discourteous and told Duke Jing that they should be gotten rid of. His method was to have Duke Jing send them two peaches, saying: "You three may eat the peaches according to your merits." Ah, and then the trouble started: |
| 《晏子春秋》現有上海石印本，容易入手的了，這古典就在該石印本的卷二之內。大意是「公孫接田開疆古冶子事景公，以勇力搏虎聞，晏子過而趨，三子者不起，」於是晏老先生以為無禮，和景公說，要除去他們了。那方法是請景公使人送他們兩個桃子，說道，「你三位就照著功勞吃桃罷。」呵，這可就鬧起來了： | "Gongsun Jie looked up to heaven and sighed, 'Yanzi is a wise man. Now if the Duke has our merits assessed and we do not take the peaches, we show no valor. But the warriors are many and the peaches few—why not assess our merits and eat the peaches? I once grappled a tiger and then grappled another. Such merits as mine surely entitle me to eat a peach without sharing with others.' He seized a peach and stood up. |
| 「公孫接仰天而歎曰，『晏子，智人也，夫使公之計吾功者，不受桃，是無勇也。士眾而桃寡，何不計功而食桃矣？接一搏而再搏虎，若接之功，可以食桃而無與人同矣。』援桃而起。 | "Tian Kaijiang said, 'With my weapon I have twice repulsed an army of three contingents. Such merits as mine surely entitle me to eat a peach without sharing with others.' He seized a peach and stood up. |
| 「田開疆曰，『吾仗兵而卻三軍者再。若開疆之功，可以食桃而無與人同矣。』援桃而起。 | "Gu Yezi said, 'Once I accompanied my lord across the river, when a giant turtle seized the left trace-horse and dragged it into the current at the Pillar Rapids. At that time, I was still young and could not swim well; I dived and fought my way a hundred paces against the current and nine li downstream, slew the turtle, grasped the trace-horse's tail in my left hand and held the turtle's head in my right, and leaped forth like a crane. The ferry men all said it was the River God; but look—it was the head of a great turtle. Such merits as mine surely entitle me to eat a peach without sharing! Why do you two not return your peaches?' He drew his sword and stood up." |
| 「古冶子曰，『吾嘗從君濟於河，黿銜左驂以入砥柱之流。 | Copying out books is truly tedious. To summarize: the two warriors were ashamed that their merits were inferior to Gu Yezi's and killed themselves; Gu Yezi, unwilling to survive alone, also killed himself. Thus was accomplished "Two peaches killed three warriors." |
| 當是時也，冶少不能遊，潛行逆流百步，順流九里，得黿殺之，左操驂尾，右挈黿頭，鶴躍而出。津人皆曰，河伯也；若冶視之，則大黿之首。若冶之功，可以食桃而無與人同矣！二子何不反桃？』抽劍而起。」 | Although we do not know whether these three warriors had any attainment in the old culture, since the book says they were "renowned for bravery and strength," they cannot be called "scholars." If the Liang Fu Yin had said "Two peaches killed three brave warriors," the meaning would naturally be clearer, but unfortunately it is a five-character poem that does not allow extra words. So it had to say "two peaches killed three warriors"—and thus it also led Mr. Zhang Xingyan astray into interpreting it as "two peaches killed three scholars." |
| 鈔書太討厭。總而言之，後來那二士自愧功不如古冶子，自殺了；古冶子不願獨生，也自殺了：於是乎就成了「二桃殺三士」。 | The old culture is indeed too difficult to understand, the classical allusions are truly too hard to remember, and those two old peaches have really been causing too much mischief: not only did they send three warriors to their death back then, but even now they have caused one scholar to make a fool of himself. "Should this not also be put to an end!" |
| 我們雖然不知道這三士于舊文化有無心得，但既然書上說是「以勇力聞」，便不能說他們是「讀書人」。倘使《梁父吟》說是「二桃殺三勇士」，自然更可了然，可惜那是五言詩，不能增字，所以不得不作「二桃殺三士」，於是也就害了章行嚴先生解作「兩個桃子殺了三個讀書人」。 | Last year, because of the "every time lower" (mei xia yu kuang) controversy, I was subjected to quite a few lectures from young people who considered themselves fair-minded, saying that because Zhang had revoked my "clerkship," I bore him a grudge. Now I must specially declare here: this piece was written in September 1923 and published in the Morning Post Supplement. At that time, the editor of the Morning Post Supplement was not yet the "Poet-Sage" who had accompanied Mr. Tagore, nor had it yet taken on the mission of driving others to death and strangling itself, so it still occasionally published articles by vulgar persons like me. And at that time, between myself and this person later known as "Mr. Lone Paulownia," there was not the slightest "grudge born of a sideways glance." |
| 舊文化也實在太難解，古典也誠然太難記，而那兩個舊桃子也未免太作怪：不但那時使三個讀書人因此送命，到現在還使一個讀書人因此出醜，「是亦不可以已乎」！ | The "motive" was probably no more than a wish to lend a little help to the spread of the vernacular. |
| 去年，因為「每下愈況」問題，我曾經很受了些自以為公平的青年的教訓，說是因為他革去了我的「簽事」，我便那麼奚落他。現在我在此只得特別聲明：這還是一九二三年九月所作，登在《晨報副刊》上的。那時的《晨報副刊》，編輯尚不是陪過泰戈爾先生的「詩哲」，也還未負有逼死別人，掐死自己的使命，所以間或也登一點我似的俗人的文章；而我那時和這位後來稱為「孤桐先生」的，也毫無「睚眥之怨」。 | In these times when "disaster comes from the mouth," let me defend myself a bit more thoroughly. |
| 那「動機」，大概不過是想給白話的流行幫點忙。 | Some may say that this time, digging up old addenda constitutes "beating a dog that has fallen in the water"—a rather "impure motive." But I think not. Granted, compared with the not-so-distant days when Secretary-General Shizhao was masterminding behind the scenes, abusing his public position for private ends, plotting to kill students and issuing warrants for dissidents—while the "upright gentlemen" sometimes joined in mocking the fugitives, sometimes calling out "Mr. Lone Paulownia! Mr. Lone Paulownia!" with fawning warmth—there is indeed, at this moment, an air of desolation. But in my view, he has not actually fallen into the water. He is merely "residing peacefully" in the concession area. In Beijing, the creatures he once reared are still baring their fangs and brandishing their claws; the newspapers he cultivated ties with are still turning right and wrong on their heads; the girls' school he nurtured is still stirring up storms. It remains his world. |
| 在這樣「禍從口出」之秋，給自己也辯護得周到一點罷。 | Delivering a little jab over "peaches"—how can this be mentioned in the same breath as "beating a dog in the water"?! |
| 或者將曰，且夫這次來補遺，卻有「打落水狗」之嫌，「動機」就很「不純潔」了。然而我以為也並不。自然，和不多時以前，士釗秘長運籌帷幄，假公濟私，謀殺學生，通緝異己之際，「正人君子」時而相幫譏笑著被緝諸人的逃亡，時而「孤桐先生」「孤桐先生」叫得熱剌剌地的時候一比較，目下誠不免有落寞之感。但據我看來，他其實並未落水，不過「安住」在租界裡而已：北京依舊是他所豢養過的東西在張牙舞爪，他所勾結著的報館在顛倒是非，他所栽培成的女校在興風作浪：依然是他的世界。 | Yet somehow this "Mr. Lone Paulownia" went and defended himself in the Jiayin journal, claiming it was merely a trifle. That is true—it is merely a trifle. |
| 在「桃子」上給一下小打擊，豈遂可與「打落水狗」同日而語哉？！ | Getting one little thing wrong—what harm is there in that? Even if one did not know about Yanzi or about the state of Qi, it would cause no damage to China. What farmer understands the Liang Fu Yin? And yet agriculture can still save the nation. But I think the grand enterprise of attacking the vernacular is also something one could well do without. Replacing classical Chinese with the vernacular, even if somewhat imperfect, is after all merely a trifle. |
| 但不知怎的，這位「孤桐先生」竟在《甲寅》上辯起來了，以為這不過是小事。這是真的，不過是小事。 | Although I have never crept under the tutelage of "Mr. Lone Paulownia" and have not had the glory of seeing German books strewn all over his tables, beds, and floors, I have occasionally seen the "classical Chinese" he has published, and I know that he actually does understand: the unreliability of the law, the impermanence of moral customs, the inevitability of linguistic change—he understands all of this quite well. One who understands and says so plainly becomes a reformer; one who understands but keeps silent, using that understanding to deceive others, becomes "Mr. Lone Paulownia" and his "ilk." At bottom, his defense of classical Chinese is nothing more than this. |
| 弄錯一點，又何傷乎？即使不知道晏子，不知道齊國，於中國也無損。農民誰懂得《梁父吟》呢，農業也仍然可以救國的。但我以為攻擊白話的豪舉，可也大可以不必了；將白話來代文言，即使有點不妥，反正也不過是小事情。 | If my diagnosis is correct, then "Mr. Lone Paulownia" has presumably also contracted the common ailment that Idle Talk attributes to "certain patriots"—being burdened by "wife, concubines, sons and daughters." Henceforth, it seems he ought to buy a few more German books and study "birth control." |
| 我雖然未曾在「孤桐先生」門下鑽，沒有看見滿桌滿床滿地的什麼德文書的榮幸，但偶然見到他所發表的「文言」，知道他於法律的不可恃，道德習慣的並非一成不變，文字語言的必有變遷，其實倒是懂得的。懂得而照直說出來的，便成為改革者；懂得而不說，反要利用以欺瞞別人的，便成為「孤桐先生」及其「之流」。他的保護文言，內骨子也不過是這樣。 | May 24. |
| 如果我的檢驗是確的，那麼，「孤桐先生」大概也就染了《閒話》所謂「有些志士」的通病，為「老婆子女」所累了，此後似乎應該另買幾本德文書，來講究「節育」。 | |
| 五月二十四日。 | |
| === Section 21 === | == Section 21 == |
| 還是兩三年前，偶然在光緒五年（1879）印的《申報館書目續集》上看見《何典》題要，這樣說： | It was two or three years ago that I happened to come across a note on He Dian in the Supplementary Catalogue of the Shenbao Press, printed in the fifth year of the Guangxu reign (1879). It said: |
| 「《何典》十回。是書為過路人編定，纏夾二先生評，而太平客人為之序。書中引用諸人，有曰活鬼者，有曰窮鬼者，有曰活死人者，有曰臭花娘者，有曰畔房小姐者：閱之已堪噴飯。況閱其所記，無一非三家村俗語；無中生有，忙裡偷閒。其言，則鬼話也；其人，則鬼名也；其事，則開鬼心，扮鬼臉，釣鬼火，做鬼戲，搭鬼棚也。語曰，『出於何典』？而今而後，有人以俗語為文者，曰『出於《何典》』而已矣。」 | "He Dian, ten chapters. This book was compiled by The Passerby, with commentary by Mr. Tangled-and-Muddled, and a preface by The Peaceful Guest. The characters cited therein include one called Living Ghost, one called Pauper Ghost, one called Living Dead Man, one called Stinking Flower Lady, and one called Miss Side-Chamber—reading this far is already enough to make one burst out laughing. Moreover, looking at what it records, there is not a single expression that is not vulgar village speech; making something out of nothing, stealing leisure amidst busyness. Its language is ghost-talk; its characters bear ghost-names; its events involve opening ghost-hearts, putting on ghost-faces, fishing for ghost-fire, performing ghost-plays, and building ghost-stages. The saying goes, 'From what classic does this come?' Henceforth, anyone who uses vulgar speech for literature may say, 'It comes from He Dian,' and leave it at that." |
| 疑其頗別致，於是留心訪求，但不得；常維鈞多識舊書肆中人，因托他搜尋，仍不得。今年半農告我已在廠甸廟市中無意得之，且將校點付印；聽了甚喜。此後半農便將校樣陸續寄來，並且說希望我做一篇短序，他知道我是至多也只能做短序的。然而我還很躊躕，我總覺得沒有這種本領。我以為許多事是做的人必須有這一門特長的，這才做得好。臂如，標點只能讓汪原放，做序只能推胡適之，出版只能由亞東圖書館；劉半農，李小峰，我，皆非其選也。然而我卻決定要寫幾句。為什麼呢？只因為我終於決定要寫幾句了。 | Suspecting it to be rather distinctive, I kept an eye out for it but could not find it. Chang Weijun (常維鈞), who knew many people in the old bookshops, was asked to search, but still in vain. This year, Bannong (半農) told me he had come across it by chance at the Changdian temple fair and was going to collate and punctuate it for publication. I was delighted to hear this. Afterward, Bannong sent the proofs to me in installments and said he hoped I would write a short preface—he knew that at most I was only capable of short prefaces. Yet I still hesitated; I felt I simply lacked the talent for this sort of thing. I believe that many tasks require the person doing them to possess a special aptitude in order to do them well. For instance, punctuation can only be entrusted to Wang Yuanfang (汪原放), preface-writing only to Hu Shizhi (胡適之), and publishing only to the Yadong Library. Liu Bannong (劉半農), Li Xiaofeng (李小峰), and I are simply not the right candidates. And yet I decided I would write a few words. Why? Simply because I had at last decided I would write a few words. |
| 還未開手，而躬逢戰爭，在炮聲和流言當中，很不寧帖，沒有執筆的心思。夾著是得知又有文士之徒在什麼報上罵半農了，說《何典》廣告怎樣不高尚，不料大學教授而竟墮落至於斯。這頗使我淒然，因為由此記起了別的事，而且也以為「不料大學教授而竟墮落至於斯」。從此一見《何典》，便感到苦痛，再也說不出一句話。 | Before I had even begun, we were caught up in warfare, and amidst the gunfire and rumors, I was deeply unsettled and had no inclination to pick up the pen. On top of that, I learned that some literary types had attacked Bannong in some newspaper, saying how undignified the advertisement for He Dian was—who would have thought a university professor could sink so low! This made me rather despondent, for it recalled other matters to mind, and I too felt that "who would have thought a university professor could sink so low." From then on, every time I saw He Dian, I felt only pain, and could not utter another word. |
| 是的，大學教授要墮落下去。無論高的或矮的，白的或黑的，或灰的。不過有些是別人謂之墮落，而我謂之困苦。我所謂困苦之一端，便是失了身分。我曾經做過《論「他媽的！」》早有青年道德家烏煙瘴氣地浩歎過了，還講身分麼？但是也還有些講身分。我雖然「深惡而痛絕之」于那些戴著面具的紳士，卻究竟不是「學匪」世家；見了所謂「正人君子」固然決定搖頭，但和歪人奴子相處恐怕也未必融洽。用了無差別的眼光看，大學教授做一個滑稽的，或者甚而至於誇張的廣告何足為奇？就是做一個滿嘴「他媽的」的廣告也何足為奇？然而呀，這裡用得著然而了，我是究竟生在十九世紀的，又做過幾年官，和所謂「孤桐先生」同部，官——上等人—— | Yes, university professors will sink. Whether tall or short, white or black, or grey. But some of what others call sinking, I call hardship. One aspect of what I call hardship is the loss of status. I once wrote "On 'His Mother's...!'" and there were already young moralists who heaved putrid sighs about it—am I still concerned with status? Yet in some ways, yes. Although I "detest with the utmost loathing" those gentlemen who wear masks, I am after all not from a family of "academic bandits." Seeing so-called "upright gentlemen" naturally makes me shake my head, but rubbing shoulders with crooked men and lackeys would probably not suit me either. Viewed without distinction, what is so remarkable about a university professor making a comical, or even exaggerated, advertisement? What would even be remarkable about making an advertisement full of "his mother's"? But ah—here one must use a "but"—I was, after all, born in the nineteenth century, and I served as an official for some years, in the same ministry as the so-called "Mr. Lone Paulownia." The air of officialdom—of the upper class— |
| 氣驟不易退，所以有時也覺得教授最相宜的也還是上講臺。又要然而了，然而必須有夠活的薪水，兼差倒可以。這主張在教育界大概現在已經有一致贊成之望，去年在什麼公理會上一致攻擊兼差的公理維持家，今年也頗有一聲不響地去兼差的了，不過「大報」上決不會登出來，自己自然更未必做廣告。 | is not easily dispelled, so sometimes I too feel that the most fitting thing for a professor is still to mount the podium. Another "but" is needed: but there must be adequate and living wages; moonlighting is acceptable. This view has probably by now gained universal approval in educational circles. Those champions of justice who unanimously attacked moonlighting at some public assembly last year have this year quietly gone moonlighting themselves, though the "major newspapers" will certainly not report it, and they themselves will naturally not advertise the fact. |
| 半農到德法研究了音韻好幾年，我雖然不懂他所做的法文書，只知道裡面很夾些中國字和高高低低的曲線，但總而言之，書籍具在，勢必有人懂得。所以他的正業，我以為也還是將這些曲線教給學生們。可是北京大學快要關門大吉了；他兼差又沒有。那麼，即使我是怎樣的十足上等人，也不能反對他印賣書。既要印賣，自然想多銷，既想多銷，自然要做廣告，既做廣告，自然要說好。難道有自己印了書，卻發廣告說這書很無聊，請列位不必看的麼？說我的雜感無一讀之價值的廣告，那是西瀅（即陳源）做的。——順便在此給自己登一個廣告罷：陳源何以給我登這樣的反廣告的呢，只要一看我的《華蓋集》就明白。主顧諸公，看呀！快看呀！每本大洋六角，北新書局發行。 | Bannong went to Germany and France to study phonology for several years. Although I do not understand the French-language book he wrote—I only know it contains quite a few Chinese characters and undulating curves—nevertheless, books are books, and there must be people who understand them. So his proper vocation, I believe, is still to teach these curves to his students. But Peking University is about to close its doors for good, and he has no moonlighting positions. In that case, even if I were the most thoroughbred upper-class person, I could not oppose his printing and selling a book. Once one prints, one naturally wants to sell many copies; wanting to sell many, one naturally must advertise; and advertising, one naturally must say nice things. Is there anyone who prints a book and then publishes an advertisement saying this book is very boring, and would your lordships please not read it? The advertisement saying my miscellaneous impressions had no value whatsoever—that was made by Xiying (西瀅, i.e., Chen Yuan 陳源).—Let me take this opportunity to run an advertisement for myself: Why did Chen Yuan make such an anti-advertisement for me? One need only read my Canopy Collection to understand. Honored patrons, look! Look quickly! Six jiao per copy, published by Beixin Books. |
| 想起來已經有二十多年了，以革命為事的陶煥卿，窮得不堪，在上海自稱會稽先生，教人催眠術以糊口。有一天他問我，可有什麼藥能使人一嗅便睡去的呢？我明知道他怕施術不驗，求助於藥物了。其實呢，在大眾中試驗催眠，本來是不容易成功的。我又不知道他所尋求的妙藥，愛莫能助。兩三月後，報章上就有投書（也許是廣告）出現，說會稽先生不懂催眠術，以此欺人。清政府卻比這幹鳥人靈敏得多，所以通緝他的時候，有一聯對句道：「著《中國權力史》，學日本催眠術。」 | Come to think of it, it was over twenty years ago. Tao Huanqing (陶煥卿), who devoted himself to revolution, was so poor that in Shanghai he called himself Master of Kuaiji and taught hypnotism to make a living. One day he asked me: is there some drug that will put a person to sleep with one sniff? I knew perfectly well he feared his hypnotic techniques would fail and was seeking help from pharmaceuticals. In truth, performing hypnotism on a crowd is never easy. I did not know the miraculous drug he sought and could not help him. Two or three months later, letters appeared in the newspapers (perhaps advertisements) saying that Master of Kuaiji did not understand hypnotism and was deceiving people. The Qing government, however, was considerably more astute than these worthless fellows, and when they issued a warrant for his arrest, the accompanying couplet ran: "Authored A History of Chinese Power; studied Japanese hypnotism." |
| 《何典》快要出版了，短序也已經迫近交卷的時候。夜雨瀟瀟地下著，提起筆，忽而又想到用麻繩做腰帶的困苦的陶煥卿，還夾雜些和《何典》不相干的思想。但序文已經迫近了交卷的時候，只得寫出來，而且還要印上去。我並非將半農比附「亂黨」，——現在的中華民國雖由革命造成，但許多中華民國國民，都仍以那時的革命者為亂黨，是明明白白的，——不過說，在此時，使我回憶從前，念及幾個朋友，並感到自己的依然無力而已。 | He Dian is about to be published, and the short preface is also approaching its deadline. The night rain patters down; picking up my pen, I suddenly think of the wretched Tao Huanqing with his hemp-rope belt, and extraneous thoughts crowd in, unrelated to He Dian. But the preface is approaching its deadline, and I have no choice but to write it out, and moreover to have it printed. I am not likening Bannong to a "rebel"—although the present Republic of China was created by revolution, many citizens of the Republic still regard the revolutionaries of that time as rebels, that much is perfectly clear—I am only saying that at this moment, the past comes back to me, I think of several friends, and I feel my own continuing powerlessness. |
| 但短序總算已經寫成，雖然不像東西，卻究竟結束了一件事。我還將此時的別的心情寫下，並且發表出去，也作為《何典》的廣告。 | But the short preface has at any rate been written, and though it is not much of a thing, it has at least brought a task to its conclusion. I shall also write down other feelings of this moment, and publish them, as an advertisement for He Dian as well. |
| 五月二十五日之夜，碰著東壁下，書。 | Night of May 25th, by the east wall, writing. |
| === Section 22 === | == Section 22 == |
| == 豫序 == | == Preliminary Preface == |
| 在日記還未寫上一字之前，先做序文，謂之豫序。 | Writing a preface before a single word of the diary has been set down—that is what I call a preliminary preface. |
| 我本來每天寫日記，是寫給自己看的；大約天地間寫著這樣日記的人們很不少。假使寫的人成了名人，死了之後便也會印出；看的人也格外有趣味，因為他寫的時候不像做《內感篇》外冒篇似的須擺空架子，所以反而可以看出真的面目來。我想，這是日記的正宗嫡派。 | I used to keep a diary every day, written for my own eyes; I imagine quite a few people in this world keep such diaries. If the writer becomes famous, after his death the diary may well be printed, and readers will find it especially interesting, because when he wrote he did not need to put on airs as if composing an "Essay on Inner Feelings" or an "Essay on Outer Appearances," so one can see his true face instead. This, I think, is the orthodox and legitimate lineage of diary-writing. |
| 我的日記卻不是那樣。寫的是信劄往來，銀錢收付，無所謂面目，更無所謂真假。例如：二月二日晴，得A信；B來。 | My diary, however, is not like that. What I record is correspondence sent and received, money coming in and going out—there is no question of a "face," still less of one being true or false. For instance: February 2, clear. Received letter from A; B came. |
| 三月三日雨，收C校薪水X元，複D信。一行滿了，然而還有事，因為紙張也頗可惜，便將後來的事寫入前一天的空白中。總而言之：是不很可靠的。但我以為B來是在二月一，或者二月二，其實不甚有關係，即便不寫也無妨；而實際上，不寫的時候也常有。我的目的，只在記上誰有來信，以便答覆，或者何時答覆過，尤其是學校的薪水，收到何年何月的幾成幾了，零零星星，總是記不清楚，必須有一筆帳，以便檢查，庶幾乎兩不含糊，我也知道自己有多少債放在外面，萬一將來收清之後，要成為怎樣的一個小富翁。此外呢，什麼野心也沒有了。 | March 3, rain. Received salary from C School, X yuan. Replied to D's letter. When a line was full and there were still things to note—paper being rather too precious to waste—I would write the remaining items in the blank space of the previous day's entry. In short: it is not very reliable. But I think whether B came on February 1 or February 2 does not much matter—indeed, even leaving it unrecorded would do no harm; and in practice, there are often times when I do not record anything. My purpose is merely to note who has written, so I can reply, or when I have replied; and above all, the school's salary—which month's and what fraction I have received—comes in such dribs and drabs that I can never keep it straight and need a ledger to check, so that both sides may be reasonably clear, and I may also know how much debt is owed to me and what sort of petty tycoon I shall become once it is all collected. Beyond this, I have no ambitions whatsoever. |
| 吾鄉的李慈銘先生，是就以日記為著述的，上自朝章，中至學問，下迄相罵，都記錄在那裡面。果然，現在已有人將那手跡用石印印出了，每部五十元，在這樣的年頭，不必說學生，就是先生也無從買起。那日記上就記著，當他每裝成一函的時候，早就有人借來借去的傳鈔了，正不必老遠的等待「身後」。這雖然不像日記的正脈，但若有志在立言，意存褒貶，欲人知而又畏人知的，卻不妨模仿著試試。什麼做了一點白話，便說是要在一百年後發表的書裡面的一篇，真是其蠢臭為不可及也。 | Mr. Li Ciming (李慈銘), a fellow townsman, used his diary as a form of scholarship. From court regulations at the top, through learning in the middle, down to personal feuds at the bottom—everything was recorded there. Sure enough, someone has now lithographed that manuscript, at fifty yuan per set; in times like these, never mind students, even teachers cannot afford it. The diary itself records that each time he completed a fascicle, people were already borrowing and copying it around—there was certainly no need to wait for "after his death." Though this is not the orthodox lineage of diary-writing, anyone with aspirations of leaving words for posterity, intentions of delivering praise and blame, and the desire to be known yet the fear of being known, may as well try imitating it. But when someone writes a few pieces of vernacular and then claims they are chapters of a book to be published a hundred years hence—that is a stench of stupidity beyond anyone's reach. |
| 我這回的日記，卻不是那樣的「有厚望焉」的，也不是原先的很簡單的，現在還沒有，想要寫起來。四五天以前看見半農，說是要編《世界日報》的副刊去，你得寄一點稿。那自然是可以的嘍。然而稿子呢？這可著實為難。看副刊的大抵是學生，都是過來人，做過什麼「學而時習之不亦說乎論」或「人心不古議」的，一定知道做文章是怎樣的味道。有人說我是「文學家」，其實並不是的，不要相信他們的話，那證據，就是我也最怕做文章。 | This diary of mine, however, harbors no such "high expectations," nor is it the very simple sort of old. It does not yet exist; I intend to start writing it. Four or five days ago I ran into Bannong (半農), who said he was going to edit the supplement to the Shijie Ribao and that I should send some contributions. That was naturally agreeable. But contributions of what? This was genuinely troublesome. Readers of supplements are mostly students—all of them people who have been through it and written things like "On the Saying 'Is it not a pleasure to study and practice what you have learned'" or "A Discussion of the Decline of Human Hearts"—and they must know what writing essays feels like. Some call me a "man of letters," but I am really not one; do not believe them. The proof is that I, too, am most afraid of writing essays. |
| 然而既然答應了，總得想點法。想來想去，覺得感想倒偶爾也有一點的，平時接著一懶，便擱下，忘掉了。如果馬上寫出，恐怕倒也是雜感一類的東西。於是乎我就決計：一想到，就馬上寫下來，馬上寄出去，算作我的畫到簿。因為這是開首就準備給第三者看的，所以恐怕也未必很有真面目，至少，不利於己的事，現在總還要藏起來。願讀者先明白這一點。 | But since I had agreed, I had to think of something. After much deliberation, I realized that I do occasionally have some thoughts—but ordinarily, being lazy, I let them go and forget them. If I wrote them down at once, they would probably be a species of miscellaneous impressions. And so I resolved: the moment a thought occurs to me, I shall write it down immediately, send it off at once, and consider it my sketchbook. Because this is prepared from the start for a third party's eyes, I fear it may not show my very true face either; at the very least, things unfavorable to myself will still be concealed for now. Let the reader first understand this point. |
| 如果寫不出，或者不能寫了，馬上就收場。所以這日記要有多麼長，現在一點不知道。 | If I cannot write, or can write no more, I shall stop at once. So how long this diary will be, I have not the slightest idea at present. |
| 一九二六年六月二十五日，記於東壁下。 | June 25, 1926, recorded by the east wall. |
| == 六月二十五日晴。 == | == June 25. Clear. == |
| 生病。——今天還寫這個，仿佛有點多事似的。因為這是十天以前的事，現在倒已經可以算得好起來了。不過餘波還沒有完，所以也只好將這作為開宗明義章第一。謹案才子立言，總須大嚷三大苦難：一曰窮，二曰病，三曰社會迫害我。那結果，便是失掉了愛人；若用專門名詞，則謂之失戀。 | Ill.—Writing this today seems rather superfluous, since this happened ten days ago, and by now I can more or less count as recovered. But the aftereffects are not entirely past, so I may as well make this the "Opening Manifesto, Chapter the First." The rules for a man of talent establishing his words require him to proclaim three great sufferings: first, poverty; second, illness; third, society persecutes me. And the result is the loss of a sweetheart—or, to use the proper term, unrequited love. |
| 我的開宗明義雖然近似第二大苦難，實際上卻不然，倒是因為端午節前收了幾文稿費，吃東西吃壞了，從此就不消化，胃痛。我的胃的八字不見佳，向來就擔不起福澤的。也很想看醫生。中醫，雖然有人說是玄妙無窮，內科尤為獨步，我可總是不相信。西醫呢，有名的看資貴，事情忙，診視也潦草，無名的自然便宜些，然而我總還有些躊躕。事情既然到了這樣，當然只好聽憑敝胃隱隱地痛著了。 | My Opening Manifesto, though it may resemble the second great suffering, is in fact nothing of the kind. Rather, it was because I received a few wen of manuscript fees just before the Dragon Boat Festival, ate too much, and since then have had indigestion and stomach pain. My stomach's horoscope is not auspicious; it has never been able to bear good fortune. I would very much like to see a doctor. Chinese medicine, though some say its mysteries are inexhaustible, with internal medicine being its unrivaled specialty—I simply cannot believe in it. Western medicine? The renowned practitioners charge dearly, are busy, and give cursory examinations. The unknown ones are naturally cheaper, but I still feel some hesitation. Since things have come to this pass, I can of course only let my poor stomach ache on in silence. |
| 自從西醫割掉了梁啟超的一個腰子以後，責難之聲就風起雲湧了，連對於腰子不很有研究的文學家也都「仗義執言」。同時，「中醫了不得論」也就應運而起；腰子有病，何不服黃蓍歟？什麼有病，何不吃鹿茸歟？但西醫的病院裡確也常有死屍抬出。我曾經忠告過G先生：你要開醫院，萬不可收留些看來無法挽回的病人；治好了走出，沒有人知道，死掉了抬出，就哄動一時了，尤其是死掉的如果是「名流」。我的本意是在設法推行新醫學，但G先生卻似乎以為我良心壞。這也未始不可以那麼想，——由他去罷。 | Ever since Western doctors cut out one of Liang Qichao's (梁啟超) kidneys, voices of reproach have risen like a storm, and even literary men with little expertise in kidneys have all "spoken out for justice." At the same time, the theory that "Chinese medicine is truly wonderful" sprang up in response. Kidney trouble? Why not take astragalus? Whatever the illness, why not eat deer antler? But corpses do indeed often come out of Western hospitals. I once earnestly advised Dr. G: if you open a hospital, you must never admit patients who appear beyond saving. Those who recover and walk out, nobody notices; those who die and are carried out cause a sensation—especially if the deceased is a "notable." My true intention was to find ways to promote modern medicine, but Dr. G seemed to think my conscience was bad. That interpretation is not necessarily wrong—let him think what he will. |
| 但據我看來，實行我所說的方法的醫院可很有，只是他們的本意卻並不在要使新醫學通行。新的本國的西醫又大抵模模胡胡，一出手便先學了中醫一樣的江湖訣，和水的龍膽丁幾兩日份八角；漱口的淡硼酸水每瓶一元。至於診斷學呢，我似的門外漢可不得而知。總之，西方的醫學在中國還未萌芽，便已近於腐敗。我雖然只相信西醫，近來也頗有些望而卻步了。 | But as I see it, hospitals that practice what I described are actually quite common; only their true intention is not to promote modern medicine. The homegrown Western doctors are also mostly muddled; the moment they start practicing, they learn the quack tricks of Chinese medicine: gentian tincture diluted with water, two doses for eight jiao a day; mouthwash of dilute boric acid, one yuan per bottle. As for their diagnostic skills—well, a layman like me cannot speak to that. In short, Western medicine in China has hardly sprouted before it is already verging on rot. Although I believe only in Western medicine, lately I too have been somewhat discouraged. |
| 前幾天和季茀談起這些事，並且說，我的病，只要有熟人開一個方就好，用不著向什麼博士化冤錢。第二天，他就給我請了正在繼續研究的Dr．H．來了。開了一個方，自然要用稀鹽酸，還有兩樣這裡無須說；我所最感謝的是又加些Sirup Simpel使我喝得甜甜的，不為難。向藥房去配藥，可又成為問題了，因為藥房也不免有模模胡胡的，他所沒有的藥品，也許就替換，或者竟刪除。結果是托Fraeulein H．遠遠地跑到較大的藥房去。 | A few days ago I discussed these matters with Jifu (季茀), and said that for my illness, if only a friend would write me a prescription it would be enough—there was no need to waste money on some PhD. The very next day, he brought over Dr. H., who was continuing his research. He wrote a prescription: naturally it called for dilute hydrochloric acid, plus two other things I need not mention here. What I was most grateful for was that he also added some Sirup Simpel, so I could drink it sweetly without difficulty. Going to the pharmacy to have the prescription filled became another problem, because pharmacies too are not free of muddle-headedness: drugs they do not have in stock may be substituted, or simply omitted. In the end, Fraeulein H. was asked to make the long trip to a larger pharmacy. |
| 這樣一辦，加上車錢，也還要比醫院的藥價便宜到四分之三。 | Even with the cab fare added, it was still three-quarters cheaper than hospital prices. |
| 胃酸得了外來的生力軍，強盛起來，一瓶藥還未喝完，痛就停止了。我決定多喝它幾天。但是，第二瓶卻奇怪，同一的藥房，同一的藥方，藥味可是不同一了；不像前一回的甜，也不酸。我檢查我自己，並不發熱，舌苔也不厚，這分明是藥水有些蹊蹺。喝了兩回，壞處倒也沒有；幸而不是急病，不大要緊，便照例將它喝完。去買第三瓶時，卻附帶了嚴重的質問；那回答是：也許糖分少了一點罷。這意思就是說緊要的藥品沒有錯。中國的事情真是稀奇，糖分少一點，不但不甜，連酸也不酸了，的確是「特別國情」。 | My stomach acid, having gained foreign reinforcements, grew mighty; before I had finished even one bottle, the pain stopped. I resolved to keep drinking for a few more days. But the second bottle was strange: the same pharmacy, the same prescription, yet the taste was different—not sweet like the first time, and not sour either. I examined myself: no fever, no thick coating on the tongue—this was clearly something fishy with the medicine. I drank two doses; no ill effects at least. Fortunately it was not an urgent illness—nothing critical—so I drank it up as usual. When I went to buy the third bottle, I accompanied it with a stern interrogation. The answer was: perhaps the sugar content was a little less. Meaning: the important drugs are not wrong. Things in China are truly peculiar. A little less sugar, and it is not only not sweet, but not even sour—this is indeed "special national conditions." |
| 現在多攻擊大醫院對於病人的冷漠，我想，這些醫院，將病人當作研究品，大概是有的，還有在院裡的「高等華人」，將病人看作下等研究品，大概也是有的。不願意的，只好上私人所開的醫院去，可是診金藥價都很貴。請熟人開了方去買藥呢，藥水也會先後不同起來。 | Nowadays there is much criticism of the indifference of large hospitals toward patients. I think some of these hospitals do treat patients as research subjects; and there are also "high-class Chinese" in the hospitals who regard patients as inferior research subjects. Those who object can only go to privately operated hospitals, but there the consultation fees and drug prices are very high. If you ask a friend to write a prescription and buy the medicine yourself, the medicine may turn out different from bottle to bottle. |
| 這是人的問題。做事不切實，便什麼都可疑。呂端大事不糊塗，猶言小事不妨糊塗點，這自然很足以顯示我們中國人的雅量，然而我的胃痛卻因此延長了。在宇宙的森羅萬象中，我的胃痛當然不過是小事，或者簡直不算事。 | This is a problem of people. When things are done without care, everything becomes suspect. "Lu Duan was not muddled on important matters"—which implies that on small matters one may well be a bit muddled—and this naturally shows off the generosity of spirit of us Chinese. But my stomach ache was prolonged because of it. In the whole panorama of the universe, my stomach ache is of course only a trifle, or perhaps not even a thing at all. |
| 質問之後的第三瓶藥水，藥味就同第一瓶一樣了。先前的悶胡盧，到此就很容易打破，就是那第二瓶裡，是只有一日分的藥，卻加了兩日分的水的，所以藥味比正當的要薄一半。 | After my stern interrogation, the third bottle of medicine tasted the same as the first. The earlier mystery is now easily solved: the second bottle contained only one day's dose of medicine, with two days' worth of water added, so the medicine was half the proper strength. |
| 雖然連吃藥也那麼蹭蹬，病卻也居然好起來了。病略見好，H就攻擊我頭髮長，說為什麼不趕快去剪髮。 | Although even taking medicine was so beset with difficulties, the illness did at last improve. As it improved, H. attacked me for my long hair, asking why I did not hurry to get a haircut. |
| 這種攻擊是聽慣的，照例「著毋庸議」。但也不想用功，只是清理抽屜。翻翻廢紙，其中有一束紙條，是前幾年鈔寫的；這很使我覺得自己也日懶一日了，現在早不想做這類事。 | This sort of attack I am used to hearing—as always, "the motion is noted and shelved." But I had no desire to work either; I merely tidied up drawers. Rummaging through waste paper, I found a bundle of slips, copied out several years ago. This made me feel that I was growing lazier by the day—nowadays I would never want to do such things. |
| 那時大概是想要做一篇攻擊近時印書，胡亂標點之謬的文章的，廢紙中就鈔有很奇妙的例子。要塞進字紙簍裡時，覺得有幾條總還是愛不忍釋，現在鈔幾條在這裡，馬上印出，以便「有目共賞」罷。其餘的便作為換取火柴之助—— | At that time, I must have been planning to write an essay attacking the absurd punctuation of recently printed books; among the waste paper I had copied out some quite marvelous examples. Just as I was about to stuff them into the wastepaper basket, I felt that a few were still too good to discard. Let me copy some here, have them printed at once, for "all eyes to enjoy." The rest can serve as kindling for matches— |
| 「國朝陳錫路黃鉐餘話云。唐傅奕考覈道經眾本。有項羽妾。本齊武平五年彭城人。開項羽妾塚。得之。」（上海進步書局石印本《茶香室叢鈔》卷四第二葉。） | "Guochao Chen Xilu Huang Shi Yuhua yun. Tang Fu Yi kaoke Daojing zhongben. You Xiang Yu qie. Ben Qi Wuping wunian Pengchengren. Kai Xiang Yu qie zhong. De zhi." (Shanghai Jinbu Shuju lithographic edition, Chaxiangshi Congchao, volume 4, leaf 2.) |
| 「國朝歐陽泉點勘記云。歐陽修醉翁亭。記讓泉也。本集及滁州石刻。並同諸選本。作釀泉。誤也。」（同上卷八第七葉。） | "Guochao Ouyang Quan Dianji yun. Ouyang Xiu Zuiwengting. Ji rangquan ye. Benji ji Chuzhou shike. Bing tong zhuxuanben. Zuo niangquan. Wu ye." (Same work, volume 8, leaf 7.) |
| 「袁石公典試秦中。後頗自悔。其少作詩文。皆粹然一出於正。」（上海士林精舍石印本《書影》卷一第四葉。） | "Yuan Shigong dianshi Qinzhong. Hou po zihuiqi shaozuo shiwen. Jie cuiran yichu yuzheng." (Shanghai Shilin Jingshe lithographic edition, Shuying, volume 1, leaf 4.) |
| 「考……順治中，秀水又有一陳忱，……著誠齋詩集，不出戶庭，錄讀史隨筆，同姓名錄諸書。」（上海亞東圖書館排印本《水滸續集兩種序》第七葉。） | "Kao... Shunzhi zhong, Xiushui you you yi Chen Chen,... zhu Chengzhai shiji, bu chu huting, lu dushi suibi, tong xingming lu zhushu." (Shanghai Yadong Tushuguan typeset edition, Shuihu Xuji Liangzhong Xu, leaf 7.) |
| 標點古文，確是一種小小的難事，往往無從下筆；有許多處，我常疑心即使請作者自己來標點，怕也不免於遲疑。但上列的幾條，卻還不至於那麼無從索解。末兩條的意義尤顯豁，而標點也弄得更聰明。 | Punctuating classical texts is indeed a small but tricky business; one often does not know where to place one's pen. In many places, I have always suspected that even if the author himself were asked to punctuate, he too would hesitate. But the examples listed above are not so impossibly obscure. The last two are especially clear in meaning—yet the punctuation has been applied with even greater "ingenuity." |
| ==六月二十六日晴。== | == June 26. Clear. == |
| 上午，得霽野從他家鄉寄來的信，話並不多，說家裡有病人，別的一切人也都在毫無防備的將被疾病襲擊的恐怖中；末尾還有幾句感慨。 | Morning: received a letter from Jiye (霽野) sent from his hometown. Not many words—saying there was a sick person at home, and everyone else was living in the terror of being struck by illness without any defense. At the end, a few words of lamentation. |
| 午後，織芳從河南來，談了幾句，匆匆忙忙地就走了，放下兩個包，說這是「方糖」，送你吃的，怕不見得好。織芳這一回有點發胖，又這麼忙，又穿著方馬褂，我恐怕他將要做官了。 | Afternoon: Zhifang (織芳) came from Henan. After a few words he left in great haste, leaving behind two packages, saying, "This is 'fang sugar'—a present for you to eat, though I'm afraid it may not be very good." Zhifang had put on some weight this time, and he was in such a hurry, and wearing a square-cut mandarin jacket—I'm afraid he is about to become an official. |
| 打開包來看時，何嘗是「方」的，卻是圓圓的小薄片，黃棕色。吃起來又涼又細膩，確是好東西。但我不明白織芳為什麼叫它「方糖」？但這也就可以作為他將要做官的一證。 | When I opened the packages, the contents were not "square" (fang) at all, but round little thin slices, of a yellowish-brown color. They were cool and delicate to the taste—definitely a good thing. But I could not understand why Zhifang called it "fang sugar." Still, this too could serve as one more proof that he was about to become an official. |
| 景宋說這是河南一處什麼地方的名產，是用柿霜做成的；性涼，如果嘴角上生些小瘡之類，用這一搽，便會好。怪不得有這麼細膩，原來是憑了造化的妙手，用柿皮來濾過的。 | Jingsong (景宋) said it was a specialty from some place in Henan, made from persimmon frost, cooling in nature; if you get little sores at the corners of your mouth, you smear this on and they heal. No wonder it was so delicate—it turned out to have been filtered through persimmon skin by nature's own skillful hand. |
| 可惜到他說明的時候，我已經吃了一大半了。連忙將所餘的收起，豫備將來嘴角上生瘡的時候，好用這來搽。 | Unfortunately, by the time she explained this, I had already eaten more than half. I hastily put away the remainder, keeping it in reserve for the day my mouth corners might develop sores, to smear on then. |
| 夜間，又將藏著的柿霜糖吃了一大半，因為我忽而又以為嘴角上生瘡的時候究竟不很多，還不如現在趁新鮮吃一點。 | At night, I ate another large portion of the stored persimmon frost candy, because I suddenly reconsidered: the occasions when one gets sores at the mouth corners are really not so frequent after all—better to eat some now while it is fresh. |
| 不料一吃，就又吃了一大半了。 | To my surprise, one bite led to another, and I had again eaten more than half. |
| == 六月二十八日晴，大風。 == | == June 28. Clear, strong wind. == |
| 上午出門，主意是在買藥，看見滿街掛著五色國旗；軍警林立。走到豐盛胡同中段，被軍警驅入一條小胡同中。少頃，看見大路上黃塵滾滾，一輛摩托車馳過；少頃，又是一輛；少頃，又是一輛；又是一輛；又是一輛……。車中人看不分明，但見金邊帽。車邊上掛著兵，有的背著紮紅綢的板刀；小胡同中人都肅然有敬畏之意。又少頃，摩托車沒有了，我們漸漸溜出，軍警也不作聲。 | Went out in the morning, intending to buy medicine. The streets were hung everywhere with five-color national flags; military police stood at every turn. Halfway down Fengsheng Hutong, I was driven by military police into a side alley. Before long, I saw yellow dust billowing on the main road as a motorcycle roared past. Before long, another; before long, another; another; another... The occupants could not be clearly seen—only gold-trimmed caps. Soldiers hung on the sides of the vehicles, some carrying broadswords wrapped in red silk. The people in the side alley all wore an air of solemn awe. Before long, the motorcycles ceased, and we gradually slipped out; the military police said nothing. |
| 溜到西單牌樓大街，也是滿街掛著五色國旗，軍警林立。 | I slipped to the main street at Xidan Pailou, also hung everywhere with five-color national flags, military police standing in rows. |
| 一群破衣孩子，各各拿著一把小紙片，叫道：歡迎吳玉帥號外呀！一個來叫我買，我沒有買。 | A group of ragged children, each holding a handful of little paper sheets, cried out: Welcome Marshal Wu Yufu special edition! One of them called out to me to buy one; I did not. |
| 將近宣武門口，一個黃色制服，汗流滿面的漢子從外面走進來，忽而大聲道：草你媽！許多人都對他看，但他走過去了，許多人也就不看了。走進宣武門城洞下，又是一個破衣孩子拿著一把小紙片，但卻默默地將一張塞給我，接來一看，是石印的李國恒先生的傳單，內中大意，是說他的多年痔瘡，已蒙一個國手叫作什麼先生的醫好了。 | Near the Xuanwu Gate, a fellow in a yellow uniform, sweat streaming down his face, walked in from outside and suddenly exclaimed loudly: Fuck your mother! Many people looked at him, but he walked on past, and many people stopped looking. Entering the archway of Xuanwu Gate, another ragged child was holding a handful of little paper sheets, but this one silently pressed a sheet into my hand. I looked at it: a lithographed handbill from a Mr. Li Guoheng, the gist of which was that his hemorrhoids of many years had been cured by a certain Master So-and-so, a healer of national stature. |
| 到了目的地的藥房時，外面正有一群人圍著看兩個人的口角；一柄淺藍色的舊洋傘正擋住藥房門。我推那洋傘時，斤量很不輕；終於傘底下回過一個頭來，問我「幹什麼？」我答說進去買藥。他不作聲，又回頭去看口角去了，洋傘的位置依舊。我只好下了十二分的決心，猛力衝鋒；一沖，可就沖進去了。 | When I reached the pharmacy that was my destination, a crowd outside was gathered around watching two people in an argument; a faded light-blue Western umbrella was blocking the pharmacy door. When I pushed at the umbrella, it was by no means light. At last, from beneath the umbrella a head turned around and asked me, "What do you want?" I said I wanted to go in and buy medicine. He said nothing, turned his head back to watch the argument; the umbrella stayed where it was. I had no choice but to summon the fullest twelve degrees of determination and charge. One charge, and I was in. |
| 藥房裡只有帳桌上坐著一個外國人，其餘的店夥都是年青的同胞，服飾乾淨漂亮。不知怎地，我忽而覺得十年以後，他們便都要變為高等華人，而自己卻現在就有下等人之感。於是乎恭恭敬敬地將藥方和瓶子捧呈給一位分開頭髮的同胞。 | Inside the pharmacy, only a foreigner sat at the accounts desk; the rest of the staff were all young compatriots, cleanly and smartly dressed. I cannot say why, but I suddenly felt that in ten years they would all become "high-class Chinese," while I myself already felt like a member of the lower class. And so, with the utmost deference, I presented my prescription and bottle to one parted-haired compatriot. |
| 「八毛五分。」他接了，一面走，一面說。 | "Eighty-five fen," he said, taking them as he walked. |
| 「喂！」我實在耐不住，下等脾氣又發作了。藥價八毛，瓶子錢照例五分，我是知道的。現在自己帶了瓶子，怎麼還要付五分錢呢？這一個「喂」字的功用就和國罵的「他媽的」相同，其中含有這麼多的意義。 | "Hey!" I truly could not help it; my lower-class temper flared up again. The medicine cost eighty fen, and the bottle deposit was the usual five fen—I knew this. Now I had brought my own bottle—why should I still pay five fen? This single "Hey!" served the same function as the national oath "His mother's"; it was packed with all that meaning. |
| 「八毛！」他也立刻懂得，將五分錢讓去，真是「從善如流」，有正人君子的風度。 | "Eighty fen!" He too understood at once and let the five fen go—truly "following the good as water flows," showing the bearing of a true gentleman. |
| 我付了八毛錢，等候一會，藥就拿出來了。我想，對付這一種同胞，有時是不宜於太客氣的。於是打開瓶塞，當面嘗了一嘗。 | I paid eighty fen, waited a while, and the medicine was brought out. I thought: with this sort of compatriot, it sometimes does not do to be too polite. So I uncorked the bottle and tasted a sip right there before him. |
| 「沒有錯的。」他很聰明，知道我不信任他。 | "There's no mistake," he said, quite shrewdly knowing that I did not trust him. |
| 「唔。」我點頭表示贊成。其實是，還是不對，我的味覺不至於很麻木，這回覺得太酸了一點了，他連量杯也懶得用，那稀鹽酸分明已經過量。然而這於我倒毫無妨礙的，我可以每回少喝些，或者對上水，多喝它幾回。所以說「唔」； | "Mm." I nodded in approval. In fact, it was still not right. My sense of taste is not so dull; this time it tasted a bit too sour. He had been too lazy even to use a measuring cup, and the dilute hydrochloric acid was clearly in excess. But this was no trouble at all for me: I could simply take smaller doses each time, or add water and take more doses. So I said "Mm." |
| 「唔」者，介乎兩可之間，莫明其真意之所在之答話也。 | "Mm"—a reply hovering between two possibilities, whose true meaning is impossible to fathom. |
| 「回見回見！」我取了瓶子，走著說。 | "Goodbye, goodbye!" I took my bottle and said as I walked. |
| 「回見。不喝水麼？」 | "Goodbye. Won't you have some water?" |
| 「不喝了。回見。」 | "No, I won't. Goodbye." |
| 我們究竟是禮教之邦的國民，歸根結蒂，還是禮讓。讓出了玻璃門之後，在大毒日頭底下的塵土中趲行，行到東長安街左近，又是軍警林立。我正想橫穿過去，一個巡警伸手攔住道：不成！我說只要走十幾步，到對面就好了。他的回答仍然是：不成！那結果，是從別的道路繞。 | We are, after all, citizens of a nation of ritual propriety; in the end, there is always courtesy. Having been courteously let out through the glass door, I hastened through the dust under the blazing sun. Near East Chang'an Avenue, there were more military police. I was about to cross the road when a patrolman put out his hand and stopped me: "Not allowed!" I said I only needed to take a dozen steps to get across. His reply was the same: "Not allowed!" The result was a detour through other streets. |
| 繞到L君的寓所前，便打門，打出一個小使來，說L君出去了，須得午飯時候才回家。我說，也快到這個時候了，我在這裡等一等罷。他說：不成！你貴姓呀？這使我很狼狽，路既這麼遠，走路又這麼難，白走一遭，實在有些可惜。我想了十秒鐘，便從衣袋裡挖出一張名片來，叫他進去稟告太太，說有這麼一個人，要在這裡等一等，可以不？約有半刻鐘，他出來了，結果是：也不成！先生要三點鐘才回來哩，你三點鐘再來罷。 | I detoured to L's lodgings and knocked. A servant-boy came out and said L had gone out and would not be back until lunchtime. I said it was nearly that time, and I would wait here a bit. He said: "Not allowed! What is your surname?" This put me in a rather awkward spot. The road was so long, walking was so difficult, and to make the trip for nothing was really a pity. I thought for ten seconds, then fished a name card out of my pocket and told him to go in and inform the lady of the house that such-and-such a person wished to wait here a bit—would that be all right? After about a quarter of an hour, he came back out, and the result was: Not allowed either! The master would not return until three o'clock; come back at three. |
| 又想了十秒鐘，只好決計去訪C君，仍在大毒日頭底下的塵土中趲行，這回總算一路無阻，到了。打門一問，來開門的答道：去看一看可在家。我想：這一次是大有希望了。果然，即刻領我進客廳，C君也跑出來。我首先就要求他請我吃午飯。於是請我吃麵包，還有葡萄酒；主人自己卻吃麵。那結果是一盤麵包被我吃得精光，雖然另有奶油，可是四碟菜也所餘無幾了。 | After thinking for another ten seconds, I could only decide to visit C. Still under the blazing sun, still through the dust, I hastened on—and this time met no obstacles. Arrived. I knocked, and the person who opened the door said: Let me go and see if he is in. I thought: this time things look very promising. Sure enough, he led me into the parlor at once, and C himself came running out. The first thing I did was ask him to give me lunch. And so he gave me bread, and also wine. The host himself ate noodles. The result was that a plate of bread was consumed to the last crumb by me, and although there was butter as well, the four side dishes were also left with very little. |
| 吃飽了就講閒話，直到五點鐘。 | Having eaten my fill, we chatted idly until five o'clock. |
| 客廳外是很大的一塊空地方，種著許多樹。一株頻果樹下常有孩子們徘徊；C君說，那是在等候頻果落下來的；因為有定律：誰拾得就歸誰所有。我很笑孩子們耐心，肯做這樣的迂遠事。然而奇怪，到我辭別出去時，我看見三個孩子手裡已經各有一個頻果了。 | Outside the parlor was a large open space, planted with many trees. Beneath one apple tree, children were always lingering. C said they were waiting for apples to fall, for there was a rule: whoever picks it up, it belongs to him. I laughed at the children's patience, willing to engage in such a roundabout enterprise. But strangely, by the time I took my leave, I saw that three children already each had an apple in hand. |
| 回家看日報，上面說：「……吳在長辛店留宿一宵。除上述原因外，尚有一事，系吳由保定啟程後，張其鍠曾為吳卜一課，謂二十八日入京大利，必可平定西北。二十七日入京欠佳。吳頗以為然。此亦吳氏遲一日入京之由來也。」因此又想起我今天「不成」了大半天，運氣殊屬欠佳，不如也卜一課，以覘晚上的休咎罷。但我不明卜法，又無筮龜，實在無從措手。後來發明了一種新法，就是隨便拉過一本書來，閉了眼睛，翻開，用手指指下去，然後張開眼，看指著的兩句，就算是卜辭。 | Back home, reading the evening paper, it said: "...Wu spent one night at Changxindian. Besides the above reasons, there was another matter: after Wu set out from Baoding, Zhang Qihuang had a divination cast for Wu, saying that entering the capital on the 28th would be greatly auspicious and he would certainly pacify the Northwest. Entering on the 27th would be unfavorable. Wu was quite persuaded. This was another reason Wu entered the capital one day late." This reminded me of my own day of "Not allowed!" all day long—my luck had been decidedly poor, and I might as well cast a divination myself to see what the night's fortunes would be. But I did not know the methods of divination, had no tortoise shell or yarrow stalks, and truly had no way to proceed. Later I invented a new method: pull any book off the shelf, close one's eyes, open it, point a finger, then open one's eyes and read the two lines one is pointing at—that would serve as the oracle. |
| 用的是《陶淵明集》，如法泡制，那兩句是：「寄意一言外，茲契誰能別。」詳了一會，竟不知道是怎麼一回事。 | I used the Collected Works of Tao Yuanming (陶淵明). Following the procedure, the two lines were: "The meaning is lodged beyond the words; this bond—who can discern it?" I pondered for a while but could not for the life of me figure out what it meant. |
| === Section 23 === | == Section 23 == |
| 前幾天會見小峰，談到自己要在半農所編的副刊上投點稿，那名目是《馬上日記》。小峰憮然曰，回憶歸在《舊事重提》中，目下的雜感就寫進這日記裡面去……。 | A few days ago I ran into Xiaofeng (小峰), and mentioned that I was going to submit some contributions to the supplement Bannong was editing, under the title "Diary in Haste." Xiaofeng said with a dejected look: recollections go into "Revisiting Old Things," and current miscellaneous thoughts go into this diary of yours... |
| 意思之間，似乎是說：你在《語絲》上做什麼呢？—— | Between the lines, the implication seemed to be: what are you going to write for Yusi then?— |
| 但這也許是我自己的疑心病。我那時可暗暗地想：生長在敢於吃河豚的地方的人，怎麼也會這樣拘泥？政黨會設支部，銀行會開支店，我就不會寫支日記的麼？因為《語絲》上須投稿，而這暗想馬上就實行了，於是乎作支日記。 | But this may just be my own suspicious mind. At the time I was secretly thinking: a man born in a place where people dare to eat pufferfish—how can he be so rigid? Political parties open branch offices, banks open branch stores—can I not write a branch diary? Because contributions for Yusi were also needed, I immediately put this secret thought into practice, and thus I write a branch diary. |
| == 六月二十九日晴。 == | == June 29. Clear. == |
| 早晨被一個小蠅子在臉上爬來爬去爬醒，趕開，又來；趕開，又來；而且一定要在臉上的一定的地方爬。打了一回，打它不死，只得改變方針：自己起來。 | Woken early by a small fly crawling back and forth on my face. Shooed it away; it came back. Shooed it away; it came back—and it insisted on crawling on one particular spot on my face. After swatting at it for a while without killing it, I had no choice but to change tactics: get up myself. |
| 記得前年夏天路過S州，那客店裡的蠅群卻著實使人驚心動魄。飯菜搬來時，它們先追逐著賞鑒；夜間就停得滿屋，我們就枕，必須慢慢地，小心地放下頭去，倘若猛然一躺，驚動了它們，便轟的一聲，飛得你頭昏眼花，一敗塗地。 | I recall the summer before last, passing through S-zhou. The swarms of flies in the inn were truly alarming. When food was brought out, they chased after it for inspection first. At night they covered every surface in the room. When we lay down, we had to lower our heads slowly and carefully; if we threw ourselves down suddenly, startling them, they would rise with a great buzz, leaving you dizzy, defeated, and utterly routed. |
| 到黎明，青年們所希望的黎明，那自然就照例地到你臉上來爬來爬去了。但我經過街上，看見一個孩子睡著，五六個蠅子在他臉上爬，他卻睡得甜甜的，連皮膚也不牽動一下。在中國過活，這樣的訓練和涵養工夫是萬不可少的。與其鼓吹什麼「捕蠅」，倒不如練習這一種本領來得切實。 | At dawn—that dawn the young people so yearn for—naturally they came as usual to crawl across your face. But walking through the streets, I saw a child sleeping. Five or six flies crawled across his face, and he slept sweetly on, not even twitching a muscle. In China, this sort of training and cultivation is absolutely indispensable. Instead of promoting "fly-catching," it would be far more practical to cultivate this particular skill. |
| 什麼事都不想做。不知道是胃病沒有全好呢，還是缺少了睡眠時間。仍舊懶懶地翻翻廢紙，又看見幾條《茶香室叢鈔》式的東西。已經團入字紙簍裡的了，又覺得「棄之不甘」，挑一點關於《水滸傳》的，移錄在這裡罷—— | Did not feel like doing anything. Whether because the stomach ailment had not fully cleared up or because of insufficient sleep, I could not tell. Still lazily rummaging through waste paper, I found a few more items in the style of Chaxiangshi Congchao. They were already balled up and thrown in the wastepaper basket, but I felt "reluctant to discard them." Let me pick out a few related toErta on the Water Margin and transcribe them here— |
| 宋洪邁《夷堅甲志》十四云：「紹興二十五年，吳傅朋說除守安豐軍，自番陽遣一卒往呼吏士，行至舒州境，見村民穰穰，十百相聚，因弛擔觀之。其人曰，吾村有婦人為虎銜去，其夫不勝憤，獨攜刀往探虎穴，移時不反，今謀往救也。久之，民負死妻歸，云，初尋跡至穴，虎牝牡皆不在，有二子戲岩竇下，即殺之，而隱其中以俟。少頃，望牝者銜一人至，倒身入穴，不知人藏其中也。吾急持尾，斷其一足。虎棄所銜人，踉蹡而竄；徐出視之，果吾妻也，死矣。虎曳足行數十步，墮澗中。吾複入竇伺，牡者俄咆躍而至，亦以尾先入，又如前法殺之。妻冤已報，無憾矣。乃邀鄰里往視，輿四虎以歸，分烹之。」案《水滸傳》敘李逵沂嶺殺四虎事，情狀極相類，疑即本此等傳說作之。《夷堅甲志》成于乾道初（1165），此條題云《舒民殺四虎》。 | Song dynasty, Hong Mai's (洪邁) Yijian Zhizhi, volume 14: "In the twenty-fifth year of Shaoxing [1155], Wu Fupeng...was appointed as prefect of Anfeng Garrison. He sent a soldier from Poyang to summon his officials. Traveling through Shu prefecture territory, the soldier saw villagers swarming, scores and hundreds gathered together. He set down his carrying-pole to watch. They said, 'A woman from our village was carried off by a tiger. Her husband, unable to contain his fury, went alone with a knife to the tiger's lair. Time has passed and he has not returned; we are now planning to go to his rescue.' After a long while, the man came back carrying his dead wife. He said: 'When I first tracked the tiger to its lair, both the male and female tigers were out. Two cubs were playing below a rock cave. I killed them and hid inside to wait. Before long, I saw the female carrying a person, entering the cave tail first, not knowing I was hidden there. I quickly seized her tail and cut off one foot. The tiger dropped the person it was carrying and hobbled away. I came out slowly and looked—it was indeed my wife, already dead. The tiger dragged its foot some tens of paces and fell into a ravine. I went back into the cave to wait. Before long the male tiger came bounding and roaring. It too entered tail first. Again using the same method, I killed it. My wife's wrong has been avenged; I have no regrets.' He then invited the villagers to come look, and they carried the four tigers home and divided and cooked them." Note: The Water Margin's account of Li Kui (李逵) killing four tigers on Yi Ridge is very similar in its particulars, and I suspect it was based on such traditions. The Yijian Zhizhi was completed at the beginning of the Qiandao era (1165); this entry is titled "The Shu Man Kills Four Tigers." |
| 宋莊季裕《雞肋編》中云：「浙人以鴨兒為大諱。北人但知鴨羹雖甚熱，亦無氣。後至南方，乃始知鴨若只一雄，則雖合而無卵，須二三始有子，其以為諱者，蓋為是耳，不在於無氣也。」案《水滸傳》敘鄆哥向武大索麥稃，「武大道：『我屋裡又不養鵝鴨，那裡有這麥稃？』鄆哥道：『你說沒麥稃，怎地棧得肥月耷月耷地，便顛倒提起你來也不妨，煮你在鍋裡也沒氣？』武大道：『含鳥猢猻！倒罵得我好。我的老婆又不偷漢子，我如何是鴨？』……」鴨必多雄始孕，蓋宋時浙中俗說，今已不知。然由此可知《水滸傳》確為舊本，其著者則浙人；雖莊季裕，亦僅知鴨羹無氣而已。《雞肋編》有紹興三年（1133）序，去今已將八百年。 | Song dynasty, Zhuang Jiyu's (莊季裕) Jilei Bian: "People in Zhejiang consider 'duck' a great taboo word. Northerners only know that duck soup, no matter how hot, produces no steam. When I later went south, I first learned that if there is only one drake with the hens, then though they mate, there are no eggs. You need two or three drakes before there will be chicks. The reason for the taboo is this, not the matter of steam." Note: In the Water Margin, when Yun'ge (鄆哥) goes to Wuda (武大) to ask for wheat chaff, "Wuda said, 'We don't raise geese or ducks at my house—where would I get wheat chaff?' Yun'ge said, 'You say you've got no chaff, but how come you're so plump and fat? Even if you were hung upside down, it wouldn't matter—throw you in the pot and there wouldn't be any steam!' Wuda said, 'You filthy little monkey! Insulting me like that! My wife doesn't sleep around—how am I a duck?'..." That ducks need multiple drakes to become fertile was evidently a popular saying in Zhejiang during the Song; it is no longer known today. From this we can see that the Water Margin is indeed an old text, and its author was a Zhejiang native. Even Zhuang Jiyu himself only knew about duck soup having no steam. The Jilei Bian has a preface dated the third year of Shaoxing (1133)—nearly eight hundred years ago. |
| 元陳泰《所安遺集》《江南曲序》云：「余童艸時，聞長老言宋江事，未究其詳。至治癸亥秋九月十六日，過梁山泊，舟遙見一峰，嵽嵲雄跨，問之篙師，曰，此安山也，昔宋江事處，絕湖為池，闊九十里，皆蕖荷菱芡，相傳以為宋妻所植。宋之為人，勇悍狂俠，其党如宋者三十六人。至今山下有分贓台，置石座三十六所，俗所謂『去時三十六，歸時十八雙』，意者其自誓之辭也。始予過此，荷花彌望，今無複存者，惟殘香相送耳。因記王荊公詩云：『三十六陂春水，白頭想見江南。』味其詞，作《江南曲》以敘遊歷，且以慰宋妻種荷之意云。（原注：曲因囊損無存。）」案宋江有妻在梁山濼中，且植芰荷，僅見於此；而謂江勇悍狂俠，亦與今所傳性格絕殊，知《水滸》故事，宋元來異說多矣。泰字志同，號所安，茶陵人，延襱甲寅（1314），以《天馬賦》中省試第十二名，會試賜乙卯科張起岩榜進士第，由翰林庶起士改授龍南令，卒官。至曾孫朴，始集其遺文為一卷。成化丁未，來孫銓等又並補遺重刊之。《江南曲》即在補遺中，而失其詩。近《涵芬樓秘笈》第十集收金侃手寫本，則並序失之矣。「舟遙見一峰」及「昔宋江事處」二句，當有脫誤，未見別本，無以正之。 | Yuan dynasty, Chen Tai's (陳泰) Suo'an Yiji, preface to "Jiangnan Qu": "When I was a child, I heard elders speak of Song Jiang's deeds but did not know the details. In the autumn of the guihai year of the Zhizhi era [1323], on the sixteenth day of the ninth month, I passed Liang Mountain Marsh. From the boat I saw a distant peak, towering and majestic. I asked the boatman, who said, 'This is An Mountain, where Song Jiang made his stand. The lake he carved out as his stronghold spans ninety li, all covered with lotus, water chestnuts, and water caltrops. Tradition has it that these were planted by Song's wife. Song as a man was brave, fierce, wild, and chivalrous. His followers numbered thirty-six, like Song himself. To this day at the foot of the mountain there is a spoils-dividing platform with thirty-six stone seats. The folk saying goes: "Thirty-six went out; eighteen pairs came back"—this seems to have been their oath of brotherhood. When I first passed here, lotuses stretched as far as the eye could see; now there are none left, only a lingering fragrance seeing us off. Recalling Wang Anshi's verse: "Thirty-six ponds of spring water / white-haired, I long to see Jiangnan again," I savor those words and compose a "Jiangnan Qu" to record my journey and to console the spirit of Song's wife who planted the lotuses. (Note: The poem was lost when the pouch was damaged.)'" Note: That Song Jiang had a wife at Liang Mountain Marsh who planted lotus and water chestnuts is found only here. And the description of Song Jiang as brave, fierce, wild, and chivalrous differs completely from the character as known today, showing that Song and Yuan traditions about the Water Margin tale were many and varied. Chen Tai, courtesy name Zhitong (志同), styled Suo'an, was from Chaling. In the jiaxin year of the Yanyou era (1314), he passed the provincial examination in twelfth place with his "Tianma Fu," then the metropolitan examination, receiving the jinshi degree in the yimao year under the Zhang Qiyan list. He was appointed Grand Secretary candidate and then magistrate of Longnan, where he died in office. It was not until his great-grandson Pu that his remaining writings were collected in one volume. In the dingwei year of Chenghua, his descendants Quan and others supplemented and reprinted it. The "Jiangnan Qu" is in the supplementary volume, but the poem itself was lost. The recent Hanfenlou Miji, tenth collection, contains a manuscript copy by Jin Kan, which has lost even the preface. The lines "From the boat I saw a distant peak" and "where Song Jiang made his stand" seem to have textual corruptions, but as I have not seen another edition, I cannot correct them. |
| == 七月一日晴。 == | == July 1. Clear. == |
| 上午，空六來談；全談些報紙上所載的事，真偽莫辨。 | Morning: Kong Liu (空六) came to chat. We talked entirely about things reported in the newspapers—truth and falsehood impossible to distinguish. |
| 許多工夫之後，他走了，他所談的我幾乎都忘記了，等於不談。只記得一件：據說吳佩孚大帥在一處宴會的席上發表，查得赤化的始祖乃是蚩尤，因為「蚩」「赤」同音，所以蚩尤即「赤尤」，「赤尤」者，就是「赤化之尤」的意思； | After a long while, he left. I had forgotten almost everything he told me, as though we had not talked at all. I remember only one thing: it was said that Generalissimo Wu Peifu (吳佩孚), at a banquet, announced that he had traced the origins of "Bolshevization" and found that its progenitor was Chiyou (蚩尤). Because "chi" (蚩) and "chi" (赤, red) are homophones, Chiyou means "Red You" (赤尤), and "Red You" means "the worst of the Red"—that is, "the extreme of Bolshevization." |
| 說畢，合座為之「歡然」云。 | Upon finishing, the whole table broke into "delight," it was said. |
| 太陽很烈，幾盆小草花的葉子有些垂下來了，澆了一點水。田媽忠告我：澆花的時候是每天必須一定的，不能亂；一亂，就有害。我覺得有理，便躊躇起來；但又想，沒有人在一定的時候來澆花，我又沒有一定的澆花的時候，如果遵照她的學說，那些小花可只好曬死罷了。即使亂澆，總勝於不澆；即使有害，總勝於曬死罷。便繼續澆下去，但心裡自然也不大踴躍。下午，葉子都直起來了，似乎不甚有害，這才放了心。 | The sun was fierce. The leaves of a few pots of small flowering plants were drooping a bit; I watered them. Tian Ma (田媽) admonished me that watering flowers must be done at a fixed time each day—no deviation; any deviation does harm. I found this reasonable and hesitated. But then I thought: there is no one to water at a fixed time, and I myself have no fixed watering time; if I followed her doctrine, those little flowers would simply have to wither and die in the sun. Even erratic watering is better than no watering; even if harmful, it is still better than death by sun. So I continued watering, though my heart was naturally not very enthusiastic. By afternoon, all the leaves had straightened up again—no great harm, it seemed—and only then was I relieved. |
| 燈下太熱，夜間便在暗中呆坐著，涼風微動，不覺也有些「歡然」。人倘能夠「超然象外」，看看報章，倒也是一種清福。我對於報章，向來就不是博覽家，然而這半年來，已經很遇見了些銘心絕品。遠之，則如段祺瑞執政的《二感篇》，張之江督辦的《整頓學風電》，陳源教授的《閒話》； | Too hot under the lamp at night, so I sat in the darkness. A cool breeze stirred faintly, and I too felt somewhat "delighted." If one can be "above it all," reading the newspapers is actually a kind of tranquil pleasure. I have never been a voracious reader of newspapers, yet in the past six months I have encountered quite a few memorable masterpieces. From afar: Provisional President Duan Qirui's (段祺瑞) "Essay of Two Reflections," Inspector-General Zhang Zhijiang's (張之江) "Telegram for Rectifying Academic Mores," Professor Chen Yuan's (陳源) "Idle Talk." |
| 近之，則如丁文江督辦（？）的自稱「書呆子」演說，胡適之博士的英國庚款答問，牛榮聲先生的「開倒車」論（見《現代評論》七十八期），孫傳芳督軍的與劉海粟先生論美術書。但這些比起赤化源流考來，卻又相去不可以道裡計。 | From nearer: Inspector-General (?) Ding Wenjiang's (丁文江) speech calling himself a "bookworm," Dr. Hu Shizhi's (胡適之) reply about British Boxer Indemnity funds, Mr. Niu Rongsheng's (牛榮聲) theory of "reversing course" (in Xiandai Pinglun, issue 78), and Commander-in-Chief Sun Chuanfang's (孫傳芳) letter to Mr. Liu Haisu (劉海粟) debating art. But all these pale immeasurably beside the genealogy of Bolshevization. |
| 今年春天，張之江督辦明明有電報來贊成槍斃赤化嫌疑的學生，而弄到底自己還是逃不出赤化。這很使我莫明其妙；現在既知道蚩尤是赤化的祖師，那疑團可就冰釋了。蚩尤曾打炎帝，炎帝也是「赤魁」。炎者，火德也，火色赤；帝不就是首領麼？所以三一八慘案，即等於以赤討赤，無論那一面，都還是逃不脫赤化的名稱。 | This spring, Inspector-General Zhang Zhijiang had plainly sent a telegram endorsing the execution of students suspected of Bolshevization, yet in the end he himself could not escape the charge of Bolshevization. This puzzled me greatly. Now that I know Chiyou was the patriarch of Bolshevization, the riddle melts like ice. Chiyou fought Emperor Yan (炎帝), and Emperor Yan was also a "Red Chief." Yan means fire; fire is red. And "Emperor"—is that not a leader? So the March 18 Massacre was essentially Red fighting Red: no matter which side you look at, one cannot escape the label of Bolshevization. |
| 這樣巧妙的考證天地間委實不很多，只記得先前在日本東京時，看見《讀賣新聞》上逐日登載著一種大著作，其中有黃帝即亞伯拉罕的考據。大意是日本稱油為「阿蒲拉」（Abura），油的顏色大概是黃的，所以「亞伯拉」就是「黃」。 | Such ingenious scholarship is rare in all the world. I only recall that years ago in Tokyo, Japan, I saw in the Yomiuri Shimbun a great work serialized daily, which contained a study proving that the Yellow Emperor was Abraham. The reasoning was: in Japanese, oil is called "abura" (Abura), and oil is generally yellow, so "Abraham" equals "yellow." |
| 至於「帝」，是與「罕」形近，還是與「可汗」音近呢，我現在可記不真確了，總之：阿伯拉罕即油帝，油帝就是黃帝而已。篇名和作者，現在也都忘卻，只記得後來還印成一本書，而且還只是上卷。但這考據究竟還過於彎曲，不深究也好。 | As for "Emperor"—whether it is similar in form to "Khan" or similar in sound to "Kehan"—I honestly cannot remember clearly now. In any case: Abraham equals the Oil Emperor, and the Oil Emperor is the Yellow Emperor. I have also forgotten the title of the piece and its author; I only recall that it was later published as a book—the first volume, no less. But this line of reasoning is after all too roundabout; best not to pursue it. |
| == 七月二日晴。 == | == July 2. Clear. == |
| 午後，在前門外買藥後，繞到東單牌樓的東亞公司閑看。 | Afternoon: after buying medicine outside Qianmen Gate, I strolled to the East Asia Company at Dongdan Pailou. |
| 這雖然不過是帶便販賣一點日本書，可是關於研究中國的就已經很不少。因為或種限制，只買了一本安岡秀夫所作的《從小說看來的支那民族性》就走了，是薄薄的一本書，用大紅深黃做裝飾的，價一元二角。 | Though it is only a shop that incidentally sells some Japanese books, the selection on Chinese studies is already quite substantial. Due to certain restrictions, I bought only one book by Yasuoka Hideo (安岡秀夫), From Fiction: The National Character of the Chinese (Shosetsu kara mita Shina Minzokusei), and left. It was a thin volume, decorated in bright red and deep yellow, priced one yuan twenty fen. |
| 傍晚坐在燈下，就看看那本書，他所引用的小說有三十四種，但其中也有其實並非小說和分一部為幾種的。蚊子來叮了好幾口，雖然似乎不過一兩個，但是坐不住了，點起蚊煙香來，這才總算漸漸太平下去。 | By evening, sitting under the lamp, I looked through the book. He cites thirty-four works of fiction, though among them some are not actually fiction, and some are one work counted as several. Mosquitoes bit me several times. Though there seemed to be only one or two, I could not sit still. I lit a mosquito coil, and things gradually settled down. |
| 安岡氏雖然很客氣，在緒言上說，「這樣的也不僅只支那人，便是在日本，怕也有難於漏網的。」但是，「一測那程度的高下和範圍的廣狹，則即使誇稱為支那的民族性，也毫無應該顧忌的處所，」所以從支那人的我看來，的確不免汗流浹背。只要看目錄就明白了：一，總說；二，過度置重於體面和儀容；三，安運命而肯甘休；四，能耐能忍；五，乏同情心多殘忍性；六，個人主義和事大主義；七，過度的儉省和不正的貪財；八，泥虛禮而尚虛文；九，迷信深；十，耽享樂而淫風熾盛。 | Mr. Yasuoka is quite polite; in the introduction he says, "This is not something exclusive to the Chinese—even in Japan, there are probably some who would not escape the net." However, "once one measures the degree and breadth of it, to call it the national character of the Chinese is not in the least something one need feel scruples about." So from the perspective of this Chinese person (Zhina-ren), the effect is indeed perspiration-inducing. One need only look at the table of contents: 1. General remarks; 2. Excessive emphasis on face and appearance; 3. Resignation to fate and willingness to settle; 4. Ability to endure and forbear; 5. Lack of sympathy and much cruelty; 6. Individualism and sycophancy toward the powerful; 7. Excessive frugality and dishonest greed; 8. Addiction to empty ritual and empty formalities; 9. Deep superstition; 10. Indulgence in pleasure and rampant licentiousness. |
| 他似乎很相信Smith的《Chinese Characteristies》，常常引為典據。這書在他們，二十年前就有譯本，叫作《支那人氣質》；但是支那人的我們卻不大有人留心它。第一章就是Smith說，以為支那人是頗有點做戲氣味的民族，精神略有亢奮，就成了戲子樣，一字一句，一舉手一投足，都裝模裝樣，出於本心的分量，倒還是撐場面的分量多。這就是因為太重體面了，總想將自己的體面弄得十足，所以敢於做出這樣的言語動作來。總而言之，支那人的重要的國民性所成的複合關鍵，便是這「體面」。 | He seems to trust Smith's Chinese Characteristics greatly, often citing it as evidence. In Japan, a translation appeared twenty years ago under the title The Temperament of the Chinese; but among the Chinese ourselves, hardly anyone pays attention to it. The very first chapter cites Smith's view that the Chinese are a people with a considerable flair for theatricality. When their spirits are slightly elevated, they become like actors; every word and phrase, every gesture and movement, is performed and posed. The share coming from genuine feeling is always less than the share devoted to keeping up appearances. This is because they attach too much importance to face and always want to make their face absolutely perfect—hence they dare to put on such words and actions. In sum, the compound key to the Chinese national character is this: "face." |
| 我們試來博觀和內省，便可以知道這話並不過於刻毒。相傳為戲臺上的好對聯，是「戲場小天地，天地大戲場」。大家本來看得一切事不過是一齣戲，有誰認真的，就是蠢物。但這也並非專由積極的體面，心有不平而怯於報復，也便以萬事是戲的思想了之。萬事既然是戲，則不平也非真，而不報也非怯了。所以即使路見不平，不能拔刀相助，也還不失其為一個老牌的正人君子。 | If we observe broadly and examine ourselves, we can see that this is not excessively harsh. The reputedly finest couplet for the stage reads: "The theater is a small world; the world is a great theater." Everyone fundamentally regards everything as merely a play. Anyone who takes things seriously is a fool. But this does not stem solely from the active pursuit of face: when one's heart harbors injustice but one is too timid to retaliate, one dismisses everything with the thought that all things are just a play. Since all things are a play, then the injustice is not real, and not retaliating is not cowardice. So even if one witnesses injustice on the road and cannot draw one's sword to help, one remains an old-brand upright gentleman. |
| 我所遇見的外國人，不知道可是受了Smith的影響，還是自己實驗出來的，就很有幾個留心研究著中國人之所謂「體面」或「面子」。但我覺得，他們實在是已經早有心得，而且應用了，倘若更加精深圓熟起來，則不但外交上一定勝利，還要取得上等「支那人」的好感情。這時須連「支那人」三個字也不說，代以「華人」，因為這也是關於「華人」的體面的。 | The foreigners I have encountered—whether influenced by Smith or through their own experience—include quite a few who are diligently studying what the Chinese mean by "face" or "mianzi." But I feel they have actually long since gained insight and are applying it. If they become even more proficient and polished, they will not only win in diplomacy but also gain the affections of upper-class "Chinese." At that point, they must not even say "Zhina-ren" but substitute "Chinese" (Huaren), because this too concerns the "face" of the "Chinese." |
| 我還記得民國初年到北京時，郵局門口的扁額是寫著「郵政局」的，後來外人不干涉中國內政的叫聲高起來，不知道是偶然還是什麼，不幾天，都一律改了「郵務局」了。外國人管理一點郵「務」，實在和內「政」不相干，這一齣戲就一直唱到現在。 | I still remember that when I first came to Beijing in the early Republic, the plaques above post office doors read "Postal Bureau" (Youzheng Ju). Later, the cries of foreigners not interfering in China's internal affairs grew louder. I do not know whether by coincidence or design, but within days, all the plaques were uniformly changed to "Postal Affairs Bureau" (Youwu Ju). A foreigner managing some postal "affairs" has truly nothing to do with internal "politics"—and this act has been playing ever since. |
| 向來，我總不相信國粹家道德家之類的痛哭流涕是真心，即使眼角上確有珠淚橫流，也須檢查他手巾上可浸著辣椒水或生薑汁。什麼保存國故，什麼振興道德，什麼維持公理，什麼整頓學風……心裡可真是這樣想？一做戲，則前臺的架子，總與在後臺的面目不相同。但看客雖然明知是戲，只要做得像，也仍然能夠為它悲喜，於是這齣戲就做下去了；有誰來揭穿的，他們反以為掃興。 | I have always disbelieved that the tears of national essence advocates and moralists are sincere. Even if there are genuine pearls rolling from the corners of their eyes, one must check whether their handkerchiefs have been soaked in chili water or ginger juice. Preserving national heritage, promoting morality, upholding justice, rectifying academic standards... do they truly think this in their hearts? Once it is all an act, the pose on stage never matches the face backstage. But the audience, though knowing it is a play, can still be moved to tears or laughter as long as it is well performed, and so the show goes on. Anyone who exposes the charade is accused of spoiling the fun. |
| 中國人先前聽到俄國的「虛無黨」三個字，便嚇得屁滾尿流，不下於現在之所謂「赤化」。其實是何嘗有這麼一個「黨」；只是「虛無主義者」或「虛無思想者」卻是有的，是都介涅夫（I．Turgeniev）給創立出來的名目，指不信神，不信宗教，否定一切傳統和權威，要複歸那出於自由意志的生活的人物而言。但是，這樣的人物，從中國人看來也就已經可惡了。然而看看中國的一些人，至少是上等人，他們的對於神，宗教，傳統的權威，是「信」和「從」呢，還是「怕」和「利用」？只要看他們的善於變化，毫無特操，是什麼也不信從的，但總要擺出和內心兩樣的架子來。要尋虛無黨，在中國實在很不少；和俄國的不同的處所，只在他們這麼想，便這麼說，這麼做，我們的卻雖然這麼想，卻是那麼說，在後臺這麼做，到前臺又那麼做……。將這種特別人物，另稱為「做戲的虛無黨」或「體面的虛無黨」以示區別罷，雖然這個形容詞和下面的名詞萬萬聯不起來。 | Previously, the Chinese would hear the three words "Russian Nihilists" and be frightened out of their wits, no less than they are now by so-called "Bolshevization." In truth, there never was such a "party." There were, however, "nihilists" or "thinkers of nihilism"—a term created by Turgenev (I. Turgeniev) to describe those who believe in neither God nor religion, who deny all tradition and authority, and who seek to return to a life of free will. But even such people, from the Chinese point of view, are already detestable. Yet look at certain Chinese—at least the upper class—and their attitude toward God, religion, and traditional authority: is it "belief" and "obedience," or "fear" and "exploitation"? One need only observe their skill in changing colors, their utter lack of principle; they believe in nothing. But they must always put up a front different from what is in their hearts. To seek nihilists in China, there are in fact quite a few. The difference from Russia's nihilists is merely this: theirs think this way, say this way, and do this way. Ours, though they think this way, say that way; backstage they do this, but onstage they do that... Let us call this special breed "theatrical nihilists" or "respectable nihilists" to mark the distinction, even though the adjective and the noun are utterly irreconcilable. |
| 夜，寄品青信，托他向孔德學校去代借《閭邱辨囿》。 | Night: sent a letter to Pinqing (品青), asking him to borrow Luqiu Bianyou from the Kongde School on my behalf. |
| 夜半，在決計睡覺之前，從日曆上將今天的一張撕去，下面這一張是紅印的。我想，明天還是星期六，怎麼便用紅字了呢？仔細看時，有兩行小字道：「馬廠誓師再造共和紀念」。我又想，明天可掛國旗呢？……於是，不想什麼，睡下了。 | Late at night, just before I resolved to go to sleep, I tore today's sheet off the calendar. The sheet underneath was printed in red. I thought: tomorrow is still Saturday—why red? Looking closely, there were two lines of small print: "Anniversary of the Machang Oath to Restore the Republic." I thought again: should I hang out the national flag tomorrow?... Then, thinking no further, I went to bed. |
| == 七月三日晴。 == | == July 3. Clear. == |
| 熱極，上半天玩，下半天睡覺。 | Extremely hot. Morning spent idling; afternoon spent sleeping. |
| 晚飯後在院子裡乘涼，忽而記起萬牲園，因此說：那地方在夏天倒也很可看，可惜現在進不去了。田媽就談到那管門的兩個長人，說最長的一個是她的鄰居，現在已經被美國人雇去，往美國了，薪水每月有一千元。 | After dinner, cooling off in the courtyard, I suddenly recalled the Wansheng Gardens and said: that place would actually be quite worth visiting in summer—a pity one cannot get in nowadays. Tian Ma then brought up the two tall men who guarded the gate, saying the taller one was her neighbor, and he had now been hired by Americans to go to America, with a salary of one thousand yuan a month. |
| 這話給了我一個很大的啟示。我先前看見《現代評論》上保舉十一種好著作，楊振聲先生的小說《玉君》即是其中的一種，理由之一是因為做得「長」。 | This remark gave me a great revelation. Previously, I had seen in Xiandai Pinglun a recommendation of eleven fine works. Mr. Yang Zhensheng's (楊振聲) novel Yujun was one of them, and one of the reasons cited was that it was "long." |
| 我於這理由一向總有些隔膜，到七月三日即「馬廠誓師再造共和紀念」的晚上這才明白了：「長」，是確有價值的。《現代評論》的以「學理和事實」並重自許，確也說得出，做得到。 | I had always felt somewhat bewildered by this reasoning, but on the evening of July 3—the "Anniversary of the Machang Oath to Restore the Republic"—I finally understood: "length" does indeed have value. Xiandai Pinglun's claim to equally value "scholarly reasoning and facts" can indeed be said and done. |
| 今天到我的睡覺時為止，似乎並沒有掛國旗，後半夜補掛與否，我不知道。 | As of my bedtime today, no national flags appear to have been hung. Whether they were hung in the latter half of the night, I do not know. |
| == 七月四日晴。 == | == July 4. Clear. == |
| 早晨，仍然被一個蠅子在臉上爬來爬去爬醒，仍然趕不走，仍然只得自己起來。品青的回信來了，說孔德學校沒有《閭邱辨囿》。 | Morning: again woken by a fly crawling back and forth on my face, again unable to shoo it away, again having no choice but to get up myself. A reply from Pinqing: the Kongde School does not have Luqiu Bianyou. |
| 也還是因為那一本《從小說看來的支那民族性》。因為那裡面講到中國的肴饌，所以也就想查一查中國的肴饌。我於此道向來不留心，所見過的舊記，只有《禮記》裡的所謂「八珍」，《酉陽雜俎》裡的一張御賜菜帳和袁枚名士的《隨園食單》。元朝有和斯輝的《飲饌正要》，只站在舊書店頭翻了一翻，大概是元版的，所以買不起。唐朝的呢，有楊煜的《膳夫經手錄》，就收在《閭邱辨囿》中。現在這書既然借不到，只好拉倒了。 | This was still on account of that book, From Fiction: The National Character of the Chinese. Because it discussed Chinese cuisine, I wanted to look into Chinese cuisine. I have never paid attention to this subject. The old records I have seen are only the so-called "Eight Treasures" in the Book of Rites, an imperially bestowed menu in the Youyang Zazu, and the gourmand Yuan Mei's (袁枚) Suiyuan Shidan. From the Yuan dynasty there is He Sihui's Yinshan Zhengyao; I only stood in the old bookshop flipping through it—it appeared to be a Yuan edition and was therefore beyond my means. From the Tang dynasty, there is Yang Yu's Shanfu Jingshou Lu, collected in the Luqiu Bianyou. Since this book cannot be borrowed, I can only give up. |
| 近年嘗聽到本國人和外國人頌揚中國菜，說是怎樣可口，怎樣衛生，世界上第一，宇宙間第n。但我實在不知道怎樣的是中國菜。我們有幾處是嚼蔥蒜和雜合面餅，有幾處是用醋，辣椒，醃菜下飯；還有許多人是只能舐黑鹽，還有許多人是連黑鹽也沒得舐。中外人士以為可口，衛生，第一而第n的，當然不是這些；應該是闊人，上等人所吃的肴饌。但我總覺得不能因為他們這麼吃，便將中國菜考列一等，正如去年雖然出了兩三位「高等華人」，而別的人們也還是「下等」的一般。 | In recent years I have often heard both Chinese and foreigners praise Chinese food—how delicious, how hygienic, the best in the world, number n in the universe. But I truly do not know what "Chinese food" means. Some of us gnaw on scallions and garlic with mixed-grain pancakes; some eat with vinegar, chili peppers, and pickled vegetables; many can only lick black salt; and many more have not even black salt to lick. What Chinese and foreigners consider delicious, hygienic, first-rate and nth-rate is certainly not these; it must be the dishes of the wealthy, the upper class. But I feel that just because they eat this way, one cannot rank "Chinese food" as first class—just as last year's appearance of two or three "high-class Chinese" did not make everyone else anything other than "lower class." |
| 安岡氏的論中國菜，所引據的是威廉士的《中國》（《Middle Kingdom by Williams》），在最末《耽享樂而淫風熾盛》這一篇中。其中有這麼一段—— | Yasuoka's discussion of Chinese food, citing Williams's The Middle Kingdom, appears in the last chapter, "Indulgence in Pleasure and Rampant Licentiousness." There is a passage in it— |
| 我自己想，我對於外國人的指摘本國的缺失，是不很發生反感的，但看到這裡卻不能不失笑。筵席上的中國菜誠然大抵濃厚，然而並非國民的常食；中國的闊人誠然很多淫昏，但還不至於將肴饌和壯陽藥併合。「紂雖不善，不如是之甚也。」研究中國的外國人，想得太深，感得太敏，便常常得到這樣——比「支那人」更有性底敏感——的結果。 | I myself think that I do not easily take offense at foreigners pointing out our country's failings, but reading this I could not help laughing. Banquet dishes are indeed generally rich, but they are not the common people's daily fare. Chinese magnates are indeed often licentious, but they have not yet reached the point of combining cuisine with aphrodisiacs. "Even if Zhou was wicked, it was not so extreme as this." Foreign researchers of China, thinking too deeply and feeling too keenly, often arrive at such results—results showing an even greater sexual sensitivity than the "Chinese" themselves. |
| 安岡氏又自己說—— | Yasuoka then says himself— |
| 「筍和支那人的關係，也與蝦正相同。彼國人的嗜筍，可謂在日本人以上。雖然是可笑的話，也許是因為那挺然翹然的姿勢，引起想像來的罷。」 | "The relationship between bamboo shoots and the Chinese is the same as with shrimp. The Chinese fondness for bamboo shoots surpasses that of the Japanese. Though it may be a laughable thing to say, perhaps it is the erect and protruding shape that stimulates the imagination." |
| 會稽至今多竹。竹，古人是很寶貴的，所以曾有「會稽竹箭」的話。然而寶貴它的原因是在可以做箭，用於戰鬥，並非因為它「挺然翹然」像男根。多竹，即多筍；因為多，那價錢就和北京的白菜差不多。我在故鄉，就吃了十多年筍，現在回想，自省，無論如何，總是絲毫也尋不出吃筍時，愛它「挺然翹然」的思想的影子來。因為姿勢而想像它的效能的東西是有一種的，就是肉蓯蓉，然而那是藥，不是菜。總之，筍雖然常見於南邊的竹林中和食桌上，正如街頭的電幹和屋裡的柱子一般，雖「挺然翹然」，和色欲的大小大概是沒有什麼關係的。 | Kuaiji to this day has much bamboo. In antiquity, bamboo was highly valued; hence the expression "the bamboo arrows of Kuaiji." But the reason for valuing it was that it could be made into arrows for warfare, not because it was "erect and protruding" like a phallus. Where there is much bamboo, there are many shoots; because of the abundance, the price is about the same as that of Chinese cabbage in Beijing. In my hometown, I ate bamboo shoots for over a decade. Looking back now and examining myself, no matter what, I cannot find the slightest shadow of a thought appreciating bamboo shoots for being "erect and protruding." The one thing whose effectiveness is imagined because of its shape is cistanche—but that is medicine, not food. In short, though bamboo shoots are commonly seen in the bamboo groves and on the dining tables of the south, like the telegraph poles on the streets and the pillars in houses, though "erect and protruding," they probably have nothing to do with the degree of sexual desire. |
| 然而洗刷了這一點，並不足證明中國人是正經的國民。要得結論，還很費周折罷。可是中國人偏不肯研究自己。安岡氏又說，「去今十餘年前，有……稱為《留東外史》這一種不知作者的小說，似乎是記事實，大概是以惡意地描寫日本人的性底不道德為目的的。然而通讀全篇，較之攻擊日本人，倒是不識不知地將支那留學生的不品行，特地費了力招供出來的地方更其多，是滑稽的事。」這是真的，要證明中國人的不正經，倒在自以為正經地禁止男女同學，禁止模特兒這些事件上。 | But clearing ourselves on this one point is not enough to prove that the Chinese are a decent people. To reach a conclusion would require many more twists and turns. Yet the Chinese are simply unwilling to study themselves. Yasuoka also says: "More than a decade ago, there was...a novel of unknown authorship called Liudong Waishi, which seemed to record actual events, probably with the malicious intent of depicting the sexual immorality of the Japanese. But reading the whole thing through, rather than attacking the Japanese, it inadvertently and painstakingly confesses more about the misconduct of Chinese students abroad—which is rather comical." This is true. To prove that the Chinese are not decent, one need only look at the matters of earnestly banning co-education and banning nude models. |
| 我沒有恭逢過奉陪「大宴會」的光榮，只是經歷了幾回中宴會，吃些燕窩魚翅。現在回想，宴中宴後，倒也並不特別發生好色之心。但至今覺得奇怪的，是在燉，蒸，煨的爛熟的肴饌中間，夾著一盤活活的醉蝦。據安岡氏說，蝦也是與性欲有關係的；不但從他，我在中國也聽到過這類話。然而我所以為奇怪的，是在這兩極端的錯雜，宛如文明爛熟的社會裡，忽然分明現出茹毛飲血的蠻風來。而這蠻風，又並非將由蠻野進向文明，乃是已由文明落向蠻野，假如比前者為白紙，將由此開始寫字，則後者便是塗滿了字的黑紙罷。一面制禮作樂，尊孔讀經，「四千年聲明文物之邦」，真是火候恰到好處了，而一面又坦然地放火殺人，姦淫擄掠，做著雖蠻人對於同族也還不肯做的事……全個中國，就是這樣的一席大宴會！ | I have not had the glory of attending a "great banquet." I have only experienced a few medium-sized banquets, eating shark fin and bird's nest. Looking back now, during and after the banquets, I did not feel any particular surge of lust. But what I still find strange is how, among stewed, steamed, and simmered dishes cooked to a soft mush, there was suddenly a plate of squirming, still-alive drunken shrimp. According to Yasuoka, shrimp too is connected to sexual desire. I have heard such claims not only from him but also in China. Yet what I find strange is the juxtaposition of these two extremes: as if, in a society rotting with civilization, there suddenly appeared the unmistakable savagery of eating raw flesh and drinking blood. And this savagery is not the kind progressing from barbarism toward civilization—if we compare the former to white paper, upon which writing is about to begin—but the kind that has fallen from civilization back into barbarism, a black paper already covered with writing. On one hand: establishing rites and composing music, revering Confucius and reading the classics, "four thousand years of civilization"—perfectly ripened. And on the other hand: calmly setting fires and killing, raping and plundering, doing things that even barbarians would not do to their own kind... The whole of China is just such a grand banquet! |
| 我以為中國人的食物，應該去掉煮得爛熟，萎靡不振的； | I believe the food of the Chinese should be rid of what is cooked to a soft, dispirited mush; |
| 也去掉全生，或全活的。應該吃些雖然熟，然而還有些生的帶著鮮血的肉類……。 | and also rid of what is completely raw, or completely alive. What should be eaten is food that, though cooked, still retains some rawness, still dripping with blood... |
| 正午，照例要吃午飯了，討論中止。菜是：乾菜，已不「挺然翹然」的筍乾，粉絲，醃菜。對於紹興，陳源教授所憎惡的是「師爺」和「刀筆吏的筆尖」，我所憎惡的是飯菜。 | At noon, as usual, it was time for lunch, and the discussion was suspended. The dishes: dried vegetables; bamboo shoots that were no longer "erect and protruding"; bean-thread noodles; pickled vegetables. What Professor Chen Yuan loathes about Shaoxing is "pettifogging clerks" and "the pen-tips of litigious scribes." What I loathe is the food. |
| 《嘉泰會稽志》已在石印了，但還未出版，我將來很想查一查，究竟紹興遇著過多少回大饑饉，竟這樣地嚇怕了居民，仿佛明天便要到世界末日似的，專喜歡儲藏幹物品。有菜，就曬乾；有魚，也曬乾；有豆，又曬乾；有筍，又曬得它不像樣；菱角是以富於水分，肉嫩而脆為特色的，也還要將它風乾……。聽說探險北極的人，因為只吃罐頭食物，得不到新東西，常常要生壞血病；倘若紹興人肯帶了乾菜之類去探險，恐怕可以走得更遠一點罷。 | The Jiatai Kuaiji Gazetteer is being lithographed, though not yet published. In the future I very much want to look up exactly how many great famines Shaoxing has endured, to have so terrified its inhabitants that they seem to think tomorrow is the end of the world, obsessively hoarding dried goods. Got vegetables? Dry them. Got fish? Dry them. Got beans? Dry them too. Got bamboo shoots? Dry them beyond recognition. Water chestnuts, whose special quality is abundant moisture, tender and crisp flesh—even those they dry out... I hear that Arctic explorers, eating only canned food and lacking fresh provisions, often get scurvy. If the people of Shaoxing took their dried goods on such expeditions, they might perhaps get a bit farther. |
| 晚，得喬峰信並叢蕪所譯的布寧的短篇《輕微的欷歔》稿，在上海的一個書店裡默默地躺了半年，這回總算設法討回來了。 | Evening: received a letter from Qiaofeng (喬峰) along with the manuscript of Congwu's (叢蕪) translation of Bunin's short story "A Slight Sigh" (Qingwei de Xixu). It had been lying silently in a Shanghai bookshop for half a year; this time it was finally retrieved by other means. |
| 中國人總不肯研究自己。從小說來看民族性，也就是一個好題目。此外，則道士思想（不是道教，是方士）與歷史上大事件的關係，在現今社會上的勢力；孔教徒怎樣使「聖道」變得和自己的無所不為相宜；戰國遊士說動人主的所謂「利」「害」是怎樣的，和現今的政客有無不同；中國從古到今有多少文字獄；歷來「流言」的製造散佈法和效驗等等…… | The Chinese simply refuse to study themselves. Examining national character through fiction—that too is a good subject. Beyond that: the relationship between Daoist thought (not Daoism the religion, but the ancient alchemists) and great events in history, and its power in contemporary society; how the Confucianists have made the "Sacred Way" compatible with their own unscrupulousness; what the "profit" and "harm" invoked by the Warring States traveling persuaders were really like, and whether today's politicians are any different; how many literary inquisitions China has had from antiquity to the present; the methods and effects of manufacturing and spreading "rumors" throughout history, and so on... |
| 可以研究的新方面實在多。 | There are truly many new avenues for research. |
| == 七月五日晴。 == | == July 5. Clear. == |
| 晨，景宋將《小說舊聞鈔》的一部分理清送來。自己再看了一遍，到下午才畢，寄給小峰付印。天氣實在熱得可以。 | Morning: Jingsong (景宋) brought a portion of Notes on Old Fiction (Xiaoshuo Jiuwen Chao), sorted and cleaned up. I reviewed it myself once more; it took until afternoon to finish. Sent it to Xiaofeng (小峰) for printing. The heat was truly unbearable. |
| 覺得疲勞。晚上，眼睛怕見燈光，熄了燈躺著，仿佛在享福。聽得有人打門，連忙出去開，卻是誰也沒有，跨出門去根究，一個小孩子已在暗中逃遠了。 | Felt fatigued. In the evening, my eyes could not bear the lamplight. I turned off the light and lay down—it felt almost like bliss. I heard someone knocking at the door and hurried out to open it, but no one was there. Stepping outside to investigate, a child had already run off into the darkness. |
| 關了門，回來，又躺下，又仿佛在享福。一個行人唱著戲文走過去，餘音嫋嫋，道，「咿，咿，咿！」不知怎地忽然想起今天校過的《小說舊聞鈔》裡的強汝詢老先生的議論來。這位先生的書齋就叫作求有益齋，則在那齋中寫出來的文章的內容，也就可想而知。他自己說，誠不解一個人何以無聊到要做小說，看小說。但于古小說的判決卻從寬，因為他古，而且昔人已經著錄了。 | Closed the door, came back, lay down again—again almost bliss. A passerby sang an opera tune as he walked by, his trailing notes drawn out: "Yi, yi, yi!" Somehow, it suddenly made me think of old Mr. Qiang Ruxun (強汝詢) and his opinions in the Notes on Old Fiction I had proofread today. This gentleman's study was called the "Seek-What-Is-Useful Studio"—so one can well imagine the content of essays written within it. He himself said he truly could not understand why anyone would be so bored as to write fiction, or to read it. But his verdicts on old fiction were lenient, because it was ancient, and because earlier scholars had already catalogued it. |
| 憎惡小說的也不只是這位強先生，諸如此類的高論，隨在可以聞見。但我們國民的學問，大多數卻實在靠著小說，甚至於還靠著從小說編出來的戲文。雖是崇奉關嶽的大人先生們，倘問他心目中的這兩位「武聖」的儀錶，怕總不免是細著眼睛的紅臉大漢和五綹長須的白面書生，或者還穿著繡金的緞甲，脊樑上還插著四張尖角旗。 | The loathing of fiction is not limited to this Mr. Qiang; such lofty pronouncements can be heard everywhere. Yet the learning of our citizens in fact largely depends on fiction—and even on operas adapted from fiction. Even the great men who worship Lords Guan and Yue (關岳), if asked what these two "Martial Saints" look like in their mind's eye, would probably picture a red-faced giant with squinting eyes and a fair-skinned scholar with five long strands of beard, perhaps in gold-embroidered satin armor, with four pointed pennants on their backs. |
| 近來確是上下同心，提倡著忠孝節義了，新年到廟市上去看年畫，便可以看見許多新制的關於這類美德的圖。然而所畫的古人，卻沒有一個不是老生，小生，老旦，小旦，末，外，花旦……。 | Recently, indeed, there has been a concerted effort from top to bottom to promote loyalty, filial piety, chastity, and righteousness. At New Year, visiting the temple fairs to look at New Year prints, one can see many newly made illustrations of these virtues. Yet every ancient personage depicted is nothing but a laosheng, xiaosheng, laodan, xiaodan, mo, wai, huadan... |
| == 七月六日晴。 == | == July 6. Clear. == |
| 午後，到前門外去買藥。配好之後，付過錢，就站在櫃檯前喝了一回份。其理由有三：一，已經停了一天了，應該早喝；二，嘗嘗味道，是否不錯的；三，天氣太熱，實在有點口渴了。 | Afternoon: went outside Qianmen Gate to buy medicine. After it was prepared, I paid and drank one dose standing right there at the counter. My reasons were three: first, I had already missed one day and should drink early; second, to taste whether it was correct; third, the weather was too hot, and I was genuinely a bit thirsty. |
| 不料有一個買客卻看得奇怪起來。我不解這有什麼可以奇怪的；然而他竟奇怪起來了，悄悄地向店夥道： | To my surprise, a customer was watching with amazement. I could not understand what was so remarkable. Yet he was indeed amazed, and whispered to the shop clerk: |
| 「那是戒煙藥水罷？」 | "That's opium cure, isn't it?" |
| 「不是的！」店夥替我維持名譽。 | "No, it's not!" The clerk defended my reputation. |
| 「這是戒大煙的罷？」他於是直接地問我了。 | "That's for quitting opium, right?" He then asked me directly. |
| 我覺得倘不將這藥認作「戒煙藥水」，他大概是死不瞑目的。人生幾何，何必固執，我便似點非點的將頭一動，同時請出我那「介乎兩可之間」的好回答來： | I felt that if I did not let him identify this medicine as "opium cure," he would probably never rest in peace. Life is short—why be stubborn? So I gave a movement of my head that was neither quite a nod nor quite not, and simultaneously deployed my excellent "hovering between two possibilities" reply: |
| 「唔唔……。」 | "Mm, mm..." |
| 這既不傷店夥的好意，又可以聊慰他熱烈的期望，該是一帖妙藥。果然，從此萬籟無聲，天下太平，我在安靜中塞好瓶塞，走到街上了。 | This neither undermined the shop clerk's good intentions nor failed to gratify his fervent hopes—it should have been a miracle remedy. Sure enough, from that moment all sounds ceased, heaven and earth were at peace, and I corked my bottle in the silence and walked out onto the street. |
| 到中央公園，徑向約定的一個僻靜處所，壽山已先到，略一休息，便開手對譯《小約翰》。這是一本好書，然而得來卻是偶然的事。大約二十年前，我在日本東京的舊書店頭買到幾十本舊的德文文學雜誌，內中有著這書的紹介和作者的評傳，因為那時剛譯成德文。覺得有趣，便托丸善書店去買來了；想譯，沒有這力。後來也常常想到，但總為別的事情岔開；直到去年，才決計在暑假中將它譯好，並且登出廣告去，而不料那一暑假過得比別的時候還艱難。今年又記得起來，翻檢一過，疑難之處很不少，還是沒有這力。問壽山可肯同譯，他答應了，於是開手；並且約定，必須在這暑假期中譯完。 | I went to Zhongyang Park, heading straight for the agreed-upon secluded spot. Shoushan (壽山) had arrived first. After a brief rest, we began the parallel translation of Little Johannes (Xiao Yuehan). It is a fine book, but its acquisition was a matter of chance. About twenty years ago, I bought several dozen issues of old German literary magazines at a used bookshop in Tokyo. Among them was an introduction to this book and a critical biography of the author, as it had just been translated into German. I found it interesting and ordered it through the Maruzen bookstore. I wanted to translate it but lacked the ability. Later I often thought of it but was always sidetracked. Not until last year did I resolve to translate it during the summer vacation and even placed an advertisement—but that summer turned out to be harder than any other time. This year I remembered it again, looked through it, found many difficult passages, and still lacked the ability. I asked Shoushan if he would co-translate. He agreed, and we began. We also agreed that it must be finished during this summer vacation. |
| 晚上回家，吃了一點飯，就坐在院子裡乘涼。田媽告訴我，今天下午，斜對門的誰家的婆婆和兒媳大吵了一通嘴。據她看來，婆婆自然有些錯，但究竟是兒媳婦太不合道理了。問我的意思，以為何如。我先就沒有聽清吵嘴的是誰家，也不知道是怎樣的兩個婆媳，更沒有聽到她們的來言去語，明白她們的舊恨新仇。現在要我加以裁判，委實有點不敢自信，況且我又向來並不是批評家。我於是只得說：這事我無從斷定。 | Evening, back home. After eating a little, I sat in the courtyard to cool off. Tian Ma told me that this afternoon, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law from some family diagonally across the way had a terrible quarrel. In her view, the mother-in-law was naturally somewhat in the wrong, but ultimately it was the daughter-in-law who was being too unreasonable. She asked my opinion—what did I think? I had not even heard clearly which family had been quarreling, did not know what sort of people the two were, had not heard their words back and forth, and knew nothing of their old grudges or new grievances. Now to ask me to pass judgment—I truly did not dare trust my own opinion, especially since I have never been a critic. So I could only say: I cannot determine this matter. |
| 但是這句話的結果很壞。在昏暗中，雖然看不見臉色，耳朵中卻聽到：一切聲音都寂然了。靜，沉悶的靜；後來還有人站起，走開。 | But the result of this statement was very bad. In the dimness, though I could not see faces, my ears heard: all sounds went silent. Stillness—heavy, oppressive stillness. Then someone stood up and walked away. |
| 我也無聊地慢慢地站起，走進自己的屋子裡，點了燈，躺在床上看晚報；看了幾行，又無聊起來了，便碰到東壁下去寫日記，就是這《馬上支日記》。 | I too listlessly got up, walked into my own room, lit the lamp, lay on the bed and read the evening paper. After a few lines, listlessness descended again. So I went to the east wall and sat down to write this diary—this "Branch Diary in Haste." |
| 院子裡又漸漸地有了談笑聲，讜論聲。 | The courtyard gradually filled again with the sounds of talk and laughter, and sounds of righteous pronouncements. |
| 今天的運氣似乎很不佳：路人冤我喝「戒煙藥水」，田媽說我……。她怎麼說，我不知道。但願從明天起，不再這樣。 | Today's luck seems to have been rather poor: a passerby accused me of drinking "opium cure"; Tian Ma said I... What she said, I do not know. But may it be that from tomorrow, things will no longer be like this. |
| === Section 24 === | == Section 24 == |
| == 七月七日晴。 == | == July 7. Clear. == |
| 每日的陰晴，實在寫得自己也有些不耐煩了，從此想不寫。好在北京的天氣，大概總是晴的時候多；如果是梅雨期內，那就上午晴，午後陰，下午大雨一陣，聽到泥牆倒塌聲。 | Recording the weather each day has truly grown tiresome even to myself; from now on I intend to stop. Fortunately, the weather in Beijing is mostly clear. If it were the plum rain season, then the mornings would be clear, the afternoons overcast, and in the late afternoon there would be a great downpour, followed by the sound of mud walls collapsing. |
| 不寫也罷，又好在我這日記，將來決不會有氣象學家拿去做參考資料的。 | Never mind; and fortunately this diary of mine will never be taken up by a meteorologist as reference material. |
| 上午訪素園，談談閑天，他說俄國有名的文學者畢力涅克（Boris Piliniak）上月已經到過北京，現在是走了。 | Morning: visited Suyuan (素園). Chatting idly, he said the famous Russian writer Pilnyak (Boris Piliniak 畢力涅克) had been in Beijing last month but had now left. |
| 我單知道他曾到日本，卻不知道他也到中國來。 | I only knew he had been to Japan; I did not know he had also come to China. |
| 這兩年中，就我所聽到的而言，有名的文學家來到中國的有四個。第一個自然是那最有名的泰戈爾即「竺震旦」，可惜被戴印度帽子的震旦人弄得一榻糊塗，終於莫名其妙而去； | In the past two years, as far as I have heard, four famous writers have visited China. The first was naturally the most famous of all, Tagore—that is, "Zhu Zhendang" (竺震旦). Unfortunately, the men of Zhendang who wore Indian caps made such a muddle of everything that he departed in utter bewilderment. |
| 後來病倒在義大利，還電召震旦「詩哲」前往，然而也不知道「後事如何」。現在聽說又有人要將甘地扛到中國來了，這堅苦卓絕的偉人，只在印度能生，在英國治下的印度能活的偉人，又要在震旦印下他偉大的足跡。但當他精光的腳還未踏著華土時，恐怕烏雲已在出岫了。 | Later he fell ill in Italy and telegraphed for the Zhendang "Poet-Sage" to come, though what happened afterward is also unknown. Now I hear that someone wants to drag Gandhi to China as well—this supremely austere and extraordinary great man, who could only have been born in India and could only have lived under British rule in India, is again to leave his great footprints on the soil of Zhendang. But before his bare feet have even touched Chinese soil, dark clouds are probably already rising from the hills. |
| 其次是西班牙的伊本納茲，中國倒也早有人紹介過；但他當歐戰時，是高唱人類愛和世界主義的，從今年全國教育聯合會的議案看來，他實在很不適宜於中國，當然誰也不理他，因為我們的教育家要提倡民族主義了。 | Next was the Spaniard Ibanez (伊本納茲). China had people who introduced him early on. But during the Great War, he was a great advocate of universal love and cosmopolitanism. Judging from this year's resolutions of the National Federation of Education Associations, he was really quite unsuitable for China, and naturally nobody paid him any attention—because our educators were now promoting nationalism. |
| 還有兩個都是俄國人。一個是斯吉泰烈支（Skitalez），一個就是畢力涅克。兩個都是假名字。斯吉泰烈支是流亡在外的。畢力涅克卻是蘇聯的作家，但據他自傳，從革命的第一年起，就為著買麵包粉忙了一年多。以後，便做小說，還吸過魚油，這種生活，在中國大概便是整日叫窮的文學家也未必夢想到。 | The other two were both Russians. One was Skitalets (斯吉泰烈支), and the other was Pilnyak. Both are pseudonyms. Skitalets was living in exile abroad. Pilnyak, however, was a Soviet writer; but according to his autobiography, from the first year of the revolution, he spent over a year busy trying to buy bread flour. Afterward, he wrote fiction, and even took cod liver oil. Such a life—even the Chinese writers who complain of poverty all day probably cannot dream of it. |
| 他的名字，任國楨君輯譯的《蘇俄的文藝論戰》裡是出現過的，作品的譯本卻一點也沒有。日本有一本《伊凡和馬理》（《Ivan and Maria》），格式很特別，單是這一點，在中國的眼睛——中庸的眼睛——裡就看不慣。文法有些歐化，有些人尚且如同眼睛裡著了玻璃粉，何況體式更奇於歐化。悄悄地自來自去，實在要算是造化的。 | His name had appeared in Ren Guozhen's (任國楨) compiled and translated Debates on Literature and Art in Soviet Russia, but not a single translated work existed. In Japan there was a translation of Ivan and Maria, quite distinctive in format. That feature alone, in the eyes of China—the eyes of the Golden Mean—would already be objectionable. Some people already feel as though their eyes are full of ground glass when the grammar is somewhat Europeanized; how much more so when the very form is stranger than Europeanization. That he came and went quietly, unnoticed, is really a blessing of fate. |
| 還有，在中國，姓名僅僅一見於《蘇俄的文藝論戰》裡的里培進司基（U．Libedinsky），日本卻也有他的小說譯出了，名曰《一周間》。他們的介紹之速而且多實在可駭。我們的武人以他們的武人為祖師，我們的文人卻毫不學他們文人的榜樣，這就可預卜中國將來一定比日本太平。 | Furthermore, Libedinsky (U. Libedinsky 里培進司基), whose name in China has only appeared in Debates on Literature and Art in Soviet Russia, has already had a novel translated in Japan, titled One Week (Isshukan). The speed and volume of their introductions is truly formidable. Our military men take their military men as masters, but our literary men do not in the least emulate the example of their literary men—from which one can predict that China will certainly be more "peaceful" than Japan in the future. |
| 但據《伊凡和馬理》的譯者尾瀨敬止氏說，則作者的意思，是以為「頻果的花，在舊院落中也開放，大地存在間，總是開放」的。那麼，他還是不免於念舊。然而他眼見，身歷了革命了，知道這裡面有破壞，有流血，有矛盾，但也並非無創造，所以他決沒有絕望之心。這正是革命時代的活著的人的心。詩人勃洛克（Alexander Block）也如此。他們自然是蘇聯的詩人，但若用了純馬克斯流的眼光來批評，當然也還是很有可議的處所。不過我覺得托羅茲基（Trotsky）的文藝批評，倒還不至於如此森嚴。 | But according to Owase Keishi (尾瀨敬止), the translator of Ivan and Maria, the author's view is that "the blossoms of the apple tree open in the old courtyard too; as long as the earth endures, they will always open." If so, he is not without nostalgia after all. Yet he has seen, has lived through the revolution; he knows there is destruction in it, bloodshed, contradiction, but also creation. So he is by no means in despair. This is precisely the heart of a living person in a revolutionary era. The poet Blok (Alexander Block 勃洛克) was the same. They are naturally poets of the Soviet Union, but if judged through the lens of orthodox Marxism, there would certainly still be much to criticize. However, I feel that Trotsky's (托羅茲基) literary criticism is not quite so severe. |
| 可惜我還沒有看過他們最新的作者的作品《一周間》。 | Unfortunately, I still have not read their newest author's work, One Week. |
| 革命時代總要有許多文藝家萎黃，有許多文藝家向新的山崩地塌般的大波沖進去，乃仍被吞沒，或者受傷。被吞沒的消滅了；受傷的生活著，開拓著自己的生活，唱著苦痛和愉悅之歌。待到這些逝去了，於是現出一個較新的新時代，產出更新的文藝來。 | In a revolutionary era, there will always be many literary artists who wither, and many who charge into the new cataclysmic waves only to be swallowed up or wounded. Those swallowed up are destroyed; those wounded live on, carving out their own lives, singing songs of pain and joy. When these too have passed away, a newer new era emerges, producing newer literature. |
| 中國自民元革命以來，所謂文藝家，沒有萎黃的，也沒有受傷的，自然更沒有消滅，也沒有苦痛和愉悅之歌。這就是因為沒有新的山崩地塌般的大波，也就是因為沒有革命。 | In China, since the revolution of the first year of the Republic, there have been no literary artists who withered, none who were wounded, naturally none who were destroyed, nor any songs of pain and joy. This is because there has been no new cataclysmic wave—which is to say, there has been no revolution. |
| == 七月八日 == | == July 8. == |
| 上午，往伊東醫士寓去補牙，等在客廳裡，有些無聊。四壁只掛著一幅織出的畫和兩副對，一副是江朝宗的，一副是王芝祥的。署名之下，各有兩顆印，一顆是姓名，一顆是頭銜；江的是「迪威將軍」，王的是「佛門弟子」。 | Morning: went to Dr. Ito's (伊東) residence to have a tooth filled. Waiting in the reception room, rather bored. On the four walls hung only one woven picture and two pairs of couplets. One pair was by Jiang Chaozong (江朝宗), the other by Wang Zhixiang (王芝祥). Below each signature were two seals: one with the name, one with the title. Jiang's read "General Diwei" (迪威將軍); Wang's read "Disciple of the Buddha" (佛門弟子). |
| 午後，密斯高來，適值毫無點心，只得將寶藏著的搽嘴角生瘡有效的柿霜糖裝在碟子裡拿出去。我時常有點心，有客來便請他吃點心；最初是「密斯」和「密斯得」一視同仁，但密斯得有時委實利害，往往吃得很徹底，一個不留，我自己倒反有「向隅」之感。如果想吃，又須出去買來。於是很有戒心了，只得改變方針，有萬不得已時，則以落花生代之。 | Afternoon: Miss Gao (密斯高) came. As it happened, there were no snacks at all, so I had no choice but to bring out the treasured persimmon frost candy—the kind that is effective for sores at the corners of the mouth—arranged on a plate. I usually have some snacks, and when guests come I offer them. At first I treated "Misses" and "Misters" equally. But the Misters can sometimes be formidable—they often eat with great thoroughness, not leaving a single piece, so that I myself end up with a sense of "being left out." If I want to eat, I must go out and buy more. So I grew wary and changed my strategy: in dire necessity, I substitute peanuts. |
| 這一著很有效，總是吃得不多，既然吃不多，我便開始敦勸了，有時竟勸得怕吃落花生如織芳之流，至於因此逡巡逃走。 | This stratagem works very well. They never eat much. Since they do not eat much, I begin pressing them to eat more, and sometimes I press with such vigor that even someone like Zhifang (織芳), who fears peanuts, ends up fleeing in dismay. |
| 從去年夏天發明了這一種花生政策以後，至今還在繼續厲行。 | Since inventing this peanut policy last summer, I have been rigorously enforcing it ever since. |
| 但密斯們卻不在此限，她們的胃似乎比他們要小五分之四，或者消化力要弱到十分之八，很小的一個點心，也大抵要留下一半，倘是一片糖，就剩下一角。拿出來陳列片時，吃去一點，於我的損失是極微的，「何必改作」？ | But the Misses are another matter. Their stomachs seem to be four-fifths smaller than the Misters', or their digestive capacity eight-tenths weaker. Even a very small snack they mostly leave half-finished; if it is a piece of candy, they leave a corner. To display it for a moment and have a bit nibbled is a negligible loss to me—"why change the system?" |
| 密斯高是很少來的客人，有點難於執行花生政策。恰巧又沒有別的點心，只好獻出柿霜糖去了。這是遠道攜來的名糖，當然可以見得鄭重。 | Miss Gao is a rare visitor, and it would be difficult to apply the peanut policy. As it happened, there were no other snacks either, so I had no choice but to bring out the persimmon frost candy. This was a famous confection brought from afar—naturally a gesture of due respect. |
| 我想，這糖不大普通，應該先說明來源和功用。但是，密斯高卻已經一目了然了。她說：這是出在河南汜水縣的；用柿霜做成。顏色最好是深黃；倘是淡黃，那便不是純柿霜。這很涼，如果嘴角這些地方生瘡的時候，便含著，使它漸漸從嘴角流出，瘡就好了。 | I thought that since this candy was not very common, I should first explain its origin and function. But Miss Gao had already grasped it all at a glance. She said: this comes from Si Shui County (汜水縣) in Henan. It is made from persimmon frost. The best color is deep yellow; if it is pale yellow, it is not pure persimmon frost. It is very cooling. If you get sores around the mouth corners, you hold it in your mouth and let it gradually seep out from the corners, and the sores will heal. |
| 她比我耳食所得的知道得更清楚，我只好不作聲，而且這時才記起她是河南人。請河南人吃幾片柿霜糖，正如請我喝一小杯黃酒一樣，真可謂「其愚不可及也」。 | She knew it far more clearly than what I had picked up secondhand. I could only say nothing—and only then did I recall that she was from Henan. Offering a few slices of persimmon frost candy to someone from Henan is like offering me a small cup of yellow rice wine—truly a stupidity "beyond reach." |
| 茭白的心裡有黑點的，我們那裡稱為灰茭，雖是鄉下人也不願意吃，北京卻用在大酒席上。卷心白菜在北京論斤論車地賣，一到南邊，便根上系著繩，倒掛在水果鋪子的門前了，買時論兩，或者半株，用處是放在闊氣的火鍋中，或者給魚翅墊底。但假如有誰在北京特地請我吃灰茭，或北京人到南邊時請他吃煮白菜，則即使不至於稱為「笨伯」，也未免有些乖張罷。 | Water chestnuts with black spots in the center—we call them "grey water chestnuts" back home—even country folk are unwilling to eat them; but in Beijing they are used at grand banquets. Napa cabbage in Beijing is sold by the jin and by the cartload; but once it reaches the south, it is hung upside down by a string tied to the root outside fruit shops, sold by the liang or by the half-head, used in fancy hotpots or as a bed for shark fin. But if someone in Beijing specifically invited me to eat grey water chestnuts, or took a Beijinger south and served him boiled napa cabbage, then even if one were not called a "blockhead," it would still be rather eccentric. |
| 但密斯高居然吃了一片，也許是聊以敷衍主人的面子的。 | But Miss Gao did eat one slice—perhaps just to humor the host's face. |
| 到晚上我空口坐著，想：這應該請河南以外的別省人吃的，一面想，一面吃，不料這樣就吃完了。 | By evening, sitting with nothing in my mouth, I thought: this should be served to people from provinces other than Henan. While thinking, I ate. Before I knew it, I had eaten them all up. |
| 凡物總是以希為貴。假如在歐美留學，畢業論文最好是講李太白，楊朱，張三；研究蕭伯訥，威爾士就不大妥當，何況但丁之類。《但丁傳》的作者跋忒賴爾（A．J．Butler）就說關於但丁的文獻實在看不完。待到回了中國，可就可以講講蕭伯訥，威爾士，甚而至於莎士比亞了。何年何月自己曾在曼殊斐兒墓前痛哭，何月何日何時曾在何處和法蘭斯點頭，他還拍著自己的肩頭說道：你將來要有些像我的，至於「四書」「五經」之類，在本地似乎究以少談為是。 | All things are valued for their rarity. If studying in Europe or America, the best thesis topic would be Li Taibai, Yang Zhu, or Zhang San. Researching Bernard Shaw or H. G. Wells would not be quite advisable, let alone Dante and the like. The author of the Life of Dante, Butler (A. J. Butler), himself said that the literature on Dante was truly too much to read through. But once back in China, one could very well lecture on Shaw, Wells, and even Shakespeare. In what year and month one once wept at the grave of Katherine Mansfield; in what month, what day, what hour, and where one once exchanged nods with Anatole France, who even patted one's shoulder saying: you will someday bear some resemblance to me. As for the Four Books and Five Classics—on home ground, it seems best to talk about them as little as possible. |
| 雖然夾些「流言」在內，也未必便於「學理和事實」有妨。 | Even if mixed with some "rumor," it need not necessarily be a hindrance to "scholarly reasoning and facts." |
| === Section 25 === | == Section 25 == |
| 下午，在中央公園裡和C君做點小工作，突然得到一位好意的老同事的警報，說，部裡今天發給薪水了，計三成；但必須本人親身去領，而且須在三天以內。 | Afternoon: while doing some minor work with C in Zhongyang Park, I suddenly received a warning from a well-meaning former colleague. He said the ministry had issued salary payments today—three-tenths. But one must collect in person, and within three days. |
| 否則？ | Otherwise? |
| 否則怎樣，他卻沒有說。但這是「洞若觀火」的，否則，就不給。 | What "otherwise" meant, he did not say. But this is "clear as watching fire": otherwise, you get nothing. |
| 只要有銀錢在手裡經過，即使並非檀越的佈施，人是也總愛逞逞威風的，要不然，他們也許要覺到自己的無聊，渺小。明明有物品去抵押，當鋪卻用這樣的勢利臉和高櫃檯；明明用銀元去換銅元，錢攤卻帖著「收買現洋」的紙條，隱然以「買主」自命。錢票當然應該可以到負責的地方去換現錢，而有時卻規定了極短的時間，還要領簽，排班，等候，受氣； | Whenever money passes through someone's hands—even if it is not a patron's alms—people always love to put on a little show of authority. Without it, they might have to acknowledge their own triviality and insignificance. You bring perfectly good goods to pawn, yet the pawnshop presents you with its imperious face and its towering counter. You go to exchange silver dollars for copper coins, yet the money-changer posts a sign reading "Purchasing Silver Dollars," implicitly casting himself as the "buyer." Of course, bank notes should be redeemable for cash at the responsible institution, yet sometimes an absurdly short deadline is imposed. You must take a number, queue up, wait, and suffer abuse; |
| 軍警督壓著，手裡還有國粹的皮鞭。 | military police stand guard, whips of the national heritage in hand. |
| 不聽話麼？不但不得錢，而且要打了！ | Won't comply? Then not only no money, but a beating too! |
| 我曾經說過，中華民國的官，都是平民出身，並非特別種族。雖然高尚的文人學士或新聞記者們將他們看作異類，以為比自己格外奇怪，可鄙可嗤；然而從我這幾年的經驗看來，卻委實不很特別，一切脾氣，卻與普通的同胞差不多，所以一到經手銀錢的時候，也還是照例有一點借此威風一下的嗜好。 | I have said before: officials of the Republic of China all come from common stock and are not a special breed. Although the lofty men of letters or journalists regard them as a different species and consider them far more peculiar, contemptible, and laughable than themselves, from my own experience of the past few years, they are really not so very special. All their quirks are about the same as those of ordinary compatriots. So when money passes through their hands, they too cannot resist the habitual urge to throw their weight around a bit. |
| 「親領」問題的歷史，是起源頗古的，中華民國十一年，就因此引起過方玄綽的牢騷，我便將這寫了一篇《端午節》。 | The history of the "collect in person" problem goes back quite far. In the eleventh year of the Republic, it once provoked the grumbling of Fang Xuanzhuo (方玄綽)—I wrote a story about it called "The Dragon Boat Festival." |
| 但歷史雖說如同螺旋，卻究竟並非印板，所以今之與昔，也還是小有不同。在昔盛世，主張「親領」的是「索薪會」—— | But though history is said to spiral, it is after all not a printing block, so the present differs somewhat from the past. In the good old days, those who insisted on "personal collection" were the crack troops of the "Salary Demanding Society"— |
| 嗚呼，這些專門名詞，恕我不暇一一解釋了，而且紙張也可惜。——的驍將，晝夜奔走，向國務院呼號，向財政部坐討，一旦到手，對於沒有一同去索的人的無功受祿，心有不甘，用此給吃一點小苦頭的。其意若曰，這錢是我們討來的，就同我們的一樣；你要，必得到這裡來領佈施。你看施衣施粥，有施主親自送到受惠者的家裡去的麼？ | Alas, these technical terms—forgive me for not having leisure to explain them one by one; besides, paper is precious.—These crack troops ran about day and night, shouting at the State Council, sitting in at the Ministry of Finance until they got results. Once the money was in hand, they begrudged those who had not gone along the claiming of their unearned share, and used "personal collection" to make them suffer a little. The idea was: this money was fought for by us, so it is as good as ours. You want it? You must come here to collect your charity. Have you ever seen alms-givers personally deliver clothes or porridge to the homes of the recipients? |
| 然而那是盛世的事。現在是無論怎麼「索」，早已一文也不給了，如果偶然「發薪」，那是意外的上頭的嘉惠，和什麼「索」絲毫無關。不過臨時發佈「親領」命令的施主卻還有，只是已非善於索薪的驍將，而是天天「畫到」，未曾另謀生活的「不貳之臣」了。所以，先前的「親領」是對於沒有同去索薪的人們的罰，現在的「親領」是對於不能空著肚子，天天到部的人們的罰。 | But that was in the good old days. Nowadays, no matter how much "demanding" is done, not a single cent is forthcoming. If salaries happen to be "issued," it is an unexpected grace from above, having nothing whatsoever to do with any "demanding." Yet the patron who issues the "personal collection" order on the spot still exists—only it is no longer the crack soldiers good at demanding salaries, but the "loyal ministers" who show up at the office every day without seeking other employment. So the former "personal collection" was a punishment for those who had not joined the salary-demanding expedition; the present "personal collection" is a punishment for those who, unable to survive on empty stomachs, cannot come to the ministry every day. |
| 但這不過是一個大意，此外的事，倘非身臨其境，實在有些說不清。譬如一碗酸辣湯，耳聞口講的，總不如親自呷一口的明白。近來有幾個心懷叵測的名人間接忠告我，說我去年作文，專和幾個人鬧意見，不再論及文學藝術，天下國家．是可惜的。殊不知我近來倒是明白了，身歷其境的小事，尚且參不透，說不清，更何況那些高尚偉大，不甚了然的事業？我現在只能說說較為切己的私事，至於冠冕堂皇如所謂「公理」之類，就讓公理專家去消遣罷。 | But this is only a rough outline. As for the rest, without experiencing it firsthand, it is really hard to say. It is like a bowl of hot and sour soup: hearing about it or talking about it can never compare with taking a sip yourself. Recently, several scheming notables have indirectly advised me that last year my essays dealt exclusively with quarrels between a few individuals, and that I no longer discussed literature, art, or affairs of state—what a pity. Little do they know that I have in fact come to understand: if I cannot even fathom the small matters I experience firsthand, still less can I comment on such lofty and grand yet not-very-clear enterprises. For now I can only speak of relatively personal, private matters. As for the grand and magnificent—things like "justice"—let the justice specialists amuse themselves with those. |
| 總之，我以為現在的「親領」主張家，已頗不如先前了，這就是「孤桐先生」之所謂「每況愈下」。而且便是空牢騷如方玄綽者，似乎也已經很寥寥了。 | In short, I believe the present advocates of "personal collection" are considerably inferior to those of the past. This is what "Mr. Lone Paulownia" would call "deteriorating ever further." And even idle grumblers like Fang Xuanzhuo seem to have grown very few indeed. |
| 「去！」我一得警報，便走出公園，跳上車，徑奔衙門去。 | "Go!" The moment I received the warning, I walked out of the park, jumped on a rickshaw, and headed straight for the ministry. |
| 一進門，巡警就給我一個立正舉手的敬禮，可見做官要做得較大，雖然闊別多日，他們也還是認識的。到裡面，不見什麼人，因為辦公時間已經改在上午，大概都已親領了回家了。覓得一位聽差，問明瞭「親領」的規則，是先到會計科去取得條子，然後拿了這條子，到花廳裡去領錢。 | As soon as I entered the gate, a policeman snapped to attention and gave me a salute—proof that if one has been an official of some standing, even after a long absence, they still recognize you. Inside, there was nobody about, for office hours had been moved to the morning and everyone had presumably already collected their pay and gone home. I found an attendant, inquired about the "personal collection" procedure, and was told: first go to the Accounting Section to obtain a slip, then take that slip to the Main Hall to collect the money. |
| 就到會計科，一個部員看了一看我的臉，便翻出條子來。 | So I went to the Accounting Section. An official glanced at my face and immediately produced the slip. |
| 我知道他是老部員，熟識同人，負著「驗明正身」的重大責任的；接過條子之後，我便特別多點了兩個頭，以表示告別和感謝之至意。 | I knew he was a veteran official, familiar with all colleagues, charged with the grave responsibility of "verifying identity." After receiving my slip, I gave him two extra nods by way of farewell and deep gratitude. |
| 其次是花廳了，先經過一個邊門，只見上帖紙條道：「丙組」，又有一行小注是「不滿百元」。我看自己的條子上，寫的是九十九元，心裡想，這真是「人生不滿百，常懷千歲憂。……」同時便直撞進去。看見一個和我差不多大的官，說道這「不滿百元」是指全俸而言，我的並不在這裡，是在里間。 | Next came the Main Hall. First I passed through a side door with a strip of paper reading "Group C," and below it a note in small print: "Less than one hundred yuan." Looking at my own slip, the amount was ninety-nine yuan. In my mind I thought: truly, "Man's life does not fill a hundred years, yet he harbors a thousand years of worry..." At the same time, I walked straight in. An official about my own age told me that "less than one hundred yuan" referred to the full salary; mine was not handled here, but in the inner room. |
| 就到里間，那裡有兩張大桌子，桌旁坐著幾個人，一個熟識的老同事就招呼我了；拿出條子去，簽了名，換得錢票，總算一帆風順。這組的旁邊還坐著一位很胖的官，大概是監督者，因為他敢於解開了官紗——也許是紡綢，我不大認識這些東西。——小衫，露著胖得擁成折疊的胸肚，使汗珠雍容地越過了折疊往下流。 | So I went to the inner room. There were two large tables, several people sitting around them, and an old colleague I knew called out to greet me. I handed over my slip, signed my name, and received a money order—smooth sailing throughout. Next to this section sat a very fat official, presumably a supervisor, for he had dared to unbutton his official gauze—or perhaps pongee silk; I am not very good at telling these fabrics apart—revealing a chest and belly so plump they folded in upon themselves, over which beads of sweat rolled majestically down the creases. |
| 這時我無端有些感慨，心裡想，大家現在都說「災官」「災官」，殊不知「心廣體胖」的還不在少呢。便是兩三年前教員正嚷索薪的時候，學校的教員豫備室裡也還有人因為吃得太飽了，咳的一聲，胃中的氣體從嘴裡反叛出來。 | At that moment I felt an inexplicable stirring of emotion. I thought: everyone nowadays talks about "disaster officials," but there are still plenty who are "broad of mind and fat of body." Even two or three years ago, when teachers were clamoring for their salaries, in the faculty preparation rooms there were still people who, having eaten too much, would go "urp" and have a belch of stomach gas rebel out of their mouths. |
| 走出外間，那一位和我差不多大的官還在，便拉住他發牢騷。 | Stepping out into the outer room, the official about my own age was still there, and I seized him to air my grievances. |
| 「你們怎麼又鬧這些玩藝兒了？」我說。 | "Why are you people putting on these shenanigans again?" I said. |
| 「這是他的意思……。」他和氣地回答，而且笑嘻嘻的。 | "It's his idea..." he replied amiably, even with a grin. |
| 「生病的怎麼辦呢？放在門板上抬來麼？」 | "What about people who are sick? Do they have to be carried here on a door plank?" |
| 「他說：這些都另法辦理……。」 | "He says: those cases will be handled by other means..." |
| 我是一聽便了然的，只是在「門——衙門之門——外漢」怕不易懂，最好是再加上一點注解。這所謂「他」者，是指總長或次長而言。此時雖然似乎所指頗蒙朧，但再掘下去，便可以得到指實，但如果再掘下去，也許又要更蒙朧。總而言之，薪水既經到手，這些事便應該「適可而止，毋貪心也」的，否則，怕難免有些危機。即如我的說了這些話，其實就已經不大妥。 | I understood at once. But an "outsider"—a person outside the gate, the gate of a ministry—might not find it so easy to grasp, so let me add a small explanation. This "he" refers to the Minister or Vice-Minister. At this point the referent may seem somewhat vague; dig further and you can pin it down; but if you dig even further, it may become vague again. In any case, since the salary is already in hand, such matters should be dealt with on the principle of "quit while you're ahead, and don't be greedy." Otherwise, there may be some danger. Even my having said this much is already a bit improper. |
| 於是我退出花廳，卻又遇見幾個舊同事，閒談了一回。知道還有「戊組」，是發給已經死了的人的薪水的，這一組大概無須「親領」。又知道這一回提出「親領」律者，不但「他」，也有「他們」在內。所謂「他們」者，粗粗一聽，很像「索薪會」的頭領們，但其實也不然，因為衙門裡早就沒有什麼「索薪會」，所以這一回當然是別一批新人物了。 | So I withdrew from the Main Hall, only to run into several old colleagues. Chatting a while, I learned there was also a "Group E"—for issuing salaries to those who had already died. This group presumably did not require "personal collection." I also learned that the one who proposed the "personal collection" rule this time was not only "he," but also "they." This "they," on first hearing, sounded much like the leaders of the "Salary Demanding Society," but in fact it was not so, for there had long been no "Salary Demanding Society" in the ministry, so this time it was naturally an entirely different batch of new figures. |
| 我們這回「親領」的薪水，是中華民國十三年二月份的。 | The salary we "personally collected" this time was for the month of February, Year Thirteen of the Republic. |
| 因此，事前就有了兩種學說。一，即作為十三年二月的薪水發給。然而還有新來的和新近加俸的呢，可就不免有向隅之感。於是第二種新學說自然起來：不管先前，只作為本年六月份的薪水發給。不過這學說也不大妥，只是「不管先前」這一句，就很有些疵病。 | This gave rise to two schools of thought beforehand. One: issue it as the salary for February of Year Thirteen. But what about newcomers or those who recently received raises? They would have to be "left out." And so the second, new theory naturally arose: never mind what came before; just treat it as this year's June salary. But this theory too was not quite sound; the phrase "never mind what came before" alone contained considerable flaws. |
| 這個辦法，先前也早有人苦心經營過。去年章士釗將我免職之後，自以為在地位上已經給了一個打擊，連有些文人學士們也喜得手舞足蹈。然而他們究竟是聰明人，看過「滿床滿桌滿地」的德文書的，即刻又悟到我單是拋了官，還不至於一敗塗地，因為我還可以得欠薪，在北京生活。於是他們的司長劉百昭便在部務會議席上提出，要不發欠薪，何月領來，便作為何月的薪水。這辦法如果實行，我的受打擊是頗大的，因為就受著經濟的迫壓。然而終於也沒有通過。那致命傷，就在「不管先前」上；而劉百昭們又不肯自稱革命黨，主張不管什麼，都從新來一回。 | This approach had already been devised by others before. Last year, after Zhang Shizhao (章士釗) dismissed me, he congratulated himself on having dealt a blow to my position, and even some literary types danced for joy. But after all they were clever people who had seen "German books covering tables, beds, and floors." They quickly realized that merely losing my post would not finish me off, because I could still draw back pay and live in Beijing. So their bureau chief, Liu Bailhao (劉百昭), proposed at a departmental meeting that back pay should not be issued—whatever month you come to collect, it would be counted as that month's salary. Had this been implemented, the blow to me would have been considerable, for I would have been under economic pressure. But in the end it did not pass. The fatal flaw was in "never mind what came before." And the Liu Bailhaos were not willing to call themselves revolutionaries and advocate starting everything from scratch. |
| 所以現在每一領到政費，所發的也還是先前的錢；即使有人今年不在北京了，十三年二月間卻在，實在也有些難於說是現今不在，連那時的曾經在此也不算了。但是，既然又有新的學說起來，總得採納一點，這採納一點，也就是調和一些。因此，我們這回的收條上，年月是十三年二月的，錢的數目是十五年六月的。 | So now, each time political funds arrive, what is distributed is still old money. Even if someone is no longer in Beijing this year, if they were here in February of Year Thirteen, it would be hard to say that because they are not here now, their having been here back then does not count either. But since a new theory has arisen, something must be adopted from it—adopting something is also a form of compromise. Therefore, the receipt we signed this time bore the date February, Year Thirteen, but the amount was that of June, Year Fifteen. |
| 這麼一來，既然並非「不管先前」，而新近升官或加俸的又可以多得一點錢，可謂比較的周到。於我是無益也無損，只要還在北京，拿得出「正身」來。 | By this reckoning, since it was not "never mind what came before," and those who had recently been promoted or received raises could get a bit more money, it may be called relatively thorough. For me it was neither gain nor loss—as long as I was still in Beijing, and could present my "own person." |
| 翻開我的簡單日記一查，我今年已經收了四回俸錢了：第一次三元；第二次六元；第三次八十二元五角，即二成五，端午節的夜裡收到的；第四次三成，九十九元，就是這一次。再算欠我的薪水，是大約還有九千二百四十元，七月份還不算。 | Checking my simple diary, I have already collected salary four times this year: the first time, three yuan; the second time, six yuan; the third time, eighty-two yuan and fifty fen, that is, two-and-a-half tenths—received on the night of the Dragon Boat Festival; the fourth time, three-tenths, ninety-nine yuan—this time. Calculating the salary still owed me, it is approximately nine thousand two hundred and forty yuan, not counting July. |
| 我覺得已是一個精神上的財主；只可惜這「精神文明」是不很可靠的，劉百昭就來動搖過。將來遇見善於理財的人，怕還要設立一個「欠薪整理會」，裡面坐著幾個人物，外面掛著一塊招牌，使凡有欠薪的人們都到那裡去接洽。幾天或幾月之後，人不見了，接著連招牌也不見了；於是精神上的財主就變了物質上的窮人了。 | I feel I am already a tycoon in spirit. Unfortunately, this "spiritual civilization" is not very reliable—Liu Bailhao has already tried to shake it. In the future, when someone good at financial management comes along, they will probably establish a "Back Pay Adjustment Committee." Inside, a few personages will sit; outside, a signboard will hang, and everyone with back pay will go there to negotiate. After a few days or months, the personages will have vanished; then even the signboard will vanish. And the spiritual tycoon will become a material pauper. |
| 但現在卻還的確收了九十九元，對於生活又較為放心，趁閒空來發一點議論再說。 | But for now I have indeed received ninety-nine yuan. Feeling somewhat more at ease about life, let me take advantage of this leisure to air a few opinions. |
| 七月二十一日。 | July 21. |
| === Section 26 === | == Section 26 == |
| 魯迅先生快到廈門去了，雖然他自己說或者因天氣之故而不能在那裡久住，但至少總有半年或一年不在北京，這實在是我們認為很使人留戀的一件事。八月二十二日，女子師範大學學生會舉行毀校周年紀念，魯迅先生到會，曾有一番演說，我恐怕這是他此次在京最後的一回公開講演，因此把它記下來，表示我一點微弱的紀念的意思。人們一提到魯迅先生，或者不免覺得他稍微有一點過於冷靜，過於默視的樣子，而其實他是無時不充滿著熱烈的希望，發揮著豐富的感情的。在這一次談話裡，尤其可以顯明地看出他的主張；那麼，我把他這一次的談話記下，作為他出京的紀念，也許不是完全沒有重大的意義罷。我自己，為免得老實人費心起見，應該聲明一下：那天的會，我是以一個小小的辦事員的資格參加的。 | Lu Xun is about to leave for Xiamen. Although he himself says that the climate may prevent him from staying there for long, at the very least he will be away from Beijing for half a year or a whole year, which is truly, as we feel, a matter for much regret. On August 22, the student union of the Women's Normal University held a commemoration of the anniversary of the school's destruction. Mr. Lu Xun attended and gave a speech. I fear this may be his last public lecture in the capital before his departure, so I have recorded it here as a small token of remembrance. When people mention Mr. Lu Xun, they may perhaps feel that he is somewhat too cool-headed and detached in manner, but in truth he is at all times filled with fervent hope and overflowing with rich emotion. In this particular talk, his position can be seen with especial clarity; therefore, my recording of this speech as a memento of his departure from Beijing is perhaps not entirely without significant meaning. As for myself, to spare honest folk any unnecessary concern, I should declare: I attended the meeting in the capacity of a minor functionary. |
| （培良） | (Peiliang) |
| == 正文 == | == Main Text == |
| 我昨晚上在校《工人綏惠略夫》，想要另印一回，睡得太遲了，到現在還沒有很醒；正在校的時候，忽然想到一些事情，弄得腦子裡很混亂，一直到現在還是很混亂，所以今天恐怕不能有什麼多的話可說。 | Last night I was proofreading The Worker Shevyryov, intending to have it reprinted. I went to bed too late and am still not fully awake even now. While I was proofreading, certain thoughts suddenly came to mind, making my head quite confused, and it remains confused right up to this moment, so I fear I shall not have much to say today. |
| 提到我翻譯《工人綏惠略夫》的歷史，倒有點有趣。十二年前，歐洲大混戰開始了，後來我們中國也參加戰事，就是所謂「對德宣戰」；派了許多工人到歐洲去幫忙；以後就打勝了，就是所謂「公理戰勝」。中國自然也要分得戰利品，—— | Speaking of the history behind my translation of The Worker Shevyryov, it is actually rather interesting. Twelve years ago, the great European conflagration began, and later our China also joined the war -- what is called "declaring war on Germany." Many workers were sent to Europe to help; afterwards victory was won -- what is called "the triumph of justice." China was naturally entitled to its share of the spoils of war -- |
| 有一種是在上海的德國商人的俱樂部裡的德文書，總數很不少，文學居多，都搬來放在午門的門樓上。教育部得到這些書，便要整理一下，分類一下，——其實是他們本來分類好了的，然而有些人以為分得不好，所以要從新分一下。—— | One item consisted of the German-language books from a German merchants' club in Shanghai -- a considerable number in all, mostly literary works -- which were all moved to the gate tower of Wumen. The Ministry of Education, having obtained these books, wanted to organize and classify them -- in fact, the Germans had already classified them properly, but some people felt the classification was not good enough, so they had to be reclassified. |
| 當時派了許多人，我也是其中的一個。後來，總長要看看那些書是什麼書了。怎樣看法呢？叫我們用中文將書名譯出來，有義譯義，無義譯音，該撒呀，克來阿派式拉呀，大馬色呀……。每人每月有十塊錢的車費，我也拿了百來塊錢，因為那時還有一點所謂行政費。這樣的幾里古魯了一年多，花了幾千塊錢，對德和約成立了，後來德國來取還，便仍由點收的我們全盤交付，——也許少了幾本罷。至於「克來阿派忒拉」之類，總長看了沒有，我可不得而知了。 | At the time, many people were assigned to the task, and I was one of them. Later, the Minister wanted to have a look at what sort of books they were. How was this to be done? We were told to translate the titles into Chinese -- translating meaning where meaning was available, transliterating sound where it was not -- Caesar, Cleopatra, Damascus.... Each person received ten yuan a month for transportation expenses, and I must have collected a hundred yuan or so, because at that time there was still a bit of so-called administrative funding. After muddling about like this for over a year, spending several thousand yuan in total, the Treaty of Peace with Germany was concluded, and later when Germany came to reclaim the books, we who had inventoried them simply handed them all back -- though perhaps a few volumes were missing. As for whether the Minister ever looked at "Cleopatra" and the like, that I cannot say. |
| 據我所知道的說，「對德宣戰」的結果，在中國有一座中央公園裡的「公理戰勝」的牌坊，在我就只有一篇這《工人綏惠略夫》的譯本，因為那底本，就是從那時整理著的德文書裡挑出來的。 | As far as I know, the result of "declaring war on Germany" was, for China, a commemorative arch inscribed "The Triumph of Justice" in Zhongyang Park; and for me, nothing but this one translation of The Worker Shevyryov, for the original text was selected from among those German books I was organizing at the time. |
| 那一堆書裡文學書多得很，為什麼那時偏要挑中這一篇呢？那意思，我現在有點記不真切了。大概，覺得民國以前，以後，我們也有許多改革者，境遇和綏惠略夫很相像，所以借借他人的酒杯罷。然而昨晚上一看，豈但那時，譬如其中的改革者的被迫，代表的吃苦，便是現在，——便是將來，便是幾十年以後，我想，還要有許多改革者的境遇和他相像的。 | There were a great many literary works in that pile. Why, then, did I single out this particular one? The reasoning, I now recall only vaguely. Roughly, I felt that before and after the founding of the Republic, we too had had many reformers whose circumstances closely resembled those of Shevyryov, so I would borrow someone else's wine cup, as it were. Yet looking at it again last night -- it is not merely of that time; take, for example, the persecution of reformers, the suffering of their representatives -- it is true of the present, too -- and of the future -- even several decades hence, I believe, many reformers will still find their circumstances resembling his. |
| 所以我打算將它重印一下……。 | So I plan to have it reprinted.... |
| 《工人綏惠略夫》的作者阿爾志跋綏夫是俄國人。現在一提到俄國，似乎就使人心驚膽戰。但是，這是大可以不必的，阿爾志跋綏夫並非共產黨，他的作品現在在蘇俄也並不受人歡迎。聽說他已經瞎了眼睛，很在吃苦，那當然更不會送我一個盧布……。總而言之：和蘇俄是毫不相干。但奇怪的是有許多事情竟和中國很相像，譬如，改革者，代表者的受苦，不消說了；便是教人要安本分的老婆子，也正如我們的文人學士一般。有一個教員因為不受上司的辱駡而被革職了，她背地裡責備他，說他「高傲」得可惡，「你看，我以前被我的主人打過兩個嘴巴，可是我一句話都不說，忍耐著。究竟後來他們知道我冤枉了，就親手賞了我一百盧布。」自然，我們的文人學士措辭決不至於如此拙直，文字也還要華贍得多。 | The author of The Worker Shevyryov, Artsybashev, was a Russian. Nowadays, the mere mention of Russia seems to set people's hearts trembling with fright. But this is quite unnecessary. Artsybashev was by no means a Communist; his works are not well received in Soviet Russia either. I hear he has gone blind and is in great hardship, so he is certainly not about to send me a single ruble.... In short: he has absolutely nothing to do with Soviet Russia. But the strange thing is that so many things in his work bear such a striking resemblance to China. The suffering of reformers and their representatives goes without saying; but even the old woman who tells people to know their place is exactly like our men of letters and scholars. When a teacher was dismissed because he refused to accept his superior's abuse, she reproached him behind his back, calling him detestably "arrogant": "Look -- I was once slapped twice across the face by my master, and I didn't say a word, just endured it. In the end they realized I was innocent, and with their own hands they rewarded me with a hundred rubles." To be sure, our men of letters and scholars would never phrase things quite so crudely; their prose would be considerably more ornate. |
| 然而綏惠略夫臨末的思想卻太可怕。他先是為社會做事，社會倒迫害他，甚至於要殺害他，他於是一變而為向社會復仇了，一切是仇仇，一切都破壞。中國這樣破壞一切的人還不見有，大約也不會有的，我也並不希望其有。但中國向來有別一種破壞的人，所以我們不去破壞的，便常常受破壞。我們一面被破壞，一面修繕著，辛辛苦苦地再過下去。所以我們的生活，便成了一面受破壞，一面修補，一面受破壞，一面修補的生活了。這個學校，也就是受了楊蔭榆章士釗們的破壞之後，修補修補，整理整理，再過下去的。 | Yet Shevyryov's final state of mind is truly terrifying. At first he worked for society, and society persecuted him, even trying to kill him. Then he underwent a transformation and turned to taking revenge on society -- everything was an enemy, everything was to be destroyed. In China we have not yet seen anyone who destroys everything in this way, and probably there never will be such a person; nor do I wish for one. But China has always had a different kind of destroyer, so those of us who do not go about destroying are constantly being destroyed. We are destroyed on one side while patching things up on the other, toiling to carry on. And so our life becomes a life of being destroyed and patching up, destroyed and patching up, over and over again. This school, too, after being destroyed by the likes of Yang Yinyu and Zhang Shizhao, was patched up, tidied up, and carried on. |
| 俄國老婆子式的文人學士也許說，這是「高傲」得可惡了，該得懲罰。這話自然很像不錯的，但也不儘然。我的家裡還住著一個鄉下人，因為戰事，她的家沒有了，只好逃進城裡來。她實在並不「高傲」，也沒有反對過楊蔭榆，然而她的家沒有了，受了破壞。戰事一完，她一定要回去的，即使屋子破了，器具拋了，田地荒了，她也還要活下去。她大概只好搜集一點剩下的東西，修補修補，整理整理，再來活下去。 | Perhaps the Russian-old-woman type of men of letters and scholars will say this is detestably "arrogant" and deserves punishment. That sounds rather plausible, to be sure, but it is not entirely so. In my own home there lives a country woman who, because of the fighting, lost her home and had no choice but to flee into the city. She was truly not "arrogant" at all, nor had she ever opposed Yang Yinyu, yet her home was gone -- destroyed. When the fighting ends, she will certainly want to go back, and even if the house is in ruins, the furnishings scattered, and the fields gone to waste, she will still want to go on living. She will probably just gather up whatever scraps remain, patch things up, tidy things up, and carry on living. |
| 中國的文明，就是這樣破壞了又修補，破壞了又修補的疲乏傷殘可憐的東西。但是很有人誇耀它，甚至於連破壞者也誇耀它。便是破壞本校的人，假如你派他到萬國婦女的什麼會裡去，請他敘述中國女學的情形，他一定說，我們中國有一個國立北京女子師範大學在。 | Chinese civilization is just such a weary, wounded, pitiful thing, destroyed and then patched up, destroyed and then patched up again. But many people take great pride in it, and even the destroyers take pride in it too. If the very person who destroyed this school were sent to some international women's congress and asked to describe the state of women's education in China, that person would certainly say: "We in China have a National Peking Women's Normal University." |
| 這真是萬分可惜的事，我們中國人對於不是自己的東西，或者將不為自己所有的東西，總要破壞了才快活的。楊蔭榆知道要做不成這校長，便文事用文士的「流言」，武功用三河的老媽，總非將一班「毛鴉頭」趕盡殺絕不可。先前我看見記載上說的張獻忠屠戮川民的事，我總想不通他是什麼意思； | It is truly an immense pity that we Chinese, when it comes to things that are not our own, or things that will not remain ours, always have to destroy them before we feel content. Yang Yinyu, knowing that she could not remain as principal, employed literary schemes through her literati's "rumors" and martial force through old amahs from Sanhe, determined not to rest until every last "feathered young girl" was hunted down and exterminated. I once read accounts of how Zhang Xianzhong slaughtered the people of Sichuan, and I could never fathom his motive. |
| 後來看到別一本書，這才明白了：他原是想做皇帝的，但是李自成先進北京，做了皇帝了，他便要破壞李自成的帝位。怎樣破壞法呢？做皇帝必須有百姓；他殺盡了百姓，皇帝也就誰都做不成了。既無百姓，便無所謂皇帝，於是只剩了一個李自成，在白地上出醜，宛如學校解散後的校長一般。這雖然是一個可笑的極端的例，但有這一類的思想的，實在並不止張獻忠一個人。 | Later I read another book, and at last I understood: he had originally intended to become emperor, but Li Zicheng entered Beijing first and became emperor, so Zhang set out to destroy Li Zicheng's imperial throne. How was he to destroy it? To be an emperor, one must have subjects; if he killed all the subjects, then no one could be emperor anymore. With no subjects, there could be no emperor, and so only Li Zicheng would remain, making a fool of himself on barren ground -- much like a principal after a school has been dissolved. Though this is an absurd and extreme example, there are by no means few people who share this kind of thinking. |
| 我們總是中國人，我們總要遇見中國事，但我們不是中國式的破壞者，所以我們是過著受破壞了又修補，受破壞了又修補的生活。我們的許多壽命白費了。我們所可以自慰的，想來想去，也還是所謂對於將來的希望。希望是附麗於存在的，有存在，便有希望，有希望，便是光明。如果歷史家的話不是誑話，則世界上的事物可還沒有因為黑暗而長存的先例。黑暗只能附麗於漸就滅亡的事物，一滅亡，黑暗也就一同滅亡了，它不永久。然而將來是永遠要有的，並且總要光明起來；只要不做黑暗的附著物，為光明而滅亡，則我們一定有悠久的將來，而且一定是光明的將來。 | We are, after all, Chinese; we must inevitably face Chinese affairs. But we are not destroyers in the Chinese manner, so we live a life of being destroyed and then patching up, being destroyed and then patching up again. Many of our years are wasted to no purpose. The only consolation we can find, thinking it over again and again, is still what we call hope for the future. Hope is contingent upon existence; where there is existence, there is hope, and where there is hope, there is light. If the words of historians are not lies, then there has as yet been no precedent in this world for anything enduring because of its darkness. Darkness can only be contingent upon things that are heading toward extinction; once they are extinct, the darkness perishes along with them -- it does not last forever. But the future will always come, and it is bound to grow bright. As long as we do not become appendages of darkness, but rather perish for the sake of light, then we shall surely have a long future -- and that future shall surely be a bright one. |
| == 附記 == | == Postscript == |
| 我赴這會的後四日，就出北京了。在上海看見日報，知道女師大已改為女子學院的師範部，教育總長任可澄自做院長，師範部的學長是林素園。後來看見北京九月五日的晚報，有一條道：「今日下午一時半，任可澄特同林氏，並率有警察廳保安隊及軍督察處兵士共四十左右，馳赴女師大，武裝接收。……」原來剛一周年，又看見用兵了。不知明年這日，還是帶兵的開得校紀念呢，還是被兵的開毀校紀念？現在姑且將培良君的這一篇轉錄在這裡，先作一個本年的紀念罷。 | Four days after I attended this gathering, I left Beijing. In Shanghai, reading the daily papers, I learned that the Women's Normal University had been reorganized as the normal department of a Women's College, with the Education Minister Ren Kecheng himself serving as dean and Lin Suyuan as the head of the normal department. Later, reading a Beijing evening paper dated September 5, I came across a report: "This afternoon at 1:30, Ren Kecheng specially accompanied Mr. Lin and led some forty men comprising security police from the Police Bureau and soldiers from the Military Inspectorate, racing to the Women's Normal University for an armed takeover...." So, just on the first anniversary, there was military force again. I wonder whether next year on this day it will be the armed ones who hold an anniversary of the school's founding, or the ones attacked who hold an anniversary of its destruction? For now, let me simply transcribe this piece by Mr. Peiliang here, as a memento of this year. |
| 一九二六年十月十四日，魯迅附記。 | October 14, 1926. Postscript by Lu Xun. |
| === Section 27 === | == Section 27 == |
| 小峰兄： | Dear Xiaofeng, |
| 別後之次日，我便上車，當晚到天津。途中什麼事也沒有，不過剛出天津車站，卻有一個穿制服的，大概是稅吏之流罷，突然將我的提籃拉住，問道“什麼？”我剛答說“零用什物”時，他已經將籃搖了兩搖，揚長而去了。幸而我的籃裡並無人參湯榨菜湯或玻璃器皿，所以毫無損失，請勿念。 | The day after we parted, I boarded the train and arrived in Tianjin that evening. Nothing happened along the way, except that just as I came out of Tianjin station, a man in uniform -- probably some sort of customs officer -- suddenly grabbed my basket and demanded, "What's this?" I had barely answered "Daily necessities" when he had already shaken the basket twice and strode off. Fortunately my basket contained no ginseng soup, mustard-tuber broth, or glassware, so there was no loss whatsoever. Please do not worry. |
| 從天津向浦口，我坐的是特別快車，所以並不囂雜，但擠是擠的。我從七年前護送家眷到北京以後，便沒有坐過這車；現在似乎男女分坐了，間壁的一室中本是一男三女的一家，這回卻將男的逐出，另外請進一個女的去。將近浦口，又發生一點小風潮，因為那四口的一家給茶房的茶資太少了，一個長壯偉大的茶房便到我們這裡來演說，“使之聞之”。其略曰：錢是自然要的。一個人不為錢為什麼？然而自己只做茶房圖幾文茶資，是因為良心還在中間，沒有到這邊（指腋下介）去！自己也還能賣掉田地去買槍，招集了土匪，做個頭目；好好地一玩，就可以升官，發財了。然而良心還在這裡（指胸骨介），所以甘心做茶房，賺點小錢，給兒女念念書，將來好好過活。……但，如果太給自己下不去了，什麼不是人做的事要做也會做出來！我們一堆共有六個人，誰也沒有反駁他。聽說後來是添了一塊錢完事。 | From Tianjin to Pukou, I rode the special express, so it was not rowdy, but it was crowded all the same. I had not taken this train since escorting my family to Beijing seven years ago; now it seems men and women sit separately. In the neighboring compartment there was originally a family of one man and three women, but this time the man was expelled, and another woman was invited in to take his place. As we neared Pukou, a small commotion arose because that family of four had given the tea-boy too little tip. A tall, burly tea-boy then came to our section to deliver a speech, so that they might "hear of it." The gist was: Money is naturally required. Why does a man work if not for money? However, the fact that he himself serves as a mere tea-boy for a few coins in tips is because his conscience is still in the middle here, and hasn't gone over to the side (pointing under his armpit). He could just as well sell off his fields, buy a gun, gather a band of bandits, and become their chief; have himself a good time, and then he could rise to an official post and make a fortune. But his conscience is still right here (pointing at his breastbone), so he is content to be a tea-boy, earn a little money, and have his children get some schooling so they can live decently in the future.... But if people push him too far and make things unbearable, there is nothing that a man won't do, even things unworthy of a human being! There were six of us in all in our section, and nobody contradicted him. I heard that in the end an extra yuan was added, and the matter was settled. |
| 我並不想步勇敢的文人學士們的後塵，在北京出版的週刊上斥駡孫傳芳大帥。不過一到下關，記起這是投壺的禮義之邦的事來，總不免有些滑稽之感。在我的眼睛裡，下關也還是七年前的下關，無非那時是大風雨，這回卻是晴天。趕不上特別快車了，只好趁夜車，便在客寓裡暫息。挑夫（即本地之所謂“夫子”）和茶房還是照舊地老實；板鴨，插燒，油雞等類，也依然價廉物美。喝了二兩高粱酒，也比北京的好。這當然只是“我以為”；但也並非毫無理由：就因為它有一點生的高粱氣味，喝後合上眼，就如身在雨後的田野裡一般。 | I have no intention of following in the footsteps of those brave literary gentlemen who scold Generalissimo Sun Chuanfang in weekly magazines published in Beijing. However, upon arriving at Xiaguan, when I recalled that this was the dominion of courteous gentlemen who play the ritual game of pot-tossing, I could not help but feel a certain sense of the absurd. In my eyes, Xiaguan was still the same Xiaguan of seven years ago, the only difference being that last time it was pouring rain and this time it was sunny. Having missed the special express, I had no choice but to take the night train, and so I rested briefly at an inn. The porters (called "fuzi" in local parlance) and tea-boys were still as honest as ever; the pressed duck, char siu, oil-braised chicken, and such things were still inexpensive and of fine quality. I drank two liang of sorghum liquor, which was also better than Beijing's. This is of course merely "my opinion"; but it is not entirely without reason, for it had a slight taste of raw sorghum, and after drinking it, if you closed your eyes, you felt as though you were standing in a field after the rain. |
| 正在田野裡的時候，茶房來說有人要我出去說話了。出去看時，是幾個人和三四個兵背著槍，究竟幾個，我沒有細數；總之是一大群。其中的一個說要看我的行李。問他先看那一個呢？他指定了一個麻布套的皮箱。給他解了繩，開了鎖，揭開蓋，他才蹲下去在衣服中間摸索。摸索了一會，似乎便灰心了，站起來將手一擺，一群兵便都“向後轉”，往外走出去了。那指揮的臨走時還對我點點頭，非常客氣。我和現任的“有槍階級”接洽，民國以來這是第一回。我覺得他們倒並不壞；假使他們也如自稱“無槍階級”的善造“流言”，我就要連路也不能走。 | Just as I was in that field, the tea-boy came to say that someone wanted to speak with me outside. When I went out to look, there were several men with three or four soldiers carrying guns on their backs -- exactly how many, I did not count closely; suffice it to say it was quite a crowd. One of them said he wanted to inspect my luggage. I asked which piece he wanted to see first. He pointed to a leather suitcase in a hemp cloth cover. I untied the ropes, opened the lock, and lifted the lid for him, and only then did he squat down and rummage through the clothing. After fumbling about for a while, he seemed to lose heart, stood up, and waved his hand, whereupon the whole group of soldiers did an about-face and walked out. The commanding one even nodded to me before leaving -- most courteous. This was my first encounter with the current "armed class" since the founding of the Republic. I thought them not bad at all; if they were as adept at manufacturing "rumors" as those who call themselves the "unarmed class," I would not even be able to travel. |
| 向上海的夜車是十一點鐘開的，客很少，大可以躺下睡覺，可惜椅子太短，身子必須彎起來。這車裡的茶是好極了，裝在玻璃杯裡，色香味都好，也許因為我喝了多年井水茶，所以容易大驚小怪了罷，然而大概確是很好的。因此一共喝了兩杯，看看窗外的夜的江南，幾乎沒有睡覺。 | The night train to Shanghai departed at eleven o'clock. There were few passengers, and one could well lie down to sleep, but unfortunately the seats were too short and one's body had to be curled up. The tea on this train was superb, served in glass cups, excellent in color, fragrance, and taste -- perhaps because I had been drinking well-water tea for so many years that I was too easily impressed, but I believe it really was very good. On account of this I drank two cups in total, gazing out at the nocturnal Jiangnan landscape, and hardly slept at all. |
| 在這車上，才通見滿口英語的學生，才聽到“無線電”“海底電”這類話。也在這車上，才看見弱不勝衣的少爺，綢衫尖頭鞋，口嗑南瓜子，手裡是一張《消閒錄》之類的小報，而且永遠看不完。這一類人似乎江浙特別多，恐怕投壺的日子正長久哩。 | It was on this train that I first encountered students spouting English at every turn, and first heard talk of "wireless telegraphy" and "submarine cables." It was also on this train that I first saw the delicate young dandies, in silk shirts and pointed shoes, cracking sunflower seeds, a copy of Leisurely Diversions or some such tabloid in hand, which they never seemed to finish reading. This type of person seems especially abundant in Jiangsu and Zhejiang; I fear the days of pot-tossing shall continue for a long while yet. |
| 現在是住在上海的客寓裡了；急於想走。走了幾天，走得高興起來了，很想總是走來走去。先前聽說歐洲有一種民族，叫作“吉柏希”的，樂於遷徙，不肯安居，私心竊以為他們脾氣太古怪，現在才知道他們自有他們的道理，倒是我胡塗。 | Now I am staying at an inn in Shanghai; I am eager to be on my way. Having traveled for several days, I have developed a taste for it and feel like continuing to go here and there. I used to hear that in Europe there was a people called the "Gypsies" who delighted in wandering and refused to settle down, and privately I thought their temperament most peculiar. Now I realize they had their reasons all along -- it was I who was being obtuse. |
| 這裡在下雨，不算很熱了。 | It is raining here, and not terribly hot anymore. |
| 魯迅。八月三十日，上海。 | Lu Xun. August 30, Shanghai. |
| 分類:上海市 | |
| === Section 28 === | == Section 28 == |
| 我向《自由談》投稿的由來，《前記》里已經說過了。到這里，本文已完，而電燈尚明，蚊子暫靜，便用剪刀和筆，再來保存些因為《自由談》和我而起的瑣聞，算是一點餘興。 | The origins of my contributions to Free Talk have already been explained in the "Preface." By this point the main text is complete; but the electric light is still on and the mosquitoes are temporarily quiet, so with scissors and pen, let me preserve some of the trivia that arose on account of Free Talk and myself -- a little encore, as it were. |
| 只要一看就知道，在我的發表短評時中，攻擊得最烈的是《大晚報》。這也并非和我前生有仇，是因為我引用了它的文字。但我也并非和它前生有仇，是因為我所看的只有《申報》和《大晚報》兩种，而後者的文字往往頗覺新奇，值得引用，以消愁釋悶。即如我的眼前，現在就有一張包了香煙來的三月三十日的舊《大晚報》在，其中有著這樣的一段——「浦東人楊江生，年已四十有一，貌既丑陋，人复貧窮，向為泥水匠，曾佣于蘇州人盛寶山之泥水作場。盛有女名金弟，今方十五齡，而矮小异常，人亦猥瑣。昨晚八時，楊在虹口天潼路与盛相遇，楊奸其女。經捕頭向楊詢問，楊毫不抵賴，承認自去年一二八以後，連續行奸十餘次，當派探員將盛金弟送往醫院，由醫生驗明确非處女，今晨解送第一特區地方法院，經劉毓桂推事提審，捕房律師王耀堂以被告誘未滿十六歲之女子，雖其後數次皆系該女自往被告家相就，但按法亦應強奸罪論，應請訊究。旋傳女父盛寶山訊問，据稱初不知有此事，前晚因事責女後，女忽失蹤，直至昨晨才歸，嚴詰之下，女始謂留住被告家，并將被告誘奸經過說明，我方得悉，故將被告扭入捕房云。繼由盛金弟陳述，与被告行奸，自去年二月至今，已有十餘次，每次均系被告將我喚去，并著我不可對父母說知云。質之楊江生供，盛女向呼我為叔，縱欲姦猶不忍下手，故絕對無此事，所謂十餘次者，系將盛女帶出游玩之次數等語。劉推事以本案尚須調查，諭被告收押，改期再訊。」 | One need only glance to see that, during the period when I was publishing short commentaries, the most ferocious attacks came from the Great Evening News. This was not because of some grudge from a past life, but because I had quoted its text. Nor did I bear it any grudge from a past life; it was simply that the only papers I read were the Shenbao and the Great Evening News, and the latter's writing was often so remarkably novel as to be worth quoting, for the relief of melancholy and boredom. Right before my eyes at this very moment, for example, there happens to be an old copy of the Great Evening News from March 30, which came wrapped around some cigarettes, and it contains the following item -- "A man from Pudong named Yang Jiangsheng, aged forty-one, ugly in appearance and impoverished in circumstances, formerly a bricklayer who had worked for a bricklaying workshop run by a Suzhou man named Sheng Baoshan. Sheng has a daughter named Jindi, now just fifteen, abnormally short and of mean appearance. Yesterday evening at eight o'clock, Yang encountered Sheng on Tiantong Road in Hongkou. Yang violated his daughter. When questioned by the station chief, Yang did not deny it at all, admitting that since the January 28 Incident of last year, he had committed the act over ten times consecutively. A detective was dispatched to take Sheng Jindi to the hospital, where a doctor confirmed she was not a virgin. This morning the case was brought before the First Special District Court, where Judge Liu Yugui presided. The prosecution lawyer Wang Yaotang argued that the defendant had seduced a girl under sixteen, and though subsequent occasions were all initiated by the girl going to the defendant's home of her own accord, the law still required the charge of rape. The girl's father Sheng Baoshan was then summoned and testified that he had initially been unaware; two evenings ago he had scolded his daughter, who then suddenly disappeared, not returning until the next morning. Under stern interrogation, the daughter said she had stayed at the defendant's home and described how the defendant had seduced her, whereupon he learned of it and had the defendant taken to the police station. Sheng Jindi then gave her account: she had had intercourse with the defendant from February of last year up to the present, over ten times, each time at the defendant's summons, and he had told her not to tell her parents. When Yang Jiangsheng was confronted with this, he testified: the girl had always called me 'uncle'; even if I had desired to violate her, I could not have borne to do so; therefore there is absolutely no such thing; the so-called ten-odd times refer to the number of times I took the girl out for excursions. Judge Liu, finding the case required further investigation, ordered the defendant remanded in custody for a later hearing." |
| 在記事里分明可見，盛對于楊，并未說有「倫常」關係，楊供女稱之為「叔」，是中國的習慣，年長十年左右，往往稱為叔伯的。然而《大晚報》用了怎樣的題目呢？是四號和頭號字的—— | In the report itself, it is perfectly clear that Sheng made no claim of any "familial" relationship between himself and Yang; Yang testified that the girl called him "uncle," which is merely Chinese custom -- when someone is about ten years older, one often uses "uncle" or the like. But what headline did the Great Evening News use? In bold and banner type -- |
| 女自稱被姦過十餘次，男指系游玩并非風流。 | The girl claims to have been violated over ten times; the man says it was merely excursions and not a love affair. |
| }} | They added "godfather" before "uncle," thus transforming the "girl" into a "goddaughter," and Yang Jiangsheng was thereby made into a major criminal guilty of "defying moral relations" or quasi-"defying moral relations." China's gentlemen lament the decline of public morals and abhor the "defiance of moral relations" by wicked men, yet they fear there are not enough stories of such defiance in the world, and must strain every nerve to embellish and exaggerate them with their pens, to catch the eye of readers with vulgar tastes. Yang Jiangsheng is a bricklayer and has no means to see this, and even if he saw it, no means to protest; he can only submit to their fabrications. But the social critic has a duty to call them out. Yet before any calling-out could occur -- merely because a few remarkable passages were quoted -- they started howling about "squire" this and "police dog" that, as though their own crowd subsisted on wind and dew and had brought their own private fortunes to serve society as volunteers. Yes, we know who the publisher is; but we still do not know who the proprietor is -- that is, who exactly is the "squire." If it is claimed to be neither commercially run nor government-run, that would be quite rare in the newspaper world. But this secret need not be investigated further here. |
| 它在「叔」上添一「乾」字，于是「女」就化為「侄女」，楊江生也因此成了「逆倫」或准「逆倫」的重犯了。中國之君子，歎人心之不古，憎匪人之逆倫，而惟恐人間沒有逆倫的故事，偏要用筆舖張揚厲起來，以聳動低級趣味讀者的眼目。楊江生是泥水匠，無從看見，見了也無從抗辯，只得一任他們的編排，然而社會批評者是有指斥的任務的。但還不到指斥，單單引用了几句奇文，他們便什么「員外」什么「警犬」的狂嗥起來，好像他們的一群倒是吸風飲露，帶了自己的家私來給社會服務的志士。是的，社長我們是知道的，然而終于不知道誰是東家，就是究竟誰是「員外」，倘說既非商辦，又非官辦；則在報界里是很難得的。但這秘密，在這里不再研究它也好。 | On a par with the Great Evening News in its attention to Free Talk was Social News. But its methods were far more adroit: it did not use incomprehensible or unwilling articles, but instead deployed a mixture of true and false reports. For example, the real reason for Free Talk's reform -- though one cannot be sure whether what it said was true or false -- I actually first read about in its second volume, issue 13 (published February 7) -- From Spring and Autumn and Free Talk to the Chinese Literary Scene, which read: The Chinese literary scene originally had no division between old and new, but in the year of the May Fourth Movement, Chen Duxiu fired a signal shot in New Youth, raised a new banner, and advocated literary revolution, with Hu Shi, Qian Xuantong, Liu Bannong and others cheering from behind.... |
| 和《大晚報》不相上下，注意于《自由談》的還有《社會新聞》。但手段巧妙得遠了，它不用不能通或不愿通的文章，而只驅使著真偽雜糅的記事。即如《自由談》的改革的原因，雖然斷不定所說是真是假，我倒還是從它那第二卷第十三期（二月七日出版）上看來的——從《春秋》与《自由談》說起中國文壇，本無新舊之分，但到了五四運動那年，陳獨秀在《新青年》上一聲號炮，別樹一幟，提倡文學革命，胡适之錢玄同劉半農等，在後搖旗吶喊。這時中國青年外感外侮的壓迫，內受政治的刺激，失望与煩悶，為了要求光明的出路，各种新思潮，遂受青年熱烈的擁護，使文學革命建了偉大的成功。從此之後，中國文壇新舊的界限，判若鴻溝；但舊文壇勢力在社會上有悠久的歷史，根深蒂固，一時不易動搖。那時舊文壇的机關雜志，是著名的《禮拜六》，几乎集了天下搖頭擺尾的文人，于《禮拜六》一爐！至《禮拜六》所刊的文字，十九是卿卿我我，哀哀唧唧的小說，把民族性陶醉萎靡到极點了！此即所謂鴛鴦蝴蝶派的文字。其中如徐枕亞吳雙熱周瘦鵑等，尤以善談鴛鴦蝴蝶著名，周瘦鵑且為禮拜六派之健將。這時新文壇對于舊勢力的大本營《禮拜六》，攻擊頗力，卒以新興勢力，實力單薄，舊派有封建社會為背景，有恃無恐，兩不相讓，各行其是。此後新派如文學研究會，創造社等，陸續成立，人材漸眾，勢力漸厚，《禮拜六》應時勢之推移，終至「壽終正寢」！惟禮拜六派之殘餘分子，迄今猶四出活動，無肅清之望，上海各大報中之文藝編輯，至今大都仍是所謂鴛鴦蝴蝶派所把持。可是只要放眼在最近的出版界中，新興文藝出版數量的可惊，已有使舊勢力不能抬頭之勢！禮拜六派文人之在今日，已不敢复以《禮拜六》的頭銜以相召號，蓋已至強弩之末的時期了！最近守舊的《申報》，忽將《自由談》編輯禮拜六派的巨子周瘦鵑撤職，換了一個新派作家黎烈文，這對于舊勢力當然是件非常的變動，遂形成了今日新舊文壇劇烈的沖突。周瘦鵑一方面策動各小報，對黎烈文作總攻擊，我們只要看鄭逸梅主編的《金剛鑽》，主張周瘦鵑仍返《自由談》原位，讓黎烈文主編《春秋》，也足見舊派文人終不能忘情于已失的地盤。而另一方面周瘦鵑在自己編的《春秋》內說：各种副刊有各种副刊的特性，作河水不犯井水之論，也足見周瘦鵑猶惴惴于他現有地位的危殆。周同時還硬拉非蘇州人的嚴獨鶴加入周所主持的純蘇州人的文藝團体「星社」，以為拉攏而固地位之計。不圖舊派勢力的失敗，竟以周啟其端。 | [The article continues with a lengthy account of the old vs. new literary factions, the Saturday School (Libailiu pai), Zhou Shoujuan's dismissal from Free Talk, and Li Liewen's appointment as the new editor.] |
| 据我所聞：周的不能安于其位，也有原因：他平日對于選稿方面，太刻薄而私心，只要是認識的人投去的稿，不看內容，見篇即登；同時無名小卒或為周所陌生的投稿者，則也不看內容，整堆的作為字紙簍的虜俘。因周所編的刊物，總是几個夾袋里的人物，私心自用，以致內容糟不可言！外界對他的攻擊日甚，如許嘯天主編之《紅葉》，也對周有數次劇烈的抨擊，史量才為了外界對他的不滿，所以才把他撤去。那知這次史量才的一動，周竟作了導火線，造成了今日新舊兩派短兵相接戰斗愈烈的境界！以後想好戲還多，讀者請拭目俟之。〔微知〕但到二卷廿一期（三月三日）上，就已大惊小怪起來，為「守舊文化的堡壘」的動搖惋惜——左翼文化運動的抬頭水手關于左翼文化運動，雖然受過各方面嚴厲的壓迫，及其內部的分裂，但近來又似乎漸漸抬起頭了。在上海，左翼文化在共產党「聯絡同路人」的路線之下，的确是較前稍有起色。在雜志方面，甚至連那些第一塊老牌雜志，也左傾起來。胡愈之主編的《東方雜志》，原是中國歷史最久的雜志，也是最穩健不過的雜志，可是据王云五老板的意見，胡愈之近來太左傾了，所以在愈之看過的樣子，他必須再重看一遍。但雖然是經過王老板大刀闊斧的刪段以後，《東方雜志》依然還嫌太左傾，于是胡愈之的飯碗不能不打破，而由李某來接他的手了。又如《申報》的《自由談》在禮拜六派的周某主編之時，陳腐到太不像樣，但現在也在左聯手中了。魯迅与沈雁冰，現在已成了《自由談》的兩大台柱了。《東方雜志》是屬于商務印書館的，《自由談》是屬于《申報》的，商務印書館与申報館，是兩個守舊文化的堡壘，可是這兩個堡壘，現在似乎是開始動搖了，其餘自然是可想而知。此外，還有几個中級的新的書局，也完全在左翼作家手中，如郭沫若高語罕丁曉先与沈雁冰等，都各自抓著了一個書局，而做其台柱，這些都是著名的紅色人物，而書局老板現在竟靠他們吃飯了。 | According to what I have heard: Zhou's inability to keep his position also had its reasons. In his daily selection of manuscripts, he was too harsh and self-serving; any manuscript from an acquaintance would be published without reading the content, while unknown contributors or those Zhou did not recognize would also go unread, their manuscripts thrown wholesale into the wastebasket.... |
| ………… | After three weeks, it specifically identified Lu Xun and Shen Yanbing (Mao Dun) as the "pillars" of Free Talk (March 24, Vol. 2, No. 28) -- Li Liewen Has Not Joined the Cultural League |
| 過了三星期，便确指魯迅与沈雁冰為《自由談》的「台柱」（三月廿四日第二卷第廿八期）——黎烈文未入文總 | The editor of the Shenbao's Free Talk, Li Liewen, studied in France and is a newcomer to the literary world. Since he took over Free Talk, its tone has completely changed, and the contributors have shifted from the old-school literati of the Saturday School to left-wing proletarian writers. The current pillars of Free Talk are Lu Xun and Shen Yanbing, with Lu Xun publishing especially prolifically under the pen name "He Jiagan."... |
| 《申報·自由談》編輯黎烈文，系留法學生，為一名不見于經傳之新進作家。自彼接辦《自由談》後，《自由談》之論調，為之一變，而執筆為文者，亦由星社《禮拜六》之舊式文人，易為左翼普羅作家。現《自由談》資為台柱者，為魯迅与沈雁冰兩氏，魯迅在《自由談》上發表文稿尤多，署名為「何家干」。除魯迅与沈雁冰外，其他作品，亦什九系左翼作家之作，如施蟄存曹聚仁李輝英輩是。一般人以《自由談》作文者均系中國左翼文化總同盟（簡稱文總），故疑黎氏本人，亦系文總中人，但黎氏對此，加以否認，謂彼并未加入文總，与以上諸人僅友誼關系云。〔逸〕又過了一個多月，則發見這兩人的「雄圖」（五月六日第三卷第十二期）了——魯迅沈雁冰的雄圖 | After another month and more, the "grand ambitions" of these two were discovered (May 6, Vol. 3, No. 12) -- The Grand Ambitions of Lu Xun and Shen Yanbing |
| 自從魯迅沈雁冰等以《申報·自由談》為地盤，發抒陰陽怪气的論調後，居然又能吸引群眾，取得滿意的收獲了。在魯（？）沈的初衷，當然這是一种有作用的嘗試，想复興他們的文化運動。現在，听說已到組織團体的火候了。 | Since Lu Xun, Shen Yanbing, and others made Free Talk their base and published their eccentric arguments, they have once again managed to attract the masses and achieve satisfactory results. In the original intention of Lu (?) and Shen, this was naturally a purposeful experiment, attempting to revive their cultural movement. Now, I hear the time is ripe for organizing a group.... |
| 參加這個運動的台柱，除他們二人外有郁達夫，鄭振鐸等，交換意見的結果，認為中國最早的文化運動，是以語絲社創造社及文學研究會為中心，而消散之後，語絲創造的人分化太大了，惟有文學研究會的人大部分都還一致，——如王統照葉紹鈞徐雉之類。而沈雁冰及鄭振鐸，一向是文學研究派的主角，于是決定循此路線進行。最近，連田漢都愿意率眾歸附，大概組會一事，已在必成，而且可以在這紅五月中實現了。〔農〕這些記載，于編輯者黎烈文是并無損害的，但另有一种小報式的期刊所謂《微言》，卻在《文壇進行曲》里刊了這樣的記事—— | These reports did no harm to the editor Li Liewen, but another tabloid-style periodical called Subtle Words published the following item in its "Literary Scene March" column -- |
| 「曹聚仁經黎烈文等紹介，已加入左聯。」（七月十五日，九期。） | "Cao Juren has been introduced by Li Liewen and others and has joined the Left League." (July 15, Issue 9.) |
| 這兩种刊物立說的差异，由于私怨之有無，是可不言而喻的。但《微言》卻更為巧妙：只要用寥寥十五字，便并陷兩者，使都成為必被壓迫或受難的人們。 | The difference between the positions of these two publications, arising from the presence or absence of personal grudges, is self-evident. But Subtle Words was even more adroit: with a mere fifteen characters, it implicated both parties at once, making each into a person who would necessarily be persecuted or suffer. |
| 到五月初，對于《自由談》的壓迫，逐日嚴緊起來了，我的投稿，後來就接連的不能發表。但我以為這并非因了《社會新聞》之類的告狀，倒是因為這時正值禁談時事，而我的短評卻時有對于時局的憤言；也并非僅在壓迫《自由談》，這時的壓迫，凡非官辦的刊物，所受之度大概是一樣的。但這時候，最适宜的文章是鴛鴦蝴蝶的游泳和飛舞，而《自由談》可就難了，到五月廿五日，終于刊出了這樣的啟事——編輯室 | By early May, the pressure on Free Talk grew tighter by the day, and my submissions increasingly could not be published. But I believe this was not because of denunciations by Social News and the like, but rather because at that time discussion of current affairs was forbidden, and my commentaries frequently contained angry words about the political situation; nor was the pressure directed solely at Free Talk -- at that time all non-government publications were being subjected to roughly the same degree of pressure. But at such a time, the most suitable articles were about butterflies and mandarin ducks swimming and flitting about, and Free Talk was in difficulty. On May 25, it finally published the following notice -- Editorial Office |
| 這年頭，說話難，搖筆杆尤難。這并不是說：「禍福無門，惟人自召」，實在是「天下有道」，「庶人」相應「不議」。編者謹掬一瓣心香，吁請海內文豪，從茲多談風月，少發牢騷，庶作者編者，兩蒙其休。若必論長議短，妄談大事，則塞之字篇既有所不忍，布之報端又有所不能，陷編者于兩難之境，未免有失恕道。語云：識時務者為俊杰，編者敢以此為海內文豪告。區區苦衷，伏乞矜鑒！編者 | These days, it is hard to speak, and even harder to wield a pen. This is not to say "Misfortune and fortune have no gate; they come only as men invite them" -- it is truly that "when the Way prevails under Heaven," the "common people" should accordingly "not discuss." The editor respectfully burns a stick of incense and implores the literary masters of the land: henceforth, talk more of wind and moonlight, and complain less, so that both author and editor may have some peace. If you insist on passing judgment and recklessly discussing great affairs, then to suppress your writing would be unbearable, but to print it would be impossible -- placing the editor in an impossible dilemma, which is rather lacking in the spirit of fellow-feeling. As the saying goes: He who understands the times is a true hero. The editor dares to offer this counsel to the literary masters of the land. We beg your sympathetic understanding of our humble predicament! -- The Editor |
| 這現象，好像很得了《社會新聞》群的滿足了，在第三卷廿一期（六月三日）里的「文化秘聞」欄內，就有了如下的記載—— | This seemed to greatly satisfy the Social News crowd. In the "Cultural Secrets" column of Vol. 3, No. 21 (June 3), the following appeared -- Free Talk Changes Its Tune |
| 《自由談》態度轉變 | Since Li Liewen took over as editor, the Shenbao's Free Talk recruited left-wing writers Lu Xun, Shen Yanbing, and the "crow-ist" Cao Juren as core contributors, producing a neither-fish-nor-fowl tone that greatly displeased readers.... |
| 《申報·自由談》自黎烈文主編後，即吸收左翼作家魯迅沈雁冰及烏鴉主義者曹聚仁等為基本人員，一時論調不三不四，大為讀者所不滿。且因嘲罵「禮拜五派」，而得罪張若谷等；抨擊「取消式」之社會主義理論，而与嚴靈峰等結怨；腰斬《時代与愛的歧途》，又招張資平派之反感，計黎主編《自由談》數月之結果，已形成一种壁壘，而此种壁壘，乃營業主義之《申報》所最忌者。又史老板在外間亦耳聞有种种不滿之論調，乃特下警告，否則為此則惟有解約。最後結果伙計當然屈伏于老板，于是「老話」，「小旦收場」之類之文字，已不复見于近日矣。〔聞〕 | And on May 14 at 1 p.m., there had also been the disappearance of Ding Ling and Pan Zinian. Most people suspected they had met with foul play, and this suspicion was increasingly confirmed. Rumors were therefore rampant; there were reports that certain others would meet the same fate, and some received warning or threatening letters. I received no letter, but for five or six days running, someone telephoned the Uchiyama Bookstore branch to inquire about my address. I believe these letters and phone calls were not the work of those who actually carry out assassinations, but merely the petty tricks of a few so-called literary figures -- naturally, even the "literary scene" has such people. But if someone is afraid of trouble, these little tricks can indeed have some effect. The following item appeared on June 9 in Free Talk after "Qu Lu Xu Yu" -- Editor's Note: Yesterday we received a letter from Mr. Zizhan, saying he is now devoting all his energy to a certain writing project and has no leisure for other things; "Qu Lu Xu Yu" herewith concludes. |
| 而以前的五月十四日午後一時，還有了丁玲和潘梓年的失蹤的事，大家多猜測為遭了暗算，而這猜測也日益證實了。謠言也因此非常多，傳說某某也將同遭暗算的也有，接到警告或恐嚇信的也有。我沒有接到什么信，只有一連五六日，有人打電話到內山書店的支店去詢問我的住址。我以為這些信件和電話，都不是實行暗算者們所做的，只不過几個所謂文人的鬼把戲，就是「文壇」上，自然也會有這樣的人的。但倘有人怕麻煩，這小玩意是也能發生些效力，六月九日《自由談》上《蘧廬絮語》之後有一條下列的文章，我看便是那些鬼把戲的見效的證据了——編者附告：昨得子展先生來信，現以全力從事某項著作，無暇旁鶩，《蘧廬絮語》，就此完結。 | Finally, the Great Evening News, having observed in silence for over a month, sent forth its glow from the literary supplement "Torch" on the evening of June 11, in considerable indignation -- "Do We Want Freedom or Not?" by Fa Lu. It has been a long time since the question of "freedom" was raised; recently, someone has again been discussing it at great length. Since national affairs are always too hot to handle, one might as well give up and resign oneself to talking about "wind and moonlight." But "wind and moonlight" are not talked about to one's satisfaction either, so one inevitably lets slip a few mumbled cries for "freedom" from the back of the throat. Yet sensing the gravity of the matter, mumbling is permissible, but plain speaking seems inconvenient. So the real issue is never raised head-on, the battle-axe never swung openly; instead, everything is roundabout, circling and dodging, so no one can find an edge. Touch the front side and they tell you to read it as the back -- this being, of course, the method for reading "humorous" writing.... |
| 終于，《大晚報》靜觀了月餘，在六月十一的傍晚，從它那文藝附刊的《火炬》上發出毫光來了，它憤慨得很—— | This is to say: freedom is not really such a rare thing; it is you who, by all this discussion, have made it seem precious and unattainable. You should not satirize the political situation in such roundabout ways. Now he, dealing with the satirist, is "bluntly and directly" demanding that you go and die. The author is a straightforward, outspoken fellow, who has now been so muddled by others that he cannot even figure out whether he "wants freedom or not." |
| 到底要不要自由法魯久不曾提起的「自由」這問題，近來又有人在那里大論特談，因為國事總是熱辣辣的不好惹，索性莫談，死心再來談「風月」，可是「風月」又談得不稱心，不免喉底里喃喃地漏出几聲要「自由」，又覺得問題嚴重，喃喃几句倒是可以，明言直語似有不便，于是正面問題不敢直接提起來論，大刀闊斧不好當面幌起來，卻彎彎曲曲，兜著圈子，叫人摸不著棱角，摸著正面，卻要把它當做反面看，這原是看「幽默」文字的方法也。 | Yet on June 18 at 8:15 a.m., Yang Xingfo (Yang Quan, 楊杏佛/楊銓), Vice Chairman of the China League for Civil Rights, was assassinated. |
| 心要自由，口又不明言，口不能代表心，可見這只口本身已經是不自由的了。因為不自由，所以才諷諷刺刺，一回儿「要自由」，一回儿又「不要自由」，過一回儿再「要不自由的自由」和「自由的不自由」，翻來复去，總叫頭腦簡單的人弄得「神經衰弱」，把捉不住中心。到底要不要自由呢？說清了，大家也好順風轉舵，免得悶在葫蘆里，失掉听懂的自由。照我這個不是「雅人」的意思，還是粗粗直直地說：「咱們要自由，不自由就來拚個你死我活！」 | That was indeed someone "fighting it out to the death." Mr. Fa Lu stopped making his bright pronouncements in the "Torch." Only Social News, in Vol. 4, No. 1 (published July 3), still painted a picture of left-wing writers' cowardice -- Left-Wing Writers Flee Shanghai in Droves |
| 本來「自由」并不是個非常問題，給大家一談，倒嚴重起來了。——問題到底是自己弄嚴重的，如再不使用大刀闊斧，將何以沖破這黑漆一團？細針短刺畢竟是雕虫小技，無助于大題，譏刺嘲諷更已屬另一年代的老人所發的囈語。我們聰明的智識份子又何嘗不知道諷刺在這時代已失去效力，但是要想弄起刀斧，卻又覺左右掣肘，在這一年代，科學發明，刀斧自然不及槍炮；生賤于蟻，本不足惜，無奈我們無能的智識份子偏吝惜他的生命何！ | In May, Shanghai's left-wing writers had made quite a commotion, as though everything was about to turn red and the entire literary world would go left-wing. But by late June, the situation had clearly changed.... According to reliable sources, Lu Xun has gone to Qingdao, Shen Yanbing is in the Pudong countryside, Yu Dafu in Hangzhou, Chen Wangdao has returned to his hometown, and even the likes of Lian Pengzi and Bai Wei have vanished without trace. |
| 這就是說，自由原不是什么稀罕的東西，給你一談，倒談得難能可貴起來了。你對于時局，本不該彎彎曲曲的諷刺。現在他對于諷刺者，是「粗粗直直地」要求你去死亡。作者是一位心直口快的人，現在被別人累得「要不要自由」也摸不著頭腦了。 | West Lake is where poets go to escape the heat; Kuling is where the rich spend the summer -- I dare not even dream of them, let alone visit. Yang Xingfo's death did not suddenly make everyone else afraid of the heat. I hear Qingdao is also a fine place, but that is the holy ground where Professor Liang Shiqiu preaches the gospel, and I have not even had the good fortune to gaze upon it from afar. Mr. "Dao" has the Way indeed -- the terror he has imagined on my behalf is, in fact, inaccurate. Otherwise, a gang of hoodlums with a few pistols could truly pacify the realm. |
| 然而六月十八日晨八時十五分，是中國民權保障同盟的副會長楊杏佛（銓）遭了暗殺。 | But Subtle Words, whose nose seemed to have a particularly keen sense of smell, carried a different kind of news in its Issue 9 (published July 15) -- Free Wind and Moonlight, by Wan Shi |
| 這總算拚了個「你死我活」，法魯先生不再在《火炬》上說亮話了。只有《社會新聞》，卻在第四卷第一期（七月三日出）顯，還描出左翼作家的懦怯來——左翼作家紛紛离滬 | Since Li Liewen's Free Talk announced "talk only of wind and moonlight, complain less," the genuinely wind-and-moonlight manuscripts submitted by new writers have still been rejected. What has been published recently are either satirical articles by old writers under pseudonyms, or their cronies' pointless antiquarian exercises.... |
| 在五月，上海的左翼作家曾喧鬧一時，好像什么都要染上紅色，文藝界全歸左翼。但在六月下旬，情勢顯然不同了，非左翼作家的反攻陣線布置完成，左翼的內部也起了分化，最近上海暗殺之風甚盛，文人的腦筋最敏銳，膽子最小而腳步最快，他們都以避暑為名离開了上海。据确訊，魯迅赴青島，沈雁冰在浦東鄉間，郁達夫杭州，陳望道回家鄉，連蓬子，白薇之類的蹤跡都看不見了。〔道〕 | This, though also a form of "complaining," deploys phrases like "genuinely wind-and-moonlight" and "previously arrested" in ways I find quite amusing. A pity that the pen name "Wan Shi" is used -- for those of us whose spiritual essence does not reside in the nose, there is no way to determine whether this is a "new writer" or an "old writer." |
| 西湖是詩人避暑之地，牯岭乃闊老消夏之區，神往尚且不敢，而況身游。楊杏佛一死，別人也不會突然怕熱起來的。听說青島也是好地方，但這是梁實秋教授傳道的圣境，我連遙望一下的眼福也沒有過。「道」先生有道，代我設想的恐怖，其實是不确的。否則，一群流氓，几枝手槍，真可以治國平天下了。 | The Postscript could end here too, but there is one more matter that ought to be mentioned: the so-called "bisection of Zhang Ziping" affair. |
| 但是，嗅覺好像特別靈敏的《微言》，卻在第九期（七月十五日出）上載著另一种消息——自由的風月頑石 | Free Talk had been running a novel by this author. Before it was finished, it was discontinued, and some tabloids trumpeted this as the "bisection of Zhang Ziping." At the time there may have been articles debating with the editor, but I had not paid attention and therefore did not collect them. All I have on hand is Social News, Vol. 3, No. 13 (published May 9), which contains an article claiming that the arch-criminal was once again me -- Zhang Ziping Squeezed Out of Free Talk, by Cui Gong |
| 黎烈文主編之《自由談》，自宣布「只談風月，少發牢騷」以後，而新進作家所投真正談風月之稿，仍拒登載，最近所載者非老作家化名之諷刺文章，即其刺探們無聊之考古。聞此次辯論舊劇中的鑼鼓問題，署名「羅复」者，即陳子展，「何如」者，即曾經被捕之黃素。此一筆糊涂官司，頗騙得稿費不少。 | Today's Free Talk is a purposeful base, a broadcasting station for "crows" and "Ah Q" -- naturally there is no need for the "triangular and quadrangular love affairs" of Zhang Ziping to contaminate it.... |
| 這雖然也是一科「牢騷」，但「真正談風月」和「曾經被捕」等字樣，我覺得是用得很有趣的。惜「化名」為「頑石」，靈气之不鐘于鼻子若我輩者，竟莫辨其為「新進作家」抑「老作家」也。 | Then: why is it that "the sex-maniac 'Stray Sheep'" -- Yu Dafu -- is an exception? Is he not of the same Creation Society origin as Zhang Ziping? Does he not also sing "Darling, I love you"? I can tell you: this is indeed an exception. For although Yu Dafu is a sex-maniac, he has managed to join the "Left League," acquaint himself with "Civil Rights" big shots, and become a comrade of today's Free Talk backstage boss, the venerable Lu (?) -- a partner of "crows" and "Ah Q." |
| 《後記》本來也可以完結了，但還有應該提一下的，是所謂「腰斬張資平」案。 | According to the editor Li Liewen's stated reason for dismissing Zhang Ziping, readers had expressed dissatisfaction with "The Crossroads of Era and Love," hence the mid-course bisection. This was naturally an evasion. For the fat and oily proprietor of the Shenbao, a few thousand yuan spent buying a ten-yuan-per-thousand-character manuscript only to throw it in the wastebasket was nothing; but for Zhang Ziping, who lives by his pen, it was worse than a death sentence -- he still has to face people!... |
| 《自由談》上原登著這位作者的小說，沒有做完，就被停止了，有些小報上，便轟傳為「腰斬張資平」。當時也許有和編輯者往复駁難的文章的，但我沒有留心，因此就沒有收集。現在手頭的只有《社會新聞》，第三卷十三期（五月九日出） | Then came a passage about "the Liberation Lyricist" Zeng Jinke, about whom Social News (Vol. 3, No. 22, June 6) again blamed me -- Zeng Jinke Prepares Counterattack |
| 里有一篇文章，据說是罪魁禍首又是我，如下——張資平擠出《自由談》粹公 | Zeng Jinke, having been attacked by Lu Xun and others until he was stripped bare, has at all times wished to counterattack, but was too feeble to manage it.... |
| 今日的《自由談》，是一塊有為而為的地盤，是「烏鴉」「阿Ｑ」的播音台，當然用不著「三角四角戀愛」的張資平混跡其間，以至不得清一。 | At that time I thought: though I had not written a dedicated essay about Zeng Jinke, I had indeed touched on him in "The Liberation of Qu" (essay No. 15 in this book), which could perhaps be called an "insult."... |
| 然而有人要問：為什么那個色欲狂的「迷羊」——郁達夫卻能例外？他不是同張資平一樣發源于創造嗎？ | I could not write about two things at once, so I had previously neglected the host of the "Literary Salon," the "liberation lyricist" Mr. Zeng Jinke. But writing about him turns out to be very simple: apart from "preparing a counterattack," he was merely playing the game of "informing." Mr. Cui Wanqiu and this lyricist had originally been acquaintances, but over a minor dispute, Zeng anonymously submitted articles to tabloids, framing his old friend. Unfortunately the original manuscripts fell into Mr. Cui Wanqiu's hands, were made into copperplate prints, and published in fine reproduction in Chinese and Foreign Book and Newspaper News (No. 5) -- |
| 一樣唱著「妹妹我愛你」嗎？我可以告訴你，這的确是例外。因為郁達夫雖則是個色欲狂，但他能流入「左聯」，認識「民權保障」的大人物，与今日《自由談》的後台老板魯（？）老夫子是同志，成為「烏鴉」「阿Ｑ」的伙伴了。 | At the same time, a minor ailment was diagnosed: this lyricist had used Cui Wanqiu's name to write a preface for his own poems, and in this self-authored preface had lavishly praised his own poems.... |
| 据《自由談》主編人黎烈文開革張資平的理由，是讀者對于《時代与愛的歧路》一文，發生了不滿之感，因此中途腰斬，這當然是一种遁詞。在肥胖得走油的申報館老板，固然可以不惜几千塊錢，買了十洋一千字的稿子去塞紙簏，但在靠賣文為活的張資平，卻比宣布了死刑都可慘，他還得見見人呢！ | I have pasted above the article "On 'Literary Men Without Virtue'"; in fact, it was a combined critique of the Zeng and Zhang cases. But from my perspective, the matter was even worse, so I also wrote a short commentary and submitted it to Free Talk. After a long time, it never appeared. When I requested the manuscript back, it was covered in greasy fingerprints -- evidence that it had been typeset and then pulled by someone. This shows that even without "sisters married off to great merchants as concubines," the "capitalist publisher" still provides "backing" for this sort of celebrity. But perhaps it was also because they feared that offending such celebrities would immediately earn you a red hat -- and for the sake of one's life, it was safer not to publish. I shall copy it here now -- |
| 而且《自由談》的寫稿，是在去年十一月，黎烈文請客席上，請他擔任的，即使魯（？）先生要掃清地盤，似乎也應當客气一些，而不能用此辣手。問題是這樣的，魯先生為了要复興文藝（？）運動，當然第一步先須將一切的不同道者打倒，于是乃有批評曾今可張若谷章衣萍等為「禮拜五派」之舉；張資平如若識相，自不難感覺到自己正酣臥在他們榻旁，而立刻滾蛋！無如十洋一千使他眷戀著，致触了這個大霉頭。當然，打倒人是愈毒愈好，管他是死刑還是徒刑呢！ | Refuting "Literary Men Without Virtue" |
| 在張資平被擠出《自由談》之後，以常情論，誰都咽不下這口冷水，不過張資平的闒懦是著名的，他為了老婆小孩子之故，是不能同他們斗爭，而且也不敢同他們擺好了陣營的集團去斗爭，于是，僅僅在《中華日報》的《小貢獻》上，發了一條軟弱無力的冷箭，以作遮羞。 | The grand signboard of "literary man" is extremely useful for deceiving people. Even today, the contempt that society shows for literary men is still not as severe as the self-contempt of so-called "literary men." We see things that no mere "man" would ever stoop to do, yet commentators merely call this "lacking virtue," interpret it as "madness," and forgive them as "pitiful." In truth, they are peddlers, and have always been supremely clever; all their past doings were nothing but "business acumen," and all their present doings are not "lacking virtue" either -- rather, they want to "change their line of business."... |
| 現在什么事都沒有了，《紅蘿蔔鬚》已代了他的位置，而沈雁冰新組成的文藝觀摹團，將大批的移殖到《自由談》來。 | The above has in some places naturally seemed to touch upon the likes of Zeng Jinke and Zhang Ziping, but the earlier "bisection of Zhang Ziping" was decidedly not my idea. I myself do not care to read this author's masterworks, for a very simple reason: I do not want all those triangles and quadrangles in my head.... |
| 還有，是《自由談》上曾經攻擊過曾今可的「解放詞」，据《社會新聞》第三卷廿二期（六月六日出）說，原來卻又是我在鬧的了，如下——曾今可准備反攻 | Yet the multi-angled crowd accused me of engineering the "bisection of Zhang Ziping." Having been thus accused, I simply turned the X-ray on their innards. |
| 曾今可之為魯迅等攻擊也，實至体無完膚，固無時不想反攻，特以力薄能鮮，難于如愿耳！且知魯迅等有左聯作背景，人多手眾，此呼彼應，非孤軍抗戰所能抵御，因亦著手拉攏，凡曾受魯等侮辱者更所歡迎。近已拉得張資平，胡怀琛，張鳳，龍榆生等十餘人，組織一文藝漫談會，假新時代書店為地盤，計划一專門對付左翼作家之半月刊，本月中旬即能出版。〔如〕那時我想，關于曾今可，我雖然沒有寫過專文，但在《曲的解放》（本書第十五篇）里确曾涉及，也許可以稱為「侮辱」罷；胡怀琛雖然和我不相干，《自由談》上是嘲笑過他的「墨翟為印度人說」的。但張，龍兩位是怎么的呢？彼此的關涉，在我的記憶上竟一點也沒有。這事直到我看見二卷二十六期的《濤聲》（七月八日出），疑團這才冰釋了——「文藝座談」遙領記聚仁《文藝座談》者，曾詞人之反攻机關報也，遙者遠也，領者領情也，記者記不曾与座談而遙領盛情之經過也。 | The Postscript really could end here this time, but hold on -- there is one more encore to the encore. Among my clippings there remains one marvelous piece of writing; to let it be scattered and lost would be a great pity, so I am specially preserving it here. |
| 解題既畢，乃述本事。 | This article appeared in the "Torch" supplement of the Great Evening News on June 17 -- "The New Unofficial History of the Literati," by Liu Si |
| 有一天，我到暨南去上課，休息室的台子上赫然一個請帖；展而恭讀之，則《新時代月刊》之請帖也，小子何幸，乃得此請帖！折而藏之，以為傳家之寶。 | Chapter One: Raising the Flag to Pitch an Empty Camp; Deploying Troops in a Fog Formation. Now it happened that Karl and Ilyich were up in heaven discussing the Chinese revolution, when they suddenly looked down and saw, on the great Gobi of the Chinese literary scene below, murderous vapors rising and dust and sand filling the air. In the left-wing zone, an old general was hotly pursuing a young general; war drums shook the heavens and battle cries rose on every side. Suddenly the old general's teeth parted and he spat out a cloud of white mist. Karl, smelling it, immediately fainted. Ilyich pounded the table in fury and cried, "Poison gas! Poison gas!" Propping up Karl, they hurried away. It turned out that down below, on the great Gobi of the Chinese literary scene, within the left-wing zone, a new empty camp had recently been pitched, flying the banner of petty-bourgeois revolutionary literature.... |
| 《新時代》請客而《文藝座談》生焉，而反攻之陣線成焉。報章煌煌記載，有名將在焉。我前天碰到張鳳老師，帶便問一個口訊；他說：「誰知道什么座談不座談呢？ | The next day I received a letter from the editor, the gist of which was: A contributor signing himself "Liu Si" ("I imagine you can guess from the content who this person might be") has submitted a humorous piece entitled "The New Unofficial History of the Literati." Since it contains nothing damaging to personal reputation, we have decided to publish it; should you wish to submit a rebuttal, that too can be printed.... Making a publication temporarily into a battlefield and enlivening things -- this is a perfectly common tactic among editors. Having lately grown even more "worldly-wise," and the weather being so hot, I naturally would not go sweating and turning somersaults. Moreover, "rebutting" a humorous piece is a rather rare undertaking; even if it "damaged personal reputation," I would have no recourse unless I too wrote a "Old Unofficial History of the Literati" to dispute the truth of what "Karl and Ilyich" said. But I am no sorcerer, so how could I see "heaven"? "Liu Si" was a pen name that Yang Cunren had been using since he was still a "proletarian revolutionary literature" writer -- one need not read the content to know this -- and how short a time it took before, under the banner of "petty-bourgeois revolutionary literature," he was already dreaming such dreams, writing himself into such a figure. The great wheel of the age can indeed grind people up so coldly. But it is fortunate that this grinding occurred, for Mr. Han Shiheng thereupon discerned "conscience" within this "young general's" being. |
| 他早又沒說，簽了名，第二天，報上都說是發起人啦。」 | This work was only the first chapter, of course unfinished. Though I had no desire whatsoever to "rebut" it, I was willing to see how this literature of "conscience" would continue. But from that point on, it was never seen again; to this day, over a month later, there is no news of "Karl and Ilyich" in "heaven" or of the "old general" and "young general" in hell. But according to Social News (July 9, Vol. 4, No. 3), the Left League had put a stop to it -- Yang Cunren Joins the AB Corps |
| 昨天遇到龍榆生先生，龍先生說：「上海地方真不容易做人，他們再三叫我去談談，只吃了一些茶點，就算數了；我又出不起廣告費。」我說：「吃了他家的茶，自然是他家人啦！」 | Yang Cunren, who betrayed the Left League and raised the banner of petty-bourgeois struggle, has recently come from Wuhan to Shanghai, and is reportedly staying at the home of AB Corps minor operative Xu Xiang, having joined that organization's activities. The "New Gods and Demons" piece published in the Great Evening News under the name Liu Si was from Yang's pen, containing heavy satire of Lu Xun, but was cut short; reportedly due to a warning from the Left League. |
| 我幸而沒有去吃茶，免于被強奸，遙領盛情，志此謝謝！ | That the Left League would take such a thing so seriously, and that it would still issue "warnings" to one who had "betrayed the Left League and raised the banner of petty-bourgeois struggle" -- now that would truly be a remarkable thing.... I imagine that before long, all territorial concessions, war indemnities, military disasters, floods, the disappearance of antiquities, and the illnesses of the rich will all be laid at the door of the Left League, and especially of Lu Xun. |
| 但這「文藝漫談會」的机關雜志《文藝座談》第一期，卻已經羅列了十多位作家的名字，于七月一日出版了。其中的一篇是專為我而作的——內山書店小坐記白羽遐某天的下午，我同一個朋友在上海北四川路散步。走著走著，就走到北四川路底了。我提議到虹口公園去看看，我的朋友卻說先到內山書店去看看有沒有什么新書。我們就進了內山書店。 | This now reminds me of Mr. Jiang Guangci (蔣光慈). |
| 內山書店是日本浪人內山完造開的，他表面是開書店，實在差不多是替日本政府做偵探。他每次和中國人談了點什么話，馬上就報告日本領事館。這也已經成了「公開的秘密」了，只要是略微和內山書店接近的人都知道。 | The affair is already long past -- perhaps four or five years ago -- when Mr. Jiang Guangci organized the Sun Society and, allied with the Creation Society, led his "young generals" to surround and suppress me. He wrote an article containing several lines to the effect that Lu Xun had never been attacked, fancied himself supreme in the world, and now they would show him a thing or two. In fact this was mistaken; from the moment I began writing criticism, I have never been free from attack. In just these three or four months, concerning Free Talk alone, there have already been this many articles, and what I have collected is only a portion. Was it any different before? But those attacks perished along with the swift flow of time, vanishing without a trace, no longer noticed by anyone. This time, while several of these publications are still in my hands, I am transcribing a portion into this Postscript. This is not really for my own sake alone; the battle is far from over, and the old playbook will be trotted out again and again. Attacks on others will surely employ these same methods in the future, though naturally with different names substituted for the person under attack. If a young fighter of the future, finding himself in similar circumstances, should happen to see this record, I am sure he will break into a smile and understand more clearly what manner of creatures his so-called enemies really are. |
| 我和我的朋友隨便翻看著書報。內山看見我們就連忙跑過來和我們招呼，請我們坐下來，照例地閒談。因為到內山書店來的中國人大多數是文人，內山也就知道點中國的文化。他常和中國人談中國文化及中國社會的情形，卻不大談到中國的政治，自然是怕中國人對他怀疑。 | Among the contemporaneous writings I have quoted, I believe quite a few actually came from the pens of former "revolutionary literature" writers. But they now use different pen names and wear different faces. This too is inevitable. If a revolutionary literature writer does not intend to use his literature to help the revolution deepen and expand, but instead exploits the revolution to promote his own "literature," then when the revolution is riding high, he is a parasite within the lion's body; and once the revolution meets with adversity, he is sure to discover his former "conscience" -- under the name of "filial piety," or "humanitarianism," or "a revolution even more revolutionary than the revolution now in difficulty" -- and step outside the battle lines. In the best case, he falls silent; in the worst, he becomes a lapdog. This is not my "poison gas" -- this is a fact that both sides have witnessed! |
| 「中國的事都要打折扣，文字也是一樣。『白髮三千丈』這就是一個天大的誑！這就得大打其折扣。中國的別的問題，也可以以此類推……哈哈！哈！」 | July 20, 1933, noon. Recorded. |
| 內山的話我們听了并不覺得一點難為情，詩是不能用科學方法去批評的。內山不過是一個九州角落里的小商人，一個暗探，我們除了用微笑去回答之外，自然不會拿什么話語去向他聲辯了。不久以前，在《自由談》上看到何家干先生的一篇文字，就是內山所說的那些話。原來所謂「思想界的權威」，所謂「文壇老將」，連一點這樣的文章都非「出自心裁」！ | |
| 內山還和我們談了好些，「航空救國」等問題都談到，也有些是已由何家干先生抄去在《自由談》發表過的。我們除了勉強敷衍他之外，不大講什么話，不想理他。因為我們知道內山是個什么東西，而我們又沒有請他救過命，保過險，以後也決不預備請他救命或保險。 | |
| 我同我的朋友出了內山書店，又散步散到虹口公園去了。 | |
| 不到一禮拜（七月六日），《社會新聞》（第四卷二期）就加以應援，并且廓大到「左聯」去了。其中的「茅盾」，是本該寫作「魯迅」的故意的錯誤，為的是令人不疑為出于同一人的手筆—— | |
| 內山書店与左聯 | |
| 《文藝座談》第一期上說，日本浪人內山完造在上海開書店，是偵探作用，這是确屬的，而尤其与左聯有緣。記得郭沫若由漢逃滬，即匿內山書店樓上，後又代為買船票渡日。茅盾在風聲緊急時，亦以內山書店為惟一避難所。然則該書店之作用究何在者？蓋中國之有共匪，日本之利也，所以日本雜志所載調查中國匪情文字，比中國自身所知者為多，而此類材料之獲得，半由受過救命之恩之共党文藝份子所供給；半由共党自行送去，為張揚勢力之用，而無聊文人為其收買甘愿為其刺探者亦大有人在。聞此种偵探机關，除內山以外，尚有日日新聞社，滿鐵調查所等，而著名偵探除內山完造外，亦有田中，小島，中村等。〔新皖〕這兩篇文章中，有兩种新花樣：一，先前的誣蔑者，都說左翼作家是受蘇聯的盧布的，現在則變了日本的間接偵探；二，先前的揭發者，說人抄襲是一定根据書本的，現在卻可以從別人的嘴里听來，專憑他的耳朵了。至于內山書店，三年以來，我确是常去坐，檢書談話，比和上海的有些所謂文人相對還安心，因為我确信他做生意，是要賺錢的，卻不做偵探；他賣書，是要賺錢的，卻不賣人血：這一點，倒是凡有自以為人，而其實是狗也不如的文人們應該竭力學學的！ | |
| 但也有人來抱不平了，七月五日的《自由談》上，竟揭載了這樣的一篇文字——談「文人無行」谷春帆雖說自己也忝列于所謂「文人」之「林」，但近來對于「文人無行」這句話，卻頗表示几分同意，而對于「人心不古」，「世風日下」的感喟，也不完全視為「道學先生」的偏激之言。實在，今日「人心」險毒得太令人可怕了，尤其是所謂「文人」，想得出，做得到，种种卑劣行為如陰謀中傷，造謠誣蔑，公開告密，賣友求榮，賣身投靠的勾當，舉不胜舉。而在另一方面自吹自擂，腆然以「天才」与「作家」自命，偷竊他人唾餘，還沾沾自喜的种种怪象，也是「無丑不備有惡皆臻」，對著這些痛心的事實，我們還能夠否認「文人無行」這句話的相當真實嗎？（自然，我也并不是說凡文人皆無行。）我們能不興起「世道人心」的感喟嗎？ | |
| 自然，我這樣的感触并不是毫沒來由的。舉實事來說，過去有曾某其人者，硬以「管他娘」与「打打麻將」等屁話來實行其所謂「詞的解放」，被人斥為「輕薄少年」与「色情狂的急色儿」，曾某卻嘮嘮叨叨辯個不休，現在呢，新的事實又證明了曾某不僅是一個輕薄少年，而且是陰毒可憎的蛇蝎，他可以借崔万秋的名字為自己吹牛（見二月崔在本報所登廣告），甚至硬把日本一個打字女和一個中學教員派做「女詩人」和「大學教授」，把自己吹捧得無微不至；他可以用最卑劣的手段投稿于小報，指他的朋友為×××，并公布其住址，把朋友公開出賣（見第五號《中外書報新聞》）。這樣的大膽，這樣的陰毒，這樣的無聊，實在使我不能相信這是一個有廉恥有人格的「人」——尤其是「文人」，所能做出。然而曾某卻真想得到，真做得出，我想任何人當不能不佩服曾某的大無畏的精神。 | |
| 听說曾某年紀還不大，也并不是沒有讀書的机會，我想假如曾某能把那种吹牛拍馬的精力和那种陰毒机巧的心思用到求實學一點上，所得不是要更多些嗎？然而曾某卻偏要日以吹拍為事，日以造謠中傷為事，這，一方面固愈足以顯曾某之可怕，另一方面亦正見青年自誤之可惜。 | |
| 不過，話說回頭，就是受過高等教育的也未必一定能束身自好，比如以專寫三角戀愛小說出名，并發了財的張××，彼固動輒以日本某校出身自炫者，然而他最近也會在一些小報上潑辣叫嗥，完全一副滿怀毒恨的「棄婦」的臉孔，他會陰謀中傷，造謠挑撥，他會硬派人像布哈林或列宁，簡直想要置你于死地，其人格之卑污，手段之惡辣，可說空前絕後，這樣看來，高等教育又有何用？還有新出版之某無聊刊物上有署名「白羽遐」者作《內山書店小坐記》一文，公然說某人常到內山書店，曾請內山書店救過命保過險。我想，這种公開告密的勾當，大概也就是一流人化名玩出的花樣。 | |
| 然而無論他們怎樣造謠中傷，怎樣陰謀陷害，明眼人一見便知，害人不著，不過徒然暴露他們自己的卑污与無人格而已。 | |
| 但，我想，「有行」的「文人」，對于這班丑類，實在不應當像現在一樣，始終置之不理，而應當振臂奮起，把它們驅逐于文壇以外，應當在污穢不堪的中國文壇，做一番掃除的工作！ | |
| 于是禍水就又引到《自由談》上去，在次日的《時事新報》上，便看見一則啟事，是方寸大字的標名——張資平啟事 | |
| 五日《申報·自由談》之《談「文人無行」》，後段大概是指我而說的。我是坐不改名，行不改姓的人，縱令有時用其他筆名，但所發表文字，均自負責，此須申明者一；白羽遐另有其人，至《內山小坐記》亦不見是怎樣坏的作品，但非出我筆，我未便承認，此須申明者二；我所寫文章均出自信，而發見關于政治上主張及國際情勢之研究有錯覺及亂視者，均不惜加以糾正。至于「造謠偽造信件及對于意見不同之人，任意加以誣毀」皆為我生平所反對，此須申明者三；我不單無資本家的出版者為我後援，又無姊妹嫁作大商人為妾，以謀得一編輯以自豪，更進而行其「誣毀造謠假造信件」等卑劣的行動。我連想發表些關于對政治對國際情勢之見解，都無從發表，故凡容納我的這類文章之刊物，我均愿意投稿。但對于該刊物之其他文字則不能負責，此須申明者四。今後凡有利用以資本家為背景之刊物對我誣毀者，我只視作狗吠，不再答复，特此申明。 | |
| 這很明白，除我而外，大部分是對于《自由談》編輯者黎烈文的。所以又次日的《時事新報》上，也登出相對的啟事來—— | |
| 黎烈文啟事 | |
| 烈文去歲游歐歸來，客居滬上，因《申報》總理史量才先生系世交長輩，故常往訪候，史先生以烈文未曾入過任何党派，且留歐時專治文學，故令加入申報館編輯《自由談》。不料近兩月來，有三角戀愛小說商張資平，因烈文停登其長篇小說，怀恨入骨，常在各大小刊物，造謠誣蔑，挑撥陷害，無所不至，烈文因其手段与目的過于卑劣，明眼人一見自知，不值一辯，故至今絕未置答，但張氏昨日又在《青光》欄上登一啟事，含沙射影，肆意誣毀，其中有「又無姊妹嫁作大商人為妾」一語，不知何指。張氏啟事既系對《自由談》而發，而烈文現為《自由談》編輯人，自不得不有所表白，以釋群疑。烈文只胞妹兩人，長應元未嫁早死，次友元現在長沙某校讀書，亦未嫁人，均未出過湖南一步。且据烈文所知，湘潭黎氏同族姊妹中不論親疏遠近，既無一人嫁人為妾，亦無一人得与「大商人」結婚，張某之言，或系一种由衷的遺憾（沒有姊妹嫁作大商人為妾的遺憾），或另有所指，或系一种病的發作，有如瘋犬之狂吠，則非烈文所知耳。 | |
| 此後還有几個啟事，避煩不再剪貼了。總之：較關緊要的問題，是「姊妹嫁作大商人為妾」者是誰？但這事須問「行不改名，坐不改姓」的好漢張資平本人才知道。 | |
| 可是中國真也還有好事之徒，竟有人不怕中暑的跑到真茹的「望歲小農居」這洋樓底下去請教他了。《訪問記》登在《中外書報新聞》的第七號（七月十五日出）上，下面是關于「為妾」問題等的一段——（四）啟事中的疑問 | |
| 以上這些話還只是講刊登及停載的經過，接著，我便請他解答啟事中的几個疑問。 | |
| 「對于你的啟事中，有許多話，外人看了不明白，能不能讓我問一問？」 | |
| 「是那几句？」 | |
| 「『姊妹嫁作商人妾』，這不知道有沒有什么影射？」 | |
| 「這是黎烈文他自己多心，我不過自然他既然說了不能公開的話，也就不便追問了。 | |
| 「還有一點，你所謂『想發表些關于對政治對國際情勢之見解都無從發表』，這又何所指？」 | |
| 「那是講我在文藝以外的政治見解的東西，隨筆一類的東西。」 | |
| 「是不是像《新時代》上的《望歲小農居日記》一樣的東西呢？」（參看《新時代》七月號）我插問。 | |
| 「那是對于魯迅的批評，我所說的是對政治的見解，《文藝座談》上面有。」（參看《文藝座談》一卷一期《從早上到下午》。） | |
| 「對于魯迅的什么批評？」 | |
| 「這是題外的事情了，我看關于這個，請你還是不發表好了。」 | |
| 這真是「胸中不正，則眸子眊焉」，寥寥几筆，就畫出了這位文學家的嘴臉。《社會新聞》說他「闒懦」，固然意在博得社會上「濟弱扶傾」的同情，不足置信，但啟事上的自白，卻也須照中國文學上的例子，大打折扣的（倘白羽遐先生在「某天」又到「內山書店小坐」，一定又會從老板口頭听到），因為他自己在「行不改姓」之後，也就說「縱令有時用其他筆名」，雖然「但所發表文字，均自負責」，而無奈「還是不發表好了」何？但既然「還是不發表好了」，則關于我的一筆，我也就不再深論了。 | |
| 一枝筆不能兼寫兩件事，以前我實在閒卻了《文藝座談》的座主，「解放詞人」曾今可先生了。但寫起來卻又很簡單，他除了「准備反攻」之外，只在玩「告密」的玩藝。崔万秋先生和這位詞人，原先是相識的，只為了一點小糾葛，他便匿名向小報投稿，誣陷老朋友去了。不幸原稿偏落在崔万秋先生的手里，制成銅版，在《中外書報新聞》（五號）上精印了出來——崔万秋加入國家主義派《大晚報》屁股編輯崔万秋自日回國，即住在愚園坊六十八號左舜生家，旋即由左与王造時介紹于《大晚報》工作。近為國家主義及廣東方面宣傳极力，夜則留連于舞場或八仙橋庄上云。 | |
| 有罪案，有住址，逮捕起來是很容易的。而同時又診出了一點小毛病，是這位詞人曾經用了崔万秋的名字，自己大做了一通自己的詩的序，而在自己所做的序里又大稱贊了一通自己的詩。輕恙重症，同時夾攻，漸使這柔嫩的詩人兼詞人站不住，他要下野了，而在《時事新報》（七月九日）上卻又是一個啟事，好像這時的文壇是入了「啟事時代」似的——曾今可啟事 | |
| 鄙人不日离滬旅行，且將脫离文字生活。以後對于別人對我造謠誣蔑，一概置之不理。這年頭，只許強者打，不許弱者叫，我自然沒有什么話可說。我承認我是一個弱者，我無力反抗，我將在英雄們胜利的笑聲中悄悄地离開這文壇。如果有人笑我是「懦夫」，我只當他是尊我為「英雄」。此啟。 | |
| 這就完了。但我以為文字是有趣的，結末兩句，尤為出色。 | |
| 我剪貼在上面的《談「文人無行」》，其實就是這曾張兩案的合論。但由我看來，這事件卻還要坏一點，便也做了一點短評，投給《自由談》。久而久之，不見登出，索回原稿，油墨手印滿紙，這便是曾經排過，又被誰抽掉了的證据，可見縱「無姊妹嫁作大商人為妾」，「資本家的出版者」也還是為這一類名公「後援」的。但也許因為恐怕得罪名公，就會立刻給你戴上一頂紅帽子，為性命計，不如不登的也難說。現在就抄在這里罷—— | |
| 駁「文人無行」 | |
| 「文人」這一塊大招牌，是极容易騙人的。雖在現在，社會上的輕賤文人，實在還不如所謂「文人」的自輕自賤之甚。看見只要是「人」，就決不肯做的事情，論者還不過說他「無行」，解為「瘋人」，恕其「可怜」。其實他們卻原是販子，也一向聰明絕頂，以前的种种，無非「生意經」，現在的种种，也并不是「無行」，倒是他要「改行」了。 | |
| 生意的衰微使他要「改行」。雖是极低劣的三角戀愛小說，也可以賣掉一批的。我們在夜里走過馬路邊，常常會遇見小癟三從暗中來，鬼鬼祟祟的問道：「阿要春宮？ | |
| 阿要春宮？中國的，東洋的，西洋的，都有。阿要勿？」 | |
| 生意也并不清淡。上當的是初到上海的青年和鄉下人。然而這至多也不過四五回，他們看過几套，就覺得討厭，甚且要作嘔了，無論你「中國的，東洋的，西洋的，都有」也無效。而且因時勢的遷移，讀書界也起了變化，一部份是不再要看這樣的東西了；一部份是簡直去跳舞，去嫖妓，因為所化的錢，比買手淫小說全集還便宜。這就使三角家之類覺得沒落。我們不要以為造成了洋房，人就會滿足的，每一個儿子，至少還得給他賺下十万塊錢呢。 | |
| 于是乎暴躁起來。然而三角上面，是沒有出路了的。 | |
| 于是勾結一批同類，開茶會，辦小報，造謠言，其甚者還竟至于賣朋友，好像他們的鴻篇巨制的不再有人賞識，只是因為有几個人用一手掩盡了天下人的眼目似的。但不要誤解，以為他真在這樣想。他是聰明絕頂，其實并不在這樣想的，現在這副嘴臉，也還是一种「生意經」，用三角鑽出來的活路。總而言之，就是現在只好經營這一种賣買，才又可以賺些錢。 | |
| 譬如說罷，有些「第三种人」也曾做過「革命文學家」，借此開張書店，吞過郭沫若的許多版稅，現在所住的洋房，有一部份怕還是郭沫若的血汗所裝飾的。此刻那里還能做這樣的生意呢？此刻要合伙攻擊左翼，并且造謠陷害了知道他們的行為的人，自己才是一個干淨剛直的作者，而況告密式的投稿，還可以大賺一注錢呢。 | |
| 先前的手淫小說，還是下部的勾當，但此路已經不通，必須上進才是，而人們——尤其是他的舊相識——的頭顱就危險了。這那里是單單的「無行」文人所能做得出來的？ | |
| 上文所說，有几處自然好像帶著了曾今可張資平這一流，但以前的「腰斬張資平」，卻的确不是我的意見。這位作家的大作，我自己是不要看的，理由很簡單：我腦子里不要三角四角的這許多角。倘有青年來問我可看与否，我是勸他不必看的，理由也很簡單：他腦子里也不必有三角四角的那許多角。若夫他自在投稿取費，出版賣錢，即使他無須養活老婆儿子，我也滿不管，理由也很簡單：我是從不想到他那些三角四角的角不完的許多角的。 | |
| 然而多角之輩，竟謂我策動「腰斬張資平」。既謂矣，我乃簡直以Ｘ光照其五髒六腑了。 | |
| 《後記》這回本來也真可以完結了，但且住，還有一點餘興的餘興。因為剪下的材料中，還留著一篇妙文，倘使任其散失，是极為可惜的，所以特地將它保存在這里。 | |
| 這篇文章載在六月十七日《大晚報》的《火炬》里——《新儒林外史》柳絲 | |
| 第一回揭旗扎空營興師布迷陣卻說卡爾和伊理基兩人這日正在天堂以上討論中國革命問題，忽見下界中國文壇的大戈壁上面，殺气騰騰，塵沙彌漫，左翼防區里面，一位老將緊追一位小將，戰鼓震天，喊聲四起，忽然那位老將牙縫開處，吐出一道白霧，卡爾聞到气味立刻暈倒，伊理基拍案人怒道，「毒瓦斯，毒瓦斯！」扶著卡爾赶快走開去了。原來下界中國文壇的大戈壁上面，左翼防區里頭，近來新扎一座空營，揭起小資產階級革命文學之旗，無產階級文藝營壘受了奸人挑撥，大興問罪之師。這日大軍壓境，新扎空營的主將兼官佐又兼士兵楊村人提起筆槍，躍馬相迎，只見得戰鼓震天，喊聲四起，為首先鋒揚刀躍馬而來，乃老將魯迅是也。那楊村人打拱，叫聲「老將軍別來無恙？」 | |
| 老將魯迅并不答話，躍馬直沖揚刀便刺，那楊村人筆槍擋住又道：「老將有話好講，何必動起干戈？小將別樹一幟，自扎空營，只因事起倉卒，未及呈請指揮，并非倒戈相向，實則獨當一面，此心此志，天人共鑒。老將軍試思左翼諸將，空言克服，驕盈自滿，戰術既不研究，武器又不制造。臨陣則軍容不整，出馬則拖槍而逃，如果長此以往，何以維持威信？老將軍整頓紀綱之不暇，勞師遠征，竊以為大大對不起革命群眾的呵！」老將魯迅又不答話，圓睜環眼，倒豎虎鬚，只見得從他的牙縫里頭噓出一道白霧，那小將楊村人知道老將放出毒瓦斯，說的遲那時快，已經將防毒面具戴好了，正是：情感作用無理講，是非不明只天知！欲知老將究竟能不能將毒瓦斯悶死那小將，且待下回分解。 | |
| 第二天就收到一封編輯者的信，大意說：茲署名有柳絲者（「先生讀其文之內容或不難想像其為何人」），投一滑稽文稿，題為《新儒林外史》，但并無傷及個人名譽之事，業已決定為之發表，倘有反駁文章，亦可登載云云。使刊物暫時化為戰場，熱鬧一通，是辦報人的一种极普通辦法，近來我更加「世故」，天气又這么熱，當然不會去流汗同翻筋斗的。況且「反駁」滑稽文章，也是一种少有的奇事，即使「傷及個人名譽事」，我也沒有辦法，除非我也作一部《舊儒林外史》，來辯明「卡爾和伊理基」的話的真假。但我并不是巫師，又怎么看得見「天堂」？「柳絲」是楊村人先生還在做「無產階級革命文學者」時候已經用起的筆名，這無須看內容就知道，而曾几何時，就在「小資產階級革命文學」的旗子下做著這樣的幻夢，將自己寫成了這么一副形容了。時代的巨輪，真是能夠這么冷酷地將人們輾碎的。但也幸而有這一輾，因為韓侍桁先生倒因此從這位「小將」的腔子里看見了「良心」了。 | |
| 這作品只是第一回，當然沒有完，我雖然毫不想「反駁」，卻也愿意看看這有「良心」的文學，不料從此就不見了，迄今已有月餘，听不到「卡爾和伊理基」在「天堂」上和「老將」「小將」在地獄里的消息。但据《社會新聞》（七月九日，四卷三期）說，則又是「左聯」阻止的——楊村人轉入ＡＢ團 | |
| 叛左聯而寫揭小資產戰斗之旗的楊村人，近已由漢來滬，聞寄居于ＡＢ團小卒徐翔之家，并已加入該團活動矣。前在《大晚報》署名柳絲所發表的《新封神榜》一文，即楊手筆，內對魯迅大加諷刺，但未完即止，聞因受左聯警告云。〔預〕左聯會這么看重一篇「諷刺」的東西，而且仍會給「叛左聯而寫揭小資產戰斗之旗的楊村人」以「警告」，這才真是一件奇事。据有些人說，「第三种人」的「忠實于自己的藝術」，是已經因了左翼理論家的凶惡的批評而寫不出來了，現在這「小資產戰斗」的英雄，又因了左聯的警告而不再「戰斗」，我想，再過几時，則一切割地吞款，兵禍水災，古物失蹤，闊人生病，也要都成為左聯之罪，尤其是魯迅之罪了。 | |
| 現在使我記起了蔣光慈先生。 | |
| 事情是早已過去，恐怕有四五年了，當蔣光慈先生組織太陽社，和創造社聯盟，率領「小將」來圍剿我的時候，他曾經做過一篇文章，其中有几句，大意是說，魯迅向來未曾受人攻擊，自以為不可一世，現在要給他知道知道了。其實這是錯誤的，我自作評論以來，即無時不受攻擊，即如這三四月中，僅僅關于《自由談》的，就已有這許多篇，而且我所收錄的，還不過一部份。先前何嘗不如此呢，但它們都与如駛的流光一同消逝，無蹤無影，不再為別人所覺察罷了。這回趁几种刊物還在手頭，便轉載一部份到《後記》里，這其實也并非專為我自己，戰斗正未有窮期，老譜將不斷的襲用，對于別人的攻擊，想來也還要用這一類的方法，但自然要改變了所攻擊的人名。將來的戰斗的青年，倘在類似的境遇中，能偶然看見這記錄，我想是必能開顏一笑，更明白所謂敵人者是怎樣的東西的。 | |
| 所引時文字中，我以為很有些篇，倒是出于先前的「革命文學者」。但他們現在是另一個筆名，另一副嘴臉了。這也是必然的。革命文學者若不想以他的文學，助革命更加深化，展開，卻借革命來推銷他自己的「文學」，則革命高揚的時候，他正是獅子身中的害虫，而革命一受難，就一定要發現以前的「良心」，或以「孝子」之名，或以「人道」之名，或以「比正在受難的革命更加革命」之名，走出陣線之外，好則沉默，坏就成為叭儿的。這不是我的「毒瓦斯」，這是彼此看見的事實！ | |
| 一九三三年七月二十日午，記。 |