難解決的問題 The Unsolvable Problem

難解決的問題A Hard Problem to Solve

难解决的问题

我叫同伴到釣魚磯去賞荷，他們都不願意去，剩我自己走着．我走到清佳堂附I asked my companions to go to Diaoyuji to admire the lotuses, but none of them wanted to go, so I was left to walk on by myself.

我叫同伴到钓鱼矶去赏荷，他们都不愿意去，剩我自己走着．我走到清佳堂附

近，就坐在山前一塊石頭上歇息．在瞻顧之間，小山後面一陣喞咕的聲音夾着蟬聲I walked to the vicinity of Qingjiatang, and sat down on a rock in front of the hill to rest. As I was looking around, a burst of murmuring voices, mixed with the chirping of cicadas,

近，就坐在山前一块石头上歇息．在瞻顾之间，小山后面一阵喞咕的声音夹着蝉声

送到我耳邊．came to my ears.

送到我耳边．

誰願意在優游的天日中故意要找出人家底祕密呢？Who would want, on such a carefree, sunny day, to go out of their way to ferret out someone else's secret?然而宇宙間底祕密都從And yet all the secrets in the universe

谁愿意在优游的天日中故意要找出人家底秘密呢？然而宇宙间底秘密都从

無意中得來．所以在那時候，我不離開那里，也不把兩耳掩住，任憑那些聲浪在耳邊come from being stumbled upon unintentionally. So at that moment, I did not leave the place, nor did I cover my two ears, but let those waves of sound

无意中得来．所以在那时候，我不离开那里，也不把两耳掩住，任凭那些声浪在耳边

蕩來蕩去．drift back and forth by my ears.

荡来荡去．

闢頭一聲，我便聽得，『這實是一個難解決的問題．……』Right at the outset I heard, "This is truly a hard problem to solve..."

辟头一声，我便听得，『这实是一个难解决的问题．……』

旣說是難解決，自然要把怎樣難底理由說出來．這理由無論是局内、局外人都Since it was called hard to solve, the reasons for its difficulty naturally had to be given. Such reasons, whether to someone involved or an outsider, are

既说是难解决，自然要把怎样难底理由说出来．这理由无论是局内、局外人都

愛聽底．以前的話能否鑽入我耳裏，且不用說，單是這一句，使我不能不注意．always pleasant to hear. Whether the earlier words had managed to reach my ears, I cannot say — but this one sentence alone was enough to make me take notice.

爱听底．以前的话能否钻入我耳里，且不用说，单是这一句，使我不能不注意．

山後底人接下去說，『在這三位中，你說要那一位才合式？……The person behind the hill went on, "Of these three, which do you say would suit you best?...梅說要等我十年；Mei says she'll wait ten years for me;白說要等到我和別人結婚那一天；Bai says she'll wait until the day I marry someone else;區說非嫁我不可，——她要終身等我．』Ou says she absolutely must marry me — she means to wait for me her whole life."

山后底人接下去说，『在这三位中，你说要那一位才合式？……梅说要等我十年；白说要等到我和别人结婚那一天；区说非嫁我不可，——她要终身等我．』

『那麽，你就要區罷．』"Well then, you should choose Ou."

『那么，你就要区罢．』

『但是梅底景况，我很了解．她底苦衷，我應當原諒．她能爲了我犧牲十年底光"But I understand Mei's situation very well. Her private difficulties are something I ought to forgive. That she can sacrifice ten years of her

『但是梅底景况，我很了解．她底苦衷，我应当原谅．她能为了我牺牲十年底光

陰，從她底境遇看來，無論如何，是很可敬底．設使梅居區底地位，她也能說，要終身等life, given her circumstances, is in any case most admirable. If Mei were in Ou's position, could she too say she would wait for

阴，从她底境遇看来，无论如何，是很可敬底．设使梅居区底地位，她也能说，要终身等

我？』me for life?"

『那麽，梅、區都不要，要白如何？』"Well then, if you want neither Mei nor Ou, what about Bai?"

『那么，梅、区都不要，要白如何？』

『白麽？"Bai?也不過是她底環境使她這樣達觀．設使她處若梅底景况，她也只能等It's only that her circumstances have made her so easygoing. If she were placed in Mei's situation, she too could only wait

『白么？也不过是她底环境使她这样达观．设使她处若梅底景况，她也只能等

我十年．』ten years for me."

會話到這里就停了．我底注意只能移到池上，靜觀那被輕風搖擺底芰荷．呀，葉The conversation stopped there. My attention could only turn to the pond, quietly watching the water-caltrop and lotus leaves swaying in the light breeze. Ah, beneath the leaves

会话到这里就停了．我底注意只能移到池上，静观那被轻风摇摆底芰荷．呀，叶

底那對小鴛鴦正在那里歇午哪！that pair of little mandarin ducks were resting there at midday!不曉得他們從前也曾解决過方才的問題沒有？I wondered whether they too had ever settled the very question just raised.不Not

底那对小鸳鸯正在那里歇午哪！不晓得他们从前也曾解决过方才的问题没有？不

上一分鐘，後面底聲音又來了．a minute later, the voices behind me started up again.

上一分钟，后面底声音又来了．

『那麽，三個都要如何？』"Well then, what if you want all three?"

『那么，三个都要如何？』

『笑話，就是沒有理性底獸類也不這樣辦．』"What a joke — even an unreasoning beast wouldn't do such a thing."

『笑话，就是没有理性底兽类也不这样办．』

又停了許久．There was another long silence.

又停了许久．

『不經過那些無用的禮節，各人快活地同過這一輩子不成嗎？』"Without going through all those useless formalities, couldn't each of us just live out this life happily together?"

『不经过那些无用的礼节，各人快活地同过这一辈子不成吗？』

『唔……"Hmm...唔……hmm...唔……．這是後來的話，且不必提，我們先解决目前底困難罷．hmm... That's a matter for later — no need to bring it up now. Let's first settle the difficulty before us.

『唔……唔……唔……．这是后来的话，且不必提，我们先解决目前底困难罢．

我實不肯故意辜負了三位中底一位．我想用拈鬮底方法瞎挑一個就得了．』I truly have no wish to deliberately wrong any one of the three. I think I'll just draw lots and pick one at random."

我实不肯故意辜负了三位中底一位．我想用拈阄底方法瞎挑一个就得了．』

『這不更是笑話麽？"Isn't that even more of a joke?人間那有這麼新奇的事！Where in this world has there ever been anything so outlandish!她們三人中誰願意遵你底命令，Which of the three of them would be willing to obey your command

『这不更是笑话么？人间那有这么新奇的事！她们三人中谁愿意遵你底命令，

這樣辦呢？』and go along with such a thing?"

这样办呢？』

他們大笑起來．They burst out laughing.

他们大笑起来．

『我們私下先拈一拈，如何？"Why don't we draw lots between ourselves privately first?你權當做白我自己權當做梅，剩下是區底分．』You can stand in for Bai, I'll stand in for Mei, and whatever's left goes to Ou."

『我们私下先拈一拈，如何？你权当做白我自己权当做梅，剩下是区底分．』

他們由嚴重的密語化爲滑稽的談笑了．我怕他們要鬧下坡來，不敢逗留在那Their solemn, secretive talk had turned into comic banter. Afraid they might come laughing and tumbling down the slope, I dared not linger there

他们由严重的密语化为滑稽的谈笑了．我怕他们要闹下坡来，不敢逗留在那

里，只得先走．釣魚磯也沒去成．any longer, and had to leave first. I never did make it to Diaoyuji.

里，只得先走．钓鱼矶也没去成．