銀翎的使命 The Silver Feather's Mission

銀翎底使命The Mission of Silver Wing

银翎底使命

黃先生約我到獅子山麓陰濕的地方去找捕蠅草．那時剛過梅雨之期，遠地靑Mr. Huang invited me to go to a damp, shaded spot at the foot of Lion Mountain to look for sundews. It had just passed the plum-rain season, and in the distance the green

黄先生约我到狮子山麓阴湿的地方去找捕蝇草．那时刚过梅雨之期，远地靑

山還被煙霞蒸着，惟有幾朶山花在我們眼前澹定地看那在溪澗裏逆行底魚兒喋mountains were still steaming with mist and haze. Only a few mountain flowers calmly watched, before our eyes, the fish swimming upstream against the current in the mountain stream, nibbling

山还被烟霞蒸着，惟有几朶山花在我们眼前澹定地看那在溪涧里逆行底鱼儿喋

着他們底殘瓣．at their withered petals.

着他们底残瓣．

我們沿着溪澗走．正在找尋底時候，就看見一朶大白花從上游順流而下．我說：We walked along the mountain stream. While we were searching, we saw a large white flower drifting down from upstream. I said:

我们沿着溪涧走．正在找寻底时候，就看见一朶大白花从上游顺流而下．我说：

『這時候，那有偌大的白荷花流着呢？』'At this time of year, how could there be such a huge white lotus flower floating along?'

『这时候，那有偌大的白荷花流着呢？』

我底朋友說：『你這近視鬼！My friend said, 'You nearsighted devil!你準看出那是白荷花麽？Are you sure you can tell that's a white lotus flower?我看那是……』What I see is……'

我底朋友说：『你这近视鬼！你准看出那是白荷花么？我看那是……』

說時遲，來時快，那白的東西已經流到我們跟前．黃先生急把采集網攔住水面；No sooner said than done — the white thing had already floated up right before us. Mr. Huang hastily blocked the water's surface with his collecting net;

说时迟，来时快，那白的东西已经流到我们跟前．黄先生急把采集网拦住水面；

那時，我才看出是一隻鴿子．他從網裏把那死的飛禽取出來，詫異說，『是誰那麽不only then did I see that it was a pigeon. He took the dead bird out of the net and said in astonishment, 'Who was so careless

那时，我才看出是一只鸽子．他从网里把那死的飞禽取出来，诧异说，『是谁那么不

仔細，把人家底傳書鴿打死了！』他說時，從鴿翼下取出一封來長底小信來．那信已as to kill someone's carrier pigeon!' As he spoke, he drew out from under the pigeon's wing a small letter of some length. The letter had already

仔细，把人家底传书鸽打死了！』他说时，从鸽翼下取出一封来长底小信来．那信已

被水浸透了；been soaked through by the water;我們慢慢把他展開，披在一塊石上．we slowly unfolded it and spread it out upon a rock.

被水浸透了；我们慢慢把他展开，披在一块石上．

『我們先看看這是從那里來，要寄到那里去底，然後給他寄去，如何？』我一面'Let's first see where this came from and where it was meant to be sent, and then send it on for him — how would that be?' I said, all the while

『我们先看看这是从那里来，要寄到那里去底，然后给他寄去，如何？』我一面

說，一面看着．但那上頭不特地址沒有，甚至上下底款識也沒有．speaking and looking it over. But not only was there no address on it, there was not even a signature or date at top or bottom.

说，一面看着．但那上头不特地址没有，甚至上下底款识也没有．

黃先生說：『我們先看看裏頭寫底是什麽，不必講私德了．』Mr. Huang said, 'Let's first see what is written inside — never mind matters of private propriety.'

黄先生说：『我们先看看里头写底是什么，不必讲私德了．』

我笑着說：『是，沒有名字底信就是公的；I said with a laugh, 'Yes, a letter with no name on it is public property;所以我們也可以披閱一遍．』so we may as well read it through.'

我笑着说：『是，没有名字底信就是公的；所以我们也可以披阅一遍．』

於是我們一同念着：So together we read it aloud:

于是我们一同念着：

『你敎崑兒帶銀翎翠翼來，吩咐我，若是他們空着回去，就是我還平安底意'You told young Kun to bring Silver Wing and Jade Wing here, instructing me that if they returned empty, it would mean I was still safe — that

『你教昆儿带银翎翠翼来，吩咐我，若是他们空着回去，就是我还平安底意

思．我恐怕他知道，把這兩隻小寶貝寄在霞妹那里；was the meaning. Fearing that he might find out, I left these two little treasures with sister Xia;誰知道前天她開籠擱飼料who would have thought that the day before yesterday, when she opened the cage to set out feed,

思．我恐怕他知道，把这两只小宝贝寄在霞妹那里；谁知道前天她开笼搁饲料

底時候，不提防把翠翼放走了！she carelessly let Jade Wing fly free!

底时候，不提防把翠翼放走了！

噯，愛者，你看翠翼沒有帶信回去，定然很安心，以爲我還平安無事．我也很Ah, beloved, when you see that Jade Wing came back without carrying a letter, you will surely feel at ease, thinking I am still safe and sound. I too

嗳，爱者，你看翠翼没有带信回去，定然很安心，以为我还平安无事．我也很

盼望你常想着我底精神和去年一樣．不過現在不能不對你說底，就是過幾天very much hope that you go on thinking of my spirit just as you did last year. But there is something now that I cannot help telling you — in a few days

盼望你常想着我底精神和去年一样．不过现在不能不对你说底，就是过几天

人就要把我接去了！they are going to come and take me away!我不得不叫你速速來和他計較．你一來，什麽事都好辦了．I cannot help but ask you to come at once and reason it out with him. Once you come, everything can be settled.

人就要把我接去了！我不得不叫你速速来和他计较．你一来，什么事都好办了．

因爲他怕底是你和他講理．For what he fears most is your arguing the right of it with him.

因为他怕底是你和他讲理．

噯，愛者，你見信以後，必得前來，不然，就見我不着；Ah, beloved, once you see this letter you must come; otherwise, you will not get to see me;以後只能在纍纍荒塚中afterward you will only be able, amid the mounded and desolate graves,

嗳，爱者，你见信以后，必得前来，不然，就见我不着；以后只能在累累荒冢中

讀我底名字了，這不是我不等你，時間不讓我等你喲！to read my name there — it is not that I would not wait for you, it is that time will not let me wait for you!

读我底名字了，这不是我不等你，时间不让我等你哟！

我盼望銀翎平平安安地带着他底使命囘去．』I hope Silver Wing makes it back safely, having carried out his mission.'

我盼望银翎平平安安地带着他底使命囘去．』

我們念完，黃先生道，『這是怎麽一回事？』When we finished reading, Mr. Huang said, 'What can this be about?'

我们念完，黄先生道，『这是怎么一回事？』

「誰能猜呢？"Who could guess?反正是不幸的事罷了．現在要緊的，就是怎樣處置這封信．我想把In any case, it is surely some misfortune. What matters now is what to do with this letter. I was thinking of

「谁能猜呢？反正是不幸的事罢了．现在要紧的，就是怎样处置这封信．我想把

他貼在樹上，也許有知道這事底人經過這里，可以把他帶去．』我搖着頭，且輕輕地pasting it on a tree — perhaps someone who knows of this affair might pass by and could take it away.' I shook my head, and gently

他贴在树上，也许有知道这事底人经过这里，可以把他带去．』我摇着头，且轻轻地

把信揭起．lifted the letter up.

黃先生說：『不如拿到村裏去打聽一下，或者容易找出一點線索．』Mr. Huang said, 'Better to take it into the village and make some inquiries — it might be easier to turn up a clue that way.'

黄先生说：『不如拿到村里去打听一下，或者容易找出一点线索．』

我們商量之下，就另鈔一張起來，仍把原信繫在鴿翼底下．黃先生用採掘鍬子After talking it over, we copied out another sheet, and still tied the original letter beneath the pigeon's wing. Mr. Huang, with a digging spade,

我们商量之下，就另钞一张起来，仍把原信系在鸽翼底下．黄先生用采掘锹子

在溪邊挖了一個小坑，把鴿子葬在裏頭．囘頭爲他立了一座小碑，且從水中淘出幾dug a small pit by the stream and buried the pigeon in it. Afterward he set up a small headstone for it, and also fished several

在溪边挖了一个小坑，把鸽子葬在里头．囘头为他立了一座小碑，且从水中淘出几

塊美麗的小石壓在墓上．那墓就在山花盛開底地方，我一翻身，就把些花瓣搖下來，beautiful small stones out of the water to weigh down upon the grave. The grave lay right where the mountain flowers were in full bloom; as I turned, I shook down some petals,

块美丽的小石压在墓上．那墓就在山花盛开底地方，我一翻身，就把些花瓣摇下来，

也落在這使者底墓上．and they too fell upon this messenger's grave.

也落在这使者底墓上．