再會 Farewell

再會Farewell

再会

靠窗櫺坐着那位老人家是一位航海者，剛從海外歸來底．他和蕭老太太是少The old man sitting by the window was a seafarer, just returned from abroad.

靠窗櫺坐着那位老人家是一位航海者，刚从海外归来底．他和萧老太太是少

年時代底朋友，彼此雖別離了那麽些年，然而他們會面時，直像忘了當中經過底日He and old Mrs. Xiao had been friends since their youth; though they had been parted for all those years, when they met again it was as if they had forgotten the days

年时代底朋友，彼此虽别离了那么些年，然而他们会面时，直像忘了当中经过底日

子．現在他們正談起少年時代底舊話．that had passed between them. Now they were speaking of old times from their youth.

子．现在他们正谈起少年时代底旧话．

『蔚明哥，你不是二十歲底時候出海底麽？』她屈着自己底指頭，數了一數才'Brother Weiming, didn't you go to sea when you were twenty?' She bent her fingers and counted for a moment before

『蔚明哥，你不是二十岁底时候出海底么？』她屈着自己底指头，数了一数才

用那雙被閱歷染濁了底眼睛看着她底朋友說，『呀，四十五年就像我現在數着指looking at her friend with those eyes clouded by experience, and said, 'Ah, forty-five years have passed just like I'm counting my fingers

用那双被阅历染浊了底眼睛看着她底朋友说，『呀，四十五年就像我现在数着指

頭一樣地過去了！』right now!'

头一样地过去了！』

老人家把手捋一捋鬍子，很得意地說：『可不是！……The old man stroked his beard and said proudly, 'Indeed! ...記得我到你家辭行那一I remember the day I came to your house to bid farewell,

老人家把手捋一捋胡子，很得意地说：『可不是！……记得我到你家辞行那一

天，你正在園裏飼你那隻小鹿；you were in the garden feeding your little deer;我站在你身邊一棵正開着花底枇杷樹下．花香和你I stood beside you under a loquat tree in bloom. The fragrance of the flowers and

天，你正在园里饲你那只小鹿；我站在你身边一棵正开着花底枇杷树下．花香和你

頭上底油香雜竄入我底鼻中，當時，我底別緒也不曉得要從那里說起；the fragrance of the oil on your hair mingled and rushed into my nose; at that moment, I did not even know where to begin to speak of my parting feelings;但你只低頭but you only lowered your head

头上底油香杂窜入我底鼻中，当时，我底别绪也不晓得要从那里说起；但你只低头

撫着小鹿．我想你那時也不能多說什麽，你竟然先問一句「要等到什麽時候我們再能相見呢？」我就慢答道，「毋須多少時候．」那時，你……』and stroked the little deer. I think you couldn't say much either at that time, yet you were the first to ask, "When shall we be able to meet again?" And I answered slowly, "It won't be long." At that time, you...'

抚着小鹿．我想你那时也不能多说什么，你竟然先问一句「要等到什么时候我们再能相见呢？」我就慢答道，「毋须多少时候．」那时，你……』

老太太截着說，『那時候底光景我也記得很淸楚．當你說這句底時候，我不是The old lady cut in, saying, 'I remember the scene of that moment very clearly too. When you said that, didn't I

老太太截着说，『那时候底光景我也记得很淸楚．当你说这句底时候，我不是

說「要等再相見時，除非是黑墨有洗得白底時節．」哈哈！say, "We shall meet again only when black ink has been washed white"? Ha ha!你去時那縷漆黑的頭髮That lock of jet-black hair you had when you left —

说「要等再相见时，除非是黑墨有洗得白底时节．」哈哈！你去时那缕漆黑的头发

現在豈不是已被海水洗白了麽？』hasn't it now been washed white by the sea water?'

现在岂不是已被海水洗白了么？』

老人家摩摩自己底頭頂，說，『對啦！The old man rubbed the top of his head and said, 'That's right!這也算應驗哪！This has indeed come true!可惜我總不着芳哥，他過去It's a pity I never did see Brother Fang again — how many years has it been

老人家摩摩自己底头顶，说，『对啦！这也算应验哪！可惜我总不着芳哥，他过去

多少年了？』since he passed away?'

『唉，久了！'Ah, a long time!你看我已經抱過四個孫兒了．』她說時，看着窗外幾個孩子在瓜棚You see, I've already held four grandchildren in my arms.' As she said this, she looked at several children playing under the melon trellis outside the window,

『唉，久了！你看我已经抱过四个孙儿了．』她说时，看着窗外几个孩子在瓜棚

下玩，就指着那最高的孩子說，『你看鼎兒已經十二歲了，他公公就在他彌月後去and pointing to the tallest one, said, 'Look, Ding'er is already twelve years old — his grandfather passed

下玩，就指着那最高的孩子说，『你看鼎儿已经十二岁了，他公公就在他弥月后去

世底．』away right after his one-month celebration.'

他們談話時，丫頭端了一盤牡蠣煎餅來．老太太舉手讓着蔚明哥說，『我定知While they were talking, a servant girl brought in a plate of oyster pancakes. The old lady raised her hand, offering it to Brother Weiming, and said, 'I was sure

他们谈话时，丫头端了一盘牡蛎煎饼来．老太太举手让着蔚明哥说，『我定知

道你底嗜好還沒有改變，所以特地爲你做這東西，your tastes hadn't changed, so I made this especially for you.

道你底嗜好还没有改变，所以特地为你做这东西，

『你記得我們少時，你母親有一天做這樣的餅給我們喫．你拿一塊喫完了才嫌餅裏底牡蠣少，料也不如我底多，鬧着要把我底餅搶去．當時，你母親說了一句'Do you remember, when we were young, your mother once made this kind of pancake for us to eat? You took a piece and after finishing it complained that there were too few oysters in it, that the filling wasn't as much as mine, and made a fuss to snatch my pancake away. At that time your mother said something

『你记得我们少时，你母亲有一天做这样的饼给我们吃．你拿一块吃完了才嫌饼里底牡蛎少，料也不如我底多，闹着要把我底饼抢去．当时，你母亲说了一句

話，敎我常常憶起，就是「好孩子，算了罷．助料都是擱在一起滲匀底．做底時候，誰有that I have often recalled since — she said, "Good child, never mind. The filling is all mixed together in one batch. When making them, who has

话，教我常常忆起，就是「好孩子，算了罢．助料都是搁在一起渗匀底．做底时候，谁有

工夫把分量細細去分配呢？the time to divide the portions out precisely?這自然是免不了有些多，有些少底；Naturally some will end up with a bit more, some with a bit less;只要餅底氣味好就as long as the pancake itself tastes good, that is

工夫把分量细细去分配呢？这自然是免不了有些多，有些少底；只要饼底气味好就

夠了．你所喫底原不定就是爲你做底，可是你已經喫過，就不能再要了．」蔚明哥，你enough. What you ate was not necessarily made just for you, but you have already eaten it, so you cannot ask for more." Brother Weiming, you

够了．你所吃底原不定就是为你做底，可是你已经吃过，就不能再要了．」蔚明哥，你

說末了這話多麽感動我呢！don't know how much those last words of hers moved me!拿這個來比我們底境遇罷：境遇雖然一個一個排列在Let's compare this to our own circumstances: though our circumstances are laid out one by one before

说末了这话多么感动我呢！拿这个来比我们底境遇罢：境遇虽然一个一个排列在

面前，容我們有機會選擇，有人選得好，有人選得歹，可是選定以後，就不能再選了．』us, allowing us the chance to choose, some choose well and some choose poorly, but once the choice is made, one can never choose again.'

面前，容我们有机会选择，有人选得好，有人选得歹，可是选定以后，就不能再选了．』

老人家拿起餅來喫，慢慢地說，『對啦！The old man picked up a pancake and ate, saying slowly, 'That's right!你看我這一生淨在海面生活，生活極其Look at me — my whole life has been spent out on the sea, a life extremely

老人家拿起饼来吃，慢慢地说，『对啦！你看我这一生净在海面生活，生活极其

簡單不像你這麽繁複，然而我還是像當時喫那餅一樣——也就飽了．』simple, not as complicated as yours, and yet I am just like I was eating that pancake back then — I, too, have had my fill.'

简单不像你这么繁复，然而我还是像当时吃那饼一样——也就饱了．』

『我想我老是多得便宜．我底「境遇底餅」雖然多一些助料，也許好喫一些，但'I think I have always come out ahead. Though my "pancake of circumstance" has more filling in it, and perhaps tastes a bit better, still

『我想我老是多得便宜．我底「境遇底饼」虽然多一些助料，也许好吃一些，但

是我底飽足是和你一樣底．』my sense of being filled is just the same as yours.'

是我底饱足是和你一样底．』

談舊事是多麽開心底事！How joyful a thing it is to talk over old times!看這光景，他們像要把少年時代底事迹一一囘溯一Seeing this scene, it was as though they meant to trace back through every event of their youth,

谈旧事是多么开心底事！看这光景，他们像要把少年时代底事迹一一囘溯一

遍似地．但外面底孩子們不曉得因什麽事鬧起來，老太太先出去做判官；one by one, all over again. But outside, the children had started quarreling over something for no clear reason, and the old lady went out first to act as judge;這里留着一位钁鑠的航海者靜靜地坐着喫他底餅．here remained the hale old seafarer, sitting quietly, eating his pancake.

遍似地．但外面底孩子们不晓得因什么事闹起来，老太太先出去做判官；这里留着一位镢铄的航海者静静地坐着吃他底饼．