鄉曲底狂言 Wild Words from the Countryside

鄉曲底狂言A Countryman’s Wild Talk

乡曲底狂言

在城市住久了，每要害起村莊底相思病來．我喜歡到村莊去，不單是貪玩那不After living in the city for a long while, I am forever falling prey to homesickness for the countryside. I like going to the villages, and not merely because I delight in their mountains and waters,

在城市住久了，每要害起村庄底相思病来．我喜欢到村庄去，不单是贪玩那不

染塵垢底山水；unstained by dust and grime;並且愛和村裏底人攀談．我常想着到村裏聽莊稼人說兩句愚拙的I also love talking with the villagers. I often think that going to the country and hearing a farmer utter a few simple, clumsy words

染尘垢底山水；并且爱和村里底人攀谈．我常想着到村里听庄稼人说两句愚拙的

話語，勝過在都邑裏領受那些智者底高談大論．is better than being treated to all the lofty discourses of the wise in the metropolis.

话语，胜过在都邑里领受那些智者底高谈大论．

這日，我們又跑到村裏拜訪耕田底隆哥．他是這小村底長者，自己耕着幾畝地，That day, we went out to the village again to visit Brother Long, the farmer. He was an elder of this little village, tilling a few mu of land himself

这日，我们又跑到村里拜访耕田底隆哥．他是这小村底长者，自己耕着几亩地，

還藝一所榮園．他底生活倒是可以羨慕底．他知道我們不願意在他矮陋的茅茆裏，and tending a garden besides. His life was indeed enviable. He knew that we did not care to sit in his low, shabby thatched hut,

还艺一所荣园．他底生活倒是可以羡慕底．他知道我们不愿意在他矮陋的茅茆里，

就讓我們到籬外底瓜棚底下坐坐．so he invited us to sit beneath the melon arbor outside the fence.

就让我们到篱外底瓜棚底下坐坐．

橫空底長虹從前山底凹處吐出來，七色底影印在淸潭底水面．我們正凝神看A long rainbow stretched across the sky, emerging from a hollow in the hills ahead, its seven-colored reflection imprinted on the surface of the limpid pool. We were gazing at it intently

横空底长虹从前山底凹处吐出来，七色底影印在淸潭底水面．我们正凝神看

着，驀然聽得隆哥好像對着別人說，『冲那邊走罷，這里有人．』when we suddenly heard Brother Long say, apparently to someone else, “Go around that way—there are people here.”

着，蓦然听得隆哥好像对着别人说，『冲那边走罢，这里有人．』

『我也是人，爲何這里就走不得？』我們轉過臉來，那人已站在我們跟前．邦人“I am a person too; why can I not pass this way?” We turned our heads, and the man was already standing before us. He knew, too,

『我也是人，为何这里就走不得？』我们转过脸来，那人已站在我们跟前．邦人

一見我們，應行底禮，他也懂得．我們問過他底姓名，請他坐．隆哥看見這樣，也就不做聲了．the courtesies expected when countrymen meet. We asked his name and invited him to sit down. Seeing this, Brother Long said no more.

一见我们，应行底礼，他也懂得．我们问过他底姓名，请他坐．隆哥看见这样，也就不做声了．

我們看他不像平常人；He did not look like an ordinary man to us;但他有什麽毛病，我們也無從說起．他對我們說，『自從but what exactly was wrong with him, we could not say. He said to us, “Ever since

我们看他不像平常人；但他有什么毛病，我们也无从说起．他对我们说，『自从

我囘來，村裏底人不曉得當我做個什麽？I came back, I have no idea what the villagers take me for.我想我並沒有壞意思，我也不打人，也不叫I do not think I mean anyone harm: I do not strike people, make anyone suffer a loss,

我囘来，村里底人不晓得当我做个什么？我想我并没有坏意思，我也不打人，也不叫

人吃虧，也不占人便宜，怎麽他們就這般地欺負我——連路也不許我走？』or take advantage of anyone. Why, then, do they bully me so—even forbidding me to walk along the road?”

人吃亏，也不占人便宜，怎么他们就这般地欺负我——连路也不许我走？』

和我同來底朋友問隆哥說，『他底職業是什麽？』隆哥還沒作聲，他便說，『我The friend who had come with me asked Brother Long, “What is his occupation?” Before Brother Long could answer, the man said, “I

和我同来底朋友问隆哥说，『他底职业是什么？』隆哥还没作声，他便说，『我

有事做，我是有職業底人．』說着，便從口袋裏掏出一本小摺子來，對我底朋友說，『我have work to do; I am a man with an occupation.” As he spoke, he drew a small account book from his pocket and said to my friend, “I

有事做，我是有职业底人．』说着，便从口袋里掏出一本小折子来，对我底朋友说，『我

是做買賣底．我做了許久了，這本摺子裏所記底帳不曉得是人該我底，還是我該人am in trade. I have been at it a long time. I cannot tell whether the accounts recorded in this book show that people owe me, or that I owe them;

是做买卖底．我做了许久了，这本折子里所记底帐不晓得是人该我底，还是我该人

底，我也記不淸楚，請你給我看看．』他把摺子遞給我底朋友，我們一同看，原來I no longer remember clearly. Please look it over for me.” He handed the book to my friend, and we examined it together; it proved

底，我也记不淸楚，请你给我看看．』他把折子递给我底朋友，我们一同看，原来

是同治年間底廢摺！to be a worthless old account book from the Tongzhi reign!我們忍不住大笑起來，隆哥也笑了．We could not help bursting into laughter, and Brother Long laughed too.

是同治年间底废折！我们忍不住大笑起来，隆哥也笑了．

隆哥怕他招笑話，想法子把他哄走．我們問起他底來歷，隆哥說他從少Afraid that the man would make himself a laughingstock, Brother Long found a way to coax him off. When we asked about his history, Brother Long said that he had gone into trade in Tianjin as a youth,

隆哥怕他招笑话，想法子把他哄走．我们问起他底来历，隆哥说他从少

在天津做買賣，許久沒有消息，前幾天剛囘來底．我們才知道他是村裏新囘來底一個狂人．had not been heard from for a long time, and had only returned a few days before. Only then did we learn that he was a madman newly returned to the village.

在天津做买卖，许久没有消息，前几天刚囘来底．我们才知道他是村里新囘来底一个狂人．

隆哥說？『怎麽一個好好的人到城市裏就變成一個瘋子囘來？Brother Long said, “How can a perfectly sound man go to the city and come back a lunatic?我聽見人家說城裏有什麽瘋人院，是造就這種瘋子底．你們住在城裏，可知道有沒有這囘事？』I have heard people say there are things called lunatic asylums in the city, which turn out madmen of this sort. You live in the city—do you know whether there is any truth in that?”

隆哥说？『怎么一个好好的人到城市里就变成一个疯子囘来？我听见人家说城里有什么疯人院，是造就这种疯子底．你们住在城里，可知道有没有这囘事？』

我囘答說，『笑話！I replied, “What nonsense!瘋人院是人瘋了才到裏邊去；A lunatic asylum is a place people go only after they have gone mad;並不是把好好的人送到那里it does not take perfectly sound people in,

我囘答说，『笑话！疯人院是人疯了才到里边去；并不是把好好的人送到那里

敎瘋了放出來底．』teach them to be mad, and then let them out again.”

教疯了放出来底．』

『旣然如此，爲何他不到瘋人院裏住，反跑囘來，到處搔擾？』“If that is so, why does he not stay in a lunatic asylum, instead of running back here and causing trouble everywhere?”

『既然如此，为何他不到疯人院里住，反跑囘来，到处搔扰？』

『那我可不知道了．』我囘答時，我底朋友同時對他說，『我們也是瘋人爲何“That I cannot tell you,” I replied, while my friend said to him at the same time, “We too are lunatics—why

『那我可不知道了．』我囘答时，我底朋友同时对他说，『我们也是疯人为何

不到瘋人院裏住？』do we not stay in a lunatic asylum?”

不到疯人院里住？』

隆哥很詫異地問，『什麽？』Brother Long asked in great surprise, “What?”

隆哥很诧异地问，『什么？』

我底朋友對我說，『我這話，你說對不對？My friend said to me, “Tell me, am I not right?認眞說起來，我們何嘗不狂？Strictly speaking, are we not mad as well?要是方才Perhaps it was the man just now

我底朋友对我说，『我这话，你说对不对？认真说起来，我们何尝不狂？要是方才

那人才不狂呢．我們心裏想什麽，口又不敢說，手也不敢動，只會裝出一副臉孔；who was not mad. Whatever is in our hearts, we dare not say aloud, nor dare we act upon it; all we can do is put on a certain face.倒不We are not

那人才不狂呢．我们心里想什么，口又不敢说，手也不敢动，只会装出一副脸孔；倒不

如他想說什麽便說什麽，想做什麽就做什麽，那分誠實，是我們做不到底．我們若想as good as he, who says whatever he wishes to say and does whatever he wishes to do. We are incapable of such honesty. If we consider

如他想说什么便说什么，想做什么就做什么，那分诚实，是我们做不到底．我们若想

起我們那些受拘束而顯出來底動作，比起他那眞誠的自由行動，豈不是我們倒成those actions of ours that betray the restraints upon us, and compare them with his sincere and unfettered conduct, is it not we who have become

起我们那些受拘束而显出来底动作，比起他那真诚的自由行动，岂不是我们倒成

了狂人？the madmen?這樣看來，我們才瘋，他並不瘋．』Seen in this light, it is we who are mad, while he is not.”

了狂人？这样看来，我们才疯，他并不疯．』

隆哥不耐煩地說：『今天我們都發狂了，說那個幹什麽？Brother Long said impatiently, “We have all gone mad today. What is the use of talking about that man?我們談別的罷，』Let us talk of something else.”

隆哥不耐烦地说：『今天我们都发狂了，说那个干什么？我们谈别的罢，』

瓜棚底下閒談，不覺把印在水面長虹驚跑了．隆哥底兒子趕着一對白鵝向潭As we chatted idly beneath the melon arbor, the long rainbow reflected on the water slipped away unnoticed. Brother Long’s son came driving a pair of white geese toward the edge of the pool.

瓜棚底下闲谈，不觉把印在水面长虹惊跑了．隆哥底儿子赶着一对白鹅向潭

邊來．我底精神又貫注在那純淨的家禽身上．鵝見着水也就發狂了．他們互叫了兩My attention was again absorbed by those immaculate domestic birds. At the sight of the water, the geese too went mad. They called to each other twice,

边来．我底精神又贯注在那纯净的家禽身上．鹅见着水也就发狂了．他们互叫了两

聲，便拍着翅膀趨入水裏，把靜明的鏡面踏破．then flapped their wings and hurried into the water, trampling the still, bright mirror to pieces.

声，便拍着翅膀趋入水里，把静明的镜面踏破．