一件小事 An Incident

我從鄕下跑到京城裏，一轉眼已經六年了。I ran from the countryside to the capital, and in the blink of an eye six years have already passed.其間耳聞目覩的所謂國家大事，算起來也很不少；In that time, the so-called great affairs of state that I have heard and seen amount, when counted up, to no small number;但在我心裏，都不留什麽痕迹，倘要我尋出這些事的影響來說，便只是增長了我的壞脾氣，——老實說，便是教我一天比一天的看不起人。but in my heart, none of them have left any trace, and if I were to seek out the influence these events have had on me, it would only be this — that they have increased my bad temper, — to be honest, that is, they have taught me to look down on people more with each passing day.

我从鄕下跑到京城里，一转眼已经六年了。其间耳闻目覩的所谓国家大事，算起来也很不少；但在我心里，都不留什么痕迹，倘要我寻出这些事的影响来说，便只是增长了我的坏脾气，——老实说，便是教我一天比一天的看不起人。

但有一件小事，卻於我有意義，將我從壞脾氣裏拖開，使我至今忘記不得。But there is one small incident that has meaning for me, that dragged me out of my bad temper, and that I still cannot forget to this day.

但有一件小事，却于我有意义，将我从坏脾气里拖开，使我至今忘记不得。

這是民國六年的冬天，大北風刮得正猛，我因爲生計關係，不得不一早在路上走。It was the winter of the sixth year of the Republic, the north wind was blowing fiercely, and because of my livelihood I had no choice but to be out on the road early in the morning.一路幾乎遇不見人，好容易纔雇定了一輛人力車，教他拉到S門去。Along the whole way I hardly met anyone, and only with great difficulty did I finally hire a rickshaw, telling him to pull me to S Gate.不一會，北風小了，路上浮塵早已刮淨，剩下一條潔白的大道來，車夫也跑得更快。Before long the north wind grew weaker, the loose dust on the road had already been swept clean, leaving a stretch of pure white highway, and the rickshaw man ran even faster.剛近S門，忽而車把上帶著一個人，慢慢地倒了。Just as we drew near S Gate, someone caught on the shaft of the rickshaw and slowly fell over.

这是民国六年的冬天，大北风刮得正猛，我因为生计关系，不得不一早在路上走。一路几乎遇不见人，好容易才雇定了一辆人力车，教他拉到S门去。不一会，北风小了，路上浮尘早已刮净，剩下一条洁白的大道来，车夫也跑得更快。刚近S门，忽而车把上带著一个人，慢慢地倒了。

跌倒的是一個女人，花白頭髮，衣服都很破爛。The one who fell was a woman, with grizzled hair, her clothes all in tatters.伊從馬路邊上突然向車前橫截過來；She had suddenly cut across from the roadside toward the front of the rickshaw;車夫已經讓開道，但伊的破棉背心沒有上釦，微風吹著，向外展開，所以終於兜著車把。the rickshaw man had already given way, but the buttons of her ragged cotton-padded vest were undone, and the breeze, blowing on it, spread it open outward, so that in the end it caught on the shaft.幸而車夫早有點停步，否則伊定要栽一個大觔斗，跌到頭破血出了。Luckily the rickshaw man had already begun to slow his steps somewhat, otherwise she would surely have taken a great tumble, falling until her head broke and blood flowed.

跌倒的是一个女人，花白头发，衣服都很破烂。伊从马路边上突然向车前横截过来；车夫已经让开道，但伊的破棉背心没有上扣，微风吹著，向外展开，所以终于兜著车把。幸而车夫早有点停步，否则伊定要栽一个大觔斗，跌到头破血出了。

伊伏在地上；She lay prostrate on the ground;車夫便也立住腳。and the rickshaw man also came to a halt.我料定這老女人並沒有傷，又沒有別人看見，便很怪他多事，要自己惹出是非，也誤了我的路。I concluded that this old woman was not hurt at all, and since no one else had seen it, I thought him very meddlesome for making trouble for himself and, besides, delaying my journey.

伊伏在地上；车夫便也立住脚。我料定这老女人并没有伤，又没有别人看见，便很怪他多事，要自己惹出是非，也误了我的路。

我便對他說，『沒有什麽的。So I said to him, 'It's nothing.走你的罷！』Get on with your way!'

我便对他说，『没有什么的。走你的罢！』

車夫毫不理會，——或者並沒有聽到，——卻放下車子，扶那老女人慢慢起來，攙着臂膊立定，向伊說：The rickshaw man paid no heed at all, — or perhaps he simply had not heard, — but set down the shafts, and supporting the old woman, helped her slowly to rise, and holding her by the arm to steady her, said to her:

车夫毫不理会，——或者并没有听到，——却放下车子，扶那老女人慢慢起来，搀着臂膊立定，向伊说：

『你怎麽啦？』'How are you?'

『你怎么啦？』

『我摔壞了。』'I've hurt myself falling.'

『我摔坏了。』

我想，我眼見你慢慢倒地，怎麽會摔壞呢，裝腔作勢罷了，這眞可憎惡。I thought to myself, I saw with my own eyes how slowly you fell, how could you have hurt yourself — you are only putting on an act, and this is truly detestable.車夫多事，也正是自討苦喫，現在你自己想法去。The rickshaw man's meddling was simply asking for trouble himself; now he could think of a way out for himself.

我想，我眼见你慢慢倒地，怎么会摔坏呢，装腔作势罢了，这真可憎恶。车夫多事，也正是自讨苦吃，现在你自己想法去。

車夫聽了這老女人的話，卻毫不躊躇，仍然攙著伊的臂膊，便一步一步的向前走。Hearing what the old woman said, the rickshaw man did not hesitate in the least, but still holding her by the arm, walked forward step by step.我有些詫異，忙看前面，是一所巡警分駐所，大風之後，外面也不見人。I was somewhat astonished, and hastened to look ahead — it was a police substation, and after the great wind, no one was to be seen outside either.這車夫扶著那老女人，便正是向那大門走去。This rickshaw man, supporting the old woman, was heading straight for that gate.

车夫听了这老女人的话，却毫不踌躇，仍然搀著伊的臂膊，便一步一步的向前走。我有些诧异，忙看前面，是一所巡警分驻所，大风之后，外面也不见人。这车夫扶著那老女人，便正是向那大门走去。

我這時突然感到一種異樣的感覺，覺得他滿身灰塵的後影，剎時高大了，而且愈走愈大，須仰視纔見。At this moment I suddenly felt a strange sensation, feeling that his dust-covered back, in that instant, grew tall, and grew larger the further he walked, until I had to look up to see him.而且他對於我，漸漸的又幾乎變成一種威壓，甚而至於要榨出皮袍下面藏著的『小』來。And to me he gradually, almost, became a kind of overpowering force, one that might even squeeze out the 'small self' hidden beneath my fur-lined robe.

我这时突然感到一种异样的感觉，觉得他满身灰尘的后影，刹时高大了，而且愈走愈大，须仰视才见。而且他对于我，渐渐的又几乎变成一种威压，甚而至于要榨出皮袍下面藏著的『小』来。

我的活力這時大約有些凝滯了，坐着沒有動，也沒有想，直到看見分駐所裏走出一個巡警，纔下了車。My vitality at this moment seemed somewhat frozen; I sat without moving and without thinking, until I saw a policeman come out of the substation, and only then did I get down from the rickshaw.

我的活力这时大约有些凝滞了，坐着没有动，也没有想，直到看见分驻所里走出一个巡警，才下了车。

巡警走近我說，『你自己僱車罷，他不能拉你了。』The policeman came up to me and said, 'You'd better hire another rickshaw yourself, he can't pull you any longer.'

巡警走近我说，『你自己雇车罢，他不能拉你了。』

我沒有思索的從外套袋裏抓出一大把銅元，交給巡警，說，『請你給他……』Without thinking I pulled a fistful of copper coins from my overcoat pocket and handed them to the policeman, saying, 'Please give this to him…'

我没有思索的从外套袋里抓出一大把铜元，交给巡警，说，『请你给他……』

風全住了，路上還很靜。The wind had died down entirely, and the road was still very quiet.我走着，一面想，幾乎怕敢想到我自己。As I walked, I pondered, and I was almost afraid to think about myself.以前的事姑且擱起，這一大把銅元又是什麽意思？Let the earlier matter rest for now — what did this fistful of copper coins mean?獎他麽？Was I rewarding him?我還能裁判車夫麽？Was I in any position to judge the rickshaw man?我不能回答自己。I could not answer myself.

风全住了，路上还很静。我走着，一面想，几乎怕敢想到我自己。以前的事姑且搁起，这一大把铜元又是什么意思？奖他么？我还能裁判车夫么？我不能回答自己。

這事到了現在，還是時時記起。Even now, this incident still comes to mind again and again.我因此也時時熬了苦痛，努力的要想到我自己。Because of it, I have also again and again endured pain, striving to think about myself.幾年來的文治武力，在我早如幼小時候所讀過的『子曰詩』一般，背不上半句了。The civil and military affairs of these past years are, to me, already like the 'Confucius says' and poetry I read as a small child — I cannot recall even half a sentence of them.獨有這一件小事，卻總是浮在我眼前，有時反更分明，教我慚愧，催我自新，並且增長我的勇氣和希望。Only this one small incident constantly floats before my eyes, at times growing even clearer, making me ashamed, spurring me to renew myself, and increasing my courage and my hope.

这事到了现在，还是时时记起。我因此也时时熬了苦痛，努力的要想到我自己。几年来的文治武力，在我早如幼小时候所读过的『子曰诗』一般，背不上半句了。独有这一件小事，却总是浮在我眼前，有时反更分明，教我惭愧，催我自新，并且增长我的勇气和希望。

（一九二〇年七月。）(July, 1920.)