十二　黑色的舌頭 The Black Tongue

宣傳「王道」的旗子來了！The flags proclaiming the 'Kingly Way' have come!帶著塵煙和騷鬧來的。They came bringing dust and clamor.

宣传「王道」的旗子来了！带著尘烟和骚闹来的。

寬宏的樹夾道；Broad trees lined the road;汽車鬧囂著了！The automobiles roared and clattered!

宽宏的树夹道；汽车闹嚣著了！

田間無際限的淺苗湛著青色。In the fields, boundless young shoots lay steeped in green.但這不再是靜穆的村莊，人們已經失去了心的平衡。But this was no longer a tranquil village — the people had already lost their peace of mind.草地上汽車突起著飛塵跑過，一些紅色綠色的紙片播著種子一般落下來。Cars raised sudden clouds of dust racing across the grass, and red and green scraps of paper fell like scattered seeds.小茅房屋頂有花色的紙片在起落。On the thatched roofs of small huts, colored paper scraps rose and fell.附近大道旁的枝頭掛住紙片，在飛舞嘶鳴。On branches by the nearby road, paper scraps caught and hung, fluttering and shrieking.從城裡出發的汽車又追蹤著馳來。More cars setting out from the city came racing after, in pursuit.車上站著威風飄揚的日本人，高麗人，也站著揚威的中國人。On the cars stood Japanese and Koreans, their airs flying grandly, and Chinese too stood there, flaunting their power.車輪突飛的時候，車上每人手中的旗子擺擺有聲，車上的人好像生了翅膀齊飛過去。When the wheels sped suddenly, the flags in each rider's hand fluttered with a snapping sound, and the people on the cars seemed to have sprouted wings, flying past together.那一些舉著日本旗子作出媚笑雜樣的人，消失在道口。Those people holding up Japanese flags, wearing all manner of fawning smiles, vanished at the crossroads.

田间无际限的浅苗湛著青色。但这不再是静穆的村庄，人们已经失去了心的平衡。草地上汽车突起著飞尘跑过，一些红色绿色的纸片播著种子一般落下来。小茅房屋顶有花色的纸片在起落。附近大道旁的枝头挂住纸片，在飞舞嘶鸣。从城里出发的汽车又追踪著驰来。车上站著威风飘扬的日本人，高丽人，也站著扬威的中国人。车轮突飞的时候，车上每人手中的旗子摆摆有声，车上的人好像生了翅膀齐飞过去。那一些举著日本旗子作出媚笑杂样的人，消失在道口。

那一些「王道」的書篇飛到山腰去，河邊去……Those pamphlets of the 'Kingly Way' flew off toward the hillside, toward the riverbank ...

那一些「王道」的书篇飞到山腰去，河边去……

王婆立在門前，二里半的山羊垂下牠的鬍子。Wang Po stood before her gate; Er-li-ban's goat let its beard hang down.老羊輕輕走過正在繁茂的樹下。The old goat walked lightly beneath the trees now thick with leaves.山羊不再尋什麼實物，牠睏倦了！The goat no longer searched for anything to eat — it was weary!牠過於老，全身變成土一般地毛色。It was too old; its whole coat had turned the color of earth.牠的眼神模糊好像垂淚似的。Its gaze was blurred, as though it were on the verge of tears.山羊完全幽默和可憐起來；The goat had become altogether comical and pitiful;拂擺著長鬍子走向窪地。swaying its long beard, it walked toward the low hollow.

王婆立在门前，二里半的山羊垂下牠的胡子。老羊轻轻走过正在繁茂的树下。山羊不再寻什么实物，牠困倦了！牠过于老，全身变成土一般地毛色。牠的眼神模糊好像垂泪似的。山羊完全幽默和可怜起来；拂摆著长胡子走向洼地。

對著前面的窪地，對著山羊，王婆追蹤過去痛苦的日子。Facing the hollow ahead, facing the goat, Wang Po traced back through the bitter days of the past.她想把那些日子捉回，因為今日的日子還不如昨日。She wished she could seize those days back, for today's days were even worse than yesterday's.窪地沒人種，上崗那些往日的麥田荒亂在那裡。No one tilled the hollow; up on the ridge, the wheat fields of former days lay wild and untended.她在傷心的追想。She was sunk in sorrowful remembering.

对著前面的洼地，对著山羊，王婆追踪过去痛苦的日子。她想把那些日子捉回，因为今日的日子还不如昨日。洼地没人种，上岗那些往日的麦田荒乱在那里。她在伤心的追想。

日本飛機拖起狂大的嗡鳴飛過，接著天空翻飛著紙片。A Japanese airplane trailed a huge droning roar as it flew past, and then paper scraps went tumbling through the sky.一張紙片落在王婆頭頂的樹枝，她取下看了看丟在腳下。A scrap of paper fell onto the branch above Wang Po's head; she took it down, glanced at it, and dropped it at her feet.飛機又過去時留下更多的紙片。When the plane passed over again, it left behind still more paper scraps.她不再理睬一下那些紙片，丟在腳下來復地亂踏。She paid the scraps no more heed, letting them lie underfoot to be trampled back and forth.

日本飞机拖起狂大的嗡鸣飞过，接著天空翻飞著纸片。一张纸片落在王婆头顶的树枝，她取下看了看丢在脚下。飞机又过去时留下更多的纸片。她不再理睬一下那些纸片，丢在脚下来复地乱踏。

過了一會，金枝的母親經過王婆，她手中捉住兩隻公雞，她問王婆說：After a while, Jinzhi's mother passed by Wang Po; in her hand she held two roosters by the legs. She asked Wang Po:

过了一会，金枝的母亲经过王婆，她手中捉住两只公鸡，她问王婆说：

「日子算是沒法過了！'There's simply no way to live these days!可怎麼過？How is one to get by?就剩兩隻雞，還得快快去賣掉！」Only these two chickens are left, and I must hurry off to sell them!'

「日子算是没法过了！可怎么过？就剩两只鸡，还得快快去卖掉！」

王婆問她：「你進城去賣嗎？」Wang Po asked her, 'Are you going into the city to sell them?'

王婆问她：「你进城去卖吗？」

「不進城誰家肯買？'If I don't go into the city, who would buy them?全村也沒有幾隻雞了！」There are hardly any chickens left in the whole village!'

「不进城谁家肯买？全村也没有几只鸡了！」

她向王婆耳語了一陣：She whispered into Wang Po's ear for a while:

她向王婆耳语了一阵：

「日本子惡得很！'The Japanese are terribly vicious!村子裡的姑娘都跑空了！All the girls in the village have run off, every one!年青的媳婦也是一樣。The young wives are the same.我聽說王家屯一個十三歲的小丫頭叫日本子弄去了！I heard that in Wangjiatun a thirteen-year-old girl was carried off by the Japanese!半夜三更弄走的。」Taken away in the dead of night.'

「日本子恶得很！村子里的姑娘都跑空了！年青的媳妇也是一样。我听说王家屯一个十三岁的小丫头叫日本子弄去了！半夜三更弄走的。」

「歇一歇再走吧！」王婆說。'Rest a while before you go on!' Wang Po said.

「歇一歇再走吧！」王婆说。

她倆坐在樹下。The two of them sat beneath the tree.大地上的蟲子並不鳴叫，只是她倆慘淡而憂傷的談著。The insects on the earth did not chirp; the two women simply talked on, bleak and sorrowful.

她俩坐在树下。大地上的虫子并不鸣叫，只是她俩惨淡而忧伤的谈著。

公雞在手下不時振動著膀子。Under her hand the roosters kept beating their wings now and then.太陽有點正中了！The sun stood nearly at its zenith!樹影做成圓形。The tree's shadow formed a round shape.

公鸡在手下不时振动著膀子。太阳有点正中了！树影做成圆形。

村中添設出異樣的風光，日本旗子，日本兵。The village had taken on a strange new scenery — Japanese flags, Japanese soldiers.人們開始講究這一些：「王道」啦！People began fussing over such things: the 'Kingly Way,' and all that!日「滿」親善啦！'Japan-Manchukuo friendship,' and all that!快有「真龍天子」啦！Soon there'd be a 'true dragon Son of Heaven,' and all that!

村中添设出异样的风光，日本旗子，日本兵。人们开始讲究这一些：「王道」啦！日「满」亲善啦！快有「真龙天子」啦！

在「王道」之下，村中的廢田多起來，人們在廣場上憂鬱著徘徊。Under the 'Kingly Way,' the village's abandoned fields grew more numerous, and people wandered the square in gloom.

在「王道」之下，村中的废田多起来，人们在广场上忧郁著徘徊。

那老婆說到最後：「我這些年來，都是養雞，如今連個雞毛也不能留，連個『啼明』的公雞也不讓留下。The old woman said at last, 'All these years I've raised chickens, and now I can't keep so much as a feather — they won't even let me keep a rooster to crow at dawn.這是什麼年頭……」What kind of age is this ...'

那老婆说到最后：「我这些年来，都是养鸡，如今连个鸡毛也不能留，连个『啼明』的公鸡也不让留下。这是什么年头……」

她震動一下袖子，有點癲狂似的，她立起來，踏過前面一塊不耕的廢田，廢田患著病似的，短草在那婆婆的腳下不愉快的沒有彈力的被踏過。She gave her sleeve a shake, looking almost deranged, and rose to her feet, treading across an untilled, abandoned field ahead — the wasted field seemed sick, and the short grass beneath the old woman's feet was trodden down joylessly, without spring left in it.

她震动一下袖子，有点癫狂似的，她立起来，踏过前面一块不耕的废田，废田患著病似的，短草在那婆婆的脚下不愉快的没有弹力的被踏过。

走得很遠，仍可辨出兩隻公雞是用那個掛下的手提著，另外一隻手在面部不住的抹擦。Even at a great distance, one could still make out the two roosters hanging from her dangling hand, while her other hand kept wiping at her face.

走得很远，仍可辨出两只公鸡是用那个挂下的手提著，另外一只手在面部不住的抹擦。

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王婆睡下的時候，她聽見遠處好像有女人尖叫。As Wang Po lay down to sleep, she heard, from somewhere far off, what seemed to be a woman's shrill scream.打開窗子聽一聽……She opened the window to listen ...

王婆睡下的时候，她听见远处好像有女人尖叫。打开窗子听一听……

再聽一會警笛囂叫起來，槍鳴起來，遠處的人家闖入什麼魔鬼了嗎？Listening a while longer, sirens began to shriek, gunfire rang out — had some devil broken into a distant household?

再听一会警笛嚣叫起来，枪鸣起来，远处的人家闯入什么魔鬼了吗？

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「你家有人沒有？」'Is there anyone in your house?'

「你家有人没有？」

當夜日本兵，中國警察搜遍全村。That night, Japanese soldiers and Chinese police searched through the whole village.這是搜到王婆家。Now they had come searching to Wang Po's house.她回答：She answered:

当夜日本兵，中国警察搜遍全村。这是搜到王婆家。她回答：

「有什麼人？'Who would there be?沒有。」No one.'

「有什么人？没有。」

他們掩住鼻子在屋中轉了一個彎出去了。Covering their noses, they turned once through the room and went out.手電燈發青的光線亂閃著，臨走出門欄，一個日本兵在銅帽子下面說中國話：The flashlight's pale bluish beam flickered wildly about; just as they were stepping out over the threshold, a Japanese soldier, from beneath his brass helmet, spoke in Chinese:

他们掩住鼻子在屋中转了一个弯出去了。手电灯发青的光线乱闪著，临走出门栏，一个日本兵在铜帽子下面说中国话：

「也帶走她。」'Take her along too.'

「也带走她。」

「怎麼也帶女人嗎？」她想，「女人也要捉去槍斃嗎？」'What, they're taking women too?' she thought. 'Are women to be seized and shot as well?'

「怎么也带女人吗？」她想，「女人也要捉去枪毙吗？」

「誰稀罕她，一個老婆子！」那個中國警察說。'Who'd want her, an old woman like that!' said the Chinese policeman.

「谁稀罕她，一个老婆子！」那个中国警察说。

中國人都笑了！The Chinese all laughed!日本人也瞎笑。The Japanese laughed too, blindly.可是他們不曉得這話是什麼意思，別人笑，他們也笑。But they had no idea what the words meant; when others laughed, they laughed too.

中国人都笑了！日本人也瞎笑。可是他们不晓得这话是什么意思，别人笑，他们也笑。

真的，不知他們牽了誰家的女人，曲背和豬一般被他們牽走。Indeed, no one knew whose woman it was they were leading off, bent-backed, led away like a pig.在稀薄亂動的手電燈綠色的光線裡面，分辨不出這女人是誰！In the thin, wavering green light of the flashlight, there was no telling who this woman was!

真的，不知他们牵了谁家的女人，曲背和猪一般被他们牵走。在稀薄乱动的手电灯绿色的光线里面，分辨不出这女人是谁！

還沒走出欄門，他們就調笑那個女人。Before they had even passed through the gate, they were already taunting the woman.並且由王婆看見那個日本「銅帽子」的手在女人的屁股上急忙的爬了一下。And Wang Po saw the hand of that Japanese 'brass helmet' dart quickly and grope at the woman's buttocks.

还没走出栏门，他们就调笑那个女人。并且由王婆看见那个日本「铜帽子」的手在女人的屁股上急忙的爬了一下。