十六　尼姑 The Nun

金枝要做尼姑去。Jinzhi wanted to go become a nun.

尼姑庵紅磚房子就在山尾那端。The nunnery's red-brick building stood right at the far end of the hill.她去開門沒能開，成群的麻雀在院心啄食，石階生滿綠色的苔蘚，她問一個鄰婦，鄰婦說：She went to open the door but could not; flocks of sparrows were pecking at food in the middle of the courtyard, and the stone steps were covered all over with green moss. She asked a neighbor woman, and the neighbor woman said:

尼姑庵红砖房子就在山尾那端。她去开门没能开，成群的麻雀在院心啄食，石阶生满绿色的苔藓，她问一个邻妇，邻妇说：

「尼姑在事變以後，就不見，聽說跟造房子的木匠跑走的。」"The nun vanished after the Incident — I heard she ran off with the carpenter who was building the house."

「尼姑在事变以后，就不见，听说跟造房子的木匠跑走的。」

從鐵門欄看進去，房子還未上好窗子，一些長短的木塊尚在院心，顯然可以看見正房裡，淒涼的小泥佛正坐著。Looking in through the iron gate bars, the house still had no windows fitted, some lengths of wood still lay about the courtyard, and inside the main hall one could clearly see a small clay Buddha sitting there in desolation.

从铁门栏看进去，房子还未上好窗子，一些长短的木块尚在院心，显然可以看见正房里，凄凉的小泥佛正坐著。

金枝看見那個女人肚子大起來，金枝告訴她說：Jinzhi saw that the woman's belly had grown big, and Jinzhi said to her:

金枝看见那个女人肚子大起来，金枝告诉她说：

「這樣大的肚子你還敢出來？"With a belly so big, you still dare to come out?你沒聽說小日本子把大肚女人弄去破『紅槍會』嗎？Haven't you heard that the little Japanese take big-bellied women to break the 'Red Spear Society'?日本子把大肚子割開，去帶著上陣，他們說紅槍會什麼也不怕，就怕女人；The Japanese cut open the big bellies and carry them into battle — they say the Red Spear Society fears nothing else, only fears women;日本子叫『紅槍會』做『鐵孩子』呢！」The Japanese call the 'Red Spear Society' the 'Iron Children'!"

「这样大的肚子你还敢出来？你没听说小日本子把大肚女人弄去破『红枪会』吗？日本子把大肚子割开，去带著上阵，他们说红枪会什么也不怕，就怕女人；日本子叫『红枪会』做『铁孩子』呢！」

那個女人立刻哭起來。That woman at once began to cry.

那个女人立刻哭起来。

「我說不嫁出去，媽媽不許，她說日本子就要姑娘，看看，這回怎麼辦？"I said I wouldn't marry out, but Mother wouldn't allow it — she said the Japanese were coming for the girls. Look, what's to be done now?孩子的爹爹走就沒見回來，他是去當『義勇軍』。」The child's father left and was never seen to come back — he went off to join the 'Volunteer Army.'"

「我说不嫁出去，妈妈不许，她说日本子就要姑娘，看看，这回怎么办？孩子的爹爹走就没见回来，他是去当『义勇军』。」

有人從廟後爬出來，金枝她們嚇著跑。Someone crawled out from behind the temple, and Jinzhi and the others ran off in fright.

有人从庙后爬出来，金枝她们吓著跑。

「你們見了鬼嗎？"Have you seen a ghost?我是鬼嗎？……」Am I a ghost?..."

「你们见了鬼吗？我是鬼吗？……」

往日美麗的年青的小夥子，和死蛇一般爬回來。The young fellow who had once been handsome came crawling back like a dead snake.五姑姑出來看自己的男人，她想到往日受傷的馬，五姑姑問他：「『義勇軍』全散了嗎？」Fifth Aunt came out to look at her own man; she thought of a horse once wounded in days past. Fifth Aunt asked him: "Has the 'Volunteer Army' scattered entirely?"

往日美丽的年青的小伙子，和死蛇一般爬回来。五姑姑出来看自己的男人，她想到往日受伤的马，五姑姑问他：「『义勇军』全散了吗？」

「全散啦！"All scattered!全死啦！All dead!就連我也死啦！」他用一隻胳膊打著草梢輪回：Even I am dead!" He beat at the tips of the grass with one arm, over and over:

「全散啦！全死啦！就连我也死啦！」他用一只胳膊打著草梢轮回：

「養漢老婆，我弄得這樣子，你就一句親熱的話也沒有嗎？」"You slut of a wife — I've been brought to this state, and you haven't even one warm word for me?"

「养汉老婆，我弄得这样子，你就一句亲热的话也没有吗？」

五姑姑垂下頭，和睡了的向日葵花一般。Fifth Aunt lowered her head, like a sunflower that had fallen asleep.大肚子的女人回家去了！The big-bellied woman went home!金枝又走向哪裡去？And where was Jinzhi to go now?她想出家廟庵早已空了！She thought: the temples and nunneries for taking the veil had long since stood empty!

五姑姑垂下头，和睡了的向日葵花一般。大肚子的女人回家去了！金枝又走向哪里去？她想出家庙庵早已空了！