茫茫夜 Boundless Night

一天星光燦爛的秋天的朝上，大約時間總在十二點鐘以後了，靜寂的黃浦灘上，一個行人也沒有。One star-brilliant autumn night, sometime after midnight, not a single soul was to be seen along the silent Huangpu waterfront.街燈的灰白的光線，散射在蒼茫的夜色裡，烘出了幾處電杆和建築物的黑影來。The gray-white light of the streetlamps spread through the vast night, throwing into relief the dark silhouettes of several utility poles and buildings.道旁尚有二三乘人力車停在那裡，但是車夫好像已經睡著了，所以並沒有什麼動靜。Two or three rickshaws still stood by the roadside, but their pullers seemed to have fallen asleep, and so there was no movement at all.黃浦江中停著的船上，時有一聲船板和貨物相擊的聲音傳來，和遠遠不知從何處來的汽車車輪聲合在一處，更加形容得這初秋深夜的黃浦灘上的寂寞。From time to time, the sound of planks striking cargo came from the ships moored in the Huangpu River; mingling with the distant rumble of motorcars from some unknown quarter, it served only to deepen the loneliness of the waterfront on this late early-autumn night.在這沉默的夜色中，南京路口灘上忽然閃出了幾個纖長的黑影來，他們好像是自家恐懼自家的腳步聲的樣子，走路走得很慢。Amid the silent night, several slender black figures suddenly emerged onto the waterfront at the end of Nanjing Road; they walked very slowly, as though frightened by the sound of their own footsteps.他們的話聲亦不很高，但是在這沉寂的空氣中，他們的足音和話聲，已經覺得很響了。Their voices were not very loud either, yet in the still air both their footsteps and their speech sounded remarkably distinct.

“于君，你現在覺得怎麼樣？“Yu, how do you feel now?你的酒完全醒了麼？Are you completely sober?我只怕你上船之後，又要吐起來。”I’m only afraid you’ll start vomiting again once you’re aboard.”

講這一句話的，是一個十九歲前後的纖弱的青年，他的面貌清秀得很。The speaker was a slight young man of about nineteen, with exceedingly delicate features.他那柔美的眼睛，和他那不大不小的嘴唇，有使人不得不愛他的魔力。His gentle eyes and well-shaped lips possessed a charm that compelled one to love him.他的身體好像是不十分強，所以在微笑的時候，他的蒼白的臉上，也脫不了一味悲寂的形容。He did not appear to be very strong, and even when he smiled, his pale face could not shed its air of unrelieved sorrow and solitude.他講的雖然是北方的普通話，但是他那幽徐的喉音，和宛轉的聲調，竟使聽話的人，辨不出南音北音來。Though he spoke the standard Mandarin of the North, his soft, unhurried throat tones and lilting cadence made it impossible for a listener to tell whether his accent was southern or northern.被他叫作“於君”的，是一個二十五六歲的青年，大約是因為酒喝多了，頰上有一層紅潮，同薔薇似的罩在那裡。The man he called “Yu” was a young fellow of twenty-five or twenty-six; probably because he had drunk too much, a rosy flush lay over his cheeks like a veil of roses.眼睛裡紅紅浮著的，不知是眼淚呢還是醉意，總之他的眉間，仔細看起來，卻有些隱憂含著，他的勉強裝出來的歡笑，正是在那裡形容他的愁苦。What glimmered red in his eyes—whether tears or drunkenness, no one could say—but a close look revealed a hidden anxiety between his brows, and his forced gaiety only gave expression to his suffering.他比剛才講話的那青年，身材更高，穿著一套藤青的嗶嘰洋服，與剛才講話的那青年的魚白大衫，卻成了一個巧妙的對稱。He was taller than the young man who had just spoken and wore a dark blue serge Western suit, which made an artful contrast with the other’s ivory-white long gown.他的面貌無俗氣，但亦無特別可取的地方。There was nothing vulgar in his face, but nothing especially attractive either.在一副平正的面上，加上一雙比較細小的眼睛，和一個粗大的鼻子，就是他的肖像了。An even-featured face, a pair of rather small eyes, and a large, coarse nose—such was his portrait.由他那二寸寬的舊式的硬領和紅格的領結看來，我們可以知道他是一個富有趣味的人。From his old-fashioned stiff collar, two inches wide, and his red-checkered necktie, one could tell that he was a man of interesting tastes.他聽了青年的話，就把頭向右轉了一半，朝著了那青年，一邊伸出右手來把青年的左手捏住，一邊笑著回答說：On hearing the young man’s words, he turned his head halfway to the right, toward him, and, reaching out to clasp the young man’s left hand in his right, replied with a smile:

“謝謝，遲生，我酒已經醒了。“Thank you, Chisheng. I’m sober now.今晚真對你們不起，要你們到了這深夜來送我上船。”講到這裡，他就回轉頭來看跟在背後的兩個年紀大約二十七八的青年，從這兩個青年的洋服年齡面貌推想起來，他們定是姓于的青年修學時代的同學。I’m truly sorry to have made all of you come and see me aboard so late at night.” At this, he turned to look at the two young men of twenty-seven or twenty-eight following behind; judging from their Western clothes, their ages, and their appearance, they must have been Yu’s schoolmates from his student days.兩個中的一個年長一點的人聽了姓于的青年的話，就搶上一步說：The older of the two stepped forward as soon as he heard Yu speak and said:

“質夫，客氣話可以不必說了。“Zhifu, there is no need for courtesies.可是有一件要緊的事情，我還沒有問你，你的錢夠用了麼？”But there is one important thing I have not yet asked you: have you enough money?”

姓于的青年聽了，就放了捏著的遲生的手，用右手指著遲生回答說：Hearing this, Yu released Chisheng’s hand and pointed to him with his right hand as he answered:

“吳君借給我的二十元，還沒有動著，大約總夠用了，謝謝你。”“The twenty yuan Mr. Wu lent me is still untouched; it should be enough. Thank you.”

他們四個人——于質夫吳遲生在前，後面跟著二個於質夫的同學，是剛從於質夫的寓裡出來，上長江輪船去的。The four of them—Yu Zhifu and Wu Chisheng in front, followed by two of Yu Zhifu’s former classmates—had just left Yu Zhifu’s lodgings and were making their way to the Yangzi steamer.

橫過了電車路，沿了灘外的冷清的步道走了二十分鐘，他們已經走到招商局的輪船碼頭了。After crossing the tram tracks and walking for twenty minutes along the deserted promenade beyond the waterfront, they reached the China Merchants’ Steam Navigation Company pier.江裡停著的幾隻輪船，前後都有幾點黃黃的電燈點在那裡。A few yellow electric lights shone here and there at the bows and sterns of the steamers moored in the river.從黑暗的堆疊外的碼頭走上了船，招了一個在那裡假睡的茶房，開了艙裡的房門，在第四號官艙裡坐了一會，於質夫就對吳遲生和另外的兩個同學說：They made their way from the dark pier beyond the warehouses onto the ship, roused a steward who was pretending to sleep, had him unlock the cabin, and sat awhile in first-class cabin number four; then Yu Zhifu said to Wu Chisheng and the other two schoolmates:

“夜深了，你們可先請回去，諸君送我的好意，我已經謝不勝謝了。”“It is late; you should go home. I cannot thank you gentlemen enough for your kindness in seeing me off.”

吳遲生也對另外的兩個人說：Wu Chisheng likewise said to the other two:

“那麼你們請先回去，我就替你們做代表吧。”“Then you two go on home; I’ll stay as your representative.”

于質夫又拍了遲生的肩說：Yu Zhifu patted Chisheng on the shoulder and said:

“你也請同去了吧。“You should go with them.使你一個人回去，我更放心不下。”I would worry even more if you had to return alone.”

遲生笑著回答說：Chisheng replied with a smile:

“我有什麼要緊，只是他們兩位，明天還要上公司去的，不可太睡遲了。”“It hardly matters for me; it’s only that these two must go to the office tomorrow, and shouldn’t stay up too late.”

質夫也接著對他的兩位同學說：Zhifu then said to his two schoolmates:

“那麼請你們兩位先回去，我就留吳君在這兒談吧。”“In that case, you two go home first, and I’ll keep Mr. Wu here to talk.”

送他的兩個同學上岸之後，於質夫就拉了遲生的手回到艙裡來。After seeing the two schoolmates ashore, Yu Zhifu took Chisheng by the hand and led him back into the cabin.原來今晚開的這只輪船，已經舊了，並且船身太大，所以航行頗慢。The steamer departing that night was already old, and its hull was too large, so it traveled rather slowly.因此乘此船的乘客少得很。Consequently, very few passengers took it.於質夫的第四號官艙，雖有兩個艙位，單只住了他一個人。Although Yu Zhifu’s first-class cabin number four had two berths, he alone occupied it.他拉了吳遲生的手進到艙裡，把房門關上之後，忽覺得有一種神秘的感覺，同電流似的，在他的腦裡經過了。He led Wu Chisheng by the hand into the cabin, and after shutting the door, he suddenly felt a mysterious sensation pass through his brain like an electric current.在電燈下他的肩下坐定的遲生，也覺得有一種不可思議的感情發生，盡俯著首默默地坐在那裡。Chisheng, who had seated himself beneath the light beside him, also felt an inexplicable emotion arise within him and sat there silently, his head bowed all the while.質夫看著遲生的同蠟人似的臉色，感情竟壓止不住了，就站起來緊緊的捏住了他的兩手，對面對的對他幽幽的說：Looking at Chisheng’s waxen face, Zhifu could no longer restrain his feelings; he rose, clasped both Chisheng’s hands tightly, and, facing him, said in a low, lingering voice:

“遲生，你同我去吧，你同我上A地去吧。”“Chisheng, come with me. Come with me to A.”

這話還沒有說出之先，質夫正在那裡想：Before these words left his lips, Zhifu had been thinking:

“二十一歲的青年詩人蘭勃（Arthur Rimbaud）。“The twenty-one-year-old poet Arthur Rimbaud.一八七二年的佛爾蘭（Paul Verlaine）。Paul Verlaine in 1872.白兒其國的田園風景。The pastoral scenery of Belgium.兩個人的純潔的愛。……”The pure love between the two men.…”

這些不近人情的空想，竟變了一句話，表現了出來。These wild, quixotic fantasies unexpectedly transformed themselves into a single spoken plea.質夫的心裡實在想邀遲生和他同到A地去住幾時，一則可以慰慰他自家的寂寞，一則可以看守遲生的病體。In truth, Zhifu wanted to invite Chisheng to stay with him in A for a while, partly to relieve his own loneliness and partly to look after Chisheng in his illness.遲生聽了質夫的話，呆呆的對質夫看了一忽，好像心裡有兩個主意，在那裡戰爭，一霎時解決不下的樣子。On hearing Zhifu’s proposal, Chisheng stared blankly at him for a moment, as though two intentions were warring within him and he could not decide between them at once.質夫看了他這一副形容，更加覺得有一種熱情，湧上他的心來，便不知不覺的逼進一步說：The sight of him thus sent an even greater surge of passion through Zhifu’s heart, and, involuntarily pressing a step closer, he said:

“遲生你不必細想了，就答應了我吧。“Chisheng, don’t think it over so carefully—just say yes.我們就同乘了這一隻船去。”We’ll go together on this very ship.”

聽了這話，遲生反恢復了平時的態度，便含著了他固有的微笑說：At these words, Chisheng instead recovered his usual manner and, wearing his habitual smile, said:

“質夫，我們後會的日期正長得很，何必如此呢？“Zhifu, there is plenty of time for us to meet again; why must we do this?我希望你到了A地之後，能把你日常的生活，和心裡的變化，詳詳細細的寫信來通報我，我也可以一樣的寫信給你，這豈不和同住在一塊一樣麼？”I hope that after you reach A, you will write and tell me in full detail about your daily life and the changes in your heart. I can write to you in the same way—would that not be just like living together?”

“話原是這樣說，但是我只怕兩人不見面的時候，感情就要疏冷下去。“That is true enough, but I’m afraid that when two people no longer see each other, their feelings will grow distant and cold.到了那時候我對你和你對我的目下的熱情，就不得不被第三者奪去了。”Then the affection you and I now bear each other will inevitably be taken from us by someone else.”

“要是這樣，我們兩個便算不得真朋友。“If that happened, we could hardly count as true friends.人之相知，貴相知心，你難道還不能瞭解我的心麼？”What matters in knowing another person is knowing his heart; can you still not understand mine?”

聽了這話，看看他那一雙水盈盈的瞳人，質夫忽然覺得感情激動起來，便把頭低下去，擱在他的肩上說：Hearing this and gazing into Chisheng’s limpid, brimming eyes, Zhifu was suddenly overcome with emotion; lowering his head onto Chisheng’s shoulder, he said:

“你說什麼話，要是我不能瞭解你，那我就不勸你同我去了。”“What are you saying? If I did not understand you, I would not have asked you to come with me.”

講到這裡，他的語聲同小孩悲咽時候似的發起顫來了。By the time he reached these words, his voice had begun to tremble like a sobbing child’s.他就停著不再說下去，一邊卻把他的眼睛，伏在遲生的肩上。He stopped and said no more, burying his eyes against Chisheng’s shoulder.遲生覺得有兩道同熱水似的熱氣浸透了他的魚白大衫和藍綢夾襖，傳到他的肩上去。Chisheng felt two hot streams, like warm water, soak through his ivory-white gown and blue silk-lined jacket to his shoulder.遲生也覺得忍不住了，輕輕的舉起手來，在面上揩了一下，只呆呆的坐在那裡看那十燭光的電燈。Chisheng, too, could no longer contain himself; he gently raised a hand and wiped his face, then sat there vacantly, staring at the ten-candlepower electric lamp.這夜裡的空氣，覺得沉靜得同在墳墓裡一樣。The air that night seemed as still as the inside of a tomb.艙外舷上忽有幾聲水手呼喚聲和起重機滾船索的聲音傳來，質夫知道船快開了，他想馬上站起來送遲生上船去，但是心裡又覺得這悲哀的甘味是不可多得的，無論如何總想多嘗一忽。Suddenly, from the deck outside came several sailors’ calls and the noise of a winch winding the ship’s hawsers. Zhifu knew the ship was about to sail and wanted to rise at once and see Chisheng ashore, yet he felt that the sweet savor of this sorrow was rare and wished, whatever happened, to taste it a little longer.照原樣的頭靠在遲生的肩上，一動也不動的坐了幾分鐘，質夫聽見房門外有人在那裡敲門。With his head still resting on Chisheng’s shoulder just as before, Zhifu sat utterly motionless for several minutes, until he heard someone knocking at the cabin door.他抬起頭來問了一聲是誰，門外的人便應聲說：He raised his head and asked who it was, and the man outside answered:

“船快開了。“The ship is about to sail.送客的先生請上岸去吧。”Gentlemen seeing passengers off, please go ashore.”

遲生聽了，就慢慢的站了起來，質夫也默默的不作一聲跟在遲生的後面，同他走上岸去。At this, Chisheng slowly rose, and Zhifu followed silently behind him and accompanied him ashore.在灰黑的電燈光下同游水似的走到船側的跳板上的時候，遲生忽然站住了。As they seemed to swim through the gray-black electric light toward the gangplank at the ship’s side, Chisheng suddenly stopped.質夫搶上了一步，又把遲生的手緊緊的捏住，遲生臉上起了兩處紅暈，幽幽揚揚的說：Zhifu hurried a step forward and clasped Chisheng’s hand tightly once more. Two patches of crimson rose on Chisheng’s cheeks, and he said in a soft, wavering voice:

“質夫，我終究覺得對你不起，不能陪你在船上安慰你的長途的寂寞，……”“Zhifu, after all, I feel I have wronged you: I cannot remain aboard and comfort you in the loneliness of your long journey.…”

“你不要替我擔心思了，請你自家保重些。“Don’t worry about me; please take good care of yourself.在上北京去的時候，千萬請你寫信來通知我。”When you go to Beijing, you must be sure to write and let me know.”

質夫一定要上岸來送遲生到碼頭外的路上。Zhifu insisted on going ashore and seeing Chisheng as far as the road beyond the pier.遲生怎麼也不肯，質夫只能站在船側，張大了兩眼，看遲生回去。Chisheng would not consent, no matter what he said, so Zhifu could only stand by the ship’s side, his eyes wide, watching Chisheng leave.遲生轉過了碼頭的堆疊，影子就小了下去，成了一點白點，向北在街燈光裡出沒了幾次。When Chisheng passed behind the warehouses on the pier, his figure dwindled into a speck of white that appeared and vanished several times among the streetlights as it moved northward.那白點漸漸遠了，更小了下去，過了六七分鐘，站在船舷上的質夫就看不見遲生了。The white speck receded and grew smaller still; after six or seven minutes, Zhifu, standing at the rail, could no longer see Chisheng.

質夫呆呆的在船舷上站了一會，深深的呼了一口空氣，仰起頭來看見了幾顆明星在深藍的天空裡搖動，胸中忽然覺得悲哀起來。Zhifu stood blankly at the rail for a while, drew a deep breath, then raised his head and saw a few bright stars trembling in the deep-blue sky; all at once, sorrow welled within his breast.這種悲哀的感覺，就是質夫自身也不能解說，他自幼在日本留學，習慣了飄泊的生活，生離死別的情景，不知身嘗了幾多，照理論來，這一次與相交未久的吳遲生的離別，當然是沒有什麼悲傷的，但是他看看黃浦江上的夜景，看看一點一點小下去的吳遲生的瘦弱的影子，覺得將亡未亡的中國，將滅未滅的人類，茫茫的長夜，耿耿的秋星，都是傷心的種子。Even Zhifu himself could not explain this sorrow. He had studied in Japan from childhood and was accustomed to a wandering life; heaven knew how many scenes of parting in life and death he had personally endured. By all reason, this separation from Wu Chisheng, whom he had known only a short while, ought not to have caused him any grief. Yet as he looked at the night scene over the Huangpu, and at Wu Chisheng’s frail figure dwindling away speck by speck, it seemed to him that China, not yet dead but on the verge of death, humanity, not yet extinguished but on the verge of extinction, the boundless long night, and the wakeful autumn stars were all seeds of sorrow.在這茫然不可捉摸的思想中間，他覺得他自家的黑暗的前程和吳遲生的纖弱的病體，更有使他淚落的地方。Amid these vague, elusive thoughts, his own dark future and Wu Chisheng’s frail, sickly body seemed even greater cause for tears.在船舷的灰色的空氣中站了一會，他就慢慢的走到艙裡去了。After standing for a while in the gray air by the rail, he slowly returned to his cabin.

長江輪船裡的生活，雖然沒有同海洋中間那麼單調，然而與陸地隔絕後的心境，到底比平時平靜。Life aboard a Yangzi steamer, though not so monotonous as life in mid-ocean, nevertheless left the mind calmer than usual once it was cut off from the land.況且開船的第二天，天又降下了一天黃霧，長江兩岸的風景，如煙如夢的帶起傷慘的顏色來。Moreover, on the day after the steamer sailed, a yellow mist hung over the whole day, lending the scenery along both banks of the Yangzi the mournful hues of smoke and dream.在這悲哀的背景裡，質夫把他過去幾個月的生活，同手卷中的畫幅一般回想出來了。Against this melancholy background, Zhifu recalled the life he had led over the past few months, scene by scene, like paintings unrolling in a handscroll.

三月前頭住在東京病院裡的光景，出病院後和那少婦的關係，同污泥一樣的他的性欲生活，向善的焦躁與貪惡的苦悶，逃往鹽原溫泉前後的心境，歸國的決心。His days in the Tokyo hospital three months earlier; his relations with that young married woman after leaving it; his sexual life, filthy as mire; his anxious yearning for goodness and the anguish of his craving for vice; his state of mind before and after fleeing to the Shiobara hot springs; his decision to return home.想到最後這一幕，他的憂鬱的面上，忽然露出一痕微笑來，眼看著了江上午後的風景，背靠著了甲板上的欄杆，他便自言自語的說：When his thoughts reached this final scene, a trace of a smile suddenly appeared on his melancholy face; gazing at the afternoon scenery on the river, his back against the deck railing, he murmured to himself:

“泡影呀，曇花呀，我的新生活呀！“Bubbles and shadows! Ephemeral blossoms! My new life!唉！Ah!唉！”Ah!”

這也是質夫的一種迷信，當他決計想把從來的腐敗生活改善的時候，必要搬一次家，買幾本新書或是旅行一次。This, too, was one of Zhifu’s superstitions: whenever he resolved to reform his long-corrupted life, he had to move house, buy several new books, or take a journey.半月前頭，他動身回國的時候，也下了一次絕大的決心。A fortnight earlier, when he set out for home, he too had made an immense resolution.他心裡想：He had thought to himself:

“我這一次回國之後，必要把舊時的惡習，改革得乾乾淨淨。“Once I return home this time, I must thoroughly reform all my old vices.戒煙戒酒戒女色。I shall give up smoking, drinking, and women.自家的品性上，也要加一段鍛煉，使我的朋友全要驚異說我是與前相反了。……”I shall also subject my character to a course of discipline, so that all my friends will marvel and say I have become the very opposite of what I was before.…”

到了上海之後，他的生活仍舊是與從前一樣，煙酒非但不戒下，並且更加加深了。But after reaching Shanghai, he lived just as he had before: far from giving up tobacco and wine, he indulged in them even more deeply.女色雖然還沒有去接近，但是他的性欲，不過變了一個方向，依舊在那裡伸張。Though he had not yet sought the company of women, his sexual desire had merely changed direction and continued to assert itself.想到了這一個結果，他就覺得從前的決心，反成了一段諷刺，所以不覺歎氣微笑起來。Thinking of this outcome, he felt that his former resolution had instead become a piece of irony, and he involuntarily sighed and smiled.歎聲還沒有發完，他忽聽見人在他的左肩下問他說：Before his sigh had ended, he suddenly heard someone at his left shoulder ask:

"Was seufzen Sie, Monsieur? "“Was seufzen Sie, Monsieur?”

（“你為什麼要發歎聲？”）(“Why are you sighing?”)

轉過頭來一看，原來這船的船長含了微笑，站在他的邊上好久了，他因為盡在那裡想過去的事情，所以沒有覺得。Turning his head, he saw that the ship’s captain had been standing beside him for some time with a smile on his face; absorbed in memories of the past, Zhifu had not noticed him.這船長本來是丹麥人，在德國的留背克住過幾年，所以德文講得很好。The captain was a Dane who had lived for several years in Lübeck, Germany, and therefore spoke German very well.質夫今天早晨在甲板上已經同他講過話，因此這身材矮小的船長也把質夫當作了朋友。Zhifu had already spoken with him on deck that morning, and so the short-statured captain had come to regard him as a friend.他們兩人講了些閒話，質夫就回到自己的艙裡來了。After the two of them exchanged some idle conversation, Zhifu returned to his cabin.

吃過了晚飯，在官艙的起坐室裡看了一回書，他的思想又回到過去的生活上去，這一回的回想，卻集中在吳遲生一個人的身上。After dinner, he read for a while in the first-class saloon, but his thoughts returned once more to his former life; this time his recollections centered entirely on Wu Chisheng.原來質夫這一次回國來，本來是為轉換生活狀態而來，但是他正想動身的時候，接著了一封他的同學鄺海如的信說：Zhifu had in fact returned home this time in order to change his way of life, but just as he was preparing to depart, he received a letter from his schoolmate Kuang Hairu, saying:

“我住在上海覺得苦得很。“Life in Shanghai is bitter beyond endurance for me.中國的空氣是同癩病院的空氣一樣，漸漸的使人腐爛下去。The air of China is just like the air of a leper asylum—it gradually makes people rot away.我不能再住在中國了。I can't go on living in China.你若要回來，就請你來替了我的職，到此地來暫且當幾個月編輯吧。If you want to come back, please come and take over my post—come here and be editor for a few months in the meantime.萬一你不願意住在上海，那麼A省的法政專門學校要聘你去做教員去。”In case you don't wish to live in Shanghai, then the Law and Political Science School in A Province wants to hire you as a teacher."

所以他一到上海，就住在他同學在那裡當編輯的T書局的編輯所裡。So as soon as he arrived in Shanghai, he took up lodging at the editorial office of T Bookstore, where his schoolmate worked as an editor.有一天晚上，他同鄺海如在外邊吃了晚飯回來的時候，在編輯所裡遇著了一個瘦弱的青年，他聽了這青年的同音樂似的話聲，就覺得被他迷住了。One evening, when he and Kuang Hairu came back after dining out, he met a thin, frail young man at the editorial office; hearing the young man's voice, which was like music, he felt himself captivated.這青年就是吳遲生呀！This young man was none other than Wu Chisheng!過了幾天，他的同學鄺海如要回到日本去，他和吳遲生及另外幾個人在匯山碼頭送鄺海如的行，船開之後，他同吳遲生就同坐了電車，回到編輯所來，他看看吳遲生的蒼白的臉色和他的纖弱的身體，便問他說：A few days later, his schoolmate Kuang Hairu was about to return to Japan; he, together with Wu Chisheng and a few others, saw Kuang Hairu off at Huishan Wharf. After the ship sailed, he and Wu Chisheng rode the tram back to the editorial office together; looking at Wu Chisheng's pale face and slender, frail body, he asked him:

“吳君，你身體好不好？”"Mr. Wu, is your health good?"

吳遲生不動神色的回答說：Wu Chisheng answered without changing expression:

“我是有病的，我害的是肺病。”"I am ill—I suffer from consumption."

質夫聽了這話，就不覺張大了眼睛驚異起來。Hearing this, Zhifu couldn't help widening his eyes in astonishment.因為有肺病的人，大概都不肯說自家的病的，但是吳遲生對了才遇見過兩次的新友，竟如舊交一般的把自家的秘密病都講了。For people with consumption generally would not be willing to speak of their own illness, and yet Wu Chisheng, to a new acquaintance he had met only twice, spoke of his own secret illness as freely as if to an old friend.質夫看了遲生的這種態度，心裡就非常愛他，所以就勸他說：Seeing this attitude of Chisheng's, Zhifu felt a great fondness for him in his heart, and so urged him, saying:

“你若害這病，那麼我勸你跟我上日本去養病去。”"If you suffer from this illness, then I urge you to come with me to Japan to convalesce."

他講到這裡，就把喬其慕亞的一篇詩想了出來，他的幻想一霎時的發展開來了。Having said this much, he suddenly recalled a poem by Qiao Qimuya, and in an instant his fantasy unfolded.

“日本的郊外雜樹叢生的地方，離東京不遠，坐高架電車不過四五十分鐘可達的地方，我願和你兩個人去租一間草舍兒來住，草舍的前後，要有青青的草地，草地的周圍，要有一條小小的清溪。"In the outskirts of Japan, in a place thick with mixed trees, not far from Tokyo, a place reachable by elevated tram in no more than forty or fifty minutes—I would like the two of us to rent a little thatched cottage to live in; before and behind the cottage there should be green grassy meadows, and around the meadow there should be a small, clear stream.清溪裡要有幾尾遊魚。In the clear stream there should be a few fish swimming about.晚春時節，我好和你拿了鋤耜，把花兒向草地裡去種。In the late spring season, I could take up a hoe with you and plant flowers in the meadow.在蔚藍的天蓋下，在和暖的熏風裡，我與你躺在柔軟的草上，好把那西洋的小曲兒來朗誦。Under the azure canopy of sky, in the warm, mild breeze, you and I would lie on the soft grass, and recite those little Western songs aloud.初秋晚夏的時候，在將落未落的夕照中間，我好和你緩步逍遙，把落葉兒來數。In early autumn, at the end of summer, amid the sunset light just about to fade, I could stroll leisurely with you and count the falling leaves.冬天的早晨你未起來，我便替你做早飯，我不起來，你也好把早飯先做。On winter mornings, if you haven't risen yet, I'll make breakfast for you; if I haven't risen, you may go ahead and make breakfast first.我禮拜六的午後從學校裡回來，你好到冷靜的小車站上來候我。When I come back from school on Saturday afternoons, you could come and wait for me at the quiet little station.我和你去買些牛豚香片，便可作一夜的清談，談到禮拜的日中。You and I would go buy some beef, pork, and jasmine tea, and we could have a whole night of leisurely talk, talking on till midday of Sunday.書店裡若有外國的新書到來，我和你省幾日油鹽，可去買一本新書來消那無聊的夜永。……”If a new foreign book arrives at the bookstore, you and I could scrimp on oil and salt for a few days, and go buy the new book to while away those long, tedious nights..."

質夫坐在電車上一邊作這些空想，一邊便不知不覺的把遲生的手捏住了。As Zhifu sat on the tram indulging in these idle fancies, without realizing it he took hold of Chisheng's hand.他捏捏遲生的柔軟的小手，心裡又起了一種別樣的幻想，面上紅了一紅，把頭搖了一搖，他就對遲生問起無關緊要的話來：He squeezed Chisheng's soft little hand, and another kind of fantasy rose in his heart; his face flushed slightly, he shook his head, and then asked Chisheng some inconsequential questions:

“你的故鄉是在什麼地方？”"Where is your hometown?"

“我的故鄉是直隸鄉下，但是現在住在蘇州了。”"My hometown is in the countryside of Zhili, but now I live in Suzhou."

“你還有兄弟姊妹沒有？”"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

“有是有的，但是全死了。”"I did have some, but they've all died."

“你住在上海幹什麼？”"What are you doing living in Shanghai?"

“我因為北京天氣太冷，所以休了學，打算在上海過冬。"Because the weather in Beijing was too cold, I took a leave from school, intending to spend the winter in Shanghai.並且這裡朋友比較得多一點，所以覺得住在上海比北京更好些。”Besides, I have relatively more friends here, so I feel that living in Shanghai is somewhat better than Beijing."

這樣的問答了幾句，電車已經到了大馬路外灘了。After exchanging a few such questions and answers, the tram had already reached the Bund at Da Malu.換了靜安寺路的電車在跑馬廳盡頭處下車之後，質夫就邀遲生到編輯所裡來閒談。After changing to the Jing'ansi Road tram and getting off at the end of the racecourse, Zhifu invited Chisheng to come chat at the editorial office.從此以後，他們兩人的交際，便漸漸兒的親密起來了。From then on, the friendship between the two of them gradually grew more intimate.

質夫的意思以為天地間的情愛，除了男女的真真的戀愛外，以友情為最美。It was Zhifu's belief that, among all the loves in the world, apart from the true romantic love between man and woman, friendship was the most beautiful.他在日本飄流了十來年，從未曾得著一次滿足的戀愛，所以這一次遇見了吳遲生，覺得他的一腔不可發洩的熱情，得了一個可以自由灌注的目標，說起來雖是他平生一大快事，但是亦是他半生淪落未曾遇著一個真心女人的哀史的證明。He had drifted about in Japan for ten-odd years without ever once attaining a satisfying love, and so, meeting Wu Chisheng this time, he felt that the passion he had been unable to vent had at last found an outlet into which it could freely pour—though this might be called one of the great joys of his life, it was also evidence of the sorrowful history of his half-a-lifetime's wandering, in which he had never once met a woman who truly loved him.有一天晴朗的晚上，遲生到編輯所來和他談到夜半，質夫忽然想去洗澡去。One clear evening, Chisheng came to the editorial office and talked with him until midnight, when Zhifu suddenly felt like going to take a bath.邀了遲生和另外的兩個朋友出編輯所走到馬路上的時候，質夫覺得空氣冷涼得很，他便問遲生說：Having invited Chisheng and two other friends out of the editorial office, when they walked onto the street, Zhifu felt the air was very cold, and so he asked Chisheng:

“你冷麼？"Are you cold?你若是怕冷，就鑽到我的外套裡來。”If you're afraid of the cold, come burrow inside my overcoat."

遲生聽了，在蒼白的街燈光裡，對質夫看了一眼，就把他那纖弱的身體倒在質夫的懷裡。On hearing this, Chisheng, under the pale streetlamp light, glanced at Zhifu, and then let his frail body fall into Zhifu's arms.質夫覺得有一種不可名狀的快感，從遲生的肉體傳到他的身上去。Zhifu felt an indescribable pleasure pass from Chisheng's body into his own.

他們出浴堂已經是十二點鐘了。By the time they came out of the bathhouse, it was already twelve o'clock.走到三叉路口，要和遲生分手的時候，質夫覺得怎麼也不能放遲生一個人回去，所以他就把遲生的手捏住說：When they reached the fork in the road and were about to part with Chisheng, Zhifu felt that he simply could not let Chisheng go home alone, so he took hold of Chisheng's hand and said:

“你不要回去了，今天同我們上編輯所去睡吧。”"Don't go home—come sleep with us at the editorial office tonight."

遲生也像有遲疑不忍回去的樣子，質夫就用了強力把他拖來了。Chisheng too seemed hesitant, as if unwilling to go home, so Zhifu forcibly dragged him along.那一天晚上他們談到午前五點鐘才睡著。That night they talked until five in the morning before falling asleep.過了兩天，A地就有電報來催，要質夫上A地的法政專門學校去當教員。Two days later, a telegram came urging from A, wanting Zhifu to go to the Law and Political Science School in A to take up his post as teacher.

質夫登船後第三天的午前三點鐘的時候，船到了A地。On the third day after Zhifu boarded the ship, at three in the morning, the ship arrived at A.在昏黑的輪船碼頭上，質夫辨不出方向來，但看見有幾顆淡淡的明星印在清冷的長江波影裡。On the dark steamer wharf, Zhifu could not make out directions, but he saw a few faint bright stars imprinted upon the cold, clear ripples of the Yangtze.離開了碼頭上的嘈雜的群眾，跟了一個法政專門學校裡托好在那裡招待他的人上岸之後，他覺得晚秋的涼氣，已經到了這長江北岸的省城了。Leaving behind the noisy crowd on the wharf, he followed a man the Law and Political Science School had arranged to receive him, and went ashore; he felt that the cool air of late autumn had already reached this provincial city on the northern bank of the Yangtze.在碼頭近旁一家同十八世紀的英國鄉下的旅舍似的旅館裡住下之後，他心裡覺得孤寂得很。After putting up at an inn near the wharf that resembled an eighteenth-century English country inn, he felt very lonely at heart.他本來是在大都會裡生活慣的人，在這夜靜更深的時候，到了這一處不鬧熱的客舍內，從微明的洋燈影裡，看看這客室裡的粗略的陳設，心裡當然是要驚惶的。He was, by nature, a man accustomed to living in great cities, and now, in the dead of this quiet night, arriving at this unlively guesthouse, seeing by the dim light of the oil lamp the crude furnishings of the room, he naturally could not help feeling a certain alarm.一個招待他的酣睡未醒的人，對他說了幾句話，從他的房裡出去之後，他真覺得是闖入了龍王的水牢裡的樣子，他的臉上不覺有兩顆珠淚滾下來了。After the drowsy attendant who had received him, still half-asleep, said a few words to him and left the room, he truly felt as though he had blundered into the Dragon King's underwater prison, and before he knew it, two pearl-like tears rolled down his face.

“要是遲生在這裡，那我就不會這樣的寂寞了。"If Chisheng were here, I wouldn't be this lonely.啊，遲生，這時候怕你正在電燈底下微微的笑著，在那裡做好夢呢！”Ah, Chisheng, at this very moment you're probably smiling faintly under the electric light, off there dreaming a sweet dream!"

在床上橫靠了一忽，質夫看見格子窗一格一格的亮了起來，遠遠的雞鳴聲也聽得見了。After lying propped up on the bed a while, Zhifu saw the lattice window brighten pane by pane, and in the distance he could hear the crowing of roosters.過了一會，有一部運載貨物的單輪車，從窗外推過了，這車輪的僕獨僕獨的響聲，好像是在那裡報告天晴的樣子。After a while, a single-wheeled cart loaded with goods was pushed past outside the window; the creaking, rumbling sound of its wheel seemed to be announcing that the day would be fine.

侵旦旅館裡有些動靜的時候，從學校裡差來接他的人也來了。Just as dawn was breaking and the inn was beginning to stir, the man sent by the school to fetch him also arrived.把行李交給了他。He handed his luggage over to him.質夫就坐了一乘人力車上學校裡去。Zhifu then took a rickshaw to the school.沿了長江，過了一條店家還未起來的冷清的小街，質夫的人力車就折向北去。Along the Yangtze, past a bleak little street where the shops had not yet opened for the day, Zhifu's rickshaw then turned north.車並著了一道城外的溝渠，在一條長堤上慢慢前進的時候，他就覺得元氣恢復起來了。As the rickshaw ran alongside a moat outside the city wall, advancing slowly along a long embankment, he felt his spirits reviving.看看東邊，以濃藍的天空作了背景的一座白色的寶塔，把半規初出的太陽遮在那裡。Looking to the east, a white pagoda, set against the deep blue sky as a backdrop, blocked the half-disk of the newly risen sun.西邊是一道古城，城外環繞著長溝，遠近只有些起伏重疊的低崗和幾排鵝黃疏淡的楊柳點綴在那裡。To the west was an ancient city wall, encircled outside by a long moat; near and far there were only some undulating, overlapping low hills, and a few rows of sparse, goose-yellow willows scattered here and there.他抬起頭來遠遠見了幾家如裝在盆景假山上似的草舍。Raising his head, he saw in the distance a few thatched cottages that looked as though they had been set upon a miniature rockery landscape.看看城牆上孤立在那裡的一排電杆和電線，又看看遠處的地平線和一彎蒼茫無際的碧落，覺得在這自然的懷抱裡，他的將來的成就定然是不少的。Looking at the row of telegraph poles and wires standing solitary atop the city wall, and then at the distant horizon and the vast, boundless expanse of blue sky, he felt that, cradled in this embrace of nature, his future achievements would surely be considerable.不曉是什麼原因，不知不覺他竟起了一種感謝的心情。For some reason he could not say, without realizing it he found a feeling of gratitude rising within him.過了一忽，他忽然自言自語地說：After a moment, he suddenly said to himself:

“這謙虛的情！"This feeling of humility!這謙虛的情！This feeling of humility!就是宗教的起源呀！This is the very origin of religion!淮爾特（Wilde）呀，佛爾蘭（Verlaine）呀！Wilde! Verlaine!你們從獄裡叫出來的‘要謙虛’（Be humble）的意思我能瞭解了。”The meaning of 'Be humble,' which you cried out from prison, I can now understand."

車到了學校裡，他就通名刺進去。When the rickshaw reached the school, he sent in his calling card to announce himself.跟了門房，轉了幾個彎，到了一處門上掛著“教務長”牌的房前的時候，他心裡覺得不安得很。Following the gatekeeper, after turning several corners, when he arrived before a room with a sign reading "Dean of Studies" hanging on the door, he felt very uneasy at heart.進了這房他看見一位三十上下的清瘦的教務長迎了出來。Entering the room, he saw a thin, gaunt Dean of Studies, about thirty years old, come forward to greet him.這教務長帶著一副不深的老式近視眼鏡，口角上有兩叢微微的鬍鬚黑影，講一句話，眼睛必開閉幾次。This Dean wore a pair of old-fashioned, mildly nearsighted glasses, and at the corners of his mouth were two faint dark tufts of mustache; whenever he spoke a sentence, his eyes would blink open and shut several times.質夫因為是初次見面，所以應對非常留意，格外的拘謹。Since this was their first meeting, Zhifu was extremely careful in his responses, and especially reserved.講了幾句尋常套話之後，他就領質夫上正廳上去吃早飯。After exchanging a few ordinary pleasantries, he led Zhifu to the main hall to have breakfast.在早膳席上，他為質夫介紹了一番。At the breakfast table, he introduced Zhifu around.質夫對了這些新見的同事，胸中感得一種異常的壓迫，他一個人心裡想：Facing these newly met colleagues, Zhifu felt an unusual pressure weighing on his chest; alone in his heart he thought:

“新媳婦初見姑嫂的時候，她的心理應該同我一樣的。"When a new bride first meets her sisters-in-law, her state of mind must be just like mine now.唉，在山泉水清，出山泉水濁，我還不如什麼事也不幹，一個人回到家裡去貪懶的好。”Ah, 'in the mountains the spring water is clear, out of the mountains the spring water turns muddy'—I'd be better off doing nothing at all, and going home alone to indulge in idleness."

吃了早膳，把行李房屋整頓了一下，姓倪的那教務長就把功課時間表拿了過來。After breakfast, once he had put his luggage and room in order, the Dean of Studies, whose surname was Ni, brought over the class timetable.恰好那一天是禮拜，質夫就預備第二日去上課。As it happened, that day was Sunday, so Zhifu prepared to begin teaching the next day.倪教務長把編講義上課的情形講了一遍之後，便輕輕的對質夫說：After Dean Ni had gone over the situation regarding preparing lecture notes and teaching, he said gently to Zhifu:

“現在我們校裡正是五風十雨的時候，上課時候的講義，請你用全副精神來對付。"Right now our school is going through a rather turbulent, unsettled time; please put your full energy and attention into the lecture notes for your classes.禮拜三用的講義，是要今天發才趕得及，請你快些預備吧。”The lecture notes to be used on Wednesday must be handed out today if we're to make it in time—please prepare them quickly."

他出去停了兩個鐘頭，又跑上質夫那邊來，那時候質夫已有一頁講義編好了。He went out for two hours, and then came back to Zhifu's side again; by that time Zhifu had already finished composing one page of the lecture notes.倪教務長拿起這頁講義來看的時候，神經過敏而且又是自尊心頗強的質夫，覺得被他侮辱了。When Dean Ni picked up this page of notes to look at it, Zhifu, being oversensitive and also rather strong in self-regard, felt insulted by him.但是一邊心裡又在那裡恐懼，這種複雜的心理狀態，怕沒有就過事的人是不能瞭解的。But at the same time, part of him was also afraid—this complicated state of mind is probably something no one who has never gone through such an experience could understand.他看了講義之後，也不說好，也不說不好，但是質夫的纖細的神經卻告訴質夫說：After looking at the notes, he said neither that they were good nor that they were bad, but Zhifu's finely strung nerves told Zhifu:

“可以了，可以了，他已經滿足了。”"It's fine, it's fine—he's already satisfied."

恐懼的心思去了之後，質夫的自尊心又長了一倍，被侮辱的心思比從前也加一倍抬起頭來，但是一種自然的勢力，把這自尊心壓了下去，教他忍受了。Once the fear had passed, Zhifu's self-regard doubled again, and the sense of having been insulted also reared its head twice as strongly as before, but some natural force pressed this self-regard back down, and made him endure it.這教他忍受的心思，大約就是卑鄙的行為的原動力。This mindset that taught him to endure was, in all likelihood, the very motive force behind base and contemptible conduct.若再長進幾級，就不得不變成奴隸性質。Were it to advance a few degrees further, it would inevitably turn into the nature of a slave.現在社會上的許多成功者，多因為有這奴隸性質，才能成功，質夫初次的小成功，大約也是靠他這時候的這點奴隸性質而來的。Many of the successful people in society today owe their success largely to possessing this slavish nature; Zhifu's first small success was probably likewise achieved by means of this bit of slavish nature at this moment.

這一天晚上質夫上床的時候，卻有兩種矛盾的思想，在他的胸中來往。That night, as Zhifu went to bed, two contradictory trains of thought went back and forth within his breast.一種是恐懼的心思，就是怕學生不能贊成他。One was a feeling of fear—the fear that the students might not approve of him.一種是喜悅的心思，就是覺得自家是專門學校的教授了。The other was a feeling of joy—the sense that he himself had now become a professor at a professional school.正在那裡想的時候，他覺得有一個人鑽進他的被來。Just as he was thinking these thoughts, he felt someone slip into his bedding.他閉著眼睛，伸手去一摸，卻是吳遲生。With his eyes closed, he reached out a hand to feel—and it was Wu Chisheng.他和吳遲生顛顛倒倒的講了許多話，到第二天的早晨，齋夫進房來替他倒洗面水，他被齋夫驚醒的時候，才知道是一場好夢，他醒來的時候，兩隻手還緊緊的抱住在那裡。He and Wu Chisheng talked on and on, disjointedly, and it was not until the next morning, when the servant came into the room to pour out his washing water and startled him awake, that he realized it had all been a wonderful dream; when he woke, his two hands were still clasped tightly together.

第二次上課鐘打後，質夫跟了倪教務長去上課時。After the bell rang for the second class, when Zhifu followed Dean Ni to go teach.倪教務長先替他向學生介紹了幾句，出課堂門去了，質夫就踏上講壇去講。Dean Ni first said a few words introducing him to the students, then went out through the classroom door, and Zhifu stepped up onto the platform to lecture.這一天因為沒有講義稿子，所以他只空說了兩點鐘。That day, since he had no prepared lecture notes, he simply talked emptily for two hours.正在那裡講的時候，質夫覺得有一種想博人歡心的虛偽的態度和言語，從他的面上口裡流露出來。Even as he was lecturing, Zhifu felt a false manner and false words, eager to win people's favor, leaking out from his face and his mouth.他心裡一邊在那裡鄙笑自家，一邊卻怎麼也禁不住這一種態度和這一種言語。In his heart he sneered at himself even as he did it, and yet no matter what, he simply could not restrain this manner and these words.大約這一種心理和前節所說的忍受的心理就是構成奴隸性質的基礎吧？Perhaps this state of mind, together with the mentality of endurance spoken of in the previous section, is precisely what forms the foundation of a slavish nature.

好容易破題兒的第一天過去了。With great difficulty, the first day—the very opening of things—passed.到了晚上九點鐘的時候，倪教務長的蒼黃的臉上浮著了一臉微笑，跑上質夫房裡來。At nine o'clock that evening, a smile floated up over Dean Ni's sallow face, and he came hurrying to Zhifu's room.質夫匆忙站起來讓他坐下之後，倪教務長便用了日本話，笑嘻嘻的對質夫說：After Zhifu hastily stood up and offered him a seat, Dean Ni, smiling broadly, said to Zhifu in Japanese:

“你成功了。"You've succeeded.你今天大成功。You had a great success today.你所教的幾班，都來要求加鐘點了。”All the classes you taught have come asking for more class hours."

質夫心裡雖然非常喜歡，但是面上卻只裝著一種漠不相關的樣子，倪教務長到了這時候，也沒有什麼隱瞞了，便把學校裡的內情全講了出來。Though Zhifu was overjoyed at heart, on the surface he only feigned an air of indifference; by this point, Dean Ni no longer held anything back, and told him the whole inside story of the school.

“我們學校裡，因為陸校長今年夏天同軍閥李星狼麥連邑打了一架，並反對違法議員和驅逐李麥的走狗韓省長的原因，沒有一天不被軍閥所仇視。In our school, because Principal Lu got into a fight this summer with the warlords Li Xinglang and Mai Lianyi, and because he opposed the illegal legislators and drove out Governor Han, the running dog of Li and Mai, there hasn't been a single day we haven't been hated by the warlords.現在李麥和那些議員出了三千元錢，買收了幾個學生，想在學校裡搗亂。Now Li and Mai, together with those legislators, have put up three thousand yuan to bribe several students, hoping to stir up trouble in the school.所以你沒有到的幾天，我們是一夕數驚，在這裡防備的。So during the days before you arrived, we were startled several times each night, standing guard here.今天下半年新聘了幾個先生，又是招怪，都不能得學生的好感。This term we newly hired several teachers, and oddly enough, none of them have managed to win the students' favor.所以要是你再受他們學生的攻擊，那我們在教課上就站不住了。So if you too were to come under attack from those students, we would no longer be able to hold our ground in teaching.一個學校中，若聘的教員，不能得學生的好感，教課上不能銅牆鐵壁的站住，風潮起來的時候，那你還有什麼法子？In a school, if the teachers hired cannot win the students' favor, and cannot stand firm as a wall of bronze and iron in their teaching, then when trouble stirs up, what can you do about it?現在好了，你總站得住了，我也大可以放心了。Now it's fine — you can hold your ground after all, and I can set my mind at ease.呵呵呵呵（底下又用了一句日本話）你成功了呀！”Ha ha ha ha (and then he added a line in Japanese) — you've succeeded!"

質夫聽了這些話，因為不曉得這A省的情形，所以也不十分明瞭，但是倪教務長對質夫是很滿足的一件事情，質夫明明在他的言語態度上可以看得出來。Hearing these words, Zhifu, not knowing the situation in A Province, did not fully understand them; but that Dean Ni was very satisfied with him was something Zhifu could plainly see in his tone and manner.從此質夫當初所懷著的那一種對學生對教務長的恐懼心，便一天一天的減少下去了。From then on, the fear Zhifu had originally felt toward the students and toward the dean gradually diminished day by day.

學校內外浮蕩著的暗雲，一層一層的緊迫起來。The dark clouds drifting within and without the school pressed closer, layer upon layer.本來是神經質的倪教務長和態度從容的陸校長常常在那裡作密談。Dean Ni, nervous by nature, and Principal Lu, composed in manner, would often hold secret conversations there.質夫因為不諳那學校的情形，所以也沒有什麼懼怕，盡在那裡幹他自家一個人的事。Zhifu, being unfamiliar with the school's affairs, felt no particular fear, and simply went on with his own business.

初到學校後二三天的緊張的精神，漸漸的弛緩下去的時候，質夫的許久不抬頭的性欲，又露起頭角來了。As the tense spirit of his first two or three days at the school gradually relaxed, Zhifu's sexual desire, long dormant, began once more to raise its head.因為時間與空間的關係．吳遲生的印象一天一天在他的腦海裡消失下去，於是代此而興，支配他的全體精神的欲情，便分成了二個方向起起作用來。Because of the distance of time and space, the image of Wu Chisheng faded day by day from his mind, and in its place there rose a desire that governed his whole spirit, working itself out in two directions.一種是純一的愛情，集中在他的一個年輕的學生身上。One was a pure, single-minded love, concentrated upon one of his young students.一種是間斷偶發的衝動。The other was an intermittent, occasional impulse.這種衝動發作的時候，他竟完全成了無理性的野獸，非要到城裡街上，和學校附近的鄉間和貧民窟裡去亂跑亂跳走一次，偷看幾個女性，不能把他的性欲的衝動壓制下去。When this impulse seized him, he became utterly an irrational beast, and had to go rushing madly through the streets of the city, and through the countryside and slums near the school, stealing glances at women — otherwise he could not suppress the surge of his sexual desire.有一天晚上，正是這衝動發作的時候，倪教務長不聲不響的走進他的房裡來忠告他說：One evening, just as this impulse was upon him, Dean Ni came quietly into his room and warned him, saying:

“質夫，你今天晚上不要跑出去。"Zhifu, don't go out tonight.我們得著了一個消息，說是幾個被李麥買取了的學生，預備今晚起事，我們教職員還是住在一處，不要出去的好。”We've received word that a few students bribed by Li and Mai are planning to make trouble tonight — we teachers and staff had better stay together and not go out."

質夫在房裡電燈下坐著，守了一個鐘頭，覺得苦極了。Zhifu sat under the electric light in his room, keeping watch for a whole hour, and found it utterly wearisome.他對學校的風潮，還未曾經驗過，所以並沒有什麼害怕，並且因為他到這學校不久，纏繞在這學校周圍的空氣，不能明白，所以更無危懼的心思。He had never yet experienced any of the school's disturbances, so he felt no real fear; and besides, having been at the school only a short time, he could not fully grasp the atmosphere entangling it, so he felt all the less apprehension.他聽了倪教務長的話之後，只覺得有一種看熱鬧的好奇心起來，並沒有別的觀念。After hearing what Dean Ni said, all he felt rising in him was a curiosity to watch the excitement, nothing more.同西洋小孩在耶誕節的晚上盼望聖誕老人到來的樣子，他反而一刻一刻的盼望這搗亂事件快些出現。Like a Western child on Christmas Eve waiting for Santa Claus to arrive, he instead found himself hoping, moment by moment, that the disturbance would break out soon.等了一個鐘頭，學校裡仍沒有什麼動靜，他的好奇心，竟被他原有的衝動的發作壓倒了。After waiting an hour with still no sign of movement in the school, his curiosity was overwhelmed by the onset of his old impulse.他從座位裡站了起來，在房裡走了幾圈，又坐了一忽，又站起來走了幾圈，覺得他的獸性，終究壓不下去，換了一套中國衣服，他便悄悄的從大門走了出去。He rose from his seat, paced a few circles about the room, sat down again for a moment, then stood up and paced a few more circles; finding that his animal nature could not, after all, be suppressed, he changed into a suit of Chinese clothes and slipped quietly out through the main gate.濃藍的天影裡，有幾顆遊星，在那裡開閉。In the deep blue shadow of the sky, a few wandering stars flickered open and shut.學校附近的郊外的路上黑得可怕。The road through the outskirts near the school was frighteningly dark.幸虧這一條路是沿著城牆溝渠的，所以黑暗中的城牆的輪廓和黑沉沉的城池的影子，還當作了他的行路的目標。Fortunately this road ran along the moat by the city wall, so that even in the darkness the outline of the wall and the heavy black shadow of the city ramparts still served him as a landmark for his way.他同瞎子似的在不平的路上跌了幾腳，踏了幾次空，走到北門城門外的時候，忽然想起城門是快要閉了。Stumbling like a blind man along the uneven road, tripping several times and missing his footing, he reached the outside of the North Gate, when it suddenly occurred to him that the gate would soon be closing.若或進城去，他在城裡又無熟人，又沒有法子弄得到一張出城券，事情是不容易解決的。If he went into the city, he had no acquaintances there and no way of getting a pass to leave again, so the matter would not be easily resolved.所以在城門外遲疑了一會，他就回轉了腳，一直沿了向北的那一條鄉下的官道跑去。So after hesitating a while outside the gate, he turned back and hurried on along the country highway heading north.跑了一段，他跑到一處狹的街上了。After running some distance, he came to a narrow street.他以為這樣的城外市鎮裡，必有那些奇形怪狀的最下流的婦人住著，他的衝動的目的物，正是這一流婦人。He supposed that in a town like this just outside the city walls there must live women of the lowest, oddest sort, and it was precisely women of that kind who were the object of his impulse.但是他在黃昏的小市上，跑來跑去跑了許多時候，終究尋不出一個婦人來。But though he ran back and forth through the little market in the dusk for a long while, in the end he could not find a single woman.有時候雖有一二個蓬頭的女子走過，卻是人家的未成年的使婢。Now and then a disheveled girl or two passed by, but they were only some family's underage maidservants.他在街上走了一會，又穿到漆黑的側巷裡去走了一會，終究不能達到他的目的。He walked the street a while, then passed into a pitch-black side lane and walked there a while too, but in the end could not achieve his purpose.在一條無人通過的漆黑的側巷裡站著，他仰起頭來看看幽遠的天空，便輕輕的歎著說：Standing in a pitch-black side lane where no one passed, he raised his head to look at the distant, dim sky, and sighed softly, saying:

“我在外國苦了這許多年數，如今到中國來還要吃這樣的苦。"I suffered so many years abroad, and now that I've come to China I must still eat this kind of bitterness.唉！Ah!我何苦呢，可憐我一生還未曾得著女人的愛惜過。Why do I torment myself so — pitiful me, in all my life I have never once been cherished by a woman.啊，戀愛呀，你若可以學識來換的，我情願將我所有的知識，完全交出來，與你換一個有血有淚的擁抱。Ah, love — if you could be bought with learning, I would gladly hand over all the knowledge I possess, to trade it for one embrace with blood and tears in it.啊！Ah!戀愛呀，我恨你是不能糊塗了事的。Love, I hate you for being a thing that cannot be settled by muddling through.我恨你是不能以資格地位名譽來換的。I hate you for being a thing that cannot be bought with qualifications, standing, or reputation.我要滅這一層煩惱，我只有自殺……”To extinguish this torment, I have only suicide left to me……"

講到了這裡，他的面上忽然滾下了兩粒粗淚來。When he had said this much, two large tears suddenly rolled down his face.他覺得站在這裡，終究不是長久之計，就又同餓犬似的走上街來了。He felt that standing there was, after all, no way to go on, so like a starving dog he went back out onto the street.垂頭喪氣的正想回到校裡來的時候，他忽然看見一家小小的賣香煙洋貨的店裡，有一個二十五六的女人坐在灰黃的電燈下，對了帳簿算盤在那裡結帳。Just as, crestfallen, he was thinking of returning to the school, he suddenly caught sight of a small shop selling cigarettes and foreign goods, where a woman of twenty-five or twenty-six sat under a dull yellow electric light, working over her ledger and abacus to settle her accounts.他遠遠的站在街上看了一忽，走來走去的走了幾次，便不聲不響的踱進了店去。He stood at a distance on the street watching for a while, paced back and forth several times, then quietly strolled into the shop.那女人見他進去，就丟下了帳目來問他：Seeing him come in, the woman set aside her accounts and asked him:

“要買什麼東西？”"What would you like to buy?"

先買了幾封香煙，他便對那女人呆呆的看了一眼。Having first bought a few packets of cigarettes, he gazed blankly at the woman for a moment.由他這時候的眼光看來，這女人的容貌卻是商家所罕有的。In his eyes at that moment, this woman's looks were something rarely found among shopkeepers.其實她也只是一個平常的女人，不過身材生得小，所以俏得很，衣服穿得還時髦，所以覺得有些動人的地方。In truth she was only an ordinary woman, but being small in build she looked quite fetching, and her clothes were rather fashionable, so there was something about her that seemed attractive.他如餓犬似的貪看了一二分鐘，便問她說：Like a starving dog he gazed at her greedily for a minute or two, then asked her:

“你有針賣沒有？”"Do you have needles for sale?"

“是縫衣服的針麼？”"Sewing needles, you mean?"

“是的，但是我要一個用熟的針，最好請你賣一個新針給我之後，將拿新針與你用熟的針交換一下。”"Yes, but what I want is a needle that has already been used — best if you'd sell me a new one first, and then let me exchange the new needle for one of your worn ones."

那婦人便笑著回答說：The woman answered with a laugh:

“你是拿去煮在藥裡的麼？”"Are you going to boil it up in some medicine?"

他便含糊地答應說：He answered vaguely:

“是的是的，你怎麼知道？”"Yes, yes — how did you know?"

“我們鄉下的仙方裡，老有這些玩意兒的。”"In our country folk remedies, there are always tricks like this."

“不錯不錯，這針倒還容易辦得到，還有一件物事，可真是難辦。”"That's right, that's right — the needle is easy enough to manage, but there's one more thing that's truly hard to get."

“是什麼呢？”"What is it?"

“是婦人們用的舊手帕，我一個人住在這裡，又無朋友，所以這物事是怎麼也求不到的，我已經決定不再去求了。”"An old handkerchief that a woman has used. I live here alone, with no friends, so this is something I could never obtain no matter what — I've already decided to stop trying."

“這樣的也可以的麼？”"Would something like this do?"

一邊說，一邊那婦人從她的口袋裡拿了一塊洋布的舊手帕出來。As she spoke, the woman took a worn foreign-cloth handkerchief out of her pocket.質夫一見，覺得胸前就亂跳起來，便漲紅了臉說：The moment Zhifu saw it, his heart began pounding wildly, and he said, flushing red:

“你若肯讓給我，我情願買一塊頂好的手帕來和你換。”"If you're willing to let me have it, I'd gladly buy the finest handkerchief there is to trade you for it."

“那請你拿去就對了，何必換呢。”"Just take it then, no need to trade."

“謝謝，謝謝，真真是感激不盡了。”"Thank you, thank you — truly I can't thank you enough."

質夫得了她的用舊的針和手帕，就跌來碰去的奔跑回家。Having gotten her worn needle and handkerchief, Zhifu went stumbling and bumping his way home at a run.路上有一陣涼冷的西風，吹上他的微紅的臉來，那時候他覺得爽快極了。Along the way a gust of cold west wind blew against his flushed face, and at that moment he felt utterly exhilarated.

回到了校內，他看看還是未曾熄燈。Back inside the school, he saw that the lights had not yet been put out.幽幽的回到房裡，閂上了房門，他馬上把騙來的那用舊的針和手帕從懷中取了出來。Slipping quietly back to his room and bolting the door, he at once took the worn needle and handkerchief he had wheedled away out from inside his robe.在桌前椅子上坐下，他就把那兩件寶物掩在自家的口鼻上，深深地聞了一回香氣。Sitting down on the chair before his desk, he pressed the two treasures against his own mouth and nose and breathed in their fragrance deeply.他又忽然注意到了桌上立在那裡的那一面鏡子，心裡就馬上想把現在的他的動作一一的照到鏡子裡去。Then he suddenly noticed the mirror standing there on the desk, and at once felt the urge to watch, one by one, every movement he was now making reflected in it.取了鏡子，把他自家的癡態看了一忽，他覺得這用舊的針子，還沒有用得適當。Taking up the mirror, he watched his own besotted expression for a moment, and felt that this worn needle had not yet been put to proper use.呆呆的對鏡子看了一二分鐘，他就狠命的把針子向頰上刺了一針。Staring blankly into the mirror for a minute or two, he then drove the needle savagely into his own cheek.本來為了興奮的原故，變得一塊紅一塊白的面上，忽然滾出了一滴同瑪瑙珠似的血來。On his face, already mottled red and white from excitement, a drop of blood suddenly welled up, round as an agate bead.他用那手帕揩了之後，看見鏡子裡的面上又滾了一顆圓潤的血珠出來。After wiping it with the handkerchief, he saw in the mirror another plump bead of blood well up on his face.對著了鏡子裡的面上的血珠，看看手帕上的猩紅的血跡，聞聞那舊手帕和針子的香味，想想那手帕的主人公的態度，他覺得一種快感，把他的全身都浸遍了。Facing the bead of blood on his face in the mirror, looking at the crimson bloodstain on the handkerchief, smelling the fragrance of the old handkerchief and the needle, and imagining the manner of the handkerchief's owner, he felt a pleasure that soaked through his entire body.

不多一忽，電燈熄了，他因為怕他現在所享受的快感，要被打斷，所以動也不動的坐在黑暗的房裡，還在那裡貪嘗那變態的快味。Before long the electric light went out; but fearing that the pleasure he was now enjoying might be interrupted, he sat without moving in the dark room, still greedily savoring that perverse delight.打更的人打倒他的窗下的時候，他才同從夢裡頭醒來的人一樣，抱著了那針子和手帕摸上他的床上去就寢。Only when the night watchman's clapper sounded beneath his window did he, like a man waking from a dream, clutch the needle and handkerchief to himself and feel his way to bed.

清秋的好天氣一天一天的連續過去，A地的自然景物，與質夫生起情感來了。Fine autumn weather passed one day after another, and the natural scenery of A District began to stir feeling in Zhifu.學生對質夫的感情，也一天一天的濃厚起來。The students' affection for Zhifu also grew deeper day by day.吃過晚飯之後，在學校近旁的菱湖公園裡，與一群他所愛的青年學生，看看夕陽返照在殘荷枝上的暮景，談談異國的流風遺韻，確是平生的一大快事。After supper, in Linghu Park near the school, to watch with a group of the young students he loved the evening scene of the setting sun reflected on the withered lotus stalks, and to talk of the lingering charm of foreign customs, was truly one of the great pleasures of his life.質夫覺得這一般知識欲很旺的青年，都成了他的親愛的兄弟了。Zhifu felt that these young men, so eager for knowledge, had all become his beloved brothers.

有一天也是秋高氣爽的晴朗的早晨，質夫與雀鳥同時起了床，盥洗之後，便含了一枝伽利克，緩緩的走到菱湖公園去散步去。One morning, likewise clear and crisp with the high air of autumn, Zhifu rose from bed at the same hour as the sparrows, and after washing up, put a Garrick cigarette between his lips and strolled slowly off to Linghu Park for a walk.東天角上，太陽剛才起程，銀紅的天色漸漸的向西薄了下去，成了一種淡青的顏色。In the eastern corner of the sky the sun had only just set out, and the silvery red glow gradually thinned away toward the west, turning into a pale bluish color.遠近的泥田裡，還有許多荷花的枯乾同魚柵似的立在那裡。In the muddy fields near and far, many withered lotus stalks still stood there like fish weirs.遠遠的山坡上，有幾隻白色的山羊同神話裡的風景似的在那裡吃枯草。On the distant hillside, a few white goats grazed on withered grass, like a scene out of some myth.他從學校近旁的山坡上，一直沿了一條向北的田塍細路走了過去，看看四圍的田園清景，想想他目下所處的境遇，質夫覺得從前在東京的海岸酒樓上，對著了夕陽發的那些牢騷，不知消失到什麼地方去了。From the hillside near the school he walked on along a narrow path atop the field ridges heading north; looking at the clear rural scenery all around, and thinking of the situation he now found himself in, Zhifu felt that all the complaints he had once poured out facing the setting sun on a seaside restaurant terrace in Tokyo had vanished he knew not where.

“我也可以滿足了，照目下的狀態能夠持續得一二十年，那我的精神，怕更要發達呢。”"I too can be satisfied now — if things could go on like this for another ten or twenty years, my spirit, I fear, would flourish all the more."

穿過了一條紅橋，在一個空亭裡立了一會，他就走到公園中心的那條柳蔭路上去。Crossing a red bridge, he stood a while in an empty pavilion, then walked on to the willow-shaded path at the center of the park.回到學校之後，他又接著了一封從上海來的信，說他著的一部小說集已經快出版了。After returning to the school, he received a letter from Shanghai, saying that a collection of his fiction was soon to be published.

這一天午後他覺得精神非常爽快，所以上課的時候竟多講了十分鐘，他看看學生的面色，也都好像是很滿足的樣子。That afternoon he felt in unusually high spirits, so much so that he ran ten minutes over in class; looking at the students' faces, they too all seemed quite satisfied.正要下課堂的時候，他忽聽見前面寄宿舍和事務室的中間的通路上，有一陣搖鈴的聲音和學生喧鬧的聲音傳了過來。Just as he was about to dismiss class, he suddenly heard, from the passage between the dormitory and the office up ahead, the sound of a bell being rung and a clamor of students' voices.他下了課堂，拿了書本跑過去一看，只見一群學生圍著了一個青臉的學生在那裡吵鬧。He came down from the classroom, took up his books and ran over to look, and saw a crowd of students surrounding a pale-faced student, making a great commotion.那青臉的學生，面上帶著一味殺氣，他的頰下的一條刀傷痕更形容得他的獰惡。That pale-faced student wore a look of pure murderous intent on his face, and the knife scar beneath his cheek made him look all the more savage.一群圍住他的學生都磨拳擦掌的要打他。The crowd of students surrounding him were all cracking their knuckles, itching to beat him.質夫看了一會，不曉得是怎麼一回事，正在疑惑的時候，看見他的同鄉教體操的王先生，從包圍在那裡的學生叢中，辟開了一條路，擠到那被包圍的青臉學生面前，不問皂白，把那學生一把拖了到教員的議事廳上去。Zhifu watched for a while, not knowing what was going on, and just as he was puzzling over it, he saw his fellow-provincial Mr. Wang, the gymnastics teacher, force a path through the crowd of students surrounding the boy, push his way to the front of the encircled pale-faced student, and without asking any questions, drag the student off bodily to the faculty meeting hall.一邊質夫又看見他的同事的監學唐伯名溫溫和和的對一群激憤的學生說：At the same time Zhifu saw his colleague, the discipline supervisor Tang Boming, speak gently and mildly to the crowd of enraged students, saying:

“你們不必動氣，好好兒的回到自修室去吧，對於江傑的搗亂，我們自有辦法在這裡。”"There's no need for you all to lose your tempers — go on back properly to the study hall. As for Jiang Jie's troublemaking, we have our own way of dealing with it here."

一半學生回自修室去了，一半學生跟在那青臉的學生後面叫著說：Half the students went back to the study hall; the other half followed behind the pale-faced student, shouting:

“打！"Beat him!打！”Beat him!"

“打！"Beat him!打死他。Beat him to death.不要臉的，受了李麥的金錢，你難道想賣同學麼？”Shameless creature — you took Li and Mai's money, do you really mean to sell out your fellow students?"

質夫跟了這一群學生，跑到議事廳上，見他的同事都立在那裡。Zhifu followed this crowd of students, ran to the meeting hall, and saw all his colleagues standing there.同事中的最年長者，帶著一副墨眼鏡、頭上有一塊禿的許明先，見了那青臉的學生，就對他說：The eldest among his colleagues, Xu Mingxian, who wore a pair of dark glasses and had a bald patch on his head, seeing the pale-faced student, said to him:

“你是一個好好的人，家裡又還可以，何苦要幹這些事呢？"You're a decent enough fellow, and your family's circumstances aren't bad either — why on earth must you do such things?開除你的是學校的規則，並不是校長。It is the school's rules that expel you, not the principal.錢是用得完的，你們年輕的人還是名譽要緊，李麥能利用你來搗亂學校，也定能利用別人來殺你的，你何苦去幹這些事呢？”Money runs out in the end — for you young people, reputation is what really matters. If Li and Mai can use you to make trouble in the school, they can just as surely use someone else to destroy you. Why must you do such things?"

許明先還沒有說完，門外站著的學生都叫著說：Before Xu Mingxian had finished speaking, the students standing outside the door all shouted:

“打！”"Beat him!"

“李麥的走狗！”“Li and Mai’s running dog!”

“不要臉的，搖一搖鈴三十塊錢，你這買賣真好啊。”“Shameless bastard! Thirty dollars just for ringing a bell—what a fine trade you have.”

“打打！”“Beat him! Beat him!”

許明先聽了門外學生的叫喚，便出來對學生說：Hearing the students shouting outside the door, Xu Mingxian came out and said to them:

“你們看我面上，不要打他，只要他能悔過就對了。”“For my sake, do not beat him. It will be enough if he repents.”

許明先一邊說一邊就招那青臉的學生——名叫江傑——出來。As he spoke, Xu Mingxian beckoned the blue-faced student—whose name was Jiang Jie—to come forward.對眾謝罪。He had him apologize to everyone.謝罪之後，許明先就護送他出門外，命令他以後不准再來，江傑就垂頭喪氣的走了。After the apology, Xu Mingxian escorted him outside and ordered him never to return; Jiang Jie went away crestfallen.

江傑走後，質夫從學生和同事的口頭聽來，才知道這江傑本來也是校內的學生，因為鬧事的緣故，在去年開除的。Only after Jiang Jie had gone did Zhifu learn from the students and his colleagues that Jiang Jie had once been a student at the school but had been expelled the previous year for causing trouble.現在他得了李麥的錢，以要求複校為名，想來搗亂，與校內八九個得錢的學生約好，用搖鈴作記號，預備一齊鬧起來的。Now, having received money from Li and Mai, he had come under the pretext of seeking readmission, intending to make trouble; he had arranged with eight or nine students inside the school who had also been paid to use the ringing of the bell as their signal and start an uproar together.質夫聽了心裡反覺得好笑，以為像這樣的鬧事，便鬧死也沒有什麼。When Zhifu heard this, he found it almost amusing, thinking that trouble of this sort could rage itself to death and still amount to nothing.

過了三四天，也是一天晴朗的早晨十點鐘的時候，質夫正在預備上課，忽然聽見幾個學生大聲哄號起來。Three or four days later, at ten o’clock on another bright morning, Zhifu was preparing for class when he suddenly heard several students begin howling at the tops of their voices.質夫出來一看，見議事廳上有八九個長大的學生，吃得酒醉醺醺，頭向了天，帶著了笑容，在那裡哄號。Zhifu came out to look and saw eight or nine grown students in the assembly hall, flushed with drink, their heads thrown back and smiles on their faces, shouting and howling.不過一二分鐘，教職員全體和許多學生都跑向議事廳來。Within a minute or two, the entire faculty and staff and a great many students had come running to the assembly hall.那八九個學生中間的一個最長的人便高聲的對眾人說：The tallest of the eight or nine students addressed the crowd in a loud voice:

“我們幾個人是來搬校長的行李的。“We have come to remove the principal’s belongings.他是一個過激黨，我們不願意受過激黨的教育。”He is a radical, and we do not wish to be educated by a radical.”

八九個中的一個矮小的人也對眾人說：A short man among the eight or nine also said to the crowd:

“我們既然做了這事，就是不怕死的。“Since we have undertaken this, we are not afraid to die.若有人來攔阻我們，那要對他不起。”If anyone tries to stop us, we shall be sorry for what happens to him.”

說到這裡，他在馬褂袖裡，拿了一把八寸長的刀出來。At this, he drew an eight-inch knife from the sleeve of his mandarin jacket.質夫看著門外站在那裡的學生，起初同蜂巢裡的雄蜂一樣，還有些喃喃呐呐的聲音，後來看了那矮小的人的小刀，就大家靜了下去。Zhifu watched the students standing outside the door: at first they had been like drones in a hive, still making a low murmuring sound, but when they saw the short man’s knife, they all fell silent.質夫心裡有點不平，想出來講幾句話，但是被他的同鄉教體操的王先生拖住了。Zhifu felt indignant and wanted to step forward and say a few words, but his fellow provincial, Mr. Wang, the gymnastics instructor, held him back.王先生對他說：Mr. Wang said to him:

“事情到了這樣，我與你立出去也壓不下來了。“Now that matters have come to this, even if you and I step forward, we will not be able to contain them.我們都是外省人。We are both from other provinces.何苦去與他們為難呢？Why make trouble for ourselves by opposing them?他們本省的學生，尚且在那裡旁觀。”Even the students from their own province are merely standing by and watching.”

那八九個學生一霎時就打到議事廳間壁的校長房裡去，恰好這時候校長還不在家，他們就把校長的鋪蓋捆好了。In an instant, the eight or nine students forced their way into the principal’s room adjoining the assembly hall; as it happened, the principal was away, so they bundled up his bedding.因為那一個拿刀的人在門口守看，所以另外的人一個人也不敢進到校長房裡去攔阻他們。Because the man with the knife stood guard at the doorway, no one else dared enter the principal’s room to stop them.那八九個學生同做新戲似的笑了一聲，最後跟著了那個拿刀的矮子，抬了校長的被褥，就慢慢的走出門去了。The eight or nine students gave a laugh as though they were acting in a modern play, then followed the short man with the knife out through the gate at a leisurely pace, carrying the principal’s bedding.等他們走了之後，倪教務長和幾個教員都指揮其餘的學生，不要紊亂秩序，依舊去上課去。After they had gone, Director of Studies Ni and several teachers instructed the other students not to disrupt order and to return to their classes as usual.上了兩個鐘頭課，吃午膳的時候，教職員全體主張停課一二天以觀大勢，午後質夫得了這閒空時間，倒落得自在，便跑上西門外的大觀亭去玩去了。After teaching for two hours, the entire faculty and staff agreed over lunch to suspend classes for a day or two and see how matters developed; with the afternoon unexpectedly free, Zhifu was glad of the leisure and went out beyond the west gate to amuse himself at Daguan Pavilion.

大觀亭的前面是汪洋的江水，江中靠右的地方，有幾個沙渚浮在那裡。Before Daguan Pavilion stretched the broad expanse of the river, and off to the right several sandbars floated upon it.陽光射在江水的微波上，映出了幾條反射的光線來。Sunlight struck the river’s rippling surface, casting back several shafts of reflected light.洲渚上的葦草，也有頭白了的，也有作青黃色的，遠遠望去，同一片平沙一樣。The reeds on the islets were white-tipped in places and greenish yellow in others; seen from afar, they looked like a single sweep of level sand.後面有一方湖水，映著了青天，靜靜的躺在太陽的光裡。Behind the pavilion lay a lake reflecting the blue sky, resting quietly in the sunlight.沿著湖水有幾處小山，有幾處黃牆的寺院。Along the lake stood several low hills and several temples with yellow walls.看了這後面的風景，質夫忽然想起在洋畫上看見過的瑞士四林湖的山水來了。Looking at the scenery behind him, Zhifu suddenly thought of the landscapes of Lake Lucerne in Switzerland that he had seen in Western paintings.一個人逛到傍晚的時候，看了西天日落的景色，他就回到學校裡來。He wandered alone until evening, and after watching the sun set in the western sky, he returned to the school.一進校門，遇著了幾個從裡面出來的學生，質夫覺得那幾個學生的微笑的目光，都好像在那裡哀憐他的樣子。As soon as he entered the school gate, he met several students coming out; it seemed to Zhifu that the smiling looks they gave him were all filled with pity.他胸裡感著一種不快的情懷，覺得是回到了不該回的地方來了。A feeling of unhappiness rose in his breast, and he felt that he had returned to a place to which he ought not to have returned.

吃過了晚飯，他的同事都鎖著了眉頭，議論起那八九個學生搬校長鋪蓋時候的情形和解決的方法來。After dinner, his colleagues sat with knitted brows, discussing how the eight or nine students had carried off the principal’s bedding and what might be done to resolve the matter.質夫脫離了這議論的團體，私下約了他的同鄉教體操的王亦安，到菱湖公園去散步去。Zhifu withdrew from the discussion and privately arranged to go walking in Linghu Park with Wang Yi’an, his fellow provincial who taught gymnastics.太陽剛才下山，西天還有半天金赤的餘霞留在那裡。The sun had only just gone down, and half the western sky still held the golden-red afterglow.天蓋的四周，也染了這餘霞的返照，映出一種紫紅的顏色來。The rim of the vault of heaven was also stained by its reflected glow, taking on a purplish-red hue.天心裡有大半規月亮白洋洋地掛著，還沒有放光。High in the sky, a moon more than half full hung milky white, not yet shedding any light.田塍路的角裡和枯荷枝的腳上，都有些薄暮的影子看得出來了。In the corners of the raised field paths and at the feet of the withered lotus stalks, the first shadows of twilight could already be seen.質夫和亦安一邊走一邊談，亦安把這次風潮的原因細細的講給了質夫聽：As Zhifu and Yi’an walked and talked, Yi’an explained to him in detail the causes of the present disturbance:

“這一次風潮的歷史，說起來也長得很。“The history of this disturbance would take a long time to tell.但是他的原因，卻伏在今年六月裡，當李星狼麥連邑殺學生蔣可奇的時候。But its cause lies back in June of this year, when Li Xinglang and Mai Lianyi killed the student Jiang Keqi.那時候陸校長講了幾句話是的確厲害的。What Principal Lu said at the time was certainly forceful.因為議員和軍閥殺了蔣可奇，所以學生聯合會有澄清選舉反對非法議員的舉動。Because an assemblyman and a warlord had killed Jiang Keqi, the Students’ Union launched a campaign to cleanse the elections and oppose illegally seated assemblymen.因為有了這舉動，所以不得不驅逐李麥的走狗想來召集議員的省長韓上成。Because of that campaign, they had no choice but to drive out Governor Han Shangcheng, the running dog of Li and Mai, who was trying to convene the assemblymen.因這幾次政治運動的結果，軍閥和議員的怨恨，都結在陸校長一人的身上。As a result of these successive political campaigns, all the resentment of the warlords and assemblymen came to rest upon Principal Lu alone.這一次議員和軍閥想趁新省長來的時候，再開始活動，所以首先不得不去他們的勁敵陸校長。This time, the assemblymen and warlords want to resume their activities when the new governor arrives, so first of all they have to remove their formidable adversary, Principal Lu.我聽見說這幾個學生從議員處得了二百元錢一個人。I hear that these students received two hundred dollars apiece from the assemblymen.其餘守中立的學生，也有得著十元十五元的，他們軍閥和議員，連員警廳都買通了的，我聽見說，今天北門站崗的巡警一個人還得著二元賄賂呢。Even the other students who remained neutral were given ten or fifteen dollars; the warlords and assemblymen have bought off even the police department. I hear that every policeman on guard at the north gate today received a two-dollar bribe.此外還有想奪這校長做的一派人，和同陸校長倪教務長有反感的一派人也加在內，你說這風潮的原因複雜不複雜？”Besides them, there is one faction that wants to seize the principalship, and another that bears a grudge against Principal Lu and Director of Studies Ni; they too have joined in. Would you not say the causes of this disturbance are complicated?”

穿過了公園西北面的空亭，走上園中大路的時候，質夫邀亦安上東面水田裡的純陽閣裡去。After passing the empty pavilion in the northwestern part of the park and reaching the park’s main road, Zhifu invited Yi’an to go with him to Chunyang Pavilion amid the rice fields to the east.

夜陰一刻一刻的深了起來，月亮也漸漸的放起光來了。The darkness of night deepened moment by moment, and the moon gradually began to shine.天空裡從銀紅到紫藍，從紫藍到淡青的變了好幾次顏色。The sky changed color several times, from silvery red to violet-blue, and from violet-blue to pale green.他們進純陽閣的時候，屋內已經漆黑了。By the time they entered Chunyang Pavilion, it was pitch-dark inside.從黑暗中摸上了樓。They felt their way upstairs through the darkness.他們看見有一盞菜油燈點在上首的桌上。There they saw a rapeseed-oil lamp burning on a table at the far end.從這一粒微光中照出來的紅漆的佛座，和桌上的供物，及兩壁的幡對之類，都帶著些神秘的形容。The red-lacquered pedestal of the Buddha revealed by that tiny flame, together with the offerings on the table and the banners and couplets on the two walls, all wore an air of mystery.亦安向四周看了一看，對質夫說：Yi’an looked around and said to Zhifu:

“純陽祖師的簽是非常靈的，我們各人求一張吧。”“The fortune sticks of Patriarch Chunyang are remarkably efficacious. Let us each draw one.”

質夫同意了，得了一張三十八簽中吉。Zhifu agreed and drew number thirty-eight, a moderately auspicious fortune.

他們下樓走到公園中間那條大路的時候，星月的光輝，已經把道旁的楊柳影子印在地上了。When they went downstairs and reached the broad road through the middle of the park, the light of the stars and moon had already stamped the shadows of the roadside willows upon the ground.

鬧事之後，學校裡停了兩天課。After the disturbance, classes at the school were suspended for two days.到了禮拜六的下午，教職員又開了一次大會，議定下禮拜一暫且開始上課一禮拜，若說官廳沒有適當的處置，再行停課。On Saturday afternoon, the faculty and staff held another general meeting and resolved to resume classes provisionally on Monday for one week; if the authorities still failed to take appropriate action, classes would be suspended again.正是這一天的晚上八點鐘的時候，質夫剛在房裡看他的從外國寄來的報，忽聽見議事廳前後，又有哄號的聲音傳了過來。At eight o’clock that very evening, Zhifu was in his room reading a newspaper sent from abroad when he suddenly heard shouting and howling once more from around the assembly hall.他跑出去一看，只見有五六個穿農夫衣服，相貌獰惡的人，跟了前次的八九個學生，在那裡亂跳亂叫。He ran out and saw five or six fierce-looking men dressed as peasants leaping about and shouting wildly with the same eight or nine students as before.當質夫跑近他們身邊的時候，八九個人中最長的那學生就對質夫拱拱手說：As Zhifu approached them, the tallest of the eight or nine students cupped his hands to him and said:

“對不起，對不起，請老師不要驚慌，我們此次來，不過是為搬教務長和監學的行李來的。”“Forgive us, forgive us. Please do not be alarmed, sir. This time we have come only to remove the belongings of the director of studies and the student supervisor.”

質夫也著了急，問他們說：Zhifu too became agitated and asked them:

“你們何必這樣呢？”“Why must you do this?”

“實在是對老師不起！”“We truly have wronged you, sir!”

那一個最長的學生還沒有說完，質夫看見有一個農夫似的人跑到那學生身邊說：Before the tallest student had finished speaking, Zhifu saw one of the peasant-like men run over to him and say:

“先生，兩個行李已經搬出去了，另外還有沒有？”“Sir, the two lots of baggage have been carried out. Is there anything else?”

那學生卻回答說：The student answered:

“沒有了，你們去吧。”“No. You may go.”

這樣的下了一個命令，他又回轉來對質夫拱了一拱手說：Having given this order, he turned back, cupped his hands to Zhifu once more, and said:

“我們實在也是出於不得已，只有請老師原諒原諒。”“We truly had no choice. We can only beg you to forgive us.”

又拱了拱手，他就走出去了。Cupping his hands again, he walked out.

這一天晚上行李被他們搬去的倪教務長和柳監學二人都不在校內。Neither Director of Studies Ni nor Student Supervisor Liu, whose belongings they removed that night, was at the school.鬧了這一場之後，校內同暴風過後的海上一樣，反而靜了下去。After this uproar, the school instead grew quiet, like the sea after a storm.王亦安和質夫同幾個同病相憐的教員，合在一處談議此後的處置。Wang Yi’an, Zhifu, and several teachers who shared the same unhappy plight gathered to discuss what they should do next.質夫主張馬上就把行李搬出校外，以後絕對的不再來了。Zhifu argued that they should immediately move their belongings out of the school and never return.王亦安光著眼睛對質夫說：Wang Yi’an stared wide-eyed at Zhifu and said:

“不能不能，你和希聖怎麼也不能現在搬出去。“No, no. You and Xisheng cannot possibly move out now.他們學生對希聖和你的感情最好。The students feel most warmly toward Xisheng and you.現在他們中立的多數學生，正在那裡開會，決計留你們幾個在校內，仍複繼續替他們上課。At this very moment, the majority of the students who remained neutral are holding a meeting, determined to keep the few of you at the school so that you may continue teaching them.並且有人在大門口守著，不准你們出去。”What is more, they have posted men at the main gate to prevent you from leaving.”

中立的多數學生果真是像在那裡開會似的，學校內彌漫著一種緊迫沉默的空氣，同重病人的房裡沉默著的空氣一樣。The neutral majority of the students did indeed seem to be holding a meeting, and the school was filled with an oppressive silence, like the hushed atmosphere in the room of someone gravely ill.幾個教職員大家合議的結果，議決方希聖和於質夫二人，於晚上十二點鐘乘學生全睡著的時候出校，其餘的人一律于明天早晨搬出去。After conferring, the faculty and staff resolved that Fang Xisheng and Yu Zhifu should leave the school at midnight, when all the students were asleep, while everyone else would move out the following morning.

天瀟瀟的下起雨來了。A fine, ceaseless rain began to fall.質夫回到房裡，把行李物件收拾了一下，便坐在電燈下連連續續的吸起煙來。Zhifu returned to his room, packed his belongings, then sat beneath the electric light smoking cigarette after cigarette.等了好久，王亦安輕輕的來說：After a long wait, Wang Yi’an came softly to tell him:

“現在可以出去了。“You can leave now.我陪你們兩個人出去，希聖立在桂花樹底下等你。”I will accompany the two of you. Xisheng is waiting beneath the osmanthus tree.”

他們三人輕輕的走到門口的時候，門房裡忽然走出了一個學生來問說：As the three of them walked softly up to the gate, a student suddenly emerged from the gatehouse and asked:

“三位老師難道要出去麼？“Can it be that you three teachers mean to leave?我是代表多數同學來求三位老師不要出去的。I have come on behalf of the majority of the students to beg you not to go.我們總不能使他們幾個學生來破壞我們的學校，到了明朝，我們總要想個法子，要求省長來解決他們。”We cannot allow a handful of students to destroy our school. Tomorrow we will surely devise some means of asking the governor to settle matters with them.”

講到這裡，那學生的眼睛已有一圈紅了。By the time he had finished speaking, the student’s eyes were already rimmed with red.王亦安對他作了一揖說：Wang Yi’an bowed to him and said:

“你要是愛我們的，請你放我們走吧，住在這裡怕有危險。”“If you care for us, please let us go. We fear it may be dangerous to remain here.”

那學生忽然落了一顆眼淚，咬了一咬牙齒說：A tear suddenly fell from the student’s eye; he gritted his teeth and said:

“既然這樣，請三位老師等一等，我去尋幾位同學來陪三位老師進城，夜深了，怕路上不便。”“In that case, please wait a moment, sirs. I will find several students to escort you into the city. It is late, and the road may not be safe.”

那學生跑進去之後，他們三人馬上叫門房開了門，在黑暗中冒著雨就走了。As soon as the student had run back inside, the three men had the gatekeeper open the gate and set off through the darkness in the rain.走了三五分鐘，他們忽聽見後面有腳步聲在那裡追逐，他們就放大了腳步趕快走來，同時後面的人卻叫著說：After walking for three or five minutes, they suddenly heard footsteps pursuing them from behind, so they lengthened their strides and hurried on; but those behind them called out:

“我們不是壞人，請三位老師不要怕，我們是來陪老師們進城的。”“We are not bad men! Please do not be afraid, sirs. We have come to escort you into the city.”

聽了這話，他們的腳步便放小來，質夫回頭來一看，見有四個學生拿了一盞洋油行燈，跟在他們的後面。At these words, they slowed their pace; when Zhifu looked back, he saw four students following them with a kerosene lantern.其中有二個學生，卻是質夫教的一班裡的。Two of the students were from a class taught by Zhifu.

第二天的午後，從學校裡搬出來的教職員全體，就上省長公署去見新到任的省長。The following afternoon, the entire faculty and staff who had moved out of the school went to the governor’s offices to see the newly arrived governor.那省長本來是質夫的胞兄的朋友，質夫與他亦曾在西湖上會過的。The governor was a friend of Zhifu’s elder brother, and Zhifu himself had once met him at West Lake.歷任過交通司法總長的這省長，講了許多安慰教職員的話之後，卻作了一個“總有辦法”的回答。This governor, who had successively served as minister of communications and minister of justice, spoke many words of reassurance to the faculty and staff, but in the end gave only the reply, “Some way will surely be found.”

質夫和另外的幾個教職員，自從學校裡搬出來之後，便同喪家之犬一樣，陷到了去又去不得留又不能留的地位。Ever since moving out of the school, Zhifu and several other members of the faculty and staff had been like homeless dogs, caught in a position where they could neither leave nor remain.因為連續的下了幾天雨，所以質夫只能蟄居在一家小客棧裡，不能出去閒逛。Because it had been raining for several days in a row, Zhifu could only hole up in a small inn, unable to go out and wander about.他就把他自己與另外的幾個同事的這幾日的生活，比作了未決囚的生活。He likened these past few days' life — his own and that of a few other colleagues — to the life of prisoners awaiting sentencing.每自嘲自慰的對人說：He would often mock and console himself, saying to others:

“文明進步了，目下教員都要蒙塵了。”"Civilization has progressed — nowadays even schoolteachers must eat dust."

性欲比人一倍強盛的質夫，處了這樣的逆境，當然是不能安分的。Zhifu, whose sexual desire was twice as strong as an ordinary man's, could of course not sit still amid such adverse circumstances.他竟瞞著了同住的兒個同事，到娟家去進出起來了。He actually began, without letting his roommates and fellow colleagues know, to come and go from Juan's house.

從學校裡搬出來之後，約有一禮拜的光景。It had been about a week since he moved out of the school.他恨省長不能速行解決鬧事的學生，所以那一天晚上吃晚飯的時候就多喝了幾杯酒。He was angry that the provincial governor could not quickly settle the trouble the students were making, so that evening at dinner he drank a few extra cups of wine.這興奮劑一下喉，他的獸性又起起作用來，就獨自一個走上一位帶有家眷的他的同事家裡去。The moment this stimulant went down his throat, his bestial nature stirred into action again, and he went alone to the home of a colleague of his who had a family.那一位同事本來是質夫在A地短時日中所得的最好的朋友。That colleague had originally been the best friend Zhifu had made in his short time in place A.質夫上他家去，本來是有一種漠然的預感和希望懷著，坐談了一會，他竟把他的本性顯露了出來，那同事便用了英文對他說：When Zhifu went to his house, he had in fact been harboring a vague premonition and hope; after sitting and chatting for a while, he actually let his true nature show, and that colleague then said to him in English:

“你既然這樣的無聊，我就帶你上班子裡逛去。”"Since you're this bored, I'll take you out to visit the brothels."

穿過了幾條街巷，從一條狹而又黑的巷口走進去的時候，質夫的胸前又跳躍起來，因為他雖在日本經過這種生活，但是在他的故國，卻從沒有進過這些地方。After passing through several streets and lanes, as they turned into a narrow, dark alley mouth, Zhifu's heart began to pound again, because although he had experienced this kind of life in Japan, he had never once entered such places in his own homeland.走到門前有一處賣香煙橘子的小鋪和一排人力車停著的一家牆門口，他的同事便跑了進去。When they reached a gated entrance in a wall, in front of which stood a little stall selling cigarettes and oranges and a row of parked rickshaws, his colleague ran on in.他在門口仰起頭來一看，門楣上有一塊白漆的馬口鐵寫著“鹿和班”的三個紅字，掛在那裡，他遲了一步，也跟著他的同事進去了。He raised his head to look at the doorway and saw a white-lacquered tin sign hung above the lintel with three red characters reading "Deer and Companion House"; he lagged a step behind, then followed his colleague in as well.

坐在門裡兩旁的幾個奇形怪狀的男人，看見了他的同事和他，便站了起來，放大了喉嚨叫著說：The several oddly shaped men sitting on either side just inside the door, on seeing his colleague and him, stood up and called out at the top of their voices:

“引路！"Show them in!荷珠姑娘房裡。To Miss Hezhu's room.吳老爺來了！”Master Wu has arrived!"

他的同事吳風世不慌不忙的招呼他進了一間二丈來寬的房裡坐下之後，便用了英文問他說：His colleague Wu Fengshi, without the least hurry, led him into a room some twenty-odd feet wide and sat him down, then asked him in English:

“你要怎麼樣的姑娘？"What kind of girl do you want?你且把條件講給我聽，我好替你介紹。”Just tell me your conditions, and I'll introduce you properly."

質夫在一張紅木椅上坐定後，便也用了英文對吳風世說：Zhifu, having settled himself into a redwood chair, likewise said to Wu Fengshi in English:

“這是你情人的房麼，陳設得好精緻，你究竟是一位有福的嫖客。”"Is this your sweetheart's room? It's furnished so exquisitely — you really are a fortunate patron."

“你把條件講給我聽吧，我好替你介紹。”"Tell me your conditions, and I'll introduce you properly."

“我的條件講出來你不要笑。”"You mustn't laugh once I state my conditions."

“你且講來吧。”"Go ahead and say them."

“我有三個條件，第一要她是不好看的，第二要年紀大一點，第三要客少。”"I have three conditions: first, she must not be good-looking; second, she must be somewhat older; third, she must have few clients."

“你倒是一個老嫖客。”"You really are a seasoned patron of these houses."

講到這裡，吳風世的姑娘進房來了。Just as he said this, Wu Fengshi's girl came into the room.她頭上梳著辮子，皮色不白，但是有一種婉轉的風味。Her hair was done up in a braid; her complexion was not fair, but she had a certain graceful charm.穿的是一件蝦青大花的緞子夾衫，一條玄色素緞的短腳褲。She wore a shrimp-blue satin lined jacket with large floral patterns, and a pair of short black plain-satin trousers.一進房就對吳風世說：The moment she entered the room, she said to Wu Fengshi:

“說什麼鬼話，我們懂的呀！”"What nonsense are you two talking — we understand it perfectly well!"

“這一位於老爺是外國來的，他是外國人，不懂中國話。”"This Master Yu has come from abroad — he's a foreigner and doesn't understand Chinese."

質夫站起來對荷珠說：Zhifu stood up and said to Hezhu:

“假的假的，吳老爺說的是謊，你想我若不懂中國話，怎麼還要上這裡來呢？”"That's not true, that's not true — Master Wu is lying to you. Just think, if I didn't understand Chinese, why would I have come here at all?"

荷珠笑著說：Hezhu said with a laugh:

“你究竟是不是中國人？”"Are you really Chinese or not?"

“你難道還在疑信麼？”"Do you still have doubts about it?"

“你是中國人，你何以要穿外國衣服？”"If you're Chinese, why are you wearing foreign clothes?"

“我因為沒有錢做中國衣服。”"Because I don't have the money to make Chinese clothes."

“做外國衣服難道不要錢的麼？”"And making foreign clothes doesn't cost money, I suppose?"

吳風世聽了一忽，就叫荷珠說：Wu Fengshi listened for a moment, then called out to Hezhu:

“荷珠，你給于老爺薦舉一個姑娘吧。”"Hezhu, recommend a girl for Master Yu."

“于老爺喜歡怎麼樣的？"What kind does Master Yu like?碧玉好不好？How about Biyu?春紅？Chunhong?香雲？Xiangyun?海棠？”Haitang?"

吳風世聽了海棠兩字，就對質夫說：When Wu Fengshi heard the two words "Haitang," he said to Zhifu:

“海棠好不好？”"How about Haitang?"

質夫回答說：Zhifu answered:

“我又不曾見過，怎麼知道好不好呢？"I've never even seen her — how would I know if she's good or not?海棠與我提出的條件合不合？”Does Haitang match the conditions I gave?"

風世便大笑說：Fengshi then laughed loudly and said:

“條件悉合，就是海棠吧。”"She matches every condition — Haitang it is, then."

荷珠對她的假母說：Hezhu said to her foster mother:

“去請海棠姑娘過來。”"Go and ask Miss Haitang to come over."

假母去了一忽回來說：The foster mother went off and came back after a moment, saying:

“海棠姑娘在那裡看戲，打發人去叫去了。”"Miss Haitang is over watching the opera; someone's been sent to fetch her."

從戲院到那鹿和班來回總有三十分鐘，這三十分鐘中間，質夫覺得好像是被懸掛在空中的樣子，正不知如何的消遣才好。The round trip from the theater to the Deer and Companion House took a good thirty minutes altogether, and during those thirty minutes Zhifu felt as if he were suspended in midair, not knowing quite how to pass the time.他講了些閒話，一個人覺得無聊，不知不覺，就把兩隻手抱起膝來。He made some idle conversation, but feeling bored on his own, before he knew it he had drawn up his knees and wrapped his arms around them.吳風世看了他這樣子，就馬上用了英文警告他說：Seeing him like this, Wu Fengshi at once warned him in English:

“不行不行，抱膝的事，在班子裡是大忌的。"No, no — hugging your knees is a great taboo in these houses.因為這是閒空的象徵。”Because it's a sign of having nothing to do."

質夫聽了，覺得好笑，便也用了英文問他說：Hearing this, Zhifu found it rather funny, and asked him in English as well:

“另外還有什麼禮節沒有？"Are there any other rules of etiquette?請你全對我說了吧，免得被她們姑娘笑我。”Please tell me all of them, so I don't get laughed at by the girls."

正說到這裡，門簾開了，走進了一個年約二十二三，身材矮小的姑娘來。Just as he finished saying this, the door curtain parted, and in walked a girl of about twenty-two or twenty-three, small in stature.她的青灰色的額角廣得很，但是又低得很，頭髮也不厚，所以一眼看來，覺得她的容貌同動物學上的原始猴類一樣，一雙魯鈍掛下的眼睛，和一張比較長狹的嘴，一見就可以知道她的性格是忠厚的。Her grayish-blue forehead was very broad but also very low, and her hair was not thick either, so that at a glance she seemed to resemble, in appearance, one of the primitive apes of zoology; a pair of dull, drooping eyes and a rather long, narrow mouth made it plain at first sight that her nature was honest and simple.她穿的是一件明藍花緞的夾襖，上面罩著一件雪色大花緞子的背心，底下是一條雪灰的牡丹花緞的短腳褲。She wore a bright-blue floral satin lined jacket, over which was thrown a snow-white large-floral satin vest, and below, a pair of short trousers of snow-gray peony-patterned satin.她一進來，荷珠就替她介紹說：The moment she came in, Hezhu introduced her, saying:

“對你的是這一位於老爺，他是新從外國回來的。”"This is for you — this is Master Yu, he's just returned from abroad."

質夫心裡想，這一位大約就是海棠了。Zhifu thought to himself, this must be Haitang.她的面貌卻正合我的三個條件，但是她何以會這樣一點兒嬌態都沒有。Her looks did indeed match my three conditions exactly, but why did she have not the slightest trace of coquettishness?海棠聽了荷珠的話，也不做聲，只呆呆的對質夫看了一眼。On hearing Hezhu's words, Haitang said nothing, only stared blankly at Zhifu for a moment.荷珠問她今天晚上的戲好不好，她就顯出了一副認真的樣子，說今晚上的戲不好，但是新上臺的“小放牛”卻好得很，可惜只看了半出，沒有看完。When Hezhu asked her whether tonight's opera had been good, she put on a serious expression and said tonight's program wasn't good, but the newly staged "Little Cowherd" had been very good indeed — a pity she had only seen half of it and hadn't finished watching.質夫聽了她那慢慢的無嬌態的話，心裡覺得奇怪得很，以為她不像妓院裡的姑娘。Hearing her slow, artless way of speaking, Zhifu felt quite astonished, thinking she did not seem like a girl from a brothel at all.吳風世等她講完了話之後，就叫她說：After she had finished speaking, Wu Fengshi called out to her:

“海棠！"Haitang!到你房裡去吧。Let's go to your room.這一位於老爺是外國人，你可要待他格外客氣才好。”This Master Yu is a foreigner — you must treat him with extra courtesy."

質夫、風世和荷珠三人都跟了海棠到她房裡去。Zhifu, Fengshi, and Hezhu all three followed Haitang to her room.質夫一進海棠的房，就看見一個四十上下的女人，鼻上起了幾條皺紋，笑嘻嘻的迎了出來。The moment Zhifu entered Haitang's room, he saw a woman of about forty, with a few wrinkles across her nose, come out smiling to greet them.她的青青的面色，和角上有些吊起的一雙眼睛，薄薄的淡白的嘴唇，都使質夫感著一種可怕可惡的印象，她待質夫也很殷勤，但是質失總覺得她是一個惡人。Her sallow greenish complexion, her pair of eyes slightly upturned at the corners, and her thin, pale lips all gave Zhifu a frightening, repellent impression; she was very attentive toward Zhifu, but he could not help feeling she was a wicked woman all the same.

在海棠房裡坐了一個多鐘頭，講了些無邊無際的話，質夫和風世都出來了。They sat in Haitang's room for over an hour, talking of all sorts of rambling things, and then Zhifu and Fengshi came out.一出那條狹巷，就是大街，那時候街上的店鋪都已閉門，四圍靜寂得很，質夫忽然想起了英文的“dead city”兩個字來，他就幽幽的對風世說：The moment they left that narrow lane, they were on the main street; by then all the shops along the street had already closed their doors, and everything around was utterly still. Zhifu suddenly thought of the English words "dead city," and said to Fengshi in a low, melancholy voice:

“風世！"Fengshi!我已經成了一個living corpse了。”I've already become a living corpse."

走到十字路口，質夫就和風世分了手，他們兩個各聽見各人的腳步聲漸漸兒的低了下去，不多一忽，這入人心脾的足音，也被黑暗的夜氣吞沒下去了。When they reached the crossroads, Zhifu and Fengshi parted ways; each of them heard the other's footsteps gradually growing fainter, and before long, that footfall which had so stirred the heart was also swallowed up by the darkness of the night air.

一九二二年二月February 1922

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What it’s about

Just after midnight on Shanghai's Bund, 質夫 and the delicate nineteen-year-old 吳遲生 see their drunken friend 于質忱 onto a boat and walk back through the nearly empty city. The encounter gives 質夫 what he believes he has never had: a beautiful younger male friend into whom he can pour the affection frustrated by his life with women. Their intimacy grows through late conversations, bathing trips and shared walks, and Yu lets the attraction remain emotionally and physically charged rather than reducing it to comradeship. Yet 質夫 is as jealous and possessive here as in his heterosexual fantasies. 遲生 is poor, ill and vulnerable, with dead siblings and an interrupted education; 質夫's desire to shelter him continually competes with his need to be adored by him. Shanghai at night—streetlamps, river noise, bathhouses, editorial rooms and brothels—becomes the external form of this unstable attachment.

A teaching post in A offers 質夫 an apparent escape. He enjoys the autumn landscape, feels loved by curious students, receives news that his fiction will be published and imagines that twenty years of such work could satisfy him. The reprieve ends when he intervenes in a student fight and the institution dismisses him; the ideal community proves as fragile as every private attachment. Returned to Shanghai and unable to settle with 遲生 or a woman, he joins 吳風世 on a visit to a brothel. There he rejects the conventionally alluring 荷珠 and asks for 海棠, a plainly dressed young performer whose slow, serious talk about the opera makes her seem untouched by the role imposed on her. Even that impression cannot become a connection: 質夫 talks for an hour and leaves. In the deserted street he tells 風世 that he has become a 'living corpse'; after they part, each man's footsteps diminish until the black night swallows them. The story moves from friendship to work to purchased company and makes each promised refuge dissolve into the same immense night named by the title.

When it was written 背景

Dated February 1922, 茫茫夜 was first published in the inaugural issue of 《創造季刊》 on 15 March 1922, the new Creation Society journal Yu helped launch. Its unusually frank presentation of 質夫's desire for 吳遲生 extends the sexual candour associated with 沉淪, while the Shanghai editorial world and the failed teaching appointment begin to shift his fiction from the solitary student abroad toward the insecure intellectual at home. This is not the easiest entry point: it is long, several men have similar names, English phrases appear without translation, and the story changes setting and possible object of desire rather than building toward one event. For a learner who has already met 質夫 in 空虛, however, the repeated names and moods become an advantage. Track places and companions—Bund, school, brothel; 遲生, students, 海棠—and the apparent drift reveals a rigorous pattern of attempted belonging and retreat.

Words in this chapter 生词

裡lǐHSK 1裡lǐ — lining · interior · inside · internal · also written 裏 (lǐ) (HSK 1)
棠táng棠táng — cherry-apple
倪ní倪ní — (literary) small child · (literary) limit; bound; extremity · (literary) to differentiate · (literary) origin; cause
校jiào校jiào — to check; to collate; to proofread
吳Wú吳Wú — surname Wu · area comprising southern Jiangsu, northern Zhejiang and Shanghai · name of states in southern China at different historical periods
質zhì質zhì — character · nature · quality · plain · to pawn · pledge · hostage · to question · Taiwan pr. (zhí)
碼mǎHSK 7-9碼mǎ — (archaic) agate · (bound form) standard weight used with a balance scale · number · (computing) code · (clothing) size · yard (unit of length) · (coll.) kilometers per hour (informal misuse of "yard" to mean kph in speed references) · (coll.) to pile up; to stack · classifier for matters, items, situations etc (esp. when indicating whether they are the same or different, as in 不是一碼事 (bù shì yī mǎ shì) "not the same thing") · (Tw, HK) (finance) unit of 25 basis points (i.e. a 0.25% change in interest rate) (HSK 7-9)
吧bāHSK 1吧bā — bar (loanword) (serving drinks, or providing Internet access etc) · to puff (on a pipe etc) · (onom.) bang · abbr. for 貼吧 (tiē bā) (HSK 1)
閥fá閥fá — powerful individual, family or group · clique · (loanword) valve
帕pà帕pà — to wrap · kerchief · handkerchief · headscarf · pascal (SI unit)
鄺Kuàng鄺Kuàng — surname Kuang
務wù務wù — affair · business · matter · to be engaged in · to attend to · by all means