白马湖之冬
Winter in White Horse Lake
◎　夏丏尊
◎　Xia Mianzun
在我过去四十余年的生涯中，冬的情味尝得最深刻的，要算十年前初移居白马湖的时候了。
I am now over forty, but it was not until ten years ago that I got a feel of what winter was really like soon after I had moved my residence to White Horse Lake, a place beyond my home town.
十年以来，白马湖已成了一个小村落，当我移居的时候，还是一片荒野。
Since then, however, it has grown into quite a village, but it was an expanse of wilderness at the time when I moved in.
春晖中学的新建筑巍然矗立于湖的那一面，湖的这一面的山脚下是小小的几间新平屋，住着我和刘君心如两家。
The new buildings of Chun Hui Middle School then stood tall on the other side of the Lake while on this side were several newly-built small one-storey houses tucked away at the foot of a mountain where lived two families separately, the family of mine and that of Liu Xinru.
此外两三里内没有人烟。
The neighborhood was totally unpopulated far and wide except for the two households.
一家人于阴历十一月下旬从热闹的杭州移居这荒凉的山野，宛如投身于极带中。
Having moved from Hangzhou to this desolate countryside late in the eleventh moon of the lunar year, we felt like getting bogged down in a polar region.
那里的风，差不多日日有的，呼呼作响，好像虎吼。
The wind there blew almost every day, howling like a tiger's roaring.
屋宇虽系新建，构造却极粗率，风从门窗隙缝中来，分外尖削，把门缝窗隙厚厚地用纸糊了，椽缝中却仍有透入。
The new houses were of poor quality,with a biting wind coming in through every chink in the doors and windows.And our efforts to have all the cracks sealed with paper nevertheless failed to stop it from breaking into the house.
风刮得厉害的时候，天未夜就把大门关上，全家吃毕夜饭即睡入被窝里，静听寒风的怒号，湖水的澎湃。
When it was very windy, all we could do was shut the front door before dark and go to bed after supper, listening quietly to the whistling of the sharp wind and the surging of the Lake waters.
靠山的小后轩，算是我的书斋，在全屋子中风最少的一间，我常把头上的罗宋帽拉得低低地，在洋灯下工作至夜深。松涛如吼，霜月当窗，饥鼠吱吱在承尘上奔窜。
In the small rear-room close to the mountain, which, least affected by the wind, was my study, I often worked by the light of an oil lamp late into the night, with my woolen cap pulled down, while the pines were soughing in the wind, the white moon shining on the window, and hungry rats squeaking and scurrying in the neighborhood of the ceilings.
我于这种时候深感到萧瑟的诗趣，常独自拨划着炉灰，不肯就睡，把自己拟诸山水画中的人物，作种种幽邈的遐想。
Seized with a poetic mood generated by the scene of bleakness, I would stay up late and sit alone poking the charcoal fire, imaging myself a figure in a traditional Chinese landscape painting and indulging in deep reveries.
现在白马湖到处都是树木了，当时尚一株树木都未种。
White Horse Lake is now rich in vegetation while at that time it was totally treeless.
月亮与太阳都是整个儿的，从上山起直要照到下山为止。（蔡立坚）
Back then there were no trees to block the moon or the sun from the time when they climbed up the hills till they went below the horizon.
太阳好的时候，只要不刮风，那真和暖得不像冬天。
When the sun shone bright on a windless day, it would be nice and warm.
一家人都坐在庭间曝日，甚至于吃午饭也在屋外，像夏天的晚饭一样。
The whole family would then sit in the courtyard to bask in the sun, and even have lunch in the open air like we did in summer.
日光晒到哪里，就把椅凳移到哪里，忽然寒风来了，只好逃难似地各自带了椅凳逃入室中，急急把门关上。
Where there was sunshine, there we would move our chairs. When the cold wind came, however, we would scamper indoors like refugees, each carrying a chair or stool and hastily closing the doors behind us.
在平常的日子，风来大概在下午快要傍晚的时候，半夜即息。
The wind usually began to howl towards evening and lasted until midnight.
至于大风寒，那是整日夜狂吼，要二三日才止的。
In the case of a severe storm, it would rage for two to three days and nights on end.
最严寒的几天，泥地看去惨白如水门汀，山色冻得发紫而黯，湖波泛深蓝色。
At the height of the bitter cold, the fields would for several days look deathly pale like cement, the mountains would turn dirty purple with cold, and the ripples of the Lake would be of a deep blue.
下雪原是我所不憎厌的，下雪的日子，室内分外明亮，晚上差不多不用燃灯。
I had no aversion to snowfall because it very much brightened up my room, so much so that I could almost do without lamplight at night.
远山积雪足供半个月的观看，举头即可从窗中望见。
The distant mountains would remain snow-capped for at least half a month — a scene I could easily enjoy from my window.
可是究竟是南方，每冬下雪不过一二次。
However, it was a pity that, living in the south, we could have snowfall only once or twice each winter.
我在那里所日常领略的冬的情味，几乎都从风来。
Hence it was from the wind only that I could in my daily life get a taste of winter.
白马湖的所以多风，可以说有着地理上的原因。
White Horse Lake is windy for geographical reasons.
那里环湖都是山，而北首却有一个半里阔的空隙，好似故意张了袋口欢迎风来的样子。
The place is surrounded by mountains except in the north where there is a gap as wide as one fourth of a kilometer, like the wide open mouth of a bag, ready to accept the wind.
白马湖的山水和普通的风景地相差不远，唯有风却与别的地方不同。
It is the wind that differentiates White Horse Lake from other scenic spots.
风的多和大，凡是到过那里的人都知道的。
Anybody who has been to the place can tell how frequent and violent the wind is there.
风在冬季的感觉中，自古占着重要的因素，而白马湖的风尤其特别。
The wind has, since time immemorial, been an important factor in characterizing winter, particularly so in White Horse Lake.
现在，一家僦居上海多日了，偶然于夜深人静时听到风声，大家就要提起白马湖来，说“白马湖不知今夜又刮得怎样厉害哩！”
Now it is quite a few days since I and my family moved to Shanghai. Whenever the wind blows in the stillness of the night, we will all mention White Horse Lake, saying, “White Horse Lake must be terribly windy tonight!”
八十一岁结婚
Getting Married at 81
◎　张恨水
◎　Zhang Henshui
金圣叹说过：“人生三十不仕，不当再仕，五十不娶，不当再娶。
Jin Shengtan says, “People over 30 should not become an official, and people over 50 should not get married.
何则？用非其时也。”
Why? Because otherwise they would be doing the wrong thing at the wrong time.” 
这一种说法，可代表中国人一般的普通思想。
That is representative of the mentality of people at large in China.
中国人的事业观，最羡慕“少年得志”，最伤感“大器晚成”。
According to the Chinese outlook on life, it is most enviable “to achieve success in one's early years” but most sorrowful “to fail to achieve it until one's old age.” 
为了这个原因，便是有所成就的人，到了五十以上，便有退休的意思。
Hence, even a successful man will feel like going into retirement when he is on the wrong side of 50.
六十七十的人若还在事业上努力，就有抽身不得的慨叹了。
And those who continue to work out of necessity in their sixties or seventies must bemoan their plight.
照人生上寿不过八十而言，为私人作一番打算，这种作风好像也有点道理。
However, considering that men seldom live up to the age of 80, their personal concerns may seem to be impeccable.
只是就事业的观点上说，就不对。
But, from the standpoint of a worthy cause, they are wrong.
因为越是有年纪的人，他的学识经验也就越丰富，大事业正需要这种人撑持。
Because the older one is, the more knowledgeable and experienced he is, and therefore the more indispensable he is to a great cause.
而且为人作事，也必须有个自信心。
Moreover, one should conduct oneself with self-confidence.
一老就觉得自己不行，那也透着我们生命力不强。
Calling yourself a good-for-nothing on account of age manifests your lack of vitality.
扩而充之，整个民族如此，那是我们一种自馁精神，对民族兴衰大有关系。
The same is true of a nation. Self-confidence has a lot to do with its rise and fall.
欧美人之成大事业总在晚年，恰与我们的观点相反。
Unlike us Chinese, Westerners usually go in for great undertakings in late life.
最近有两个老的行为，值得借鉴，正可和我们打一针兴奋剂。
The recent cases of two Western senior politicians set a good example for us and serve to give us a shot in the arm.
第一是美国务卿赫尔，以七十二岁之年，飞莫斯科开那全球注意的三国会议。
One was 72-year-old US Secretary of State Cordell Hull, who went to Moscow to attend the 3-power conference in the limelight of the world.
第二是前英国首相劳合·乔治，八十一岁结婚。
The other was former British prime minister Lloyd George, who got married at the age of 81.
这可证明他们的生命力强，也可以证明他们精神毫不衰老。
Their activities afforded proof of their vitality and youthful spirit.
老了还活泼的干，不必退休去等死，这人生才有意味，才没枉过“吾生也有涯”的岁月。
The way to live a meaningful life and fully utilize the transient days of one's life is by continuing to work vigorously in old age rather than retire.
现在我国的事业，多半在四五十岁的中年人手上。
Our national cause now rests, for the most part, on the shoulders of our middle-aged men — men in their forties or fifties.
中年人干吧，我们的前途还遥远着呢!
Middle-aged fellow countrymen, roll up your sleeves to strive for our ultimate goal!
我写小说的道路
How I Started My Career as a Novelist
◎　张恨水
◎　Zhang Henshui
我在十一二岁，看小说已经成迷了，十四五岁我就拿起笔来，仿照七侠五义的套子，构成一个十三岁的孩子，会玩大铁锤。
I became engrossed in reading fiction when I was 12. At 15, I wrote a story patterned after Seven Swordsmen and Five Gallants. I did it like I was a small kid having the audacity to wield a heavy iron hammer.
这小说叫什么名字，现在记不得了，可是这里面我还画成了画，画一个小侠客，拿着两柄大锤，舞成了旋风舞。
I have forgotten the title of the story, but, I remember, it was illustrated with my drawing of a hero dancing around like mad wielding a pair of giant maces.
我为什么这样爱作小说，还要画侠客图呢？因为我的弟妹以及小舅父，喜欢听我说小侠客故事，有时我把图摊开来，他们也哈哈大笑。
I enjoyed writing stories illustrated with my drawings of gallants because my younger brothers and sisters plus my young uncle all liked to listen to my storytelling. And they would be greatly amused when I sometimes showed them the illustrations.
至今我想起来，何以弄小说连图都画上了。说我求名吗？除了家里三四个听客，于外没有人知道，当然不是。
Did I seek fame? Of course not, for I had no other listeners except a handful of my own folks.
说我求利吗？
Did I seek personal gain?
大人真个知道了，那真会笑掉了大牙。当然也不是。
No, not either, for that would have made a laughing stock of myself in the family.
我就喜欢这样玩意，喜欢，我就高兴乱涂。什么我也不求。
 I did it for love. That's all there is to it.
我到十五六岁，小说读的更多了。也读过自西洋翻译来的理论，但是那学问只有点把点，读过了也就完了。
At 16, I read more novels and meanwhile acquired a smattering of knowledge by reading the Chinese version of some Western books on literature.
不过这样一来，我对小说，更抱着浓厚的兴趣。
Thus I became even more interested in fiction.
商务印书馆出版的“小说月报”，那时为国内首屈一指的文艺杂志，我就每月得买一本。
I would buy every issue of Fiction Monthly, the only literary magazine then published in China.
因此，我对小说，有了更进一步的认识，认识到作小说的，可以作为一种职业。
I came to realize that story-writing could be one's profession.
所以我爱读的小说，也自剑侠一变为爱情。
I shifted my favorite reading from kung fu stories to love stories.
事实上，这个日子的小说，也以爱情为最多。
In fact, love was then a favorite theme with most novelists.
可是为什么作小说，我依旧模糊着。
But I still had only a vague idea as to why one should engage in story writing.
至于作小说为职业，我根本未曾想到。
And I never thought of myself becoming a novelist.
到了十九岁，我在苏州“蒙藏垦殖专门学校”读书，有工夫，还是看小说。
At 19, while studying at Mongolia-Tibet Reclamation School for Vocational Training, in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, I continued to read stories in spare time.
我觉着光是看，还有些不够，所以也作了两篇，往“小说月报”社投稿。
But I thought mere reading was not enough, so I submitted two stories I had written to the magazine Fiction Monthly for publication.
当然，我那时还很年轻，读书不但不多，而且很多应当读的书，我只看到或者听到它的名字而已，所以两篇小说，投过了邮也就算了，并没有想到还有什么下文。
Of course, I was then very young and far from being well-read. And many books I should have read were known to me by name only. Therefore, I didn't expect too much of the two stories I had sent out and just forgot about them.
可是过了几日，“小说月报”居然回信来了，说我的小说还算不错，望我努力。
Several days later, however, I received a reply from the said magazine saying that I had done quite well and they hoped I would do still better.
那小说虽然没有发表，但给我的鼓励真是不小。
Though they didn't use my contributions, the encouragement they gave me was tremendous.
于是我就对小说更为细心研究，尤其是写景一方面，小动作一方面，中国小说虽然也有，却是并不多，我就在西洋小说中，加倍注意。
Thereupon, I went in for an even more careful study of fiction, especially as regards the depiction of scenery and petty moves, which also appeared in Chinese fiction, but with much lower frequency than in Western fiction. So I focused more on them in Western fiction.
可是学校被袁世凯封门了，我的家境，又十分不好，我就失了学。
Later, I was obliged to discontinue my studies when the school was closed down by order of Yuan Shikai and my parents could not send me to another school due to financial difficulties.
自此以后，我飘流在扬子江一带，寻找职业。
Then I began to wander about hunting for a job in places along the Yangtse River.
直到二十四岁，才找到了我的饭碗，就是芜湖《皖江报》。
And it was not until I was 24 that I finally found employment at The Wanjiang News in Wuhu, Anhui Province.
不过那飘流的几年中，有些日子在乡下家里，我还极力看中国旧书，也看看小说。这好像说我的读书，有些进步了吧？所以在《皖江报》就业以后，我在自己报上写小说，也有工夫为别家写小说。上海《民国日报》，这就是别家的一家。
Thanks to the improvement I seemed to have made in knowledge through burying myself in Chinese classics as well as fiction during the several years when I was in my country home and later when I was wandering about, I was able to write novels for my newspaper and also, in spare time, for other newspapers as well, including The Republic Daily.
若是说我写小说何日开始，这就是第一课吧。
That's the beginning of my career as a novelist.
这年下半年，我到了北京，以后有十几年没有离开。同时，我一面当新闻记者，一面写小说。
In the second half of the year, I went to Beijing, where I was to stay for more than ten years, both as a newspaperman and as a novelist.
但是我虽依旧写小说，却慢慢地摸上一点路子。觉得写小说，专门写爱情，那也似乎太狭窄。
While I continued to write, I gradually realized that, as a novelist, I shouldn't narrow my works to the sole theme of love.
我自己以为自这以后，我的小说，又有一点小变动，以社会各种变化情形为经，以爱情为纬。
So from then on, there was a small change in my writings. I wrote about social problems as well as love.
我的小说自然也应该有些变化，可是我仍旧不能完全抛弃爱情。
Nevertheless, I have never been able to totally break away from the topic of love.
大概有几十年工夫，不，可以说一辈子吧，总是不能离开这经纬线。如《太平花》、《夜深沉》、《水浒新传》、《八十一梦》等等。
It has been my favorite theme for decades or throughout my life, as witness my Taiping Flowers, Deep Night, New Shui Hu Zhuan, 81 Dreams, etc.
我是作章回小说的，对于普及，那是没有问题的。
As a writer of novels in zhanghui style, I of course advocate popularization.
但是我们要谈普及，是在哪里下手呢？
But we have to know how to achieve it.
这是我们必须要研究的。要把人民日常生活，一种自然形态，在烂熟之下摘取。
The way is to observe people's daily life in its natural form until the time is ripe for us to pick it like an opening flower.
这里说着人民日常生活，好像很容易摘取似的。
It is not easy though.
事实上不尽然，也许是很难的。
It may be very difficult.
我们要细心慢慢去找日常生活最普遍的一处，然后把它在适当的时候，使鲜花开出来。
We have to look for the most common aspect of people's life and then let it blossom forth like fresh flowers in our works at an opportune time. We need to work with patience.
这不能性急，日常生活体会得越多，就会使鲜花开得越灿烂。
The more we know about people's life, the more beautiful the flowers will be.
从重庆到箱根
From Chongqing to Hakone
◎　冰心
◎　Bing Xin
从羽田机场进入东京已经是夜里。
It was already dark when I arrived in Tokyo from Heneda Airport.
呈现在街灯下的街道一片冷落，看不见人影，比起人声嘈杂、车辆拥挤的上海完全成了两样。
The city looked desolate under the street lamps. Not a soul in sight. It was entirely different from Shanghai, which was noisy and choked with vehicles.
我想这才是真正的夜。白天决不是这样寂静。
However, I presumed the city would never be so still in the daytime.
我到东京的第三天，友人带着去了箱根。
On the third day after my arrival, a friend of mine showed me around Hakone.
从东京到横滨的途中，印象最深的是无边的瓦砾、衣衫褴褛的妇女、形容枯槁的人群。
On the way from Tokyo to Yokohama, what struck me most were the endless sights of debris, shabbily-dressed women and haggard crowds.
但是道路很平坦光洁。
But the roads were level and clean.
快到箱根，森林渐渐深起来，红叶映着夕阳，弯曲的道路，更增添了一层秀媚。
The nearer we got to Hakone, the more luxuriant the forests. The red autumn leaves in the evening glow plus the zigzag paths added greatly to the enchanting beauty of the landscape.
在山路大转弯的地方，富士山头顶雪冠、裹着紫云，真有一种难以形容的美。
Around a corner of the mountain path, we suddenly came in sight of the indescribable beauty of snow-capped Mount Fuji wrapped in purplish clouds.
比起欧美的一流旅馆，箱根的旅馆也不算差。
Hotels of Hakone compare well with first-class hotels of Western countries.
从窗口望去，到处溢满东洋风味。
Our window opened on a scene rich in Oriental flavour.
山岭、房檐、石塔、小桥等等，使人感到幽雅、舒适。
Mountain ridges, eaves, stone pagodas, small bridges, etc. all were so quiet, elegant and pleasing.
那一夜我怎么也不能入睡，各种各样的想法千头万绪，自己也说不清楚为什么有这样的感情。
That night I just couldn't fall asleep. I didn't know why I had so many thoughts surging in my mind.
这二天，天还没亮就起来，卷起窗帘，完全裹住了山峦的浓雾中隐约地露出青松的绿色。
The next day I got out of bed before daybreak. As I lifted the window curtain, green pines were dimly visible through a thick mist enveloping the mountains.
“啊！我的歌乐山！”突然间多么想这样叫一声——重庆的奇峰歌乐山是我的。
Suddenly I was on the verge of exclaiming, “Ah, my Gele Mountain, the fantastic Gele Mountain of Chongqing!”
我必须在这里介绍那令人留恋的歌乐山。
Now I feel obliged to say a few words about the unforgettable Gele Mountain.
歌乐山比起箱根来要小得多，红叶也没有这样多。
It is much smaller than Hakone with not so many red autumn leaves.
歌乐山被茂密的松林包裹着，一到春天，鲜红的杜鹃漫山盛开。
Its slopes are covered with dense pine forests. Red azaleas are in full bloom all over the place in spring.
春夜里可以听到杜鹃那令人伤感的鸣叫，山上杜鹃花的红色据说就是杜鹃吐的血染的。
And cuckoos are heard crying plaintively on spring evenings. It is said that azaleas on the mountain have been dyed red with the blood spit up by cuckoos.
轰炸的日子，常常是晴空万里。
Bombing raids usually happened in fair weather.
惊慌的尖叫的警报声中，带着食粮、饮水、蜡烛、毛毯，抱着孩子跑进阴冷的防空洞。
At the hideous, penetrating sound of the air-raid siren, people would dash for dear life into dark and cold air-raid dugouts, carrying food, drinking water, candles, blankets and their kids.
这里面，吓得发抖的妇人和孩子们，脸色变得发青。
Fear was written large on the ashen faces of trembling women and children.
我们没有声音，对着头上飞过的成群的飞机和轰轰的爆炸声，还有那猛烈摇动的狂风长长地叹息，然后好不容易爬上山顶，望着被滚滚白烟笼罩着的重庆，惦念着自己的亲人是否安全。
While Japanese aircraft were sweeping past overhead amidst terrible bomb blasts and a violent gust of wind, we could do nothing but sigh a deep sigh. Then we somehow managed to climb up to the mountaintop where we stood watching the city of Chongqing shrouded in billowing gray smoke and worrying about the safety of our dear ones.
夜间轰炸一定是美丽的星月夜。
Bombing raids usually took place on a beautiful starry night.
在夜里我们不进入洞中。
So we chose to stay outside the air-aid shelter.
让孩子们睡下之后，抱在膝上，等待在狭窄的洞口。
We sat at the narrow entrance of the tunnel holding our sleeping babies in our laps.
往下看萤火虫一样的光亮渐渐消失，很快街道被黑色完全包围，万籁俱静，只有远处传来的微弱的犬吠声。
Then, when the distant fires, flickering like fireflies, gradually died out, the streets became pitch dark and silence reigned everywhere except for the faint barking of far-off dogs.
嘉陵江犹如银白色的绢带。
The Jialing River looked like a silvery white ribbon.
淡淡的月光中看不见机影，只有爆炸声渐渐地传来，突然有几条探照灯光在天空中一扫而过。
Aircraft were hardly visible in the pale moonlight. Only distant explosions were heard now and then. Suddenly several searchlights swept across the dark sky.
“打中了！”“打中了！”
“We got them! We got them!”
九架、六架、三架，白蛾一样的飞机摇晃着冲向重庆，紧接着是震撼大地的爆炸声，火光冲上了天空。
Nine, six, three Japanese aircraft tottered like white moths and plunged headlong into the city, and then followed the earth-shaking explosions and leaping flames.
就这样流走了五年的日日夜夜。
Days and nights went on like this for five years.
歌乐山的五年，是在“好天良夜”中度过的。
I spent five years in the Gele Mountain of Chongqing witnessing every bombing holocaust.
可怕的、令人诅咒的战争。
It was a horrible and abominable war.
战争结束我们懂得了怨。
At the end of the war, we understood what was to blame.
而且我们虽然体验了激烈的战争，也懂得了同情和爱。
In spite of the ravages of war we had gone through, we felt sympathy and love for the common people.
因此，我在歌乐山最后的两年中，听到东京遭受轰炸的时候，感到有种说不出来的痛苦之情。
During the last two years of my stay in the Gele Mountain, it gave me a feeling of unutterable pain to learn of the bombing raids on Tokyo.
我想象得出无数东京的年轻女性担心着丈夫和亲人，背着柔弱的孩子在警报声中挤进防空壕那悲惨的样子。
I visualized the tragic picture of countless Tokyo young women trying desperately at the air alarm to squeeze into air-raid shelters with little babies on their backs and meanwhile worrying about husbands and relatives.
看见了东京我想起了重庆，走在箱根感到是走在歌乐山。
Now Tokyo reminds me of Chongqing. Here in Hakone, I feel as if I were in the Gele Mountain.
痛苦给了我们贵重的教训。
We have learned a valuable lesson from sufferings.
最大的繁荣的安乐不能在侵略中得到，只有同情和互助的爱情才能有共存共荣。
No prosperity or happiness will come of acts of aggression. Without mutual sympathy and love, there would be no co-existence and co-prosperity at all.
今后永远再也不要使歌乐山和箱根成为疏散地，要让热爱山水的人们常常登上山顶享受美丽的风光，不能再从自然的美中挤进黑暗的防空壕。
Never again will the Gele Mountain or Hakone be a place for sheltering evacuees. They should be a place for sightseers to feast their eyes on the beautiful scenery at the mountaintop. Never again will gloomy air-raid dugouts tarnish a place of natural beauty.
生命从八十岁开始
Life Begins at 80
◎　冰心
◎　Bing Xin
亲爱的小朋友：
Dear Little Friends,
我每天在病榻上躺着，面对一幅极好看的画。这是一个满面笑容，穿着红兜肚，肩上扛着一对大红桃的孩子，旁边写着“冰心同志八十大寿”，底下落款是“一九八〇年十月《儿童文学》敬祝”。
Every day I lie facing a lovely picture from my sickbed — the picture of a smiling little child wearing a doudu and carrying two big red peaches on the shoulder. It bears the inscriptions “On the 80th birthday of Comrade Bing Xin” and “With best wishes from the Children's Literature, October 1980” on the margin and at the bottom, respectively.
每天早晨醒来，在灿烂的阳光下看着它，使我快乐，使我鼓舞，但是“八十”这两个字，总不能使我相信我竟然已经八十岁了！
Every morning, when I wake up, it gives me great joy and encouragement to see the picture in the bright sunshine. But the birthday gift hasn't brought me to realize that I am already 80 years old!
我病后有许多老朋友来信，又是安慰又是责难，说：“你以后千万不能再不服老了!”
Since I fell ill, many old friends have written to express their sympathy for me and meanwhile warn me never again to work so hard without regard for my old age.
所以，我在复一位朋友的信里说：“孔子说他常觉得‘不知老之将至’，我是‘无知’到了不知老之已至的地步！”
So, in reply to a friend's letter, I said, “While Confucius refers to himself as often being ‘unaware of approaching old age’, I am, however, unaware that I am already old!”
这无知要感谢我的千千万万的小读者！
For this unawareness, I owe a debt of gratitude to millions upon millions of my little readers!
自从我二十三岁起写《寄小读者》以来，断断续续地写了将近六十年。正是许多小读者们读《寄小读者》后的来信，这热情的回响，使我永远觉得年轻!
It is about 60 years since I began at the age of 23 to write intermittently Letters to Little Readers. The warm response expressed by many of my little friends after reading my letters has given me a perpetual feeling of being young!
我在病中不但得到《中国少年报》编辑部的赠花，并给我拍了照，也得到许多慰问的信，因为这些信的祝福都使我相信我会很快康复起来。
During my illness, the editorial department of the China Juvenile Daily sent me flowers and took my picture. I also received many letters of sympathy from my friends and readers, whose good wishes inspired me with confidence in my speedy recovery. 
我的病是在得了脑血栓之后，又把右胯骨摔折。
My illness started with cerebral thrombosis, and later I suffered a fracture in my right hipbone. 
因此行动、写字都很困难。
As a result, I had difficulty getting around and writing by hand. 
写这几百字几乎用了半个小时，但我希望在一九八一年我完全康复之后，再努力给小朋友们写些东西。
You can imagine how it took me almost half an hour to finish writing this short note of only a few hundred words! 
西谚云“生命从四十岁开始”。
As a Western saying goes, “Life begins at 40.” 
我想从一九八一年起，病好后再好好练习写字，练习走路。
I hope that, starting from 1981, I'll be able to try my hand at writing and moving around after my recovery. 
“生命从八十岁开始”，努力和小朋友们一同前进!
Life begins at 80. Let me strive to forge ahead with all my little friends!
祝　你们健康快乐
With every good wish,
你们的热情的朋友　冰心
Bing Xin, your loving friend
一九八〇年十月二十九日于北京医院

再寄小读者
Another Letter to Young Readers — Written on the evening of April 12, 1958, in Venice, Italy
◎　冰心
◎　Bing Xin
亲爱的小朋友：
Dear Little Friends,
4月12日，我们在微雨中到达意大利东海岸的威尼斯。
On April 12, we arrived, amidst a gentle rain, in Venice, a city on the eastern coast of Italy.
威尼斯是世界闻名的水上城市，常有人把它比作中国的苏州。
Venice is a world-famous aquatic city, often compared to China's Suzhou.
但是苏州基本上是陆地上的城市，不过城里有许多河道和桥梁。威尼斯却是由一百多个小岛组成的，一条较宽的曲折的水道，就算是大街，其余许许多多纵横交织的小水道，就算是小巷。
But, while Suzhou is primarily a land-based city with many rivers and bridges, Venice is a port composed of more than 100 small islands cut by a broad winding waterway serving as its avenue and numerous small crisscross water courses serving as its alleys.
三四百座大大小小的桥，将这些小岛上的一簇一簇的楼屋，穿连了起来。
And clusters of buildings on the small islands are linked by some 400 bridges of various sizes.
这里没有车马，只有往来如织的大小汽艇，代替了公共汽车和小卧车；此外还有黑色的、两端翘起、轻巧可爱的小游船，叫做Gondola，译作“共渡乐”，也还可以谐音会意。
There are no motor vehicles. In place of buses and motor cars, motorboats of various descriptions speed to and fro on the congested waterways. Also on the waterways are lovely black small pleasure boats with curved ends, known as gondola, a term that has been translated into the Chinese homonym gondule meaning “share the joy of river-crossing.”
这座小城，是极有趣的！
The small town of Venice is very interesting.
你们想象看：家家户户，面临着水街水巷，一开起门来，就看见荡漾的海水和飞翔的海鸥。
Imagine how every building stands directly facing a waterway instead of a street or lane, and the residents, as soon as they open the door, come face to face with nothing but undulating sea waves and seagulls circling in the air.
门口石阶旁边，长满了厚厚的青苔，从石阶上跳上公共汽艇，就上街去了。
Walk down a flight of mossy stone steps at their door, and they will be able to get on a public waterboat bound for town.
这座城里，当然也有教堂，有宫殿，和其他的公共建筑，座座都紧靠着水边。
The city also has its own churches, palaces and other public buildings, all situated on the water front.
夜间一行行一串串的灯火，倒影在颤摇的水光里，真是静美极了！
What a wonderful sight it is when strings of their lights are reflected in the quivering water at nights!
威尼斯是意大利东海岸对东方贸易的三大港口之一，其余的两个是它南边的巴利和北边的特利斯提。
Venice is one of the three big ports on Italy's eastern coast doing trade with Eastern countries, the other two being Bari to its south and Trieste to its north.
在它在繁盛的时代，就是公元后十三世纪，那时是中国的元朝，有个商人名叫马可波罗曾到过中国，在扬州作过官。
In its heyday, that is, during China's Yuan Dynasty in the 13th century AD, an Italian merchant named Marco Polo visited China and became an official in Yangzhou.
他在中国住了二十多年，回到威尼斯之后，写了一本游记，极称中国文物之盛。
After 20 years in China, he returned to Venice and wrote Travels of Marco Polo in which he speaks highly of China's rich cultural relics.
在他的游记里，曾仔细地描写过芦沟桥，因此直到现在，欧洲人还把芦沟桥称作马可波罗桥。
He makes a detailed description of Lugouqiaoin his travel notes. That is why Europeans today still refer to Lugouqiao as Marco Polo Bridge.
国际间的贸易，常常是文化交流的开端，精美的商品的互换，促进了两国人民相互的爱慕与了解。
International cultural exchange usually begins with international trade. The exchange of top-quality commodities promotes mutual love and understanding between nations.
和平劳动的人民，是欢迎这种“有无相通”的。
Peace-loving working people welcome “mutual supply of what the other party needs.”
近几年来，中意两国间的贸易，由于人为的障碍，大大地减少了。
In recent years, due to man-made barriers, Sino-Italian trade has dropped sharply.
这几个港口的冷落，使得意大利的工商业者，渴望和中国重建邦交，畅通贸易，这种热切的呼声，是我们到处可以听到的。
In the face of the declining business of the above-mentioned ports, Italian industrial and business circles long for re-establishment of relations and smooth development of business with China. The same urgent voice is heard throughout the country.
这几天欧洲的气候，真是反常！
These few days, the weather in Europe has been unusually bad indeed.
昨天在帕都瓦城，遇见大雪，那里本已是桃红似锦，柳碧如茵，而天空中的雪片，却是搓棉扯絮一般，纷纷下落。
Yesterday, snow fell in large flakes on Padova when the city was at the height of its beauty with pink peach blossoms and green willows.
在雪光之中，看到融融的春景，在我还是第一次！
It was the first time for me to see a warm snow-covered spring scene.
昨晚起雪化成雨，凉意逼人，现在我的窗外呼啸着呜呜的海风，风声中夹杂着悠扬的钟声；回忆起二十几年前的初春，我也是在阴雨中游了威尼斯，它的明媚的一面，我至今还没有看到！
There has been a chill in the air since last night, snow having turned into rain. The sound of howling sea wind outside my window is mingled with the melodious sound of bells. I remember that in an early spring of 20 years ago, it also rained when I first visited Venice. Therefore, I haven't as yet seen the city in bright sunshine.
今天又是星期六，在寂静的时间中，我极其亲切地想起了你们。
Today is Sunday again, and I'm thinking of you warmheartedly.
住学校的小朋友们，现在都该回到家里了吧？
Little friends, those of you who are boarders must now be back at home for the weekend.
灯光之下，不知你们和家里人谈了些什么？
I wonder what you are talking about with your folks at home in the lamplight.
是你们学习的情况，还是国家建设？
Is it about your studies or about our national construction?
又有几天没有看到祖国的报纸，消息都非常隔膜了。
Having had no access to up-to-date newspapers from China for several days, I'm ill-informed about things at home.
出国真不能走得太久，思想跟不上就使人落后！
It's probably inadvisable for one to stay abroad for too long, for he may otherwise lag behind ideologically.
小朋友一定会笑我又“想家”了吧？——同行的人都冒雨出去参观，明天又要赶路，我独自留下，抽空再写几行，免得你们盼望，遥祝你们好好地度一个快乐的星期天！
Little friends, you must be laughing at me for being “homesick” again. Now my fellow travelers are all gone out visiting places in spite of the rain, for tomorrow they will have to push on with the journey. I'm the only one left alone, so I manage to find time to write you a few lines so as to keep you from worrying about me. I wish you from afar a happy Sunday!
你的朋友　冰心
Your friend,
1958年4月12日夜意大利，威尼斯
Bing Xin
一只木屐
A Wooden Clog
◎　冰心
◎　Bing Xin
淡金色的夕阳，像这条轮船一样，懒洋洋地停在这一块长方形的海水上。
The light gold setting sun, like our steamer, was lingering sluggishly in the harbor.
两边码头上仓库的灰色大门，已经紧紧地关起了。
The grey gates of the warehouses on either side of the harbor were securely shut.
一下午的嘈杂的人声，已经寂静了下来，只有乍起的晚风，在吹卷着码头上零乱的草绳和尘土。
The afternoon hubbub of voices had died down and fitful gusts of evening wind would rise to send the messy piles of straw ropes and dust whirling from the wharves.
我默默地倚伏在船栏上，周围是一片的空虚——沉重，时间一分一分地过去，苍茫的夜色，笼盖了下来。
Silently leaning on the ship railing, I found myself surrounded by an endless dull void. Time was ticking away minute by minute and darkness was gathering around me.
猛抬头，我看见在离船不远的水面上，飘着一只木屐，它已被海水泡成黑褐色的了。
Raising my head abruptly, I saw a wooden clog floating on the water not far from my ship.
它在摇动的波浪上，摇着、摇着，慢慢地往外移，仿佛要努力地摇到外面大海上去似的！
It had turned a dark brown after being soaked in water and kept moving slowly with the rolling waves as if it were laboring out of the harbor toward the vast sea.
啊！我苦难中的朋友！
O my friend in distress!
你怎么知道我要悄悄地离开？
How did you know that I was leaving on the quiet?
你又怎么知道我心里丢不下那些把你穿在脚下的朋友？
How did you know that I was reluctant to part with my friends — friends that had once worn you on their feet?
你从岸上跳进海中，万里迢迢地在船边护送着我？
O now you had leaped into the water to escort me through the long voyage?
过去几年的、在东京的苦闷不眠的夜晚——相伴我的只有瓦檐上的雨声，纸窗外的月色，更多的是空虚——沉重的、黑黝黝的长夜；而每一个不眠的夜晚，我都听到嘎达嘎达的木屐声音，一阵一阵的从我楼前走过。
For several years previously, on those dull, black long nights, as I lay awake with a gloomy feeling of emptiness, the only thing that would keep me company had been the raindrops pattering on the tiled roof and the moonlight outside the paper windows. I would hear on every sleepless night wooden clogs clattering past the cobbled road before my building, sounding clear and firm.
这声音，踏在石子路上，清空而又坚实；它不像我从前听过的、引人憎恨的、北京东单操场上日本军官的军靴声，也不像北京饭店的大厅上日本官员、绅士的皮鞋声。
It was unlike the hateful thudding of Japanese officers' military boots I had once heard on the Dongdan drill ground in Peking. It was also unlike the clip-clop of leather shoes on the feet of Japanese officials and VIPs in the lobby of Peking Hotel.
这是日本劳动人民的、风里雨里寸步不离的、清空而又坚实的木屐的声音……
It was the clear and firm sound of wooden clogs worn by the working people of Japan, rain or shine.
我把双手交叉起，枕在脑后，随着一阵一阵的屐声，在想象中从穿着木屐的双脚，慢慢地向上看，我看到悲哀憔悴的穿着外褂、套着白罩衣的老人、老妇的脸；我看到痛苦愤怒的穿着工裤、披着蓑衣的工人、农民的脸；我看到忧郁彷徨的戴着四角帽、穿着短裙的青年、少女的脸……这些脸，都是我白天在街头巷尾不断看到的，这时都汇合了起来，从我楼前嘎达嘎达地走过。
Resting my head on my clasped hands, I visualized, in the midst of the clatters, all those in wooden clogs: sad and haggard elderly men and women wearing short garments under white overalls; aggrieved workers in overalls and peasants in straw rain capes; young men in college caps and young women in short skirts, all looking dejected and perplexed … I had often come across them here and there in town in the daytime. Now they seemed to merge together clattering past my building.
“苦难中的朋友！
“My friends in distress!
在这黑黝黝的长夜，希望在哪里？
Where is your hope in this dark long night?
你们这样嘎达嘎达地往哪里走呢？”
Where are you bound for in your clattering clogs?”
在失眠的辗转反侧之中，我总是这样痛苦地想。
That was the thought in my gloomy mind as I lay wide awake, tossing and turning restlessly.
事情过去十多年了，但是我还常常想起那日那时日本横滨码头旁边水上的那只木屐。
All that happened over a decade ago, but I always think of the wooden clog floating on water near the Yokohama wharf.
对于我，它象征着日本劳动人民，也使我回忆起那几年居留日本的一段生活，引起我许多复杂的情感。
To me, it symbolizes the working people of Japan. It also reminds me of my several years' sojourn in Japan and arouses a host of complicated feelings in me.
从那日那时离开日本后，我又去过两次。
I have since twice re-visited Japan.
这时候，日本人民不但是我的苦难中的朋友，也是我的斗争中的朋友了。
I realized on both occasions that the Japanese people are not only my friends in distress, but also my comrades-in-arms.
但是，当同去的人们，珍重地带回了些与富士山或樱花有关的纪念品的时候，我却收集一些小小的、引人眷恋的玩具木屐……
While my co-travelers brought back treasured souvenirs of Mount Fuji or cherry blossoms, I came home with a collection of small, nostalgic toy clogs …
中学时代生活的回忆
Recollections of My High School Days
◎　庐隐
◎　Lu Yin
只要一回忆到学生时代的生活，心头便不禁有一种顽皮的跳动，过去的童年，也似乎复活了。
Whenever I look back upon my school days, my heart will throb hard and my childhood will seem to come back to life.
我正是十三岁的那一年秋天，考进了女子师范的一年级，在全级同学的年龄中，我是倒数第一，身材呢，偏偏也是又矮又小，当我拖着两条小辫发，跑进课堂时，同学们都惊奇地望着我，在她们的揣测中，这仅仅是个小学四五年级的孩子，怎么会参加她们的集团呢，而我就在她们的猜疑中，安然地坐在第一排的位子上了。
In the autumn of the year when I was thirteen, I got enrolled by examination to a women's normal school as a first-year student. Being the youngest of the class, I was short and small. As I entered the classroom wearing my hair in two braids, my classmates all stared at me with amazement, wondering how a primary school kid of the 4th or 5th grade could have become one of their clique. Nevertheless, in the midst of their guesses, I took a seat in the first row with composure.
一个中年妇女，据说是学监曹先生，迈着那小脚放大的特有的八字步，神乎其神的走进教室，登上讲台，我们恭敬的起立，鞠躬，坐下，学监发给我们一份油印的学校规则，上面罗列着森严可怖的校规，最使我刺心的，是学生必须全体住堂，除星期六例假外，不许外出，即使例假外出时，也必有家长盖章的证明书才行，星期日下午五点以前一定要回学校，如果迟误，下星期就不准回家，其次就是不许穿制服以外的任何衣服，——而制服偏偏又是那样难看，夏季的是灰色布衫，灰色山东绸的裙子，新的时候还好，洗过几次之后，颜色灰黯，活像一窝老鼠精。
A middle-aged woman, known as Miss Cao the proctor, walked into the classroom and mounted the platform with self-important airs. Having been once a woman with bound-feet, she was splayfooted. We all stood up, bowed and sat down with great deference. The proctor then gave us each a mimeographed sheet with a horrible list of strict regulations, of which the most detestable was that all students must be boarders forbidden to go out of the campus except during weekends with a certificate sealed by parents and that they must return to the campus before 5 o'clock on Sunday afternoons and otherwise they would not be allowed to go home next weekend. On top of that, we were allowed to wear no other outer garment than the school uniform, which was so ugly. The summer uniform consisted of a gray cotton shirt and a gray silk skirt, which would discolor with each washing until they looked as pale as gray rats.
至于冬季的呢，那又不如夏季的了，青蛙色的爱国布裙衫，洗得黄不黄绿不绿，谁说不能象征癞蛤蟆的色彩呢？
The winter uniform with frog-colored jacket and skirt, was even lousier. They would, after several washings, turn neither yellow nor green, taking on the color of brown-skinned toads.
同时头上再梳个日本式高搭凉棚式的头，真是呜呼嘻噫，不像鼠精，也像蛙怪了。
Meanwhile, we had to wear our hair after the Japanese style, with a hairpiece shaped like a huge canopy. O my, we were thus all transformed into rat spirits and frog monsters! 
这虽然似乎是一件小事，而对于我这个还拖着两条辫发的孩子，简直等于是一种滑稽的刑罚呢！
Though it was a trivial matter, yet to a little girl like me with two treasured short braids, it was as good as a ludicrous form of punishment!
自从学监曹先生颁布校规以后，一些天真活泼的女孩，霎时间都变成了日本婆娘，——那时间日本的教育及其他，都正在中国走着极时的红运，所有的教育当局，也大半是日本留学生，所以为了贯彻他们的取法乎日本的主张，便连装饰也必使其逼似。
Upon the announcement of the school regulations by Miss Cao the proctor, the innocent school girls immediately started to behave like Japanese women. In those days, things Japanese, including the educational system, were at the height of their popularity in China. And most of the Chinese officials in charge of education then were returned students from Japan. Hence the slavish copying of even the Japanese style of ornamentation.
试想那样庞大笨重的凉棚头，顶在一些尚未全成人形的孩子们身上，究竟类乎不类呢？
Imagine how absurd it was to fix a huge cumbersome canopy-like hairpiece on the head of an under-age little girl!
尤其在全级比较最小的我更是个要命的勾当，每逢走过整容镜前，由不得掩面急趋，这一副头大身小，畸形发展的尊容，便连自己，也无勇气看。
Being the smallest girl of the class, I was worst hit by it. I would quickly shy away from the full-length mirror at school with my face buried in my hands, not daring to look at my own top-heavy bizarre appearance in it. 
所以仅仅是一个大棚头，和一身蛙色或鼠色的布裙衫，简直像一副全份的刑具，压迫得我无精打采，先天所有的爱美情感，都被摧毁了，因此我每个星期六回家时，必作一次欺骗的行为，那就是从学监处领得回家的通知书后，走到门房，放下包裹，先把那大棚头摧毁，仍旧拖两条发辫，这才雇车回家。
The canopy-like hairpiece and the ugly cotton uniform, like a complete set of instruments of torture, depressed me and deprived me of my inborn love for being well groomed. So I started playing a trick every Saturday before I went home for the weekend. After getting the certificate for leave, I would enter the janitor's room where I put down my knapsack and took off my canopy-like hairpiece. Then I would be on my way home sporting my short braids. 
第二天回学校时，也是偷偷摸摸乘学监看不见的时候，逃到栉沐室，恢复了大棚头，再去交通知书。
The next day when I returned to school, I would, before handing in the certificate for leave, sneak into the women's bathroom without the knowledge of the proctor and furtively put on the unwieldy hairpiece again.
在这个中学时期中，本来是我的黄金时代，谁知我的活泼快乐的童年，竟销灭于这如牢狱似的学校生活中，至今想来，对于当时那种专门以压迫手段的学校教育，犹觉不寒而栗了。
My high school days would have been my golden age had it not been for the prison-like school life. Today, I still cannot help shuddering at the thought of the erstwhile coercion-oriented school education.
对于学校训育法，给我的印象太坏了，至于功课呢，也是不能使人满意，一味的注入，不管你能吸收消化与否，他们只管照着老调唱，因此我对于读书，竟视为畏途，在讲堂里总是想法消遣，不是作打油诗，俏皮先生，便是和同学传递纸条，以为玩笑，只要听见下课铃一响，但没命的逃了。
While I loathed the moral education conducted by the school, I was also fed-up with its spoon-fed intellectual education. The teachers then would harp on the same old platitudes regardless of whether the students could comprehend or not. As a result, I became bored with studies. While in class, I would try to divert myself by writing lines of doggerel at the expense of the teachers, or surreptitiously exchanging scribbled notes with my classmates for fun. And at the sound of the class-dismissing bell, we would all scatter in a rush.
在这枯燥阴暗的学校生活中，我有时仍然要自寻光明，那就是偷看小说——那时候的学生，除了教科书以外，什么都不许看，小说尤其在严禁之列，如被发觉，轻则学监叫去当面训斥一顿，把小说没收，重则挂牌记大过一次，可是这也禁不断我们，仍然不断的偷看书，有时我竟躲在讲堂最后一排的椅子上，把小说藏在国文讲义下面，趁先生讲的唾沫乱溅的时候，我已一页一页的偷看下去，有时看到小说中情节太滑稽的部分，我竟忘其所以的噗哧一笑，这就惹下了大祸，先生瞪起铜铃般的眼睛，恶狠狠地叫我到前排来，我连忙把小说往屉子里一塞，垂头丧气的坐到前排位子上，但是心里更急切要想晓得那故事的下文，于是我的精神贯注于那小说的想象中，虽是木然静坐，心早不知飞越到第几世界去了。
Confronted with the boredom of school life, I often tried to find a way out by reading novels on the sly. In those days, students were allowed to read no other books, especially novels, than textbooks. Acts of disobedience would incur a stern reprimand by the proctor plus confiscation of the novels, or, what was even worse, having a major demerit put on record. But all that proved of little avail. Sometimes, while the teacher was lecturing, I would, seating myself in the last row of the classroom, be absorbed in reading a novel hidden under a copy of lecture notes on Chinese. Sometimes, I would be carried away by something funny in the novel and chuckle involuntarily. That brought great trouble on me. The teacher glared at me with eyes wide open like two brass bells and fiercely ordered me to take a front-row seat instead. Thereupon, I quickly thrust the novel into my drawer and took the new seat, looking crestfallen. But, inwardly, I was concerned about the denouement of the novel. I just couldn't take my mind off what the ensuing chapters would be like. So, sitting still and quietly in the classroom, I would have my thoughts wandering immeasurably far away.
有一次，我从一个同学那里，借到林译小说的全部，这使我发狂的想看，于是就想了个绝妙的方法，跑到学监处，皱紧眉头假称肚子疼，学监叫我到寝室去睡，——平时寝室的门是锁了的，除非生病不到打睡觉铃时，不准到寝室去，——我这时暗暗地高兴，拿着锁打开寝室的门，放下帐子，拿上两三本小说，睡在床上，大看而特看，到吃饭的时候，学监只派校役，送一些稀饭和咸菜给我，这使我有苦说不出，无可奈何，只好把这稀饭咸菜姑且疗饥吧。
Once, having borrowed from a classmate a collection of Western fiction translated into Chinese by Lin Shu, I was all eagerness to finish reading all of it. So I thought up a good idea. I went to the proctor with knitted eyebrows, pretending that I was suffering from a stomach-ache. She told me to go and get a sleep at the student dorm, which was ordinarily locked and no one could enter unless when in illness or before the lightsout bell rang. I felt secretly pleased. And with the key I got from her, I opened the dorm door and then lay in bed reading avidly Lin's translations with the mosquito net hung round me. At meal time, the proctor would send me by a school worker nothing but watery rice gruel and pickles. I felt unutterably miserable and had no alternative but to eat the simple fare to appease my hunger.
我这样装病过三四次，是后一次这个秘密被学监发觉了，以欺骗和违法的罪名，记了我一大过。
Altogether I malingered three or four times until it was discovered by the proctor. Consequently I got a serious demerit put on my record on the charge of cheating and disobedience.
一年复一年的我们这样生活着，混过四年毕业书骗到手，我的中学生活也就告了结束。
That was how I managed to muddle through year after year until I got the diploma at the end of four years, thus concluding my high school life.
骆驼
The Camel
◎　梁实秋
◎　Liang Shiqiu
台北没有什么好去处。我从前常喜欢到动物园走动走动，其中两个地方对我有诱惑。一个是一家茶馆，有高屋建瓴之势，凭窗远眺，一片油绿的田畴，小川蜿蜒其间，颇可使人目旷神怡。另一值得看的便是那一双骆驼了。
Few places in Taipei are of much appeal to me except the zoo which I used to frequent for its two attractions, namely, the teahouse commanding a pleasant distant view from the window over the surrounding farmlands with fresh green vegetation and meandering streams, and the two camels.
有人喜欢看猴子，看那些乖巧伶俐的动物，略具人形，而生活究竟简陋，于是令人不由的生出优越之感，掏一把花生米掷进去。
Some people like to amuse themselves by watching the playfulness of clever monkeys which, though slightly manlike, are after all simpleminded animals. That's why people cannot help feeling a sense of superiority and throwing them handfuls of peanuts.
有人喜欢看狮子跳火圈，狗作算术，老虎翻筋斗，觉得有趣。
Some people enjoy seeing lions jumping through a fiery hoop, dogs doing easy sums, or tigers turning a somersault. 
我之看骆驼则是另外一种心情，骆驼扮演的是悲剧的角色。
But it was with a different state of mind for me to watch the camels playing a tragic role.
它的槛外是冷清清的，没有游人围绕，所谓槛也只是一根杉木横着拦在门口。
They had few onlookers and were separated by a fir log across the entrance instead of a fence.
地上是烂糟糟的泥。它卧在那里，老远一看，真像是大块的毛姜。
Lying on the muddy ground, they resembled huge pieces of ginger when looked at from afar.
逼近一看，可真吓人！
And it gave me quite a shock to take a closer look.
一块块的毛都在脱落，斑驳的皮肤上隐隐的露着血迹。
Their hair was falling off in patches, faintly revealing blood-stains on the skin.
嘴张着，下巴垂着，有上气无下气的在喘。水汪汪的两只大眼睛好像是眼泪扑簌的盼望着能见亲族一面似的。
They were gasping for breath, with mouth wide open, chin drooping and watery big eyes seemingly brimming with tears of longing for their beloved ones.
腰间的肋骨历历可数，颈子又细又长，尾巴像是一条破扫帚。
They were so skinny that their ribs showed through distinctly, their necks thin and long, and their tails like a worn-out broom.
驼峰只剩下了干皮，像是一只麻袋搭在背上。
Nothing remained of their humps but the dried up skin resting on their backs like a gunnysack.
骆驼为什么落到这悲惨地步呢？
O how did they get into such a pitiful plight?
难道“沙漠之舟”的雄姿即不过如是么？
O where was the majestic appearance of the “ships of the desert”?
我心目中的骆驼不是这样的。
That, however, is not what a camel looks like in my mind's eye.
儿时在家乡，一听见大铜铃玎玎珰珰就知道送煤的骆驼队来了，往往夺门出视。
In my childhood, the jingling of big bronze camel bells in my home town would always send me rushing outdoors to see a caravan arriving with a load of coal.
一根细绳穿系着好几只骆驼，有时是十只八只的，一顺的立在路边。
The camels, sometimes numbering about ten, would stand roped up in a line, one after another, by the road.
满脸煤污的煤商一声吆喝，骆驼便乖乖的跪下来给人卸货，嘴角往往流着白沫，口里不住地嚼——反刍。
At the loud call of the coal trader, whose face was smeared all over with coal dust, the camels would submissively kneel down, ready to be unloaded. Foaming at the mouth, they kept chewing the cud.
有时还跟着一只小骆驼，几乎用跑步在后面追随着。
Sometimes, close at their heels was a calf trying ever so hard to catch up at a quickened pace. 
面对着这样庞大而温驯的驮兽，我们不能不惊异的欣赏。
These heavily-built, docile pack animals were just amazing and adorable.
是亚热带的气候不适于骆驼居住。
Camels do not adapt to the climate of subtropical zones.
非洲北部的国家有骆驼兵团，在沙漠中驰骋，以骁勇善战著名，不过那骆驼是单峰骆驼，不是我们所说的双峰骆驼。
Northern African countries are known for their brave military camel corps in the deserts, but the camels involved are one-humped dromedaries, not the two-humped Bactrian camels as we are familiar with.
动物园的那一双骆驼不久就不见了，标本室也没有空间容纳它们。
The two camels soon disappeared from the zoo, and the specimen room did not have room enough to exhibit them.
我从此也不大常去动物园了。
So, from then on, I seldom visited the zoo.
我常想：公文书里罢黜一个人的时候常用“人地不宜”四字，总算是一个比较体面的下台的借口。
I understand “failed acclimatization” is a face-saving excuse commonly used in officialese to refer to someone's removal from a position.
这骆驼之黯然消逝，也许就是类似“人地不宜”之故罢？
Now the dismal fadeaway of the two camels must be for some similar reasons.
生长在北方大地之上的巨兽，如何能局促在这样的小小圈子里，如何能耐得住这炎热的郁蒸？
How could the two big animals born and brought up in the vast northern plains of China long survive confinement in a small place like the zoo? How could they endure the sweltering heat?
它们当然要憔悴，要悒悒，要委顿以死。我想它们看着身上的毛一块块脱落，真的要变成为“有板无毛”的状态，心里多么凄凉！
Of course, consequently they pined away with weariness and spent their days moping around until they died. How sad they must have been over their thinning hair!
真不知是什么人恶作剧，把它们运到此间，使得它们尝受这一段酸辛，使得我们也感叹！
Who is to blame for having mischievously brought them to Taipei to undergo untold sufferings? They certainly deserve our deep sympathies!
其实，骆驼不仅是在这炎蒸之地难以生存，就是在北方大陆其命运也是在日趋于衰微。
In fact, camels find it difficult to subsist not only in this hot region, but also in the northern plains of China.
在运输事业机械化的时代，谁还肯牵着一串串的骆驼招摇过市？
Nowadays, with the introduction of mechanized transportation, nobody will ever drive a drove of camels, all strung together, through the open street.
沙漠地带该是骆驼的用武之地了，但现在沙漠里听说也有了现代的交通工具。
Camels used to play a useful role as “ships of the desert”, but now, I hear, they have been largely replaced by modern means of transport.
骆驼是驯兽，自己不复能在野外繁殖谋生。
As tame animals, they are unable to live all by themselves in a wild state.
等到为人类服务的机会完全消灭的时候，我不知道它将如何繁衍下去。
I wonder if they can still manage to live and breed once they cease to be at man's service.
最悲惨的是，大家都讥笑它是兽类中最蠢的当中的一个；因为它只会消极的忍耐。
Sad to say, people all sneeringly call them one of the most stupid categories of animals because all they can do is submit and endure passively.
给它背上驮五磅的重载，它会跪下来承受。
They kneel down obediently to be loaded with heavy weights.
它肯食用大多数哺乳动物所拒绝食用的荆棘苦草，它肯饮用带盐味的脏水。
They exist on low-grade diets, such as tape grass, thistles and thorns, which most mammals refuse to eat.
它奔走三天三夜可以不喝水，并不是因为它的肚子里储藏着水，是因为它在体内由于脂肪氧化而制造出水。
They drink saltish filthy water. They trek for three days and nights without drinking any water, not because they have water stored in their stomachs, but because the fat inside their bodies produce water through oxidation.
它的驼峰据说是美味，我虽未尝过，可是想想熊掌的味道，大概也不过尔尔。
The hump is considered a delicacy. I have never eaten it, but, I think, it must taste no better than a bear's paw.
像这样的动物若是从地面上消逝，可能不至于引起多少人惋惜。尤其是在如今这个世界，大家所最欢喜豢养的乃是善伺人意的哈巴狗，像骆驼这样的“任重而道远”的家伙，恐怕只好由它一声不响的从这世界舞台上退下去罢！
While probably few people now bemoan the possible extinction of camels, Pekingese, which are good at playing up to man, have become a pet with all. O if only we could do something to prevent this useful animal from its silent withdrawal from the world stage!
养成好习惯
Cultivating Good Habits
◎　梁实秋
◎　Liang Shiqiu
人的天性大致是差不多的，但是在习惯方面却各有不同，习惯是慢慢养成的，在幼小的时候最容易养成，一旦养成之后，要想改变过来却还不很容易。
Men are about the same in human nature, but differ in habit. Habit is formed little by little, and most easily in one's childhood. Once it is formed, it is difficult to break.
例如说：清晨早起是一个好习惯，这也要从小时候养成，很多人从小就贪睡懒觉，一遇假日便要睡到日上三竿还高卧不起，平时也是不肯早起，往往蓬首垢面的就往学校跑，结果还是迟到，这样的人长大了之后也常是不知振作，多半不能有什么成就。
For example, the good habit of early rising also starts from one's early life. Many people, however, have been in the habit of sleeping late ever since they were kids. They won't get up till late morning on holidays and even oversleep on work days. Children are often late for school though they make a rush even without washing up. Such children, when they grow up, will often lack drive and most probably get nowhere.
祖逖闻鸡起舞，那才是志士奋励的榜样。
The story of Zu Ti rising at cockcrow to practise swordplay should be a good example for all men of resolve to learn from.
我们中国人最重礼，因为礼是行为的规范。
We Chinese set great store by propriety because it is the accepted rules of social behavior.
礼要从家庭里做起，姑举一例：为子弟者“出必告，反必面”，这一点点对长辈的起码的礼，我们是否已经每日做到了呢？
Propriety begins from the family. For example, children should keep their parents informed of their whereabouts. That is the ABC of good manners on the part of children.
我看见有些个孩子们早晨起来对父母视若无睹，晚上回到家来如入无人之境，遇到长辈常常横眉冷目，不屑搭讪。
Yet some children just ignore their parents when get up in the morning or come back from school. They often pull a long face and refuse to converse when they meet their elders.
这样的跋扈乖戾之气如果不早早地纠正过来，将来长大到社会服务，必将处处引起摩擦不受欢迎。
If they continue to be so cocky and willful without correcting themselves as soon as possible, they will never get along well with other people some day as members of society.
我们不仅对长辈要恭敬有礼，对任何人都应该维持相当的礼貌。
We should be polite not only to our elders, but also to all people.
大声讲话，扰及他人的宁静，是一种不好的习惯。
It is a bad habit to talk loudly to the disturbance of others.
我们试自检讨一番，在别人读书工作的时候是否有过喧哗的行为？
Ask yourself if you ever made a lot of noise while others were at their studies or at work.
我们要随时随地为别人着想，维持公共的秩序，顾虑他人的利益，不可放纵自己，在公共场所人多的地方，要知道依次排队，不可争先恐后地去乱挤。
We should be considerate of others at all times and places, caring for public order and interests and abstaining from self-indulgence. In crowded public places, you should line up and never push through to get ahead of others.
时间即是生命。
Time is life.
我们的生命是一分一秒地在消耗着，我们平常不大觉得，细想起来实在值得警惕。
Our life is ticking away unnoticed minute by minute and second by second. It is certainly alarming when we come to think of it.
我们每天有许多的零碎时间于不知不觉中浪费掉了，我们若能养成一种利用闲暇的习惯，一遇空闲，无论其为多么短暂，都利用其做一点有益身心之事，则积少成多终必有成。
Every day we are unconsciously wasting many odd moments. We should acquire the habit of utilizing leisure time, and snatch every odd moment to do whatever is beneficial to our body and mind. That will enable us to achieve good results little by little.
常听人讲起“消遣”二字，最是要不得，好像是时间太多无法打发的样子，其实人生短促极了，哪里会有多余的时间待人“消遣”？
People often talk most improperly about “seeking relaxation” as if they had more than enough time for them to while away. Life is, in fact, extremely short. How can you find so much surplus time for you to fool away?
陆放翁有句云：“待饭未来还读书。”
Lu Fangweng says in one of his poems, “Spend even the pre-meal odd moment in reading.” 
我知道有人就经常利用这“待饭未来”的时间读了不少的大书。
As far as I know, many people did snatch the odd moment before a meal to do a lot of reading.
古人所谓“三上之功”，枕上、马上、厕上，虽不足为训，其用意是在劝人不要浪费光阴。
Our ancients recommended “three on's ”, that is, doing reading even while you are on a pillow, on a horse or on a nightstool. All that, though impracticable, serves the purpose of advising people not to waste time.
吃苦耐劳是我们这个民族的标志。
Ours is a nation known for industry and self-denial.
古圣先贤总是教训我们要能过得俭朴的生活，一个有志的人应能耐得清寒。
Frugality has always been the teaching of our ancient sages and wise men. A man of strong will should be able to endure spartan living conditions.
恶衣恶食，不足为耻，丰衣足食，不足为荣，这在个人之修养上是应有的认识。
It should not be regarded as a disgrace to live a simple life. Nor should it be regarded as a glory to live a luxurious life. That should be the correct understanding one needs for self-cultivation.
罗马帝国盛时的一位皇帝，Marcus Aurelius，他从小就摒绝一切享受，从来不参观那当时风靡全国的赛车比武之类的娱乐，终其身成为一位严肃的苦修的哲学家，而且也建立了不朽的事功。这是很值得令人钦佩的。
Marcus Aurelius, emperor of the Roman Empire in its heyday, refused to enjoy all comforts of life from childhood and always kept away from amusements like the chariot race then in vogue and other fighting-skill competitions. He remained a life-long staunch Stoic philosopher and meanwhile distinguished himself by numerous exploits.
我们中国是一个穷的国家，所以我们更应该体念艰难，弃绝一切奢侈，尤其是从外国来的奢侈。
Ours is a poor country, so it is even more necessary for us to see the tough conditions facing us and renounce all luxuries, especially those coming from abroad.
从小就养成俭朴的习惯，更要知道物力维艰，竹头木屑，皆宜爱惜。
We should build up the habit of leading a thrifty life. We should bear in mind that all material resources are hard to come by and should be treasured, even including their odds and ends.
以上数端不过是偶然拈来，好的习惯千头万绪，“勿以善小而不为”。
The above points have been picked by me at random. Good habits are too numerous to be dealt with one by one, but none, however, are too small to keep.
习惯养成之后，便毫无勉强，临事心平气和，顺理成章。
Habit, once formed, will become your natural and spontaneous behaviour.
充满良好习惯的生活，才是合于“自然”的生活。
A life full of good habits will be a life conforming with the law of nature.
略谈英文文法
A Little Chat about English Grammar
◎　梁实秋
◎　Liang Shiqiu
三百多年前，英国没有讲英文文法的书。
Over 300 years ago, there were no English grammars in England.
英文没有文法么？英国人说话不根据文法么？
Was it because at that time the English language had no grammar or Englishmen spoke without following any grammatical rules?
不。话不是这样说。
No, that was not the case.
任何文字当然有它一套组成的法则。
Any language of course has rules to go by.
大家说话，当然要根据一套公认的法则，否则大家随便乱讲，彼此无从互相了解了。
All people speak a language according to a set of generally accepted rules, for otherwise their speech would be all topsy-turvy and unintelligible.
不过，我们要知道，所谓文法也者，不是任谁武断订定的，乃是由公认的语言习惯中归纳出来的一个系统。
We ought to know, however, that grammar, rather than something arbitrarily created, is a system drawn from common linguistic usage.
先有语言，后有文字，然后再有文法书。
Speech comes first, then the written language, and then the grammar book.
三百多年前的时候，英国有一些学者开始感觉到有撰写文法书的需要，于是以拉丁文的文法为蓝本，利用拉丁文法上的各种专门术语，编写英文文法书。
Over 300 years ago, some scholars in England, realizing the necessity for an English grammar, began to work on it on the model of Latin grammar, borrowing heavily from its terminology. In Shakespeare's time, nobody in England studied English grammar.
莎士比亚的时代，英国人尚没有研读英文文法的。
What they studied was Latin grammar.
如果他们研读文法，研读的是拉丁文法。那时候英国的中学叫做“文法学校”，那文法是拉丁文法，不是英文文法，那时候尚无英文文法这样一个名词。
Middle schools then were known as “grammar schools”, the word “grammar” referring to “Latin grammar” instead of “English grammar”, a term then non-existent.
大体讲来，英文本是一种北方的语言，硬用拉丁文法去分析英文，其结果当然不免要有一些牵强，更随时要遇到例外。
As English was largely a northern language, the forced application of Latin grammar to its analysis ended inevitably in inadequacies and frequent exceptions to rules.
语言是活的，随时在变，字义以及句法等等都在变。
A living language changes all the time. Its word meanings, sentence structures, etc. all keep changing. 
我们现代所认为不合文法的词句，往往正是二三百年前大家通用的英文。
Phrases and sentences which we today think ungrammatical were often in common use 2–3 centuries ago.
不用说两三百年，三五十年间就可能有显著的变化。
It might take only 3–5 decades rather than 2–3 centuries for a marked linguistic change to occur.
所以“标准的英文”是很难讲的。
Therefore, it is very difficult to speak “standard English.” 
每一时代有其不同的标准，拿五十年前甚至一百年前的文法书来衡量现代的英文，实在是自寻烦恼的事。
Each historical period has a different standard of its own. It will be much ado about nothing to judge of modern English by its grammar of 50 or even 100 years ago.
国人学习英文，喜欢从文法下手，以为一旦文法通晓，英文即可豁然贯通。这当然不是没有理由。
People of our country tend to overstress the importance of grammar when they begin to study English, thinking that once they have acquired a good knowledge of grammar, they will have thoroughly mastered the language.
不过这是一个旧法子，较新的法子是不从死板的抽象的文法理论下手，而去直接的去学习那活的语言方式。
The method they pursue is outdated though not a hundred percent wrong. The new method is by learning directly from the living speech instead of by starting with the rigid and abstract theory of grammar.
我们儿时学语，何尝理会什么文法，一年半载的工夫我们就会说话了。
When people learn to speak in childhood, they never study any grammar. And yet they learn to speak in but a year or so.
学习外国语，当然比较难得多，但是道理还是一样。
Of course it is much more difficult with the study of a foreign language. But the same reason holds good.
合理的学习语言的方法，那是自然的学习方法。
The proper method is by learning naturally.
这一点粗浅的道理，谁都晓得。
The above-mentioned shallow view is common knowledge.
所以我们的课程标准明白规定不许学校单独讲授文法。
Therefore our school syllabus has explicitly ruled out the teaching of grammar in the classroom as an independent subject.
可是事实上，我知道许多学校依然是在讲解文法，学生们依然是在钻研文法。其所以如此，是因为大家都不免有一点惰性，不易接纳新的观点，同时也是因为平时我们没有把英文教好学好，急来抱佛脚，以为研读文法是学习英文的捷径。
But, fact is, as far as I know, many schools are still teaching a grammar book and students are still buried in its study — partly because people are generally inert and reluctant to accept new ideas, and partly because, having failed to teach or learn successfully, they hastily seek help from grammar at the last moment, regarding it as a shortcut to mastering English.
文法不是不可以讲。
Nevertheless, we still have to mind our grammar.  
句子的构造法最关重要。
Sentence structure is of great importance. 
例如说，“我有一本书”，这在中文英文没有什么分别，用不着特别致力的去学习。
For instance, the English sentence I have a book and its Chinese equivalent Wo you yi ben shu（我有一本书） are practically the same in structure, and hence can be learned without too much difficulty.
“你住在哪里？”这句话中英文就不一样了。这就需要反复练习，以养成语言习惯。
On the other hand, the English sentence Where do you live? is different in structure from its Chinese equivalent Ni zhu zai na li?（你住在哪里？）, and hence needs repeated drilling till you get used to it.
中文语法和英文语法究竟有多少不同处，需要彻底研究，以这研究的结果来做英语教学的准则，是最合理的学习英文的方法。
 It requires a thorough study to find out where the two languages differ grammatically so as to facilitate the teaching and learning of English.
死记文法规则，“形容词分几种”，“子句有几种”……是事倍而功半的。
The mechanical memorizing of such grammatical details as “classification of adjectives”, “classification of clauses”, etc. will achieve little result despite great effort.
杂感集（节录）
Random Thoughts（Excerpt）
◎　黄药眠
◎　Huang Yaomian
拂晓前的灯光，尽管明亮，但怎能同刚出来的磅礴的晨曦争胜呢？
Predawn lamplight, bright as it is, can never outshine the majestic rising sun.
金刚石虽然能发出闪灼的亮光，可是没有热。
Diamond glitters but gives off no heat.
爱夸耀过去成绩的人，大概对于未来已没有多大的兴趣了吧！
He who is given to bragging about his past achievements must have lost interest in his own future.
燃烧着的木柴是决不懊悔它自己之成为灰烬的。
Firewood, while burning, never regrets having itself reduced to ashes.
更多的事前考虑，就可以有更少的事后追悔。
More thinking beforehand, less after-the-event remorse.
让偏见守着心灵，那么真理的声音就难于流进他的耳朵里了。
A prejudiced mind keeps the voice of truth from entering the ear.
谦虚的工作者常易取得热情的支持，浮夸的工作者则常受到冷淡的对待。
Modesty will win warm support; boastfulness will be cold shouldered.
陀螺尽管转得勤，但就是没有前进！
A top makes no headway no matter how hard it spins. 
你出生入死得来的荣誉，也许会在衣香鬓影的欢乐的华筵中欢笑掉。
The honor you have gained by going through fire and water may be lost amidst gay laughter at a joyous grand banquet graced by gorgeously dressed women.
欢笑掉的东西，难道能用眼泪哭得回来么？
Can that which is lost in the midst of the gay laughter be regained by tears of regret?
宁可预告少而贡献多，切勿先作许多诺言，而最后只能拿出半杯凉水。
Few promises and more contributions, rather than more promises and few contributions.
你单纯，因为你除了为无产阶级和劳动人民而奋斗终身以外，便没有任何别的要求和欲望。
You are simple because you have no wants apart from dedicating your life to the welfare of the proletariat and the working people. 
你复杂，因为你对于敌人的阴谋诡计、威胁恫吓、利诱和美人计，都能一一予以识破，加以反击，获得胜利。
You are complicated because you can defeat your enemy by seeing through one by one his plots, threats, lures and sex-traps.
逃跑必然会引起追击，让子弹从背后射进去是可耻的。
Running away will inevitably result in the pursuit and attack of the enemy; it is disgraceful to be hit in the back by a bullet.
嫉妒别人的才能，也许正好说明自己的无能。
Showing jealousy of other people's abilities is clear proof of your own incompetence.
面盆里泛起一些涟漪，我们觉得不值一提，但在蚂蚁看来，那简直像是汪洋大海轩然大波了。
Ripples on a basin of water mean nothing at all to man, but are like wild waves over a boundless sea to ants.
时间到哪里去了呢？
Where is time gone?
有些人的时间是遗失在拈花弄草的游戏中，有些人是遗失在消散的闲谈和香烟的迷雾中。
Some fool away their time in playing a game of womanizing; some trifle away their time in chit-chat amidst cigarette smoke. 
这些人不知道浪费时间，就等于浪费生命。
They don't know that wasting time means wasting life. 
有些人，我认识他很久，但始终陌生；有些人，我同他很熟，但始终没有成为朋友；有些人，我同他做了很久的朋友，但后来才发现彼此还没有真正的认识。
Some whom I have known for a long time are strangers yet. Some with whom I am well acquainted have never become friends with me. Some have been friends of mine for a long time, but we still don't really know each other.
不过有些人，我同他才第一次见面，一下子就认出他是同志。
Some, nevertheless, are immediately found to be real comrades though we meet for the first time.
蜈蚣蛇蝎是毒虫，但用得其当不也能以毒攻毒地治病么？
Centipedes, snakes and scorpions are venomous, but, when properly used, they cure disease by combating poison with poison, don't they?
钉子如果没有锤子在后面不断督促，钉子就钉不进墙里去。
A nail will never be driven into a wall without repeated hammering from behind.
不成熟的东西也有值得称赞的地方，因为它虽幼稚，但包含有未来。 在交响乐队里工作的人们，绝不会因为轮到别人在弹奏而感到自己受到冷遇。
Things immature also have aspects worthy of our praise, because, though puerile, they embody the future. Members of a symphony orchestra never feel left out in the cold when it is others' turn to play their musical instruments.
因为交响乐团是一个整体。
It is because a symphony orchestra is a whole.
无私的人，总希望从自己手里能给人们散布出更多的幸福。
A selfless man always thinks of handing out more happiness to others.
老头儿不要靠过去的老本，青年人也不要去预支未来的幸福。
Old people should not rest on their laurels, nor should young people enjoy in advance their future happiness.
你老去计较从人民那里获得了多少东西，你为什么不计算一下，你欠了人民多少东西？
You often bother about how much you are getting from the people. Why not figure out how much you owe them?
我不愿做清浅平静的湖水，自我欣赏其清洁。
I hate to be a calm lake which is limpid and shallow and indulge in admiring myself for being so clean. 
我宁愿跟着洪流，夹着泥沙、石块，滚滚东流，而归于海。
I would rather follow the mighty torrent and surge eastward along with mud, sand and rocks until I reach the sea.
不要光看到挺拔遒劲的松树的枝杈，更重要的是要看到它插入泥土深处的根系啊！
Behold not only the straight and sturdy branches of a pine tree, but, more importantly, its roots deep in the soil.
拉着牛尾巴不能使它向后退，揪着牛耳朵也不能使它向前进。
You cannot make a cow move backward by pulling it by the tail, nor can you make it move forward by dragging it by the ear.
牵牛就得牵在牛鼻子上。
A cow is to be led by the nose.
美国的男女
American Men and Women
◎　施蛰存
◎　Shi Zhecun
近来，各种报纸上都有读者来信，一部分是反映社会情况，更多的是生活上有疑难问题，写信给报社，要求解答。
Various newspapers of late carry letters from readers reflecting social conditions or more often requesting solutions to knotty problems in life.
我很喜欢看这些通信，从这里可以了解各色市民的生活和思想情况。
I am fond of reading them because they mirror the life and thought of people of all descriptions.
外国报纸也有这种通信，有些报纸还特辟专栏，由专人负责答复。
The same is true of foreign newspapers. Some of them have set up special columns with special columnists in charge of answering questions.
美国有一位署名安澜德（Ann Landers）的女记者，为八百多种报刊答复读者来信，就称为“安澜德专栏”。这个专栏极受读者欢迎，每天至少有三千万人拿到报纸就看这个专栏。
An American woman journalist named Ann Landers was once put in charge of such correspondence for over 800 newspapers respectively. Known as “Ann Landers' Column”, it became extremely popular with readers. Every day, the first thing that attracted the attention of readers, totalling at least 30 million, would be this special column.
安澜德通信已出了好几个单行本，都畅销一时。
Landers' letters, later appearing in several collections, have been selling like hot cakes.
前几年，老友钱歌川从美国寄给我两本《人间信箱》，这是他选译的安澜德通信，供中国人学习英语用的。
Several years ago, my old friend Qian Gechuan sent me from the US two collections of Landers' letters that he had selected and translated for the benefit of Chinese learners of English.
因为这些通信所用的英语，都是流行的成语俗字，有许多字还没有编入字典，可以说是最新最活的英语。
The letters were originally written in present-day English with up-to-date idioms and colloquialisms, many of which have not yet been compiled into dictionaries.
两本《人间信箱》，选译了二百封来信和答复。几乎有百分之八十是青年男女写给安澜德的信，要求她解答各种婚姻问题、恋爱问题或处世问题。
There were in the two collections altogether 200 letters to and from Landers, of which about 80% were sent by American young men and women asking for her advice on problems of marriage, love, ways of society, etc.
他们的问题，跟中国青年的问题完全不同，有许多是我们想象不到的。
The problems confronting them were entirely different from those of Chinese young people. Many were quite unimaginable to us.
现在举两件突出的事例给读者，以广见闻，以资谈助，或者还可以资警惕。
Now let me cite two striking examples for the information and chit-chat of my readers. Meanwhile, they may also serve to put our youth on the alert.
一个三十岁的女人，在二十岁的时候，看见女朋友都结婚了，她怕做老小姐，急急忙忙嫁了一个认识才两个月的男人。
Here is the story of a 30-year-old American woman. At the age of 20, seeing all her girl friends already married, she worried about herself some day becoming an old maid and therefore quickly married a man whom she had known for barely two months.
十一个月之后，他们有了孩子，于是开始了吵架。
Eleven months later, they had a baby and began to lead a cat-and-dog life.
丈夫建议和另外一对夫妇交换行乐，她同意了。
And when the husband suggested swapping wives with another man for pleasure, she agreed.
于是两夫妻加入了一个俱乐部，和别的几对夫妇交换睡觉。
And they joined a club where male members could have sex with each other's wife.
最后，丈夫建议要她和另一个男人的妻子对调，可是她不喜欢那个男子，于是写信给安澜德，问她该怎么办。
Then it happened that she refused to go to bed with a man chosen by her husband because he was not to her liking. She then wrote to Landers for advice.
一个女人，和一个没有钱的男子结婚，她做工赚钱来供给丈夫读大学。
An American girl married a poor man and managed to see him through college with money she earned by manual work.
现在，结婚已十八年，有了三个孩子。
After 18 years of married life, they had three kids.
丈夫有钱了，她为了主持家务，不出去工作了。
Now the husband has become better off and she, instead of going out to work, stays home to keep house.
可是她出去理发一次，丈夫就三天不和她说话，理由是：她没有工作，所以没有任何权利。
Every time, however, when she goes out to have her hair done at a hairdresser's, the man will be glum and silent for three days. The reason is, she is jobless and therefore has no right for a hairdo at his expense.
她写信给安澜德，问：“作为一个没有工作的妻子和母亲，我有什么权利呢？”
So she wrote to Landers with this question, “What right have I as a jobless wife and mother?”
以上是摘录了两件关于男女关系的读者来信，安澜德都作了答复，指导他们应如何处理。
Landers wrote back to each of the two women, telling them how to best deal with the situations.
不过有时安澜德无法从正面回答，只好说几句俏皮话、幽默话，却又引起读者更多的来信。
But sometimes, unable to give a direct answer in her reply, she would instead resort to some witty or humorous remarks, thus generating even more letters from readers.
美国青年对于恋爱与结婚的态度，极不严肃。
American young people often show a devil-may-care attitude towards problems of love and marriage.
有一封读者来信报道的一个信息：有一个五年级的小学生，作语文练习，老师命题的要求是解释什么叫“单调”。
A reader wrote to tell the following little story. A fifth-grade pupil wrote in a composition on “monotony”, a subject assigned by the teacher.
小学生写道：“在美国，一个男人只能有一个妻子，这就叫单调。”
“In America every man is supposed to have only one wife. That's what we mean by monotony.”
寓言三则
Three Fables
◎　施蛰存
◎　Shi Zhecun
稻草人和饿了的刺猬
（1）The Scarecrow and the Hungry Hedgehogs
瓜、豆和茄子种满着的园里，矗立着一个人。
In a vegetable garden thickly planted with melons, beans and eggplants, stood a tall, upright man.
第一夜，小心的刺猬们都从它们的土穴里探出来找寻食物。
On the first night, the timid hedgehogs popped their heads out of the holes in the ground to see if there was any food available.
四面窥望，瓜、豆和茄子，是丰盛的筵席。
They looked around and found they could enjoy a big dinner with the vegetables growing in the garden.
但是，在茄子畦边，站着一个守夜的人。
But the trouble was there was a night watchman standing beside the eggplant patch.
被人的威严慑伏了，恍惚耳朵里听见了叱骂声，它们忍耐着饥饿退缩进它低窄而潮湿的地下室去。
And they seemed to hear him bawling out a string of curses at them. So all they could do was shrink back to their narrow, damp cellar on an empty stomach.
第二夜，腹中雷鸣着的刺猬们再偷偷地出来。
On the second night, the hedgehogs came out stealthily again, their stomachs rumbling with hunger.
瓜、豆和茄子，越发丰肥得可口了，它们都流着口涎。肚子里越响了。
They started drooling at the sight of the ripening melons, beans and eggplants. The tempting vegetables made their stomachs rumble even more loudly.
但是守夜人还在着。
But the watchman was still there.
它们互相推挽着，想悄悄地走向距离最近的那个瓜棚。
They pushed and shoved one another, trying furtively to get to the melon awning — a place nearest to them. 
忽然吹起了一阵风，那个守夜人，在手里挥动着蒲扇向前走来。
Then, at a sudden gust of wind, the watchman stirred waving the fan in his hand. Shivering with fear, the hedgehogs all scurried back to their cellar.
各自身上打了一个寒噤，它们全都逃避了回去。
Shivering with fear, the hedgehogs all scurried back to their cellar.
第三夜，全体的刺猬都瘦了。
On the third night, all the hedgehogs looked emaciated.
饥饿使它们在地下室里开会。
Starvation impelled them to hold a meeting in the cellar.
甲说：与其饿，不如死。
Hedgehog A cried out, “Rather die than go hungry.”
乙说：与其饿，不如死。
Hedgehog B cried out, “Rather die than go hungry.”
丙说：与其饿，不如死。
Hedgehog C cried out, “Rather die than go hungry.”
这个会就是这样地决议了。
A resolution was adopted.
它们全体出发，怀了必死的心。
They all set out, ready to risk death. 
在朦胧的月光下，守夜人还装着威严矗立着手里挥动着扇子，这依旧使它们退缩在土穴的门口。
In the dim moonlight, however, the watchman stood waving his fan with feigned impressiveness. 
“与其饿，不如死。”一个奇怪的声音在它们每个刚毛的耳朵里突然响亮着。
“Rather die than go hungry,” a strange voice suddenly began to ring in their little ears.
“去呀！”
“Let's go!”
在每个刺猬的胃里装满了瓜、豆和茄子的时候，稻草的守夜人是显得更无用了。
When each hedgehog had eaten his fill of the melons, beans and eggplants, the watchman seemed all the more helpless.
在地下室里，刺猬们开着庆祝会。
Down in the cellar, the hedgehogs held a meeting to celebrate their victory.
甲说：不要怕无用的威权。
Hedgehog A exclaimed, “Never fear worthless bigwigs!”
乙说：胜利是属于饿夫的。
Hedgehog B exclaimed, “Victory to the starvelings!”
丙说：饿夫是不会死的。不啊！永远存在的。
Hedgehog C exclaimed, “Starvelings will never die. No, never. They live forever.”
于是，全体欢呼了。
Thereupon, the crowd broke into an ovation.
寒暑计
The Thermometer
壁上挂着寒暑计。
There was a thermometer hanging on the wall.
天冷了，里面的水银下降；暖了，它上升。
The mercury dropped when it got cold, and rose when it got warm.
没有差错。
It was operating with unerring accuracy.
人说它是一个好的寒暑计。
People called it a good thermometer.
一天，它怀疑了它的生活：“我为什么要随着气候行动呢。我愿意向上，就向上；我愿意向下，就向下。甚至我愿意休息，休息就得了。我似乎应当尊重自己的趣味。”
One day, however, it became skeptical of its own lifestyle. “Why should I act by always keeping pace with weather?” it thought aloud. “I'll rise or drop as I please. I'll take a rest whenever I want to. It seems I should follow my own inclination.”
它决定了这样的自己尊重，不再留意着外面的空气了。
So it decided on acting on its own, and no longer paid attention to weather.
它在壁上自由行动。
It became a maverick on the wall.
于是人说它是一个废物，把它摔在地上了。
Consequently, people called it trash and threw it away to the ground.
风·火·煤·山
Wind · Fire · Coal · Mountain
山脚下，住着一个铁匠。
There lived a blacksmith at the foot of a mountain.
他天天生旺了铁炉工作着。
Every day he would stand working beside his blazing furnace.
有一天早晨，小学生张和赵上学去，走过铁匠的家。
One morning, when primary school pupils Zhang and Zhao were walking past the smithy on their way to school,
他正在用风箱扇旺炉里的火。炽红的火焰都从煤块底下猛力地透上来。
they saw the blacksmith pumping a bellows to urge the fire in his furnace and blazing flames shooting up vigorously from under the coals.
张的小脑袋里忽然想起了一个问题：
A question popped into Zhang's little brain.
“为什么要拉这个风箱？”他问。
“Why is he using the bellows?” he asked.
赵说：“你笨，不扇风，火怎么会旺？”
Zhao asked in reply, “You silly, how could he make the fire burn better without using the bellows?”
于是他们争执着一个问题：风和火谁的能为大？
Then they started quarrelling over this question: Which was more capable, wind or fire?
没有风，火不会旺，没有火，风便吹了个空。
Without wind, fire could not burn nicely. Without fire, wind would be blowing for nothing.
他们解决不了，要铁匠下一个判断。
Unable to settle the quarrel, they asked the blacksmith to draw a conclusion.
“要是炉子里的煤不燃着火，风也没用，火也没用。所以这是煤的能为大。
“Neither wind nor fire would be any good if coals in the furnace didn't burn,” said the blacksmith. “So coal has greater capability.
可是那边的山如果不几百年几千年的把那些树干兽骨重重地压在地下，我们也一辈子不会有这炉子里的煤。
But we would never have coal had it not been for the tree trunks and animal skeletons buried deep under mountains for hundreds or thousands of years.
所以，你们去想，谁的能为大。”
Now think it over and see which has greater capability.”
这两个孩子就是这样学会了这个故事。他们微笑着上路，望着那个蠢笨的山。
Having heard out the story, the two kids walked away smilingly and gazed at the yonder bulky mountain.
“你的能为大。你再压出几千吨煤块来，让我们燃烧，让我们用风吹。”张说。
“You're more capable,” Zhang addressed the mountain. “Give us more coal from your deposits so that we can burn it with the help of wind.”
“让我们看再美丽的火花。”赵说。
“Let's enjoy seeing still more brilliant sparks flying out of the furnace,” said Zhao.
我的书斋生活（节录）
My Private Library（Excerpt）
◎　邵洵美
◎　Shao Xunmei
你们简直可以说，洵美是生活在书斋里的：会客室里是书，卧房里是书，楼梯边上也是书，连三层楼上的洗澡间里也是书。
You may as well call me a bookworm. I have books everywhere in my home — in the drawing room and the bedroom, on either side of the staircase, and even in the bathroom on the third floor.
所以一定要我指出哪一间是书斋，那可不容易。
So it's next to impossible for me to point out exactly where my study is.
也许在我卧房隔壁的一间最像，中间有只书桌，可是书桌上又堆满了书，没有地方摆稿纸，也没有地方摆砚台，我又不会用钢笔写文章。
Maybe it's the room next to my bedroom. In the middle of it stands nothing but a desk piled high with lots of books so that there is practically no room for me to place my writing paper and the inkstone. The inkstone is indispensable to me because I always use a writing brush instead of a pen in doing my writing.
用钢笔写，我总嫌太滑，太快；它几乎不容你思想。
I find the pen too slippery and moving a bit too fast, thus leaving little time for me to do more thinking.
我喜欢毛笔，它总伴着你，有时也许比你快一步，可是你总追得到。
I prefer the writing brush because I can always keep pace with it. Though it sometimes may also move along a bit too fast, yet I can always catch up.
这个小房间里还有两只安乐椅；一个书架，里面是我最心爱的书籍，不肯借人的。
There are only two armchairs in the room plus a bookcase holding my most favorite books, which are not to be borrowed by anybody.
墙上只有一张水仙画，浅淡的笔姿给你一种清高的空气；偶然在看书的时候想到自己不久要穷得不成个样子，它就会显示你一个最伟大的希望，所以有几个晚上，我简直就呆对着这张画。
Hanging on the wall is a painting of narcissi done with light touches of ink imparting an air of moral superiority. Occasionally, while I am reading, I suddenly realize I'll soon face penury. Then the painting will cheer me up with bright hopes. On several nights, I just sat in this room staring at it blankly.
这个小房间，长不满十五尺，宽不满十尺，关于现代诗的书籍，我都放在里面：书架里放不下，便放在桌子上；桌子上放不下，便堆在椅子里；椅子里放不下，便叠在地上。
The little room is about 5 meters in length and 3 meters in width. I keep all books on modern poetry there. When the bookcase is full, I put them on the desk. When the desk is full, I pile them up on the chairs. When the chairs are full, I pile them up on the floor.
理由是我从不整理我的书籍，买到了新书就随便放，看过了又随便丢；假使为了写一篇文章，需要参考时，每每费半个一个钟头去寻觅。
I never sort them out. I lay aside casually new acquisitions as well as books I've just finished reading. Consequently, it often takes me couple of hours to hunt down a book for reference when I am writing.
通常一个人有了这许多放书的房间，他便总会为它们取许多雅致的名字：什么室，什么斋，什么楼之类。一半当然为了借这个机会可以写些大字，叫一做匾的人刻好了挂起来；一半也是为自己或是家人找书的时候容易辨别。
Generally speaking, with so many rooms for storing books, one will assign to each an elegant name, to be inscribed on a horizontal board hung above the door, partly for show and partly for convenience.
我却懒得花这种心思，所以像上面所说的那个房间，我们便叫作“楼上书房”。楼下的叫作“楼下书房”；三层楼的叫作“三层楼书房”。
I, nevertheless, have never been in a mood for doing the same. I just call the abovementioned room “Upstairs Study”, the room downstairs “Downstairs Study” and the bathroom on the third floor “Third-floor Study”.
我平时读书写文章，都在夜间，所以坐在“楼上书房”的机会多，因为它最近我的卧室，倦了，跨几步便到床上。
Since I usually read and write at night, you'll often find me sitting in the “Upstairs Study” because it is close to my bedroom. When I feel drowsy, I can easily reach my bed only a few steps away.
但是当我准备要全夜写文章的时候，便只能待在“楼下书房”了。
But you'll find me in the spacious “Downstairs Study” instead when I'm to spend the whole night writing.
那时候两个大房间里只有我一个人，咳嗽，刮洋火，便不会闹醒人家；天亮了，自己炖杯牛奶，或是走到对面弄堂里买些油豆腐，谁都不会觉得讨厌。
There I can cough or strike a match without disturbing my folks in their sleep. At daybreak, I will heat up milk for myself or walk to an alley on the opposite side of the street to buy some fried bean curd for breakfast — all done without making a nuisance of myself.
白天总是不在家的时候多，一回家便得寻了书读；书拿到手，电话又来了。
I'm seldom at home in the daytime. But, I'll start reading soon after I come back.
朋友又喜欢要我写文章，因为我最明白编辑的痛苦，要二三千字我总肯为他赶写。
Then I'll be suddenly interrupted by phone calls from editor-friends asking for my contributions. They know that I, out of compassion for editors, will never decline to dash off an article of two to three thousand words.
我是无论如何脱离不了我的书斋的了。
At any rate, I'm inseparable from my library.
但是除非在我读书或是写文章到了出神的时候，我总会感觉到这几间书斋没有一间是舒服的。
But none of my three studies makes me feel comfortable except when I'm completely absorbed in reading or writing.
我理想的书斋是一个极大的房间，里面要能容下二十个书架，冬天有热书汀；夏天有冷气。
My ideal study should be roomy enough for holding twenty bookcases and have air-conditioning.
我希望有一只最大的书桌，上面可以尽我把书籍纸张乱堆，中间还可以留一些地方安置笔砚稿纸之类。
And there should be a large desk there with enough space for books and writing paper to be jumbled up in piles on either side and for writing brush, inkstone, writing paper and so on to be placed in the middle.
这个当然是我的奢望：我既没有财力去得到那样大的书斋，我也没有才力去写出什么大文章来，不过希望也是一种安慰，同时还是一种鼓励。
This is of course nothing but my wishful thinking. I have neither money to own such a roomy study, nor talent for creating masterpieces. Nevertheless, the extravagant hope brings me consolation all the same. It's sort of encouragement too.
但是，无论如何，我白天是写不出文章的。
But, anyway I can't work efficiently in the daytime.
“楼上书房”的光线太大，多呆了会头痛，用了太厚的窗帏又会闷气。
The “Upstairs Study” is too much lit up by the sun, so that I get a headache after staying there a bit too long. And a thick window curtain would only make the room stuffy.
“楼下书房”事实上又是会客间，我的客人又多，文章写到一半，来了几个朋友，反而大家不舒服。
The “Downstairs Study” is in fact a drawing room-cum-study. I have frequent visitors. When they call, I have to break off writing to the discomfort of both parties.
我写文章还有一个坏习惯，和吃饭一样不能停，一停了就吃不下。
I'm in the bad habit of finishing my article at one go like when I eat a meal. Once interrupted, I just can't resume eating.
有一次写一篇关于现代诗的文章，中间来了一个朋友，到现在还没有把它续完。
Once, while writing an article on modern poetry, I was interrupted by a friend visiting. As a result, the article remains unfinished even today.
所以假使有什么副刊编辑要我写那种分期登载的长篇小说，他一定会受累。
Therefore, a newspaper editor would inevitably end up in trouble if he should entrust me with the job of writing a serialized novel for his supplement. 
但是夜里写文章，一忽便会天亮；一天不睡，三天都不能使精神恢复，我于是时常头痛。
But, when I write at night, the day seems to break sooner than I think. And one sleepless night will make me feel tired for three days on end and often suffer from a headache.
去找医生，他们总是皱紧了眉头叹口气。
When I go to see a doctor, he will just sigh with a frown. 
“三层楼书房”现在已放了一个床，我的表弟睡在里面，所以我除了寻书便不常去了。
As to the “Third-floor Study”, a bed has now been placed there for my younger male cousin. So I seldom go there unless when I need a book.
事实上，我已不应当对我的书斋发什么牢骚，虽然不大，可是究竟容得下我。
In fact, I shouldn't have complaints about my studies. Small as they are, they are tolerable.
况且它们也不算对不起我，自从去年秋天搬到此地，真名假名的文章，将近十五万字了。
Since I moved to the present lodgings in the autumn of last year, I've produced writings, under my real name or a pseudonym, totaling about 150,000 words.
说起香港
About Hong Kong
◎　萧乾
◎　Xiao Qian
除非是研究近代史的，很少人会知道中俄战争后，从本世纪初英国即与日本结为同盟。
Most people, apart from those familiar with modern history, are unaware that as early as the turn of the century (after the Sino-Russian War), Britain entered into alliance with Japan.
这一特殊关系一直延续到一九四一年的“珍珠港事变”。
The special relationship lasted until the outbreak of the Pearl Harbor Incident in 1941.
这期间，英国老百姓自然始终坚定地站在中国一边。
Meanwhile, however, the British people remained firm in siding with China.
我先是在“七七事变”头一年就有所察觉。
It was in the year when the July 7 Incident broke out that I first became aware of the said alliance between Britain and Japan.
当时上海还有租界，而大公报馆无论在津、沪、港，都始终位于洋人管辖的地方。
In those days, there were foreign settlements in Shanghai. And The Dagong Bao had its office successively located in the foreign-controlled districts of Tianjin, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
事变前的一年——一九三六年，《大公报》就由于我发表的陈白尘一个剧本中多处提到“×洋人”（“×”是编者打的）而三次被英、日控制的工部局传到法院，最终还是由于事先打了叉叉而没坐牢。
In 1936, one year before the July 7 Incident, because I had one of Chen Baichen's plays published, in which there appeared several times the expression “X foreigner”(the cross X had been added by the editor), I was summoned to court by the Shanghai Municipal Council under British and Japanese control. Finally, thanks to the cross put into the manuscript, I was exempted from imprisonment.
三八年至三九年间，我在香港《大公报》编文艺副刊时，因所登的稿件而与英国新闻审查官起冲突的事，更是屡见不鲜。说是“冲突”，其实，他是主子。
From 1938 to 1939, when I was in charge of editing the Art and Literature Supplement of The Dagong Bao, I often got into disputes with British censors (or rather with my masters) over manuscripts.
在送审的校样上他随便打个红叉，我就只好抽掉。
When a British censor put in a red cross at will, all I could do was withdraw the entire manuscript.
可临时补稿不方便，我就索性让版面“开天窗”，空白着。
Sometimes, being hard pressed to find a replacement for it, I had to leave a blank on the page to show that something had been suppressed by censorship.
如果翻阅那一时期的香港《大公报》，天窗是不少的。
Take a look at The Dagong Bao published in Hong Kong in those days, and you'll find lots of blanks.
有一回审查官甚至把半个版面全给枪毙了。
Once the British censor even had half a page killed.
为什么？
Why?
因为中日虽在开战，英、日仍在结盟。
Because China and Japan were at war, and Britain and Japan were allies.
香港殖民当局不许在它管辖的地方对日军的在华暴行进行抗议。
The Hong Kong colonial authorities prohibited any protest staged in a region under their jurisdiction against the atrocities of the Japanese troops in China.
统治者说了算，没什么道理可讲！
Their word was law. There was no reasoning with them!
三九年秋，我应伦敦大学东方学院之邀，赴英教书。
In the autumn of 1939, I went to England to teach at the invitation of the College of Oriental Studies of the University of London.
坐的是法国轮船。
I sailed on a French steamer.
行至西贡，轮船被征调。其他国家的客人均可自觅旅馆，惟独几十名中国旅客，被押往集中营。
When the ship arrived at Saigon, it was requisitioned and all passengers were to look for hotels for themselves except the several scores of Chinese who were escorted to concentration camps.
幸而我在途中托人给当地总领事（我的燕京同学）送去一名片，才又改为软禁。
Luckily, I was instead put under house arrest after I asked somebody to pass on my visiting card to the local Chinese consul general, who happened to be a former schoolmate of mine at Yenching University, Beijing.
经过多方周折，我于十月最终来到英国港口福克斯通办理登陆手续时，官员发给我的竟是一纸“敌性外侨”的入境证。
After going through a lot of trouble, I finally arrived at the port of Folkestone, England. But, while going through entry formalities, the entry certificate issued to me by the British officials turned out to be one for an “enemy national residing abroad.”
我向主管人质问，回答得简单：中、日在交战，而英、日是同盟国，因此，只能那样定性。
When I asked the official in charge for the reason why, the answer he gave was very simple, “China and Japan are at war while Britain and Japan are allies. So, that's that!”
这黑锅我一直背到一九四一年“珍珠港事变”。一天之内，我又成为“伟大盟友”了。
I remained a scapegoat until 1941 when I became a “great ally” overnight at the outbreak of the Pearl Harbor Incident.
英、日缔结的盟约，随着太平洋上的烽火自然也就烟消云散了。
The alliance between Britain and Japan then vanished into the air with the flames of war raging over the Pacific.
对香港本身，我当然有许多美好的记忆。
As to Hong Kong, I of course cherish many beautiful memories.
我在那岛上恋爱过，在浅水滩柔软的沙滩上翻滚过，我曾多次登山看夜景，尤其八六年至八七年我还以访问学人身份在沙田中文大学（世界上最美丽的大学）有过一段难忘的勾留。
I had my love affair on that island, I played on the fine sands of its beaches, I many times climbed up its mountains to watch the night scenes. From 1986 to 1987, in particular, I spent a period of unforgettable days as a visiting scholar at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, which had the most picturesque campus in the world.
也正因为如此，我对香港的回归祖国，倍感欣悦。
All that accounted for my redoubled joy over the return of Hong Kong to our motherland.
从《老黑奴》说起
Old Black Joe and Other Songs
◎　萧乾
◎　Xiao Qian
1985年5月，我去武汉参加“黄鹤楼笔会”那次，东道主湖北省文联曾邀请来自各地的作家们乘豪华的长江客轮，畅游三峡。
In May 1985, I went to Wuhan to attend the Huanghelou Writers' Forum. The Hubei Federation of Literary and Art Circles, acting as host for the event, invited us, writers from all over the country, to go on a delightful trip to the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River by luxury liner.
我曾在秋天去过三峡。春日的三峡风光明媚，更加清丽可人。
Having previously visited the autumn scene of the Three Gorges, I now found it even more picturesque and enchanting in spring.
同船的还有个外国旅游团，是由抗战时在滇缅前线同我们并肩作战过的美国名将史迪威的女儿南西率领的。
On the same ship was an American tourist group headed by Nancy, daughter of famous US general Joseph Warren Stilwell, who served in China during World War II, fighting side by side with Chinese soldiers against Japan on the Yunnan-Burma front.
船航到神女峰脚下时，我们正在甲板上举行着一次联欢会。他们鼓掌一定要我们也出个节目。
When the ship arrived at the foot of Mount Goddess, we were in the midst of a get-together on deck. The American friends, clapping their hands, persistently called on us for a performance.
为了表示友好，我们几个就凑在一起（记得有宗璞、艾芜、邹荻帆、绿原和黄裳）用英语唱了一首《老黑奴》。
So, to be friendly, we, including Zong Pu, Ai Wu, Zou Difan, Lu Yuan and Huang Chang, if I remember correctly, grouped together to sing in English the American folk song Old Black Joe.
唱得当然十分蹩脚：声音既不洪亮，肯定还常走调。
Our vocal performance, as expected, turned out lousy. We sang in a low and unclear voice, and evidently out of tune again and again.
这是一支十分凄凉的歌曲，黑人厌倦了尘世，听到已死去的亲人的呼唤，渴望奔向另一世界。
It was a very sad and plaintive song. The said Black Joe, being sick and tired of the mortal world, longs to go to a better world on hearing the gentle voice of his departed folks calling, “Old Black Joe!” 
所以在叠句歌里就反复唱着：我来啦，我来啦。
Hence the refrain, “I'm coming, I'm coming!”
这样充满悲哀情调的歌，与当时甲板上的欢乐气氛，实在很不谐调。
The song, full of pathos, was completely out of harmony with the joyous atmosphere of the moment on deck.
可是唱完之后，居然博得了美国旅伴们一阵热烈的掌声。
Nevertheless, we won the warm applause of our American fellow travelers.
我们这些平素伏案爬格子的对自己这一番反串，倒也颇有些飘飘然。
Writers by profession, we felt quite self-satisfied after acting a role other than our own.
我们得意的不一定是因为那掌声，而是对自己感到既愉快又吃惊：这么多年，竟然还没把它忘掉！
But we felt pleased with ourselves not because of the warm applause, but because we were surprised to find ourselves still remembering the words of the song after so many years.
这首歌的歌词和曲调都同出自19世纪中叶美国作曲家斯蒂芬·福斯特之手。
Both the words and tune of the song were written by Stephen C. Foster, famous American composer of the 19th century.
他出生于1826年，一共只活了短短的38年。南北战争打响两年后（1864），他就去世了。
Born in 1826, he died in 1864, two years after the outbreak of the American Civil War, ending a short life of only 38.
可惜我没读过他的传记，他肯定十分同情黑人并为他们抱不平的。
Much to my regret, I haven't read any of his biographies yet. He must have had every sympathy with Black Americans and championed justice to them.
我熟悉好几首他编的描述黑人生活的歌曲，像《双亲在家园》（1851）。
I'm familiar with quite a few songs of his composition describing the sad plight of Blacks, such as Old Folks at Home （1851）.
我还有幸在伦敦的一次音乐会上，听过著名黑人歌手保罗·罗伯逊唱过《老人河》。
I was happy to listen to famous Black singer Paul Robeson sing Old Man River at a concert in London.
那次，他还唱了咱们的《游击队之歌》。
He then also sang our Song of Guerillas.
很奇怪，河的形象时常在黑人的歌曲中出现。像“远远地在斯旺尼河上”。
Strangely, Black people often sing of rivers in their songs, as witness “Way down upon the Swanee River, far, far away” in Old Folks at Home.
也许他们在美国南方那一望无际的旱地上干活，受着白人的虐待，心里渴望有一片水。
It is perhaps because they were dying for water while toiling under White tyranny on the boundless stretch of arid land in the southern states.
天堂也经常在黑人歌曲中出现。
Likewise, heaven often appears in their songs.
处于绝境的人们就是靠这种幻想来解脱一些痛苦。
It is because people in a hopeless situation often indulge in fantasies to free themselves from innermost sufferings.
福斯特也有些歌写得轻快。
Some of Foster's songs are nevertheless very lively.
像他的《苏珊娜》（1848）就描绘出一个歪戴宽沿草帽，无忧无虑的牛仔在追求着他心爱的姑娘。
Take Oh! Susanna （1848） for example. It describes how a care-free cowboy, tilting his broadbrimmed straw hat sideways, is paying court to a girl he loves.
他在歌中除了抒发黑人在奴役中的痛苦之外，也亲切地描绘了他们的生活。
It depicts not only the misery of the enslaved Blacks, but also their way of life.
像《我的肯塔基故乡》就富于泥土气息，真切生动地唱出了美国南方黑人的生活情景：“玉米穗成熟。牧场遍地花怒放；小鸟终日歌唱好悠扬，娃娃滚戏小农舍地板上。”
My Old Kentucky Home, for example, is a song full of local color. See the following genuine and vivid picture it gives of the life of the Blacks in the southern states: “The corn top's ripe and the meadow's in the bloom. While the birds make music all the day, the young folks roll on the little cabin floor.”
不过歌曲仍是在忧伤中结束的：
But the song still ends up with grief:
莫再哭泣，姑娘，今天莫再哀伤，
Weep no more, my lady, oh! Weep no more today!
我们唱一支歌，为肯塔基故乡，
We will sing one song for the old Kentucky Home,
为那遥远的肯塔基故乡。
For the old Kentucky Home, far away.
当然，有些流传到中国的美国歌曲描绘的不一定都是黑人的生活。
Of course, not all American songs prevalent in China are about the life of Black people.
我记得有一支曲子是写铁路建筑工人的。这里也可以看到19世纪美国向西部开发时的艰苦。
One of them, I remember, is about American railway workers, showing the great hardship they suffered during the 19th-century westward development of the country.
同样流行于30年代的一首外国歌曲是《伏尔加船夫曲》。
Another foreign song popular in China during the thirties was The Song of the Volga Boatmen.
像咱们的四川号子一样，这里描绘的是在伏尔加河上拉纤的俄罗斯河工的苦状。
Like the Sichuan labor chant, it describes the misery of Russian boat-trackers along the Volga River.
他们背着纤绳，弯着腰，哎哟嗬，哎哟嗬地吆喝着，呻吟着。
They bend their shoulders to the tow-line, chanting in a loud voice, “Yo heave oh! Yo heave oh!”
一把又一把地捯着，吃力地向前踏步。
They inch forward laboriously, pulling the line hand over hand.
这些外国歌曲那时在中国那么风行，当然是因为它们歌词朴素，曲调又琅琅上口，但我认为这还不是主要的。
The erstwhile popularity of these songs in China was no doubt due to their simple and readable words. But, I think, that is not the main cause.
这里既包含着中国人民对于美国黑奴以及伏尔加河纤工的深切同情，同时，也抒发了我们自己在生活中的怨艾。
In fact, it had much to do with the deep sympathy of the Chinese people for Black Americans and Volga boat-trackers. Meanwhile, it also reflect our own feeling of resentment against foreign aggressors.


当时的中国，也是喘息在列强的重压之下。北京东交民巷的围墙上还有对着市民的黑洞洞的炮眼，上海马路还有红头阿三在巡逻。
In those days, dark portholes trained on Chinese residents were still lurking on top of the walls surrounding the Legation Quarter in Beijing. And turbaned Indian policemen were patrolling the streets of Shanghai.
正因为如此，在中国戏剧史上最早上演的外国话剧是《黑奴吁天录》（如今改译为《汤姆叔叔的小木屋》）。
That also accounts for why Uncle Tom's Cabin was the first foreign play ever staged in China.
歌曲的流行，往往是由于引起共鸣。
Songs often owe their popularity to the sympathetic response of the public.
斯诺精神——纪念斯诺逝世二十周年
Spirit of Edgar Snow — Marking the 20th Anniversary of Snow's Death
◎　萧乾

我一生有过几次幸运和巧遇，其中之一是三十年代当上了斯诺的学生。
I owe several happy events in my life to a lucky chance. One of them was when I became a student of Edgar Snow's in the 1930s.
当时他的本职是任英美两家报纸驻北平的记者。
He was then a reporter for two foreign newspapers in Peiping, owned respectively by Britons and Americans.
一九三三至一九三五年间，他应聘在燕京大学新闻系兼了课。
From 1933 to 1935, he was concurrently a teacher at the Journalism Department of Yenching University.
斯诺仅仅在燕大教了这两年书，而我恰好就在那两年由辅仁大学的英文系转到了燕京大学的新闻系。
During the two years when he was with this University, I happened to be a student there, having been previously transferred from the English Department of Catholic University in Peiping.
我毕业后，他也辞去这个兼差，去了延安并写出他的杰作《红星照耀中国》——即《西行漫记》。
Upon my graduation, he resigned the concurrent job and went to Yan'an where he wrote his masterpiece Red Star Over China.
当时燕大教授多属学院派，不管教什么，都先引经据典，在定义上下功夫。
In those days, professors at Yenching University were mostly an academic type. Whatever they taught, they would, first of all, give copious references to the classics and spend very much time on definitions.
而且，大都是先生讲，学生听。
More often than not, they did all the talking while the students did nothing but listen.
课堂上轻易听不见什么讨论。
There was practically no classroom discussion at all.
斯诺则不然。
Snow, however, did otherwise.
他着重讲实践，鼓励讨论。
He gave priority to practice and encouraged discussion. 
更重要的是，他是通过和同学们交朋友的方式来进行教学。
And more importantly, he did teaching by way of making friends with his students. 
除了课堂，对我们更具吸引力的，是他在海淀住宅的那座客厅。
We found the reception room in his Haidian residence more appealing than the classroom.
他和海伦都极好客，他们时常举行茶会或便餐，平时大门也总是敞着的。
He and his wife Helen were very hospitable and often entertained us with tea or potluck. They would usually keep open house for us.
一九三五年春天，正是在他那客厅里，我第一次见到了史沫特莱。
In the spring of 1935, it was in that reception room that I met Agnes Smedley for the first time.
当时，由于怕国民党特务找她的麻烦，她故意隐瞒了自己的真实姓名。
At that time, in order to steer clear of harassment by KMT agents, she had changed her name to conceal her true identity.
斯诺约我去吃晚饭时，就介绍她作“布朗太太”。
So, the evening when I had dinner at Snow's residence, he introduced her to me as “Mrs. Brown.”
那阵子我正在读她的《大地的女儿》。因此，席间我不断谈到那本书给予我的感受。其实我并不知道坐在我旁边的就是那本书的作者。
As it happened that I was then reading her novel Daughter of Earth, I kept talking at table about my impressions of it, not knowing that the very lady sitting next to me was its author. 
及至史沫特莱离平返沪后，斯诺才告诉我，那晚我可把史沫特莱窘坏了。她以为我把她认了出来。
It was not until Smedley had left Peiping for Shanghai that Snow told me how apprehensive she had been that evening when I chatted about the novel, suspecting that I already knew her true identity.
在读新闻系时，我有个思想问题：我并不喜欢新闻系，特别是广告学那样的课，简直听不进去。
While at Yenching University, I had a problem weighing on my mind: I found the study of journalism not to my liking and the advertising course particularly boring.
我只是为了取得个记者资格才转系的。
Frankly, I had transferred myself to the journalism department of Yenching for the sole purpose of obtaining qualifications for a reporter.
我的心仍在文学系——因此，常旷了新闻系的课去英文系旁听。
Now, with my heart in literature, I often cut journalism classes so as to sit in on English literature classes.
斯诺帮我解决了这个矛盾。
Snow helped me solve this problem.
他说，文学同新闻并不相悖，而是相辅相成的。他认为一个新闻记者写的是现实生活，但他必须有文学修养——包括古典文学修养。
He told me that instead of being contradictory to each other, literature and journalism were mutually complementary and that in order to write stories of real life, a newsman must be cultured in literature, including classical literature.
我毕业那天，他和海伦送了我满满一皮箱的世界文学名著，由亚里士多德至狄更斯。
On my commencement day, he and Helen gave me a suitcaseful of world literary classics, ranging from Aristotle to Dickens.
他去世后，我从露易丝·斯诺的书中知道，他临终时，枕边还放着萧伯纳的著作。
Later I learned that when he was on his deathbed, a copy of Bernard Shaw's work had been found lying by his pillow.
斯诺教导我，当的是记者，但写通讯特写时，一定要尽量有点文学味道。
I am greatly indebted to Snow for his teachings that literary taste is a must for a reporter's news dispatches and feature articles.
一九三六年当他晓得我给《大公报》所写的冯玉祥访问记被国民党检查官砍得面目皆非——冯将军的抗日主张全部被砍掉了，他立即要我介绍他去访问这位将军——不出几天，我就在报上看到日本政府向南京抗议说，身居军事委员会副委员长的冯玉祥，竟然向美国记者斯诺发表了不友好的谈话。
In 1936, when Snow found in The Dagong Bao that the KMT had heavily censored my article Interview with Feng Yu-xiang, with Feng's anti-Japanese views completely cut out, he wanted me immediately to introduce him to Feng for a visit. A few days later, I found in the newspapers that the Japanese government had protested to the KMT government about the unfriendly remarks from Military Commission Vice-Chairman Feng Yu-xiang in an interview with the American reporter Snow.
一九四四年，我们又在刚刚解放的巴黎见了面。
In 1944, Snow and I met again, this time in Paris shortly after its liberation.
当时他是苏联特许的六名采访东线的记者之一。
He was then one of the six reporters specially permitted by the Soviet Union to cover the east front.
在酒吧间里他对我说，他在中国的岁月是他一生最难忘，也是最重要的一段日子。
He told me in a barroom that the days he had spent in China were his most unforgettable experience and also the most important part of his life.
他自幸能在上海结识了鲁迅先生和宋庆龄女士。他是在他们的指引下认识中国的。
He thought that he was most fortunate in having got acquainted with Lu Xun and Madame Soong Ching Ling in Shanghai and that it was through their guidance that he had come to understand China.
三十年代上半叶，在西方人中间，斯诺最早判断抗日战争迟早必然爆发，而且胜利最后必然属于中国。
In the early 1930s, Snow was the first Westerner to predict that the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression would break out sooner or later and that the final victory would certainly belong to China.
一九四八年，他又在《星期六评论》上接连写了三篇文章，断言中国战后绝不会当苏联的仆从，必然会走自己的路。
In 1948, he wrote three articles at a stretch for The Saturday Review, in which he stated with certainty that the post-war China would follow its own course and never become a Soviet flunkey.
他这种胆识，这种预见性，是难能可贵的。
His courageous foresight was highly commendable.
斯诺认为一个记者绝不可光追逐热门新闻，他还必须把人类的正义事业记在心头。不能人云亦云，随波逐流，必须有自己独立的见解观点，必须有良知和正义感。
He believed that a journalist should bear in mind the just cause of humanity instead of going after sensational reporting and that he should have independent views, good conscience and sense of justice instead of parroting other people's opinions and following them blindly.
斯诺的骨灰一部分已留在中国了。
Part of Snow's ashes now rest in China.
我希望他的这种抱负和精神，也能在中国生根。
I hope his aspirations and spirit will also take root in this country.
忆滇缅路
Recalling the Construction of the Yunnan-Burmese Road
◎　萧乾
◎　Xiao Qian
在二次大战的众多深刻教训中，最主要也是最痛心的一条是：国与国之间平时客客气气，谁有点小灾小祸，还会略表支援；然而一个国家一旦自身遇到麻烦，需要出卖朋友来摆脱困境时，则什么背信弃义的勾当都干得出。
Of all the numerous profound lessons we have learned from World War II, the following is the most distressing. A country may be formally polite to another and show willingness to offer it a little help in case of a minor mishap befalling the latter. But it may stop at nothing to act perfidiously when it seeks to extricate itself from its own predicament at the expense of its friend.
一九四〇年七月，正当我国抗战面临紧要关头，丘吉尔就为了讨好日本帝国主义以保全英帝国在远东的殖民地，竟然在当时仍是英属缅甸边界，把抗战中国的这条生命线封锁。
In July 1940, at the critical juncture of China's Anti-Japanese War, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, endeavoring to hold on to the British colonies in the Far East by fawning on the Japanese imperialists, ordered a blockade of our lifeline on the Burmese side of the border with China, Burma then being a British colony.
当时，除了横越喜马拉雅山的空运外，我国所有进口的军火、汽油、药品、器械以及为换取这些而出口的钨砂、猪鬃、水银和桐油，都要经由这条公路运输。
At that time, in addition to the airlift over the Himalayas, it was through the land transport by the Yunnan-Burmese Road that China imported munitions, gasoline, medicines and appliances in exchange for such exports as tungsten ore, hog bristles, mercury and tung oil.
汽车行驶高峰每日达七千余辆，进出口物资达数百万吨。
The Road daily witnessed a traffic of over 7,000 motor vehicles during the peak hours and the transport of several million tons of import and export goods.
英国悍然封锁该公路扼住我们的咽喉，无疑是对我国一巨大打击。
Britain's brazen act of blockading the Road meant, as it were, grabbing our throat. It was undoubtedly a serious blow to China.
一九三九年春间，我曾踏访了这条公路并曾为香港《大公报》写过几篇报道。
In the spring of 1939, I wrote several reports for the Hong Kong Dagong Bao after making an on-the-spot investigation of the Road.
其中，在《血肉筑成的滇缅路》一文中，我扼要地介绍了这条公路工程之艰巨：
In one of them, entitled The Yunnan-Burmese Road — Paved with Flesh and Blood, I gave as follows a brief account of the formidable Road building project:
九百七十三公里的汽车路，三百七十座桥梁，一百四十万立方尺的石砌工程，近两千万立方公尺的土方，不曾沾过一架机器的光，不曾动用巨款，只凭二千五百万名民工的抢筑：铺土、铺石，也铺血肉。
A 973-kilometer motorway, with 370 bridges, 1,400,000 cubic meters of stone work, and approximately 20,000,000 cubic meters of earth work. With neither machines nor adequate funds, 25 million laborers were engaged in a rush job of road construction. They paved the road with flesh and blood as well as with earth and stone.
下关至畹町那一段一九三七年一月动工，三月分段试车，五月就全面通车了。
Work on the Xiaguan-Wanding section of the road started in January 1937 and was entirely opened to traffic in May after a section-by-section trial run in March.
路是沿着古老的通往印度和缅甸的马帮驿道修成的。
The Road was built on the ancient post road leading to India and Burma, on which caravans used to travel.
为了修那条公路三千多人捐了躯。
More than 3,000 men laid down their lives for building the Road.
不能忘记的还有陈嘉庚组织的“南洋机工队”三千二百人，其中有一千多人在公路上为国殉难，除了工程的艰险之外，还有那怕人的瘴气——恶性疟疾。
Of the 3,200 members of the “Nanyang Mechanics Team” organized by Tan Kah-kee, over 1,000 died on the job. The horrible disease of pernicious malaria was one of the great perils facing the laborers.
同行的一位头天晚上还有说有笑，第二天一摸，全身凉了。我们当时是席地睡在一座马厩里，他就睡在我身旁。
One of my fellow travelers who chatted and laughed merrily one evening and then slept next to me on the ground of a stable was found stiff and cold the next day.
一九三九年九月，我去了英国，正赶上二次欧战的爆发。
In September 1939, World War II broke out on my arrival in England.
没想到次年七月，我亲眼看到修筑的滇缅路被丘吉尔主持的英战时政府悍然封锁了，而且是在日本侵略者指使下这么干的，当时英国民间组织援华委员会就在全英掀起反封锁的运动。
Unexpectedly, the wartime British government under Churchill, on the instigation of the Japanese aggressors, outrageously blockaded in July 1940 the Yunnan-Burmese Road, whose construction I had just seen with my own eyes. Britain's non-governmental Aid-China Committee then launched a nationwide anti-blockade campaign.
由于我是刚从抗战中国来到英国的记者，又曾采访过滇缅路，所以就应邀赴英国各大城市及乡村去演讲。
As I was a Chinese correspondent just arrived in England from covering the Yunnan-Burmese Road, I was invited to deliver speeches in various big cities and villages of the country.
有些城市的英国群众还上街游行。
In some cities, people even demonstrated in the streets.
在伦敦，援华会就曾组织人们到丘吉尔所在的唐宁街首相府门口摇旗呐喊，反对英国助桀为虐，帮助日本侵略者扼杀抗战的中国。
In London, the Aid-China Committee organized people to demonstrate in front of Churchill's official residence on Downing Street, waving flags and shouting slogans decrying the British government aiding Japanese aggression against China.
十月，英政府被迫解除了对滇缅路的封锁。
In October of the same year, the British government was compelled to lift its blockade of the Road.
一九四一年十月，中英签订了“共同防御滇缅路协定”。
In October 1941, China and Britain signed the “Agreement on the Joint Defence of the Yunnan-Burmese Road.”
“珍珠港事变”后，中国军队就同盟军并肩作战于朱红色的滇缅土地上了。
After the Pearl Harbor Incident of December 7, 1941, Chinese troops began to fight shoulder to shoulder with the Allied troops on the red earth field surrounding the Road.
滇缅路如今只是全国千百条公路中的一条了。
Now the Road is but one of the thousands of highways in China.
可是当时中华民族的命运曾系在它身上。
But back in those days, it had a close bearing on the destiny of the Chinese nation.
倘若我是一个日本人
If I Were a Japanese
◎　萧乾
◎　Xiao Qian
倘若我是个日本人，一到这战争纪念日，我会难过，羞愧，在亚洲人民面前抬不起头来。
If I were a Japanese, I would, on this war commemoration day, feel very bad and ashamed, and keep my head bowed before the people of Asia.
倒不是由于五十年前打败了，而是五十年后对自家为千千万万的人们所带来的祸害，采取抵赖、死不认帐的态度。
Not that Japan was defeated 50 years ago, but that it today persists in denying the disaster it brought upon millions upon millions of common people.
在亚洲人面前（或是心目中），是个赖帐的。
In the eyes of all Asians, Japan remains absolutely unrepentant.
明明六十多年前是自家的关东军制造事端抢了邻人的东北大片土地，五十多年前又从卢沟桥掀起东亚大战。
As is known to all, over 60 years ago, the Japanese Guandong Army occupied by making a pretext the vast expanse of land in Northeast China, and over 50 years ago Japan started the War of East Asia by staging the Lugou Bridge Incident.
太阳旗所到之处，烧杀掠夺，生灵涂炭。
Wherever the flag of the Rising Sun fluttered, burning, killing and looting would follow and people would be plunged into the abyss of untold suffering.
接着，又把战火推向东南亚以至大洋洲。
And then Japan spread the flames of war to Southeast Asia and even Oceania.
皇军闯到哪儿，祸水就冲到哪儿。遍地留下了万人坑。
The Japanese Imperial Army left behind great destruction and mass graves everywhere.
可如今，连“侵略”两个字都不承认，说是“进入”！还把造成的地狱硬说成是“乐土”。
And yet they now describe their acts of aggression euphemistically as “making an entry” and insist on calling the hell of their doing by the good name of “land of happiness”!
凡事都怕一比。
Only by comparison can we distinguish between right and wrong.
当年欧洲那些纳粹哥儿们所造成的祸害也不小啊！光死在那些集中营的焚尸炉、毒气室，人体实验上的，就足有几百万。
Japan's Nazi buddies during WWII brought equally frightful calamity to Europe, killing, for instance, at least a total of several million people in the concentration camps by means of crematories, gas chambers and vivisection.
可是人家打败了仗，好汉做事好汉当。
Nevertheless, after Germany was defeated, the Germans had the courage to accept the consequences of their own actions.
首先从上层就低头认罪，绝不抵赖。
They, from top to bottom, hung their heads to admit their guilt rather than deny facts.
该作揖的作揖，该下跪的就下跪。
They bowed with hands clasped or went down on their knees.
欠下的帐，一五一十，分文不赖。
They owned up to everything they had said or done.
如今，在国际社会中，人家又挺起腰板，成为可以信赖、受到尊重的一员了。
Consequently, standing erect and with chin up, they have won the trust and respect of the world community of nations.
多年来曾经首先受害的法国一直愉快地谈着法德友谊。
France, the first European country victimized by Nazi invasion, has now been happy for years about Franco-German friendship.
可我当个日本人，只由于一提那场战争，上头就刁钻古怪，闪烁其辞，死不认帐。
As a Japanese, I would be disgusted with my higher-ups' tricky hems and haws on the subject of the last war and their flat refusal to acknowledge Japan's crimes.
而且大官儿们还去给当年干尽坏事的头儿们的阴魂烧香磕头，等于感谢他们杀得好，杀得痛快、漂亮。
Our bigwigs continue to burn incense and kowtow before the memorial tablets of the notorious war criminals — an act tantamount to expressing gratitude to slaughterers for massacring common people.
不但对世界、对亚洲人耍赖，在教科书里，对儿孙们也撒谎、抵赖。
They are telling lies not only to the Asians and the world at large, but also in school textbooks to mislead their own younger generations.
站在二十一世纪的门坎，当个日本人，我忧心忡忡，而且抬不起头来。
As a Japanese at the turn of the century I would be heavy-hearted and unable to raise my head.
然而我不是个日本人。
But I'm not a Japanese.
我是一个八十六岁饱经沧桑的中国老头儿。
I'm an old man of 86 from China having experienced many vicissitudes of life.
我周围的后生一提起日本对战争罪行死不认帐，就摩拳擦掌，怒火中烧，我这世故老汉儿倒是处之泰然。
While the young folks around me will burn with rage at the mention of Japan's stubborn refusal to own up, I, being a worldwise old man, will stay calm and collected.
凡事都有两个方面。
Everything, however, has two aspects.
我认为今天日本不认罪也就是思想上还没放下屠刀，东条还在阴魂不散，谁敢担保在下个世纪他不会借尸还魂!
I think Japan's refusal to admit its crimes is due to its failure to be mentally prepared to drop the butcher's knife. So long as the ghost of Tojo lingers on, none can assure you that militarism will never revive in a new guise in the next century.
它的徘徊等于时刻在提醒我们——以及亚洲弟兄们，不要以为今后就天下太平可以高枕无忧了。
The lingering shadow serves to warn us and our Asian brothers against the fantasy that the world will be at peace in the days to come and we can sit back and relax.
我不晓得靖国神社里敲不敲钟。
I wonder if the bell still strikes at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo.
倘若敲的话，对军国主义的崇拜者们，那是为了悼念当年侵略者的“英”灵，对我们——中国人和亚洲人，那钟声正好提醒我们，告诫我们千万不可睡大觉。
If it does, it serves as a warning to the people of China and Asia not to drop guard while the adherents to militarism are mourning over their late war criminals.
世界眼下风平浪静，可是只要霸人之心不死，防霸之心就不可无。
Although the world is tranquil for the time being, vigilance is indispensably necessary before the potential hegemonist is completely disillusioned.
一个输了而不认输的赌徒是随时可能卷土重来的。
An adventurist that refuses to be reconciled to defeat may stage a comeback at any time.
我和北大图书馆
Peking University Library and I
◎　季羡林
◎　Ji Xianlin
我对北大图书馆有一种特殊的感情，这种感情潜伏在我的内心深处，从来没有明确地意识到过。
I cherish a particular affection for Peking University Library — an affection that has hidden deep in my heart without my knowledge.
最近图书馆的领导同志要我写一篇讲图书馆的文章，我连考虑都没有，立即一口答应。
Therefore, recently when the curator asked me to write an article on the library, I readily agreed without any hesitation.
但我立刻感到有点吃惊。我现在事情还是非常多的，抽点时间，并非易事。
Nevertheless, immediately afterwards, I felt a bit surprised at the rash promise I had made, for, with already too many irons in the fire, I could hardly have time to spare.
为什么竟立即答应下来了呢？
What had made me give the promise?
如果不是心中早就蕴藏着这样一种感情的话，能出现这种情况吗？
Could I have done that had it not been for my deep-seated affection for the University library?
山有根，水有源，我这种感情的根源由来已久了。
Every tree has its roots and every river its source. My deep affection for the University library has an origin of long standing.
1946年，我从欧洲回国。去国将近11年，
In 1946, I returned to China after staying in Europe for about eleven years.
在落叶满长安（长安街也）的深秋季节，又回到了北平。
When I arrived in Peiping, it was late autumn, with Chang'an Street strewn with fallen leaves.
在北大工作，内心感情的波动是难以形容的，既兴奋，又寂寞；既愉快，又惆怅。
My first days at Peking University found myself experiencing an indescribable mixed feeling of both elation and loneliness, and both joy and gloom.
然而我立刻就到了一个可以安身立命的地方，这就是北大图书馆。
Fortunately, I soon found a place where I could settle down to a tranquil life and get on with my work, that is, Peking University Library.
当时我单身住在红楼，我的办公室（东语系办公室）是在灰楼。
At that time, I lived alone at the Red Building and my office, the office of the Oriental Languages Department, was in the Gray Building.
图书馆就介乎其中。
And the University library was situated in-between.
承当时图书馆的领导特别垂青，在图书馆里给了我一间研究室，在楼下左侧。
Thanks to the thoughtfulness of the curator, I was allotted a research room in the library, on the left side of its ground floor.
窗外是到灰楼去的必由之路。经常有人走过，不能说是很清静。
It was a bit noisy out of the window due to a passage alongside the building, which was the only way leading to the Gray Building.
但是在图书馆这一面，却是清静异常。
But it was very quiet in the library itself though.
我的研究室左右，也都是教授研究室，当然室各有主，但是颇少见人来。
Around me were also research rooms belonging to other professors, but I seldom saw them.
所以走廊里静如古寺，真是念书写作的好地方。
So it was all quiet in the corridor, like in an ancient temple. It was an ideal place for doing studies and writing indeed.
我能在奔波数万里扰攘十几年，有时梦想得到一张一尺见方的书桌而渺不可得的情况下，居然有了一间窗明几净的研究室，简直如坐天堂，如享天福了。
Imagine how overwhelmed with joy I was to have a bright research room complete with a desk after spending more than a decade rushing about from place to place sometimes with the vain dream of getting a mere small desk of my own!
研究室的真正要害还不在窗明几净——当然，这也是必要的，而在有没有足够的书。
To me, however, what really mattered in a research room were not bright windows and clean desks, which were of course also indispensable, but sufficient books.
在这一点上，我也得到了意外的满足。
Now I had my wish unexpectedly gratified.
图书馆的领导允许我从书库里提一部分必要的书，放在我的研究室里，供随时查用。
I was given permission from the curator to equip my research room with necessary books for easy reference taken direct from the stack rooms.
我当时是东语系的主任，虽然系非常小，没有多少学生，但是，仍然有一些会要开，一些公要办，所以也并不太闲。
As head of the Department of Oriental Languages, I was busy with meetings and official duties although the said Department had a relatively small enrollment.
可是我一有机会，就遁入我的研究室去，“躲进小楼成一统”，这地方是我的天下。
In spite of that, I would withdraw at the first opportunity to my research room to enjoy the privacy of having a place all to myself, a place where I am my own master.
我一进屋，就能进入角色，潜心默读，坐拥书城，其乐实在是不足为外人道也。
As soon as I entered the room, I began to live my part as an avid reader sitting among a roomful of books. The great pleasure I enjoyed at the moment was beyond description.
我回国以后，由于资料缺乏，在国外时的研究工作，无法进行，
Upon my return to China, I had to discontinue, for lack of reference materials, the research I had been doing abroad.
只能有多大碗，吃多少饭，找一些可以发挥自己的长处而又有利于国计民生的题目，来进行研究。
I had to adapt to the new circumstances by working only on themes most familiar to me and having direct bearing on national economy and the people's livelihood.
北大图书馆藏书甲全国大学，我需要的资料基本上能找得到，因此还能够写出一些东西来。
As Peking University Library boasted the largest collection of books of all university libraries in the country, I was able to write with materials available to me. 
如果换一个地方，我必如车辙中的鲋鱼那样，什么书也看不到，什么文章也写不出。
Otherwise, with no access to books I needed, I would have accomplished nothing at all, like a fish stranded in a dry rut.
作为全国最高学府的北京大学，我们有悠久的爱国主义的革命历史传统，有实事求是的学术传统，这些都是难能可贵的，但是，我认为，一个第一流的大学，必须有第一流的设备、第一流的图书、第一流的教师、第一流的学者和第一流的管理。五个第一流，缺一不可。
As one of the highest institutes of learning in the country, Peking University has a long history of revolutionary patriotism as well as an academic tradition of seeking truth from facts. All that is praiseworthy. However, in my opinion, a first-rate university should have facilities, teaching staff, scholars and administration of the best quality. 
我们北大可以说具备这五个第一流的。
Peking University certainly meets the requirement in the five respects.
因此，我们有充分的基础，可以来弘扬祖国的优秀文化，为我国四化建设培养德才兼备的人才，对外为祖国争光，对内为人民立功。
We of this University are, therefore, fully qualified for the job of carrying forward the splendid cultural heritage of our nation and training people of ability and virtue for our country's modernization drive, thereby winning honor for our country and rendering meritorious service to our people.
在这五个第一流中，第一流的图书更显得特别突出。
Our library, in particular, is playing an important role.
北大图书馆是全国大学图书馆的翘楚。这是世人之公言，非我一个之私言。我们为此应该感到骄傲，感到幸福。
We are proud and happy that it has been generally acknowledged as the best university library in the country.
但是，我们全校师生员工却不能躺在这个骄傲上、这个幸福上睡大觉。
Nevertheless, we teachers, students and all employees should not be satisfied with the success we have already won.
我们必须努力学习，努力工作，像爱护自己的眼球一样，爱护北大，爱护北大的一草一木、一山一石，爱护我们的图书馆。
We should study and work hard, and cherish, as we do our eyes, our university and everything in it, including its library.
我们图书馆的藏书盈架充栋，然而我们应该知道，一部一册来之不易，一页一张得之维艰。我们全体北大人必须十分珍惜爱护。这样，我们的图书馆才能有长久的生命，我们的骄傲与幸福才有坚实的基础。愿与全校同仁共勉之。
We should treasure its rich collection and take good care of each and every copy of the books therein, so that it can long survive intact and forever remain as something for us to be proud of and happy about. Let us encourage each other in our common endeavors.
就像人每天必须吃饭一样
Libraries Are Indispensable Like Food
◎　季羡林
◎　Ji Xianlin
我们念书人都一样，嗜书如命。
All intellectuals love books.
我小学的时候，当时学校还没有图书馆。
The primary school where I studied didn't have a library.
打念中学开始，一直到出国深造，我几乎一天也没离开过图书馆。
But, all the way from middle school to university abroad, I never let a day pass without consulting a library.
如离开图书馆，将一事无成，这不是我一个人的意见，大凡搞学问的都有这种体会。
I believe I would have achieved nothing without the help of libraries. I am not the one and only one holding such a view. Generally speaking, all men of learning would agree with me on this point.
我大学是在清华念的。清华图书馆，大家都知道，是相当不错的，我与它打了四年交道。
I obtained higher education at Tsinghua University, Beijing, where I had four-year dealings with its prestigious library.
后来，我出国到德国哥廷根大学留学，在欧洲待了十年多。
Later, I went abroad to study at Gottingen University, Germany, and stayed in Europe for altogether eleven years.
哥廷根虽然是个小城，但图书馆的藏书却极其丰富。
Gottingen is a small town, but Gottingen University Library boasts a rich collection of books.
我研究的是古代印度语言，应该说这是一门偏僻的学问。
I specialized in the ancient language of India, obviously a little-known branch of learning. 
在那十年中，我写了不少文章，需要用大量资料，可哥廷根大学图书馆几乎都能满足我，借不到书的时候非常少。
During the eleven years, I wrote many articles thanks to the University Library providing me with whatever materials I needed. Seldom did they fail to supply my wants.
若借不到，他们会到别的地方去帮你借。
Otherwise they would help me out by borrowing from other sources.
1946年，在落叶铺满长安街的深秋季节，我回到了北京，到北大工作。
In the late autumn of 1946, when Chang'an Street in Beijing was strewn with fallen leaves, I returned to China to work at Peking University.
北大图书馆藏书甲全国大学。
Of all university libraries in China, Peking University Library has the largest collection of books.
当时图书馆领导对我格外开恩，在图书馆里给了我一间研究室，并允许我从书库中提一部分必要的书，拿回我的研究室，供我随时查用和研读。
The curator was thoughtful enough to assign me a research room in the library building and allow me to equip it with necessary books for ready reference taken direct from the stack rooms.
我一有空闲，便潜入我的研究室，“躲进小楼成一统”，潜心默读，坐拥书城。
So I would withdraw at the first opportunity to my research room to enjoy the privacy of the small place and sit among my roomful of books reading avidly.
在那个动荡的岁月，能觅到一处可以安身立命的清静世界且有书读，简直是太令人兴奋了。
How happy I was to have, in time of turmoil, this quiet haven plus books so that I could settle down and get on with my pursuit of learning!
我与北京图书馆有很深的历史渊源。
I've long been connected with Beijing Public Library.
我回国时，当时的北图馆长是袁同礼。那时，我受袁同礼的聘请，任务是把北图有关梵文的藏书检查一下，看看全不全，这个工作我做了。
At the time when I retuned from Europe, Mr. Yuan Tongli, then its curator, engaged me to check up its collection of books on Sanskrit and see if it was incomplete. I fulfilled the job accordingly.
解放后，王重民先生代北图馆长。
On the founding of the People's Republic of China, Mr. Wang Chongmin became deputy curator of Beijing Public Library.
郑振铎是文化部文物局局长。郑先生是我的老师，在清华我曾听过他的课。
And, Mr. Zheng Zhenduo, one of my former teachers at Tsinghua University, was Director of the State Bureau for the Preservation of Cultural and Historical Relics.
郑先生很有魄力，我当时曾向他建议，若要在中国建立东方学，仅靠当时图书馆的一点点藏书是远远不够的，解决的办法是“腰缠千万贯，骑鹤下欧洲”。
He was a man with great drive, so I offered him the following suggestion: “Our libraries have too few books on orientalism to initiate its study in China. The only way out is to buy books from Europe.
据说，日本明治维新后，很重视文化事业，特意派人到欧洲、美国等地，专找旧书店，不管什么书，也不管当时有没有用，文理法工等什么都买，就这样，日本搜罗了大量的典籍。
They say the Japanese paid great attention to cultural undertakings after the Meiji Restoration. They sent people to Europe and America to visit exclusively second-hand bookstores to buy books on any subjects, useful or not, ranging from liberal arts, science, law to engineering. Consequently, they collected a huge number of ancient books and records.
单就东方学来讲，日本图书馆的藏书比我们强多了。
In the matter of orientalism, Japan has now a far greater library collection than China.” 
郑先生虽有雄才大略，但囿于当时客观条件，最终也没干成。
But, talented and far-sighted as he was, Mr. Zheng was nevertheless incapable of bringing the matter to fruition due to the constraint of objective conditions.
当然，现在北图的藏书，有些方面还是相当不错的，像善本就堪称世界第一。
Of course, Beijing Public Library has merits of its own too. For instance, it is world-famous for its unique collection of rare books.
但专从东方学而言，北图的藏书还不如我多。
But, as far as orientalism is concerned, its collection is even smaller than mine.
图书馆是人类知识的宝库，是普及科学文化知识、传播信息的重要基地。
Libraries are the treasure-house of knowledge, the important base for popularizing science and culture and transmitting information.
不仅搞科研的人离不开它，一般的老百姓也离不开。
They are indispensable to all common people as well as scientific researchers.
随着社会的发展，人们对图书馆的需求会越来越大。
Alongside the social development, people's need for the library is getting bigger and bigger.
我一生直到今天，可以说是极少离开过图书馆，就如人每天必须吃饭一样，经常而必须。
I personally have seldom been separated from the library all my life. It is as essential to me as my regular daily meals.
第62届国际图联大会能够在中国开是件好事，我们应抓住这一契机，大力发展图书馆事业。
It's good that the 62nd World Conference on Library Science will be held in China. We should seize the good opportunity to develop with great strides our library undertakings.
北图的藏书量是世界第五、亚洲第一，若以我国的国际地位及北图的地位而论，大会也许早就该在中国开了。
The richness of collection in the Beijing Public Library ranks 5th in the world and 1st in Asia. Considering its good standing as well as the international prestige of this country, China should have been a venue for the said Conference earlier.
近两年，受商潮的冲击，不少人忽视了自己形而上的精神世界的滋养与丰富，而一味地钻进了孔方兄的网络里难以抽身。
In recent years, due to the impact of commercialism, many have gone in for money-making and ignore the development and enrichment of their spiritual world.
这种现象在学术界也有。如果说我国学术界后继乏人，那是太绝对了，但确实走了好多人，北大也有。
The same is true of the academic circles, including Peking University, where many have dropped their occupation to go in for business.
不过，仍有一部分人，不为外面的高工资所动，孜孜以求，皓首穷经，进出于图书馆，他们才是我国未来的希望与脊梁。
But, some, however, rather than succumb to the temptation of high pay in business, stick to their academic work. They study hard and frequent libraries though they are getting on in years. They are the hope and backbone of our nation.
只是，这类人并不多，这是颇令人担忧的。
But, to our great disturbance, they are in the minority!