■ [America] O Henry/Pan Mingyuan/Translation
Soapy lay impatiently on a bench in Madison Square, tossing and turning. Whenever geese sing in the night sky, women who lack seal coats are more affectionate to their husbands, and Soapy is restless and tossing and turning on the bench in the street park, people will understand that winter is close at hand. A dead leaf fell on soapy's leg. Is that Jack? Frost (1). Jack is very polite to the permanent residents of Madison Square and always says hello before coming every year. At the crossroads, he gave his business card to the "north wind", the messenger of the "outdoor building", to make the residents ready. Soapy realized that it was time for him to make up his mind. In order to resist the coming cold, he immediately organized a single financial committee. Therefore, he tossed and turned impatiently on the bench. Soapy's winter ambition is not the highest. He doesn't want to cruise in the Mediterranean, nor do he want to bask in the sleepy sun in the south, nor do he want to wander in Vesuvius Bay. His dream is to stay on the island for three months. For three months, I have food, a bed to sleep in, like-minded partners, and have not been disturbed by the "north wind" and the police. For soapy, this is the greatest wish of thinking day and night. For many years, the hospitable Blackwell Island Prison has been Soapy's winter residence. Just like the luckier new york people buy tickets to Palm Beach (3) and Riviera (4) every winter, Soapy has to make some necessary arrangements for the annual island escape. Now it is time again. Last night, he slept on a bench beside the fountain in the ancient square. Three Sunday newspapers were under his coat, wrapped around his ankles and covered his thighs, but he failed to resist the cold. Therefore, in his mind, the image of the island immediately emerged vividly. He cursed the charity given to the urban poor in the name of charity. In Soapy's eyes, law is more lenient than relief. He can go to many places, as well as various organizations and relief agencies run by the municipal government. He can live with food and make a living, but accepting charity is an unbearable torture for a person with a proud soul like Soapy. You don't have to pay for any benefits of charity, but in return, you must bear mental humiliation. Just as Caesar treated Brutu (5), everything has advantages and disadvantages. To sleep in a charity bed, someone must take a bath first; If you want to eat a piece of bread, you must first explain your personal background and privacy. Therefore, it is much better to be a guest of the law. Although the law is fair and well-behaved, at least it will not interfere too much in the private affairs of a gentleman. Once he decided to go to the island, Soapy immediately set about making it a reality. There are many simple ways to realize a person's wish, among which the most comfortable way is to go to a luxury restaurant for a big meal and then admit that you are penniless and unable to pay, so that you can be quietly handed over to the police. Everything else should be handled by the public security judge in question. Soapy left the bench, strolled out of the square and crossed the flat asphalt road at the intersection of Broadway and Fifth Avenue. He turned to Broadway and stopped in front of a brightly lit cafe, where the best grapes, silk and protoplasm products were gathered every night. Soapy is quite confident in his vest from the bottom button. He has shaved and his coat is fashionable enough. His neat black bow tie was given to him by a church lady on Thanksgiving Day. Success belongs to him as long as he is not suspected before he reaches the table. His upper body is exposed on the table, which will never make the waiter suspicious. Soapy thinks a roast wild duck is very suitable-another bottle of Chablis, then Camembert cheese, a small cup of black coffee and a cigar. A dollar for a cigar is enough. The total price should not be too high, so as not to be retaliated by the cafe too much; However, eating this meal will make him feel satisfied and carefree on his trip to the winter camp. However, as soon as Soapy's foot stepped into the door, the foreman's eyes fell on his old trousers and worn leather shoes. The strong and swift palm pushed him around, and he was quietly carried out and pushed to the sidewalk, saving the poor fate of the poisoned wild duck. Soapy left Broadway. It doesn't seem to work to go to the dream island for a big meal. If you want to go to prison, you have to find another way. At the corner of Sixth Avenue, the goods in the brightly lit and exquisitely furnished large glass windows are particularly eye-catching. Soapy picked up a pebble and threw it at the window. People came running around the corner, led by a policeman. Soapy stood still, his hands in his pockets, smiling at the brass buttons. "Where is the guy who caused the accident?" The police officer asked angrily. "Don't you think this has something to do with me?" Soapy said, a little ironic, but friendly, as if he were the right angle of a peach blossom. The police didn't even target soapy. The person who smashed the window would never stay at the scene and talk to the minions of the law, and had already run away. The police saw a man running after a car half a block away, so they chased him with a baton. Soapy was so disgusted that he had to drag his feet and start wandering again. He miscalculated again. There is an obscure restaurant across the street, which can fill your stomach without spending much money. Its bowl is rough, the air is turbid, the soup is as light as water, and the napkin is as thin as silk. Soapy walked into the restaurant in his cursed shoes and exposed pants. God bless him, he is not looked down upon. He went to the table and sat down. He eats steak, pancakes, doughnuts and pies. Then, he told the waiter the truth: he had never been in contact with Master Qian. "Now, call the police," said Soapy. "Don't keep grandpa waiting." "There is no need to call the police," the waiter said, her voice as soft as cream cake and her eyes as red as cherries in Manhattan aperitif. "Hey, Kang!" Two waiters neatly pushed him down on the cold and hard sidewalk, with his left ear against the ground. Soapy struggled to get up from the ground bit by bit, just like a carpenter who opened a folding ruler and then patted the dust off his clothes. The desire to be arrested is just a dream, and the island is too far away. In front of the drugstore outside the two facades, stood a policeman. He walked down the street with a smile. After Soapy walked five blocks, the anger of wanting to be arrested returned. This opportunity is extremely rare, and he thinks it is a shoo-in. A young woman dressed simply but pleasing to the eye stood in front of the window, staring with interest at the shaving cups and ink bottles on display. And two yards away, a burly policeman was leaning against the faucet with a serious expression. Soapy's plan is to dress up as a dirty and annoying "troublemaker". His object is elegant and dignified, and there is a loyal policeman in front of him, so that he can believe how comfortable it is for the police to grab his arm with both hands and ensure that he can spend the winter in the small comfort zone on the island. Soapy straightened the bow tie given to him by the church hostess, pulled out the jagged shirt cuff, threw his hat back, almost fell down, and leaned over to the hostess. He winked at her, cleared his throat, snorted and laughed, and performed all the despicable activities done by the hooligans vividly. He narrowed his eyes and saw the police staring at him. The young woman moved a few steps away, indulging in looking at the shaving cup. Soapy followed, boldly approached her, raised his hat and said, "Aha, Bedelia, don't you want to play in my yard?" The police still cling to it. A frivolous young woman just needs to move her hands, which means that she is heading for the comfort zone on the island. In imagination, he has felt the comfort and warmth of the police station. The young woman turned to face him, stretched out a hand and grabbed Soapy's coat cuff. "Sure, Mike," she said happily, "if you are willing to spend money to buy me beer. If that policeman hadn't been watching me, he would have talked to you. " The young woman clings to his big oak tree like ivy. Soapy walked past the policeman in dismay. It seems destiny takes a hand, he should be free. As soon as he got to the corner, he dumped his girlfriend and ran away. He ran far away in one breath. Here, staying up all night is the brightest lamp, the most relaxed mood, the most rash oath and the most brisk opera. Ladies wear fur and gentlemen wear coats, walking around happily in this cold weather. Soapy suddenly felt a wave of fear. Maybe some terrible magic stopped him from being arrested. The idea gave him the willies. However, when he saw a policeman marching in front of the brightly lit theater, he immediately seized the lifeline of "disturbing the peace". Soapy tore open his broken gong-like voice on the sidewalk and acted like a drunk. He jumped, roared and shouted, and tried his best to disturb the sky. The policeman turned his baton, turned his back on Soapy and explained to a citizen, "This is a Yale boy celebrating his victory. They played ball with Hartford College and invited people to eat a big goose egg. It's a little loud, but it doesn't matter. We have instructions from oversight to let them make trouble. " Soapy discontentedly stopped the futile noise. Will the police never attack him? In his dream, the island seems to be an unattainable paradise. He buttoned his thin coat to keep out the biting wind. Soapy saw a well-dressed man lighting a cigarette in a cigar shop. The man leaned his silk umbrella against the door when he entered the shop. Soapy stepped into the shop door, picked up the silk umbrella and walked out casually. The lighter chased after him. "My umbrella," he snapped. "Oh, really?" Soapy sneer at a way; Add an insult to petty theft. "Well, why don't you call the police? Yes, I took it. Your umbrella! Why not call the patrol? There is one standing around the corner. " The owner of the silk umbrella slowed down, and so did Soapy. He had a premonition that fate would be against him again. The policeman looked at them curiously. "Of course," said the owner of the silk umbrella, "that's, oh, you know, sometimes such misunderstandings happen ... I ... I hope you don't take it amiss if this umbrella is yours ... I bought it in a restaurant this morning ... If you recognize it as yours, then I hope you don't ..." "Of course it's mine," said Soapy viciously. The former owner of the silk umbrella walked away angrily. The police rushed over to help a tall blonde woman in an evening gown cloak cross the street in case a tram coming two blocks away hit her. Soapy walked eastward and crossed a street that was uneven because of renovation. In a rage, he threw the silk umbrella into a pit. He complained about the guys with helmets and batons. Because he just wants to fall into the French Open, and they just regard him as a king who never makes mistakes. Finally, soapy came to a street leading to the east side, where the lights were dim and there was no noise. He walked along the street to Madison Square. Although his home is just a bench in the park, his instinct to go home took him there. However, in an unusually quiet corner, Soapy stopped. There is an old church here, which looks antique and messy. This is a mountain-shaped building. The soft light reflected through the lavender glass window, and there is no doubt that the organist is practicing Sunday's hymn. Sweet music drifted into Soapy's ears, attracted him and glued him to the spiral iron railing. The moon is high in the night sky, shining and silent; Fewer pedestrians and vehicles; The birds under the eaves are chirping in their sleep-it's like the atmosphere of a country church cemetery now. The hymn played by the organist resonated with Soapy who leaned against the iron railing, because he was very familiar with hymns when he had maternal love, roses, ambitions, friends, pure and innocent thoughts and white-collar workers in his life. Soapy's sensitive emotions merged with the subtle influence of the old church, which made his soul suddenly change wonderfully. He immediately realized in horror that he had fallen into the abyss, decadent years, shameful desires, pessimism and disappointment, exhausted intelligence and despicable motives-all of which constituted his whole life. For an instant, this new mental state made him very excited. A quick and strong impulse inspired him to face the rough life. He wants to drag himself out of the mud, and he wants to conquer the devil who once controlled himself. It's not too late, he is still young, and he wants to reproduce the ambition of that year and unswervingly realize it. The solemn and sweet tone of the organ caused a revolution in his mind. Tomorrow, he will go to the busy business district to find something to do. A fur importer once asked him to be a driver, and he will be found to take the job tomorrow. He is willing to be a temporary figure. He wanted ... Soapy felt a hand on his arm. He turned around and saw a broad face of a policeman. What are you doing here? Asked the policeman. "Nothing," said Soapy. "Then come with me," said the policeman. The next morning, the judge of the police court announced, "Blackwell Island, three months."
Note: ① Jack? White murder: the embodiment of "frost" (2) Blackwell Island: Located in the East River of new york. There are prisons on the island. (3) Palm Beach: A town in southeastern Florida, USA, which is a winter resort. Riviera: A part of southern Europe along the Mediterranean Sea, located in southeastern France and northwestern Italy, is a resort. ⑤ Julius Caesar: (BC100-44) Roman commander, politician and dictator, assassinated by * * * and faction aristocrats. Brutu (85-42 BC): Roman politician, mastermind of the assassination of Caesar, fled Greece, rallied troops against Antony and Octavian, and committed suicide because of failure. The author's punch line refers to wine, gorgeous clothes and upper-class people. ⑦ Chablis: A dry white wine originated in Chablis, France. (8) Camembert cheese: a soft cheese produced in France. Originally a village in Normandy, it was named after this cheese. Pet-name ruby refers to the police, because the buttons on the police uniform are made of brass. Attending Arcadia: Originally a mountainous area in ancient Greece, it is now located in the central Peloponnesus, famous for its simple rural life, and now refers to "Xanadu". ⑾ English proverb: A king can do nothing wrong.
Comments:
A model of short stories-police and hymns
Ordinary life in the real world often makes people feel that everything is tasteless. So many people began to ignore the people and things around them and gave up their examination of the world. But if we persist in searching and digging, we will find many tragicomedy around us. American writer ou? Henry (1862- 19 10) is such a persistent pursuer, and his short stories contain such tragicomedy. From his short and humorous stories, we can see the big from the small and taste many things. The short story Police and Hymns is such a work.
This is an absurd story. When winter came, the hero Subei began to try to enter his winter residence-Blackwell Prison, and tried his best to get the police to arrest him. However, none of them succeeded. Just when he was influenced by the church hymn music and decided to give up his old life and start over, he was arrested by the police and sent to prison as he wished. In a relaxed and humorous style, the author describes all kinds of ridiculous attempts made by Su Bei to achieve his ridiculous goals, such as cheating on eating and drinking in restaurants, smashing shop windows, molesting young women, disturbing public order and stealing. What makes people feel even more incredible and ridiculous is that the police have shown a kind of "tolerance" for these illegal acts instead of punishment. It is a wonderful irony that when Su Bei gave up his original idea, the "tolerant" police arrested him with nothing to do. As a result, absurdity becomes pitiful, exasperating and pathetic. ...
Why would anyone want to go to jail? Why do police turn a blind eye to some bad phenomena? And why when a person wants to start a new life, others mercilessly destroy such a beautiful idea? Behind the ridiculous is actually a big question mark. A closer look at these questions will reveal that this story brings people a bitter smile, or a "tearful smile". Funny things just float on its surface, and sinking deeper inside is a kind of sadness. Oh? Henry skillfully combined the two and put such a relaxed and heavy burden in front of the readers. How heavy it is must be measured by the readers themselves.
Oh? Most of the characters in Henry's novels are ordinary little people and people at the bottom of society. The author found them from a certain corner of society and showed their behavior and internal characteristics with very little pen and ink. In The Police and Hymns, Su Bei did not focus on his external performance, but on his inner thoughts. From this, we can peek at the society at that time from the inside out: this is a hypocritical society where people would rather go to jail than give alms. Because "if you want to sleep in a charity bed, you have to take a bath first", so "it's an honor to be a guest of the law". For other characters in the novel, only a simple external description is made, and the characteristics of the characters are captured in a few strokes. For example, the waiter at the entrance of the hotel noticed Su Bei's old trousers and worn leather shoes at a glance, kicked him out and captured the image of a snob. Another example is that Su Bei molested a woman, but this seemingly noble woman suddenly "stuck up". The image of a girl pretending to hook up with a man on the side of the road jumped to the page. Based on Su Bei's inner view of society and the performance of various characters in his eyes, readers should have a general understanding of the society at that time.
Oh? The ending of Henry's novel is the most admirable. The Police and Hymns is a model among them. After listening to the church music, Sue wanted to change herself. "He wants to pull himself out of the mire, he wants to turn over a new leaf ...", "He wants to be a man of indomitable spirit, and he wants to-",and when his ambitious aria was not finished, he put his hand on his arm. The next day, he was sentenced to three months in Blackwell prison-this was his original wish. When Su Bei's image grew taller in readers' minds, such a dramatic scene suddenly turned him into a "dwarf". The story comes to an abrupt end here, but after careful scrutiny, you will find that the author left clues and foreshadowing in the last article. Therefore, the ending at this time is reasonable. Oh? Henry is like this. He often stops suddenly when we are watching with relish and arranges an unexpected ending. Before I could shut up, it was over, which made us stop to meditate and finally let out a sigh.
Short stories are not as tolerant as novels in content and thought, but they are better than refined structures and ingenious ideas. If we can do this, then this is success. Oh? Whether Henry's novels have achieved this is up to our readers to judge for themselves after reading them.