西班牙的讨论
鲁汉
开门后,拉开厚厚的窗帘,眼前顿时呈现出一望无际的兰色海洋,高大的海浪,镶在雪白的泡沫里,一个接一
个地涌上前来,心甘情愿地把自己摔碎在细腻的沙滩上。打开阳台的门,一股咸湿的气味扑鼻而来,身后的窗
帘立即在强烈的海风中飘舞起来。
除了这在西班牙南海岸的美景,这次学术会议让人难忘的还有一日三餐的美食。连早餐在内,每一顿都是几道
菜,道道都是经得起琢磨的美味,安排在餐桌上的时间比学术报告的时间还长,每一天都是悠闲的享受。
一天到沙滩小憩,在阳光下捧着陀思妥耶夫斯基的“睹徒”正在享受之时,被一声报歉打断,抬头一看,是三位
位素不相识的年轻人。诧异之时,其中的一位姑娘递过手中的一本书,原来是托尔斯泰的“复活”。这样一来,我
们彼此所需要的介绍就几乎是多余的了。
“那么,复活这本书对于你主要意味的是什么呢?”我问这几个正在攻读文学的研究生。“对於你呢?”那姑娘在
两个小伙子沉吟之际,向我反问。
“要用一句话来说的话,那就是人的高尚不在无罪,而在知罪。”
“为什么呢?难道无罪不比有而知之更好吗?”
“但人们总是会在有意无意之中伤害别人的。於是对此没有认知的人就比他人更加危险。也许我可以用另外的
一个故事帮助说明这一点:
一个英国上流社会的家庭以品德高尚著名。父亲是成功的工厂主,母亲热衷慈善事业,儿子攻读法律,风度翩
翩,女儿品行端庄,是不少男子追求的对象。
当一个侦探突然造访时,你可以想象他们的惊讶。当这位绅士风度十足的侦探告诉他们他的来因是一位年轻
美丽的姑娘的死亡,而他的调查已经证明对这一悲剧应当负责的不是别人,正是这个家庭的四个成员。
‘这是完全不可能的。你这是对我们的侮辱。’ 全家人异口同声地抗议了。
‘但你们只要给我一点时间,我就可以向你们证明我的断言。’
儿子首先与侦探走入图书馆。侦探向他展示了一张照片,他认出那是一个他曾为之疯狂的下层社会的姑娘,但
因为家庭的反对,就最终抛弃了她。
‘她的堕落由此开始,她生下了你的儿子,但最终被你的其他家人推向死路。’
儿子低着头,走回了客厅。
父亲被叫入图书馆,从照片上他认出那是被他开除的一个未婚怀孕的女工。
‘我只是在试图维护我的工厂的声誉啊。’
他悲痛地说。
‘天啊,我害死了我自己的孙子和他的母亲。’
母亲仍然想她自己绝不可能与此悲剧有任何关联,但看到照片后也不得不承认那是向慈善机关求援,而遭到
她的冷酷的拒绝的一位姑娘。
‘我当时对她说,应当负责的是她自己轻率的行为和那孩子的父亲。天啊!’
女儿在看到照片后,想起那次在帽点试戴帽子时,一位新雇的姑娘两次拿错了帽子。她大发雷霆,把店主叫出
来,让他当面解雇了那位姑娘。
‘你就这样,断绝了她的最后的活路。’
一家人重新聚在一处,沉浸在自责,互责,悲痛,和震惊之中。其中的儿子更是痛不欲生,大喊,‘你们杀死了我
的儿子。’ 这时,女儿忽然灵机一动,问道:
‘为什么他给我们分别地看照片,我们怎么知道我们看到的是同一个人?’
于是大家一起走向图书馆,打开门,那张摇椅还在晃荡,但上面的侦探却不见了。”
我停下来,许久,耳边听到的只是海浪的叹息。三个年轻人都陷入了沉思,默默无语。
晚霞上来的时候,我们一同进了小镇,由我招待,他们点菜吃了一顿西班牙风味十足的晚餐。有意思的是席间
的热烈话题却还是俄罗斯的文学。
会议结束那天,我到这可爱的旅馆前台结帐时,意外地被告知
"All is taking care of."
“你们搞错了!请再查一下。”
结果仍是一样。当我问是谁时,站台的微笑着对我说不知道,却又忽然调皮地向我眨了一下眼。走出来,依依
不舍地向大海告别之后,我就满腹狐疑地离开了这个西班牙的小镇。
- 这篇好,轻远活泼中意韵非凡posted on 10/06/2003
知罪与无罪的讨论轻松,直指人心。我也是不很久以前悟通这
一点的,但还有一点:不能以相对的指称“罪”而否认现实世
界之博大无边的“生活”,此中必有一途径! - posted on 10/06/2003
Very interesting story, and really well written.
Only one question. What is the source of that "other" story retold in this story? I'm sure I have read it before somewhere, either a variation or the origin of it. Is it an English play called "Inspector"? My point is this: Did the author tell those three young men and woman about the source of his story? If not, and therefore they have paid the money to check out for him in that hotel because they admire him for his capability of making a creative story to illustrate a deep philosophical point, isn't that ironic? If this is a short story (a fiction instead of prose or essay) and I happened to be its author, I would plot that way, so that the theme would be reinforced and the story would have an O'Henry's ending. That would be perfect. - Re: 西班牙的讨论posted on 10/06/2003
谢谢对本文的评语和讨论。
这个故事的来源是一个文革前六十年代在北京上演过的一个英国电影,名字是“罪恶之家”。我没有有意隐瞒出处的习惯,所以猜想我是讲了。至于那个未解的谜,我至今没有答案。谢谢你的欧亨利般的结局之建议,也好奇究竟如何铺叙以至其果。还望赐教。
-鲁汉 - posted on 10/06/2003
I see.
Since this is already a well written story, here is the minimum that you can do to create an O'Henry ending.
1) convert the narrator from first person to third person,
2) add a sentence in the place where the "other" story finishes. Let the young woman say something to praise the narrator's capability of creating such a story to illustrate the Great Russian work, admiring the narrator and comparing him to the great Russian writer,
3) after the hotel worker said "All has been taken care of" with a blink, let the narrator leave but then the hotel worker found a book on the counter, forgotten by the narrator. She picked up the book and read the title: "..." She thumbed the pages and suddenly banged the counter with the book and exclaim...!
Something like that. How does that sound? If possible, you may even keep the narrator in first person and let him leave the counter and then realize he has forgotten his book. When he hurried back he found the hotel worker was reading it and nodding her head. How's that? Or use this ending but using the third person narrative. - Re: 西班牙的讨论posted on 10/07/2003
Interesting ideas. Thanks. Would you like to try them out?
-Lu Han - Re: 这篇好,轻远活泼中意韵非凡posted on 10/07/2003
XW,
Thanks for the comment, and appreciate your point.
-Lu Han - Re: 西班牙的讨论posted on 10/07/2003
Probably not. But you caught me here, as Confucius says: If you don't like it, do not give it to others. I confess my "crime."
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