So white and glittering a pile of silver! All of it his ... but now it had dis-appeared. Even to consider this tantamount to being robbed by his son did not comfort him. To consider himself as an insect did not comfort him either. This time he really tasted something of the bitterness of defeat.
But presently he changed defeat into victory. Raising his right hand he slapped his own face hard, twice, so that it tingled with pain. After this slap-ping his heart felt lighter, for it seemed as if the one who had given the slap was himself, the one slapped some other self, and soon it was just as if he had beaten someone else—in spite of the fact that his face was still tingling. He lay down satisfied that he had gained the victory.
Soon he was asleep.
Chapter 3
A Further Account of Ah Q’s Victories
Although Ah Q was always gaining victories, it was only after he was favoured with a slap in the face by Mr. Zhao that he became famous.
After paying the bailiff two hundred cash he lay down angrily. Then he said to himself, “What is the word coming to nowadays, with sons beating their fathers!” And then the thought of the prestige of Mr. Zhao, who was now his son, gradually raised his spirits. He scrambled up and made his way to the tavern singing The Young Widow at Her Husband’s Grave. At that time he did feel that Mr. Zhao was a cut above most people.
After this incident, strange to relate, it was true that everybody seemed to pay him unusual respect. He probably attributed this to the fact that he was Mr. Zhao’s father, but actually such was not the case. In Weizhuang, as a rule, if the seventh child hit the eighth child or Li So-and-so hit Zhang Soand-so, it was not taken seriously. A beating had to be connected with some important personage like Mr. Zhao before the villagers thought it worth talking about. But once they thought it worth talking about, since the beater was famous the one beaten enjoyed some of his reflected fame. As for the fault being Ah Q’s, that was naturally taken for granted, the reason being that Mr. Zhao could do no wrong. But if Ah Q were wrong, why did every-body seem to treat him with unusual respect? This is difficult to explain. We may put forward the hypothesis that it was because Ah Q had said he be-longed to the same family as Mr. Zhao; thus, although he had been beaten,people were still afraid there might be some truth in his assertion and there-fore thought it safer to treat him more respectfully. Or, alternatively, it may have been like the case of the sacrificial beef in the Confucian temple: al-though the beef was in the same category as the pork and mutton, being of animal origin just as they were, later Confucians did not dare touch it since the sage had enjoyed it.
很白很亮的一堆洋錢(qián)!而且是他的——現(xiàn)在不見(jiàn)了!說(shuō)是算被兒子拿去了罷,總還是忽忽不樂(lè);說(shuō)自己是蟲(chóng)豸罷,也還是忽忽不樂(lè):他這回才有些感到失敗的苦痛了。
但他立刻轉(zhuǎn)敗為勝了。他擎起右手,用力的在自己臉上連打了兩個(gè)嘴巴,熱剌剌的有些痛;打完之后,便心平氣和起來(lái),似乎打的是自己,被打的是別一個(gè)自己,不久也就仿佛是自己打了別個(gè)一般,——雖然還有些熱剌剌,——心滿意足的得勝的躺下了。
他睡著了。
第三章 續(xù)優(yōu)勝記略
然而阿Q雖然常優(yōu)勝,卻直待蒙趙太爺打他嘴巴之后,這才出了名。
他付過(guò)地保二百文酒錢(qián),憤憤的躺下了,后來(lái)想:“現(xiàn)在的世界太不成話,兒子打老子……”于是忽而想到趙太爺?shù)耐L(fēng),而現(xiàn)在是他的兒子了,便自己也漸漸的得意起來(lái),爬起身,唱著《小孤孀上墳》到酒店去。這時(shí)候,他又覺(jué)得趙太爺高人一等了。
說(shuō)也奇怪,從此之后,果然大家也仿佛格外尊敬他。這在阿Q,或者以為因?yàn)樗勤w太爺?shù)母赣H,而其實(shí)也不然。未莊通例,倘如阿七打阿八,或者李四打張三,向來(lái)本不算一件事,必須與一位名人如趙太爺者相關(guān),這才載上他們的口碑。一上口碑,則打的既有名,被打的也就托庇有了名。至于錯(cuò)在阿Q,那自然是不必說(shuō)。所以者何?就因?yàn)橼w太爺是不會(huì)錯(cuò)的。但他既然錯(cuò),為什么大家又仿佛格外尊敬他呢?這可難解,穿鑿起來(lái)說(shuō),或者因?yàn)榘說(shuō)是趙太爺?shù)谋炯?,雖然挨了打,大家也還怕有些真,總不如尊敬一些穩(wěn)當(dāng)。否則,也如孔廟里的太牢一般,雖然與豬羊一樣,同是畜生,但既經(jīng)圣人下箸,先儒們便不敢妄動(dòng)了。
After this Ah Q prospered for several years.
One spring, when he was walking along in state of happy intoxication,he saw Whiskers Wang sitting stripped to the waist in the sunlight at the foot of a wall, catching lice; and at this sight his own body began to itch. Since Whiskers Wang was scabby and bewhiskered, everybody called him“Ringworm Whiskers Wang.” Although Ah Q omitted the word “Ring-worm,” he had the greatest contempt for the man. To Ah Q, while scabs were nothing to take exception to, such hairy cheeks were really too out-landish and could excite nothing but scorn. So Ah Q sat down by his side. Had it been any other idler, Ah Q would never have dared sit down so casu-ally; but what had he to fear by the side of Whiskers Wang? In fact, his will-ingness to sit down was doing the fellow an honour.
Ah Q took off his tattered lined jacket and turned it inside out; but ei-ther because he had washed it recently or because he was too clumsy, a long search yielded only three or four lice. He saw that Whiskers Wang, on the other hand, was catching first one and then another in swift succession,cracking them between his teeth with a popping sound.
Ah Q felt first disappointed, then resentful: the despicable Whiskers Wang had so many, he himself so few—what a great loss of face! He longed to find one or two big ones, but there were none, and when at last he managed to catch a middle-sized one, stuffed it fiercely between his thick lips and bit hard, the resultant pop was again inferior to the noise made by Whiskers Wang.
阿Q此后倒得意了許多年。
有一年的春天,他醉醺醺的在街上走,在墻根的日光下,看見(jiàn)王胡在那里赤著膊捉虱子,他忽然覺(jué)得身上也癢起來(lái)了。這王胡,又癩又胡,別人都叫他王癩胡,阿Q卻刪去了一個(gè)癩子,然而非常渺視他。阿Q的意思,以為癩是不足為奇的,只有這一部絡(luò)腮胡子,實(shí)在太新奇,令人看不上眼。他于是并排坐下去了。倘是別的閑人們,阿Q本不敢大意坐下去。但這王胡旁邊,他有什么怕呢?老實(shí)說(shuō):他肯坐下去,簡(jiǎn)直還是抬舉他。
阿Q也脫下破夾祅來(lái),翻檢了一回,不知道因?yàn)樾孪茨剡€是因?yàn)榇中?,許多工夫,只捉到三四個(gè)。他看那王胡,卻是一個(gè)又一個(gè),兩個(gè)又三個(gè),只放在嘴里畢畢剝剝的響。
阿Q最初是失望,后來(lái)卻不平了:看不上眼的王胡尚且那么多,自己倒反這樣少,這是怎樣的大失體統(tǒng)的事呵!他很想尋一兩個(gè)大的,然而竟沒(méi)有,好容易才捉到一個(gè)中的,恨恨的塞在厚嘴唇里,狠命一咬,劈的一聲,又不及王胡響。
All Ah Q’s ringworm patches turned scarlet. He flung his jacket on the ground, spat, and swore, “Hairy worm!”
“Mangy dog, who are you calling names?” Whiskers Wang looked up contemptuously.
Although the relative respect accorded him in recent years had in-creased Ah Q’s pride, he was still rather timid when confronted by those loafers accustomed to fighting. But today he was feeling exceptionally pug-nacious. How dare a hairy-cheeked creature like this insult him?
“If the cap fits wear it,” he retorted, standing up and putting his hands on his hips.
“Are your bones itching?” demanded Whiskers Wang, standing up too and draping his jacket over his shoulders.
Thinking that the fellow meant to run away, Ah Q lunged forward to punch him. But before his fist reached the target, his opponent seized him and gave him a tug which sent him staggering. Then Whiskers Wang seized his queue and started dragging him towards the wall to knock his head in the time-honoured manner.
“‘ A gentleman uses his tongue but not his hands!’” protested Ah Q, his head on one side.
Apparently Whiskers Wang was no gentleman, for without paying the slightest attention to what Ah Q said he knocked his head against the wall five times in succession, then with a great push shoved him two yards away,after which he walked off in triumph.
As far as Ah Q could remember, this was the first humiliation of his life,because he had always scoffed at Whiskers Wang on account of his ugly bewhiskered cheeks, but had never been scoffed at, much less beaten by him. And now, contrary to all expectations, Whiskers Wang had beaten him. Could it really be true, as they said in the market-place: “The Emperor has abolished the official examinations, so that scholars who have passd them are no longer in demand?” This must have undermined the Zhao family’s prestige. Was this why people were treating him contemptuously too?
他癩瘡疤塊塊通紅了,將衣服摔在地上,吐一口唾沫,說(shuō):
“這毛蟲(chóng)!”
“癩皮狗,你罵誰(shuí)?”王胡輕蔑的抬起眼來(lái)說(shuō)。
阿Q近來(lái)雖然比較的受人尊敬,自己也更高傲些,但和那些打慣的閑人們見(jiàn)面還膽怯,獨(dú)有這回卻非常武勇了。這樣滿臉胡子的東西,也敢出言無(wú)狀么?
“誰(shuí)認(rèn)便罵誰(shuí)!”他站起來(lái),兩手叉在腰間說(shuō)。
“你的骨頭癢了么?”王胡也站起來(lái),披上衣服說(shuō)。
阿Q以為他要逃了,搶進(jìn)去就是一拳。這拳頭還未達(dá)到身上,已經(jīng)被他抓住了,只一拉,阿Q蹌蹌踉踉的跌進(jìn)去,立刻又被王胡扭住了辮子,要拉到墻上照例去碰頭。
“‘君子動(dòng)口不動(dòng)手’!”阿Q歪著頭說(shuō)。
王胡似乎不是君子,并不理會(huì),一連給他碰了五下,又用力的一推,至于阿Q跌出六尺多遠(yuǎn),這才滿足的去了。
在阿Q的記憶上,這大約要算是生平第一件的屈辱,因?yàn)橥鹾越j(luò)腮胡子的缺點(diǎn),向來(lái)只被他奚落,從沒(méi)有奚落他,更不必說(shuō)動(dòng)手了。而他現(xiàn)在竟動(dòng)手,很意外,難道真如市上所說(shuō),皇帝已經(jīng)停了考,不要秀才和舉人了,因此趙家減了威風(fēng),因此他們也便小覷了他么?
Ah Q stood there irresolutely.
From the distance approached another of Ah Q’s enemies. This was Mr. Qian’s eldest son whom Ah Q thoroughly despised. After studying in a foreign-style school in the city, it seemed he had gone to Japan. When he came home half a year later his legs were straight and his queue had disappeared. His mother wept bitterly a dozen times, and his wife tried three times to jump into the well. Later his mother told everyone, “His queue was cut off by some scoundrel when he was drunk. By rights he ought to be a big official, but now he’ll have to wait till it’s grown again.” Ah Q, however, did not believe this, and insisted on calling him a “Bogus Foreign Devil” or “Traitor in Foreign Pay.” At sight of him he would start cursing under his breath.
What Ah Q despised and detested most in him was his false queue. When it came to having a false queue, a man could scarcely be considered human; and the fact that his wife had not attempted to jump into the well a fourth time showed that she was not a good woman either.
Now this “Bogus Foreign Devil” was approaching.
“Baldhead! Ass...” In the past Ah Q had just cursed under his breath,inaudibly; but today, because he was in a rage and itching for revenge, the words slipped out involuntarily.
Unfortunately this Baldhead was carrying a shiny brown cane which looked to Ah Q like the “staff carried by a mourner.” With great strides he bore down on Ah Q who, guessing at once that a beating was in the offing,hastily flexed his muscles and hunched his shoulders in anticipation. Sure enough, Thwack! Something struck him on the head.
“I meant him!” explained Ah Q, pointing to a nearby child.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
As far as Ah Q could remember, this was the second humiliation of his life. Fortunately after the thwacking stopped it seemed to him that the mat-ter was closed, and he even felt somewhat relived. Moreover, the precious ability to forget” handed down by his ancestors stood him in good stead. He walked slowly away and by the time he approached the tavern door he was quite cheeful again.
阿Q無(wú)可適從的站著。
遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)的走來(lái)了一個(gè)人,他的對(duì)頭又到了。這也是阿Q最厭惡的一個(gè)人,就是錢(qián)太爺?shù)拇髢鹤?。他先前跑上城里去進(jìn)洋學(xué)堂,不知怎么又跑到東洋去了,半年之后他回到家里來(lái),腿也直了,辮子也不見(jiàn)了,他的母親大哭了十幾場(chǎng),他的老婆跳了三回井。后來(lái),他的母親到處說(shuō),“這辮子是被壞人灌醉了酒剪去的。本來(lái)可以做大官,現(xiàn)在只好等留長(zhǎng)再說(shuō)了。”然而阿Q不肯信,偏稱他“假洋鬼子”,也叫作“里通外國(guó)的人”,一見(jiàn)他,一定在肚子里暗暗的咒罵。
阿Q尤其“深惡而痛絕之”的,是他的一條假辮子。辮子而至于假,就是沒(méi)有了做人的資格;他的老婆不跳第四回井,也不是好女人。
這“假洋鬼子”近來(lái)了。
“禿兒。驢......”阿Q歷來(lái)本只在肚子里罵,沒(méi)有出過(guò)聲,這回因?yàn)檎龤夥?,因?yàn)橐獔?bào)仇,便不由的輕輕的說(shuō)出來(lái)了。
不料這禿兒卻拿著一支漆黃的棍子——就是阿Q所謂的哭喪棒——大踏步走了過(guò)來(lái)。阿Q在這剎那,便知道大約要打了,趕緊抽緊筋骨,聳了肩膀等候著,果然,拍的一聲,似乎確鑿打在自己頭上了。
“我說(shuō)他!”阿Q指著近旁的一個(gè)孩子,分辯說(shuō)。
拍!拍拍!
在阿Q的記憶上,這大約要算是生平第二件的屈辱。幸而拍拍的響了之后,于他倒似乎完結(jié)了一件事,反而覺(jué)得輕松些,而且“忘卻”這“一件祖?zhèn)鞯膶氊愐舶l(fā)生了效力,他慢慢的走,將到酒店門(mén)口,早已有些高興了。
Just then, however, a little nun from the Convent of Quiet Self-improve-ment came walking towards him. The sight of a nun always made Ah Q swear; how much more so, then, after these humiliations? When he recalled what had happened, his anger flared up again.
“I couldn’t think what made my luck so bad today—so it’s meeting you that did it! ” he fumed to himself.
Going towards her he spat noisily. “Ugh! .... Pah!”
The little nun paid not the least attention but walked on with lowered head. Ah Q stepped up to her and shot out a hand to rub her newly shaved scalp, then with a guffaw cried, “Baldhead! Go back quick, your monk’s waiting for you... ”
“Who are you pawing?...”demanded the nun, flushing all over her face as she quickened her pace.
The men in the tavern roared with laughter. This appreciation of his feat added to Ah Q’s elation.
“If the monk paws you, why can’t I?” He pinched her cheek.
Again the men in the tavern roared with laughter. More bucked than ever, and eager to please his admirers, Ah Q pinched her hard again before letting her go.
This encounter had made him forget Whiskers Wang and the Bogus Foreign Devil, as if all the day’s bad luck had been avenged. And strange to relate, even more completely relaxed than after the thwacking, he felt as if he were walking on air.
“Ah Q may you die sonless!” wailed the little nun already some dis-tance away.
Ah Q roared with delighted laughter.
The men in the tavern joined in, with only a shade less gusto in their laughter.
但對(duì)面走來(lái)了靜修庵里的小尼姑。阿Q便在平時(shí),看見(jiàn)伊也一定要唾罵,而況在屈辱之后呢?他于是發(fā)生了回憶,又發(fā)生了敵愾了。
“我不知道我今天為什么這樣晦氣,原來(lái)就因?yàn)橐?jiàn)了你!”他想。
他迎上去,大聲的吐一口唾沫:
“咳,呸!”
小尼姑全不睬,低了頭只是走。阿Q走近伊身旁,突然伸出手去摩著伊新剃的頭皮,呆笑著,說(shuō):
“禿兒!快回去,和尚等著你……”
“你怎么動(dòng)手動(dòng)腳……”尼姑滿臉通紅的說(shuō),一面趕快走。
酒店里的人大笑了。阿Q看見(jiàn)自己的勛業(yè)得了賞識(shí),便愈加興高采烈起來(lái):
“和尚動(dòng)得,我動(dòng)不得?”他扭住伊的面頰。
酒店里的人大笑了。阿Q更得意,而且為滿足那些賞鑒家起見(jiàn),再用力的一擰,才放手。
他這一戰(zhàn),早忘卻了王胡,也忘卻了假洋鬼子,似乎對(duì)于今天的一切“晦氣”都報(bào)了仇;而且奇怪,又仿佛全身比拍拍的響了之后更輕松,飄飄然的似乎要飛去了。
“這斷子絕孫的阿Q!”遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)地聽(tīng)得小尼姑的帶哭的聲音。
“哈哈哈!”阿Q十分得意的笑。
“哈哈哈!”酒店里的人也九分得意的笑。