短信里的人性战争【小说之一】
此篇纯属虚构,请勿对号入座!
人物:某君,52岁,一权威学术期刊主编。
某女,33岁,一著名高校副教授。
某女:怯怯地问下主编大人,小女子最近的这篇论文有消息了吗?
【潜台词:老男人不是都喜欢卖萌听嫩口儿吗?咱就来一下,又不失去什么。】
某君:真是不好意思,盲审编委没有通过你的稿子,亦未能提交编委会讨论。为表歉意,送你一本我新出的书吧。
【潜台词:某君庆幸其所任职的刊物,有着严格的审稿及编发程序。一个刊物的主编,当然不能是个大独裁者。一个人的脑袋可以摆平一切,早晚会出大问题。在刊物,可能是没有好坏标准;在政治,估计就是没有了是非判断。】
某女:我刚下课,才看到短信。文章被否有无具体意见呢?看来主编大人您一点也帮不上忙啊,听到的又是另样的说法。实在很是很是郁闷。
【潜台词:上一篇被否时,说是一审编辑那里没有通过,这回又说外审盲评没有通过。跟我玩儿文字游戏吗?身为主编,若想帮忙,还不是一句话的事?!】
某君:虽为主编,但我的权力实在有限。你若想问对稿子的审读意见,可直接联系编委。上篇你也可直接问。我不知你听到了什么。总之,按我不违反规定的权限,把你的稿子转给编委,已属于抄了近路。
【潜台词:她说“另样的说法”是指什么?难得有什么人从中说了什么?现在这年头儿,人已复杂到难以相信了。不论怎样,实言相告也就是了。】
某女:怪我文章水平差,但你们的编委们看来似乎一直刁钻,让人近乎绝望!投来的几篇中最早那篇,经某名家看过,评价说最好的那部分被你们否了,后发在别的刊物。还有一篇被否的,也在其他学报发了。还是怪自己能力太差!
【潜台词:我不信自己的论文会特别差。我得先委婉而直接地提醒你,被你们否的两篇,我都已拿到别的地方发了。这说明我没那么差吧?】
某君:在敝刊发,有时会有幸运的成分。但几率不高。此次我还同时转了别人的一篇,编委读后即说好,随后编入,提交讨论,很快就可以发表出来。
【潜台词:刊物与刊物能一样吗?再说,一个作者的稿子,被此刊无情否掉,彼刊却乐于友情发表,是再寻常不过的事。这种委婉的抗议未免孩子气了些。不必与之计较。】
某女:一直以来我知恩图报尊敬师长,老师们也待我不错。我一直相信真心换真心!我自是会继续努力!
【潜台词:我对你够尊重的了,从我一来到这个城市,就主动跟你联系,老公那里收的礼,烟啊酒的,也送过你。】
某君:这话对极!别放弃!
【潜台词:能听出话里有话,似乎觉得我不能真心相待。您总不能把我的是否真心,跟发稿子拴一块儿吧。发了就是真心,发不了就是坏心!这是什么逻辑?话自是不错,鼓励为佳。】
某女:当年博士论文我是专业优秀,每年系里只有一个,是校外答辩委员们无记名投票选的。遗憾!我不求幸运,只叹太不幸运了!
【潜台词:好女要提下当年勇,博士论文当时是系里唯一的专业优秀,怎么就到了你这里,要遭此不幸?让人生气!】
某君:不能拿这个当理由。不同的编委也好,盲审评委也好,角度时常是不一样的。但对于好的论文,是应有共识的。你不用着急,越急越写不出好论文来。现在,许多高校中人,写论文,常常是为了项目,为了职称,为了毕业,等等,这都能理解。因此,我知道也理解你的心情。但就我的权限而言,真是尽力了!否则,论文也不可能跨过一审程序而直接到编委手里。同时,我也庆幸自己没有多少权力,否则,倒真容易出问题了。希望你能理解!
【潜台词:这话说得已显出不懂事来了。你那里的优秀,在这里就不见得优秀了。再说,来稿者中遥想当年的优秀者又何止你一个?怎么感觉有点儿要示威的意思了。】
某女:希望是吧!
【潜台词:显然是拿话来敷衍。谁信呢?我又不是小学生。】
某君:你好像是带着情绪,怪我不帮忙似的。如果你真这样想,我可以告诉你,这是不对的。
【潜台词:还是明确告诉你,我听到出来你的情绪。可我又能说什么呢?】
某女:其实我并非要咄咄逼人,我只是说怕今年可能会因文章的事再错过学校的项目,明年我就超龄,不能再申报青年项目了,所以很诚心地问过您可否或者推荐其他刊物,您似乎说可以推荐给什么刊物之类。我确实想救急,愿将版面费托您转交,如果您帮我一把,我会非常感激不尽的!
【潜台词:现在许多刊物都收版面费,相信你心里有数,提出把版面费托你转,是要明确告诉你,你若面子大,人家发稿不收钱,版面费就自己干落;或者,你跟那刊物,随便怎么分。我是真急啊!】
某君:知道!我一直都在尽力帮你在敝刊发,你的稿子来了我看后即转编委,但编委通不过,我就没办法了。怕打击你,编委的意见我一直没直接告诉你,人家其实就四个字“稿子不行”。这样的答案其实对我也挺没面子的,你明白吗?咱们互相理解好不好?我会继续帮你的,这个你放心!你的情绪我也理解。
【潜台词:这孩子怎么这么不懂事呢!非逼着我说实话,实话并不好听。还是以宽以待人!】
某女:所以我想再次请问可否举荐,不方便就算了。祝,平安健康!
【潜台词:这人简直就是个大滑头,尽说些冠冕堂皇的屁话。不帮忙就算了,谁怕谁呀!】
某君:看来你是情绪大得听不进我的话。若如此,我也无语了。祝福健康平安!
【潜台词:今天是她例假吧,情绪这么反常?如果在家里跟老公这么闹,非得冷战到没了性事。谁有情绪陪她这么玩儿?】
某女:我其实早不对在这儿发抱希望了,不用您打击,我有自知之明,只是一直不明白其他刊物为何也无消息。
【潜台词:您就不能行行好,赶紧利用您的人脉帮我,随便在哪家救个急都行?总说帮忙,却不见效,这不是耍人吗?】
某君:你是因心急把事情想得简单,现在哪家刊物发稿容易啊!?唉。不是名家稿,除了稿子别过差,就得人头熟!
【潜台词:我已经耐着性子,跟你说了这么一堆大实话。按道理,一家杂志的主编,犯的着跟一个作者这么费劲吗?若非与你导师还算熟,若非你我从一开始便像朋友似的交往,才不会跟你啰嗦这么多。看来,你不过是又一个钱理群先生所说“精致的利己主义者”,即你当初只是为了将来发文章的方便,才主动与我交往的。这样的朋友未免可怕。然而,现在这样的朋友得有多少呢?】
某女:并非我情绪大,您误会了。一切人事都有因果!您有佛缘自是懂得。每个人都会有基本的判断,我不是傻子,也并非听不到些负面议论!我虽是南方人但说话比较直接,也喜欢直接的交流,得罪处望海涵!
【潜台词:并非我一个人说你,我也听到有别人这么说你。若不是听到有人这么说你,本姑奶奶也不会生这么大气。现在谁傻呀?】
某君:谁人背后不说人,谁人背后不被说。这些年,我也经历多了。一些人有什么样的议论,我也不是不知。在这个位置上,这都是难免的。我不指着经我手发了稿的作者谢我,更不怕经我手发不了稿的恨我。我力求问心无愧也就是了!刊物不是我自家办的,不管别人怎样,有些原则我还是会坚持的。谢谢你的提醒!你这连珠炮似的短信,真像是要示威。你听了并信了谁人说的什么负面议论,让你这样了!说实话,我很失望。
【潜台词:到底又是流言蜚语的丰功伟绩!人间许多事,是因人言起。善的人言,往往能成好事;恶的人言,则能将好事毁于一旦。前不久,曾将新出版的一本小书奉赠一些师友请正,也就是开头说要送你聊表歉意的新书。好友阅后,发来短信:“兄著拜接,先是妻子与岳母读,都说好,感情真挚,文笔细密!然后才轮到我看,字里行间见真性情,见向善心,这似乎是寻常之道,但世道扭曲,真情难觅,痞气流行。追求历史真相的路充满坎坷,但真善美的价值是永恒的。”现在人怎么会变得,总爱总愿以一己的私心私利,去胡乱猜测别人的善心呢?无论你怎么想,我心向善!】
某女:我觉得并没说什么示威的话,别人也没议论什么,不过都是我内心一些真实的感受罢了!毕竟您说过发文章的事没问题(也许您都忘了),但事实却越来越无望!你实在太敏感了。抱歉让你误会了。
【潜台词:这家伙真够厉害的,一点点言语的蛛丝马迹都能明察秋毫。可明明是你当初说发文章没问题的。以你这样的身份,怎么可以言而无信!】
某君:可我怎么知道你的论文人家看不上呢!这些年,经我转了不少的稿子给编委,审过后,不久即发,对他们自然是“容易”。从这个角度,当然容易!但论文若审不过,自然就不容易了。你的两位论文,分别被不同的两位编委否掉,这不说明问题吗?如果你愿意,我可以告诉你编委的邮箱,你可以直接问问他们,是不是我转了你的论文?是不是他们否了你的论文?再跟你说句你可能不爱听的话,这些年凡我直接转给编委的论文,极少有发不出来的,因为那至少得先过我的眼。而你已经有两篇了。抱歉说了实话!
【潜台词:你怎么能说话越来越无理,而且是步步紧逼,为什么呀?我们认识之后,我是朋友似的收了点儿别人送你老公的中烟、洋酒之类。但对你,始终是相敬如宾,丝毫没有任何不轨的图谋。】
某女:我发给你的文章何止两篇呢?其实你也不要恼羞成怒,我够善意了!
【潜台词:你总在说两篇,可明明给过你至少四篇!】
某君:以前是为你着想,怕你难过,更怕打击你,一直没实言相告,是想着或许换一篇就可以了。结果换后还是不行!我完全知道并理解你的急。但你不能这样表现与表达急啊!开个玩笑,你的这个急,也快赶上那个人了。
【潜台词:那个人还是你介绍认识的,而且,那人邀我去讲学,我提的条件即是你也一同去。讲学回来不久,那人发来一篇论文,虽通过了一审,但尚未发表。那人便因大体如斯的“急”于结项,于不久前发来一封情急忘智的邮件,里面有“你来讲学时,我像个马仔一样鞍前马后地侍候着,接送飞机,陪吃陪玩儿,只想能得到点儿回报”之类的话。看后,我十分生气,还给你打了电话,说了此事。你当时的态度是觉得他不能不该如此的不讲理。重提此事,只想善意地提醒你,怎么事情轮到自己身上,也匪夷所思地歇斯底里起来。】
某女:自重,别人才会尊重你!
【潜台词:你扯这一堆,都是废话!】
某君:如果你记得前后发来过四篇,那我告诉你,我从来只转我看得上的论文,其他两篇连我都看不上吗,怎么转?我犯得上跟你恼羞成怒吗?我会自重的!谢谢你又让我长了见识!
【潜台词:确实真又长了见识!你作为一个博士毕业的大学副教授,可以为了一篇论文,如此死缠滥打,纠缠不休,不可理喻,利己主义真是高智商的了!你去年申报副教授职称时,你请我作为同行专家为你美言赞誉。像这样成人之美的忙,我不是二话没说吗?大概你忘了吧!】
某女:可你说那些话时,我记得文章都发给你了,你讲学时更是这样说的。既然如此差,为何还要让人抱希望,岂不是耍弄人?
【潜台词:既然差,为什么不早告诉我?】
某君:你已经误入到怪圈里了,拼命追踪自己的影子,真有点儿,唉,难听的话,我就不说了。我是把觉得还算可以的两篇转的,而且你自己也说觉得上篇也还好。是不是这样?
【潜台词:你已经让我失去耐性了!你是非要逼我说,看在那点儿烟酒和共同相识的有师有友的人的份上,保证给你发。可我下不了这个保证啊!我怎么会如此不慎交到你这样精致利己的“朋友”呢?】
某女:为何那人要这样?
【潜台词:你该想一想,那个人给你发那样的邮件,不是没有道理吧?你说人家缺教养,就你教养好?!】
某君:终于说出那个人了,你真够可以的。那人的论文是通过了一审的,发表是时间问题。他是等着急了。你们俩的情况还真不一样!再说,后来人家又发了邮件来,表示了歉意。
【潜台词:我的妈呀,若你有几分姿色,而我又动了心思,真的跟你有了点儿啥,那事情得弄成什么样?我看,你一定敢以私情相威胁。现在,许多被拉下马的官儿们,恐怕都是因为在那一时那一瞬没有Hold住。】
某女:知道你会这样说。再说,你能不给那个人发吗?请不要再咄咄逼人,我也有承受限度。拖延那么久,再用一个冠冕堂皇的理由拒绝,为何不早点提修改意见?这是对学生辈及朋友做事!!!???
【潜台词:能说点儿新鲜的吗?用这个答案去对付“50后”、“60后”还差不多。】
某君:你怎么能这么说话做事呢?上篇不仅提了意见,而且是把一审意见和编委意见都告诉你了。这篇更是直接转到编委手里,难到这还不是帮忙吗?
【潜台词:你已经非理性了!真是可怕!干脆,你若觉得我哪儿错了甚至罪过了,直接往中纪委写匿名信告我得了。这样的信,我不是没有领教过。虽然我的行政级别很低,但在某些恨我入骨的人眼里,我的级别至少是副部,要不为什么把泼粪水的匿名信寄到那儿呢?也因此,我倍感荣幸,甚至受宠若惊。在这官本位的社会,匿名信能被一下子写到中纪委去,的确是一种殊荣!】
某女:以前那几篇呢?我发来何止两篇?要不拖延,我也会四处投,岂会耽搁至今!自己投也有回音了。
【潜台词:你为什么就是不说“保证给你发一篇”?我恨死你了!】
某君:你现在需要的是先冷静一下自己。
【潜台词:我也是疯了,明明知道四七二十八的道理,干吗非跟认定四七二十七的这位,瞎耽误这么半天工夫。认识你,从一开始就是一个错!回复短信到此结束,没有下次了。这让我想来自一位美国友人由国家强大而油然而生的一种自信。最近一次访美,与这位美国人随意聊天时,话题扯到了“911”。美国人淡然地说:“为什么会发生‘911’,是因为以前在美国没发生过这样的事情。现在,这样的事情已经发生,以后再也不会有了!”是啊,以后这样的“朋友”,我也不会再交了!】
某女:我冷静两年了。
【潜台词:这下看你怎么回?】
Beethoven 's Music and the Spirit of Modern Chinese Writers

Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am very glad to be here today with all of you. It surely is my great honor and pleasure to have a second
speech in an ICLM annual conference. The subject of my paper is "Beethoven 's Music and the spirit of
Modern Chinese Writers".
You may not have heard of the Chinese name of Li Shutong who was a very exceptional figure, an extraordinary
Buddhist monk at the beginning of last century. Certainly, it is not quite easy for you to pronounce Chinese characters. Perhaps some of you might know more or less about Lu Xun who was the most famous modern writer in China of 20th century.I just remember that our president of ICLM, Lothar Jordan particularly mentioned the connection between Lu Xun´s prose poetry "Hope" from his collection of Wild Grass and a song of a world famous Hungarian poet, Petöfi, with the same title “Hope”.
In fact, the two people introduced Beethoven into China for the first time. And the name of this great German
musician was firstly called in Chinese by Li Shutong who was born in 1880 and died in 1942. Li is a legendary
and romantic guy. He is a pioneer of spreading the western music to China. He was a pioneer under a couple of
aspects.. Beethoven is very wellknown as a Holy Musician in China. Li is the first guy to call Beethoven the "Holy Musician" in China. He launched the first music magazine Little Magazine of Music in modern Chinese music
history during his study abroad in Japan in 1906 in which he wrote a short article entitled "Biography of Beethoven" with just only 300 Chinese characters. After giving a brief introduction about Beethoven 's career, he highly admired Beethoven 's preciseness to music creation and the powerful spirit of hard working, of fighting against the puzzles, of struggling for final success.A charcoal drawing of Beethoven by Li appeared in print on the head page of
magazine. This is the first picture of Beethoven in China.
Li Shutong is the first teacher who introduced the knowledge of western painting and used the naked model to take a sketch class in art school. He is one of the most important members of the "Spring Willow Society", the first
drama society in modern China, that was set up in Tokyo in the winter of 1906. He is seemingly an omnipotent
artist who is a writer, a poet, a painter, a calligrapher and a composer. The song "Farewell" originally created by
Li has become the classic one widespread in China until today. I prepare to sing this song at the our Farewell
Dinner this evening if you like to.Li is also one of the earliest actors on drama stage of modern China who had
performed the female leading role Margrete of the drama The Lady of the Camellias that was adapted based
on the novel of the same title by France world famous writer Alexandre Dumas fils.
Lu Xun is the second writer who introduced Beethoven to China. During his study in Japan in 1907, he wrote a
very profound and highly influential article "Doctrine of Sciences History" at that time in which Lu Xun promoted
saving the nation through sciences. In a last sentence of last section of this article, Lu Xun advocated that modern
China could not forget to develop the literary and art. He said that we not only needed to have better understanding of western sciences but also to have knowledge about great masters in the field of western literature, fine arts and music, Shakespeare, Raphael, Beethoven for instance.
It was the last period of last dynasty Qing, and five years before establishing the Republic of China in 1912, that a
generation of Chinese intellectuals evolved in the eve of Enlightenment which directly lead to the Renaissance of
Modern China occurring ten years later in 1917. It was just this year that Cai Yuanpei, a great educator in Modern China, was nominated to the president of Peking University. Cai is the first person to propose the notion of
education of aesthetics. He valued the music education very much. (He is the advocate of music education). Cai
himself was an enthusiast and great admirer of Beethoven 's music. He encouraged the students to join in more
extracurricular music activities outside class. And he even acted as chairman of the "Society of Music Research of Peking University". With Xiao Youmei's idea, Cai organized an orchestra with only15 members. We should
remember the day of January 19,1923, when the orchestra of Peking University for the first time performed
Beethoven 's symphony, the third movement of the "Pastoral" Sixth Symphony and the second movement of the
"Fate" Fifth Symphony, in China.
In fact, I cannot give you a detailed report about the process of how China and Chinese intellectual increasingly
got to know Beethoven 's career of life and music creating, and eventually comprehended the spirit of Beethoven
through enjoying his music.
I would like to take this opportunity to tell the truth that today Beethoven has the most Chinese fans among all the western musicians. These lovely and respected fans know very well that Beethoven is one of the giants of classical music and also a pivotal figure in the transition from 18th century musical classicism to 19th century romanticism.
The influence of his talented music is not only profound to the subsequent generations of composers but also to his unique strength of personality and is more encouraging to younger generations who are willing to explore the future and wish to make a success of their lives. They like listening quietly the “Moonlight Sonata” and joyfully soaking in
the piano music “For Elise”. They especially prefer Beethoven 's Third Symphony, Fifth Symphony, Sixth
Symphony, and Ninth Symphony. They are crazy about Beethoven 's Symphonies performed by the Berlin
Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Herbert von Karajan. In my view, Karajan is one of the best messengers
and transmitters of the soul of Beethoven 's Symphonies and the spirit of his powerful strength which God sent.
They know well that small Austrian town of Heiligenstadt, just outside Vienna, where Beethoven wrote his
Heiligenstadt Testament, a letter to his brothers which records his thoughts of suicide due to his growing deafness
and records his resolution to continue living for and through his art. So they deeply comprehend how Beethoven
could make the huge suffering of hearing loss to the source of a remarkable inner strength creating the extraordinary art works.
Perhaps all of Chinese fans of Beethoven know such a story about the title of his Third Symphony. In 1804, whenNapoleon 's imperial ambitions became clear,Beethoven took hold of the title-page of his Third Symphony and
scratched the name Bonaparte out so violently that he made a hole in the paper. Later on, he changed the work 's
title to Heroic Symphony, composed to celebrate the memory of a greatman. Many, many fans of Beethovenalso love singing the fourth movement of his Ninth Symphony as it features an elaborate choral setting of a
German great poet, Schiller 's "Ode to Joy", an optimistic hymn championing the brotherhood of humanity.
Now I tell you another interesting story about the transition of Beethoven 's Chinese name. Due to the each
different comprehension of the pronunciation, Li Shutong wrote the Chinese character of Beethoven 's name
as
“比独芬”,
Lu Xun wrote as “培得诃芬”,
Cai Yuanpei wrote as “贝多文”,
Li Shutong's famous student, more like Li's disciple, Feng Zikai who was a writer, painter, caricaturist, music
educator, arts educator, translator.He edited and published two books introducing some of the western musicians
and their music in detail in the end of 1920s that one is Great Musicians and Their Music in the World in
1929, the other is Top Ten Musicians of Modern Times in 1930. He wrote Beenthoven as Chinese character “裴德芬” ,
and gave an insight into every movement of the Fifth Symphony, "The Fate”. The translation of Biography
of Beethoven written by the French famous writer Romain Rolland was published in 1927. That was the same
year when this book was reprinted in the second English edition. The translator was Yang Hui who was a famous modern Chinese writer and educator. He used this Chinese name“悲多汶” to call Beethoven.
From then on, that book began to popularize Beethoven among a large number of ordinary people in China, most
of all younger people full of spiritual pain after the May Fourth Movement in 1919. They kept such a story deeply
in their hearts while reading for the first time what described the two opposite kinds of attitude toward the Austrian empress and some attendant noblemen of Beethoven and Wolfgang Goethe when they were walking to meet each other in Teplize. Goethe stood at the side road, took off the hat and continuously gave a greeting to them. On the
contrary, Beethoven kept straight on and passed through the crowd in a superior manner. Such manner of
Beethoven tickled the Chinese young generation's fancy in which they looked down on the nobleman and challenged the old Confucianism thought and authority. They loved Beethoven 's spirit and disliked the poet laureate
Goethe 's action.
Although this translation was based on an English edition, the story of how Beethoven conquered the fate of great misfortune and the fighting spirit of triumphing over the huge suffering significantly influenced many Chinese readers at that time.
The Chinese name of Beethoven was finally settled by an outstanding translator of French, Fu Lei, who has the
same surname as mine. He went to France in 1927 and began to translate the French literature into Chinese at the
beginning of 1930s after he came back to China from Italy where he had been invited by the Geographic Society
to give a speech which fiercely criticized the rule of warlord during his stayed in Rome in Spring of 1931. The total number of Fu 's translated book is more than thirty. The 15 novels of Balzac translated by Fu profoundly influenced many modern Chinese writers and their literary creation. And his translations of four books written by the world
famous French writer Romain Rolland have always been highly influential until nowadays, that are John
Christophe (Jean Christophe), Biography of Michelangelo, Biography of Tolstoy and Biography of Beethoven. At that moment, he gave a birth to this three Chinese character “贝多芬”.
Now I would like to tell you a little interesting story of what Beethoven 's Chinese name means. Generally speaking, 贝 means treasure,
多 means many,
and 芬 means fragrant. That 贝and 多and 芬 in one means many fragrant
treasures. How a lucky Chinese name it is. Don't you think this is funny?
Fu especially wrote an appendix for his own translation of Biography of Beethoven named "Beethoven 's works and his spirit" that was first published by Camel Bookstore, Shanghai, in April1946. The title of first chapter of this appendix is "Beethoven and strength". Fu believed that the focal point of Beethoven 's "strength" is that he could
control himself by sheer force of will. Fu grabbed such kind of "strength" through the real story of Beethoven 's
music creations, deafness and love affair.
But unfortunately, shortly after the Great Cultural Revolution took place all over China, some of the Shanghai
Red Guards crashed into Fu 's home, searched for something invisible in the yard, beat Fu and his wife openly and
insulted them continuously day and night for four days. On September 3rd, 1966, Fu together with his beloved wife committed suicide in their own home. Fu was only one of many many innocent writer victims of the Cultural
Revolution.During the ten-years
long period of Cultural Revolution from August of 1966 to October of 1976,
many famous writers had to choose killing themselves in desperation with helplessness. Everything of the Western World, of course Beethoven, Balzac,Tolstoy and Romain Rolland etc. included, except Karl Marx and his books, wasl buried as history garbage in the eye of the proletariat revolutionists at that time. What an inconceivable thing in the history of humanity!
Fortunately, after the end of the Cultural Revolution, the melodies of Beethoven 's music and many other western
things began reechoing in China. In 1984, Beijing Central Symphony Band performed all Beethoven 's nine
Symphonies at the performing season period for the memorial year of Beethoven 's 145 birthday. In 2003, the
China Philharmonic Orchestra played all of Beethoven 's nine Symphonies again under the name of
"Immortal Beethoven". In 2004, the Youth Orchestra of the Central Music College was invited to Bonn, Germany, joining the "Beethoven Music Festival". They played Beethoven 's "Pastoral", the Sixth Symphony. From the moment Chinese people first heard of the name of Beethoven to this historical moment when Chinese Orchestra
played Beethoven at his hometown, nearly 100 years passed away. Countless history dust had been blown off in the sky.
To me, as a Chinese writer and scholar, I have been influenced by Beethoven 's music, particularly by his spirit of
"strength". I clearly remember when I was young in the 1980s, (now I am not old), I put a typical bust of
Beethoven on my table as many Chinese young people did. We hope to gain continuously the powerful encouragement of his spirit of will to better pursue and achieve the goal of career, to arouse the state of life passion and to
make personal enterprise successful.
Now, the new translation of the Biography of Celebrity by Romain Rolland that put his biographies of
Beethoven, Michelangelo, and Tolstoy together in one book has specified the list of compulsory reading, ten
books, aimed at teenagers by the Education Department of China. But there is the problem that a lot of letters
and quotations were translated from German into French by Romain Rolland. The Chinese translator has to
translate these into Chinese from French, not from German. Maybe such second-hand translation would
make the impact of the spirit of Beethoven a little bit imperfect.
Immortal Beethoven 's music.
Immortal Beethoven 's "strength".
Thanks so much for your attention!
18.两位表哥
爸从青岛回到天津不久,来了两位冯姓表哥。爸请他们一起吃晚饭。家人都很高兴,因为有将近两年没见面了。
妈在厨房忙开了。她知道两位表哥口味高,得让他们吃好、喝好。
“张妈,洗酒杯了吗?老爷可不许酒里掺水。一滴都不成。”
“记着哪。”张妈说,“我看这酒不够喝的,莲花白还剩一点儿,双溪陈酿也只半瓶,大表少爷又那么能喝,还得再打一坛子陈酿和虎骨酒。”
妈让张妈从地窖里拿一坛子陈酿,她说虎骨酒冬天喝好,这会儿都打春了。虎骨酒由黄和几种草药酿成,能舒筋活血,强身健体。
张妈拿了两大坛陈酿。酒坛用竹网包着,上面有两个竹提手,拎起来像个大篮子。坛口封了几层纸,上面糊着一层厚厚的泥。据说这种泥是精心调合的,专用来封洒,可使酒香不跑。
双溪陈酿有股特殊的香味,介于水果香与花香之间。我爱看他们先洗了手,然后小心地揭去封泥,刚一拿开盖子,屋里便溢满一股沁人的奇妙酒香。每当我嗅闻着山上浓郁的野花香和阳光送来各种植物的馨香时,总不禁联想起这种奇特的香味。
“我先尝尝。”妈接过一小杯酒。我见她的嘴唇红润好看,知道酒一定很香。妈把杯子递给我,说:“你着急了是不是?去搞些‘笑兰’的嫩花苞,撒在上面。等明儿早晨,就会香味扑鼻。若放在枕头底下,准保你梦着酒仙。”
妈说话常能丰富我们的想像。
妈耐心地看张妈把坛子里的酒倒进瓶子。这种酒瓶多由白或白银制成。中国黄酒用大米酿造,味似葡萄酒,喝前先放在热水里温一会儿。它常用来佐餐,能喝酒的人一顿饭就能喝上五六十杯。
两位表哥是大妈的侄子,都很有才华。我们在北京住时,他们常来。大表哥康贤比二表哥康光年长两三岁。他当过驻欧洲几个国家的总领事,通晓数国语言,回国时才三十五岁。虽然他常穿中山装,可他留的胡子和油亮的分头总让我们觉得他是个洋人。而且,他还爱拄着根文明棍,说话时横在手里,好像随时要打谁,有时令人讨厌。他进屋便脱了帽子,放在客厅的桌子上。这倒使我们有机会戴着它玩。不过,我有点替他的秃头顶感到难过。
康光当时只有三十岁,个子比康贤矮些,讲话很快,与论敌争辩,言辞犀利,诙谐睿智。他虽年纪尚轻,可资历不浅,在北京上层社会很有地位。他毕业于东京帝国大学,而后因与国民党领袖孙中山相交甚厚,曾作为清朝末代皇帝的特使到南方与革命党人谈判。后来任中国银行董事长,他是签名印在中国银行票据上的第一人。而且,他还和著名京剧演员梅兰芳配过戏。两位表哥天资聪颖,学知渊博,深得亲朋好友的敬重。
康光在事业上一帆风顺,已经功成名遂。但待人谦逊,从不倨傲。对孩子总是亲切和蔼,每次来我家,都问我们晚上去不去看戏。如果去,他便去买票。
两位表哥到的那天晚上,爸还没回来。妈在客厅里招待他俩,她已盼了好久。他们把妈看成是自己的姨妈,因为他们知道,妈同大妈是好友。而且,抚养妈的潘家与他们冯家是亲戚。妈有什么问题决定不下来,都要问他们。她常对我们说:“这事得等你们表哥来了再定,他们见过大世面。”
“表妹,来跟我们说说话。”两位表哥热情招呼找们,“我们有好长时间没见了。”
“你们俩都坐我边上。”康贤表哥说,“都三年了,我记得上次见你时,你还梳着两条小辫,像个小娃娃。时间过得真快,现在都成大姑娘了。我听说,你还是个学生运动的头头。我是老了,从欧洲回到北京那天,去看姨妈,你在摇篮里睡得正香呢。”
“你们男人还那么怕老?”妈问。
“西方人不爱说出自己的年龄。”康贤说,“如果跟中国人似的,头一次见面,问一位英国或法国小姐多大了,非露怯不可。即便是个男人,第一次见面就问岁数,人家也不高兴。”
“西方人可真有意思。”妈叹了口气,“他们一定觉得我们可笑,是不是?”
“听说你们都在为学生运动出力。”康光转向妈,说,“姨妈,真该祝贺您,眼下要想超过别人,除了学习,还得干点实事。竞争比我们年轻时重要多了,男女都一样。”
“梅表妹,听说你想上洛克菲勒医学院,这主意不错。”康贤打断话头说,“我前天去东城,看到了富丽堂皇的北京协和医院,翠绿的琉璃瓦,大理石的柱子和台阶,门窗漆得鲜艳猩红,华美壮观。我要是年轻十岁,变着法儿也得进去享享福。你想,从外面看,辉煌如皇宫,里面都是现代化的设备,热澡、冷浴、空调、电气炉子,中餐、西餐,随你吃。”
我和梅姐听得入了迷。妈一直在想孩子的入学问题。
“看不出你这么喜欢协和医院。”康光开玩笑说,“干脆你假装生病,我把你送进去享清福。”
“只怕你嫂子不干。”康贤打趣说.“你没听说,那儿的护士都很漂亮,她们全是大家闺秀,风韵迷人,思想开放,会讲外语,正是我们要寻找的姑娘。”
“你对协和医院这么了解,好像跟那儿呆过。你不怕我们把你说的告诉太太?”妈说。
“我这是聪明反被聪明误。我去过一两次,是看一位病友。只能呆一刻钟。就这些。”
我们都笑了。这时,爸进来了。
“什么事这么开心?”爸把帽子和外衣交给妈说。“接着说,
我就爱跟家里听你们说笑话,整个下午跟那帮诗人在一起,无聊透了。”
爸躺在长沙发上,这是他从以前天津德国租界的家具店买来的。他想躺着舒舒服服地听我们聊天。
“哪来的那些无聊的诗人?是银行家还是军阀?”康光问。
“都有。他们以前只想赚钱,钱赚多了,就来买名誉。他们觉得写诗不错,可以扬名,还以为自己写诗同赚钱一样有天分。”
“我敢说那些人的诗乏味之极,真庆幸回家能摆脱那帮所谓的诗人。”康贤说。
“够扫兴的,瞧这一包都是他们的诗。”爸说。
“姑父,我要是你,就把这包扔到火炉里。”康光叹了口气。
晚饭准备好了,我们走进饭厅。
在我们家,吃晚饭是一天里最热闹的时候。爸常说:“吃饭是一种极好的享受,劳累了一天,干嘛不好好松松心。”因此,他不论多忙,总惦记着晚饭吃什么。我和梅姐下午一放学,他便问我们晚上想吃什么。有时为做菜,他能不厌其烦地跟妈唠叨好几个小时。有一次,梅姐说干嘛跟吃饭上花那么多时间,真是瞎耽误工夫。
妈马上说:“俗话说‘当官为嘴,做贼为饱’,谁不想吃好点。怎么是瞎耽误工夫?”
中国有句古话:“生在苏州,穿在杭州,吃在广州。”我们家找的广东厨师有二十多年了,我记得都叫他宋师傅。他做的都是家常菜,但样样鲜美可口,色香俱全。他善烹调,最拿手的是做肉、鱼和鸡,不失原味,还飘散出不同的植物香。我们都喜欢看他做鸡时的忙乎劲儿,他将雏鸡切成小块,用酱油调浸一个小时再放到油锅里煎炒十分钟,放上蒜末、洋葱、青椒和辣椒,那味闻着特香,吃起来真是味道好极了。看上去倒不难做,他只是摇着油锅,鸡的颜色稍稍变黄,就算成了。这便是烹调。他在酱油里加了许多种调料,尝起来酸、甜、苦、辣、咸,五味齐全。他炒的菜家里人都爱吃,有一种特有的风味。
我最爱吃他做的清蒸鲜鱼和油炖糖醋鱼。梅姐爱吃他做的油爆羊肉,里面放了蘑菇、胡桃、竹笋和青蒜。她老让他给做爆羊肉和烙饼。有了这,她别的什么都不吃了。
妈做的几样菜,我们也都爱吃。除了招待贵客,她很少做。这天晚上,她做了两个菜招待表哥,一个是野鸡肉,放上米酒、生姜、干蘑、干笋,用微火炖一整天,一揭盖,肉香飘溢。另一个菜是鱼丸子汤。鱼丸子用鱼肉、火腿、洋葱加蛋清调制,再洒上盐和胡椒粉,放入汤中。那丸子看上去清亮透明,吃起来味道鲜美。汤中再撒上香菜和水芹。奶白的丸子与青菜相配,真是好看。
两位表哥都夸菜做得好吃。康贤对我们说 :“表妹,生在这个家,你们可真有福气。你们的妈妈结婚前就做得一手好菜,你们的爸爸又那么会点菜。”
“你们吃过那么多山珍海味,还能看上我做的菜?”妈谦恭地说。
“是真的好吃,我有许多年没吃过这么好的饭菜了。”康贤说,“我们中国人有时太谦虚了,姨妈。人家西方人可不这样说。给你们说个笑话,去年在巴黎,中国的总领事在一家大饭店设宴请客。他按中国的习惯致辞时说,准备的饭菜不好,请多海涵。第二天,饭店经理对那位领事提出控告,说他侮辱了饭店的名誉,影响了生意。”
我们都笑了。
“这是真的,还是你编的?”妈问。
“这是真事,如果你们想听,我还能讲好多。”康贤说。
“就是东方,也有不少这样的事。”康光说。“有一次,我的一位朋友去东京,跟新认识的一个日本人打招呼,问人:‘吃了吗?’那日本人很惊讶,不明白他什么意思。他没回答,但显得很尴尬。他们也没再谈什么,分手时人家说再见,我那朋友说‘明儿见。’跟北京,这话听起来多亲切,道声别而已。可那日本人又误会了,他第二天给我的朋友拍了封电报,说很抱歉,今天不能见。”
“有位英国朋友跟我讲,他有一次对一个温柔的日本女人发了通脾气。”康贤说,“他到东京访友,朋友不在。他有急事,就问朋友是否留了条。给他开门的女人什么也不答,只是按日本的礼节连声说:‘是,是’,但她越说‘是’,英国人越恼火。他最后不耐烦地问:‘你傻了?’那女人还说:‘是’。”
我们被逗得前仰后合。爸说。“你们知道,李鸿章老早就清楚东、西方礼仪上的差异,打手势都有不同,西方人叫你来时,手指向上,手掌对着自己,而中国人手指是冲上,手掌却对着你。”
吃过晚饭,我们都来到客厅。康光和我聊了很长时间,他问我女子师范毕业以后打算干什么。我告诉他想教书。我觉得教育在中国最为重要,它可以多种方式救国。
“我看你教书不好,你还没老到要做一个女教员。”康光说,
“为什么不画画呢?缪素筠老师对你寄予了厚望,希望你将来成为大画家。除了你,她可从来没夸过自己的学生。她常给在北京的侄儿写信,问及你的情况。”
第一次去访缪素筠师,就是康光带我去的,现已成了美好的回忆。我记得,与缪师作画,多么令我沉醉,幼小的心灵充满抱负,生活特别富有诱惑力。可我不想告诉表哥我正在想什么。
“我觉得画画对中国的困难一点用没有,它只是和平时期的职业。”
“我不同意。”表哥说,“我认为每个人都该充分发挥天赋才能,画画也并非没用。对于一个艺术家来说,最重要的就是把他所看到的美的事物表现出来。它对我们以及社会改革家都是有帮助的。我要是你,就不放弃画画。当然,除了画画,还可以学别的,例如文学,你不是也很喜欢,努力吧。”
“孩子,表哥说的就是我要跟你说的。”妈说,“一跟生人说话脸就红,哪当得了什么社会改革家和教员。”
“你的那些姐妹们上的什么学校?”
“九姐去年跟三妈去了上海,上了个特别时髦的学校。那个学校还教英语、法语,每年都培养出一大批时髦小姐,能歌善舞,有的还弹得一手好钢琴。”
“这种学校是专为时髦女孩开的。”表哥说。“重复你的话,对国家一点用没有,对九妹也没好处。”他转向妈说:“我看让梅表妹去学医,她将来准是个好医生。”
康光的判断十年之后得到证实。九姐成了交际花,与丈夫、孩子一起生活,并不幸福。梅姐成了著名医生,同一位知名科学家结婚。我真为她骄傲。
康贤回北京前,又来看我们。那是个下雪的星期天,除了爸,我们都在家。花园被厚厚的白雪覆盖,硕大的假山石看去好似北极的一个小岛。家里的两条蒙古黑犬那天可着劲儿地撒欢,在花园里串上跳下,雪地上留下斑斑点点的狗爪印。我爱看狗在一起戏闹,更爱看它们厮咬。客厅里飘散着梅花、水仙和菊花的香气。猫眯躺在俄式大火炉旁,沉沉地打着鼾。妈正在竹绷子上绣着花,绣针穿过绷子的声音正好与猫的鼾声合拍。这种静谧的和谐,常使我想起北京。
突然,我们听到火车驶过。我们家离车站只有二里地。妈放下绷子,叫了口气。“我就是受不了这汽笛声。”
“那干嘛不回北京?”康贤从屏风后面转出来说。他先进了爸的书房,爸不在。“她们该在北京上学,你和姑父也都没必要住这儿,尤其是姑父,成天跟那帮军阀费唾沫,能受得了?他们现在正想拉他入伙,对他没好处。我劝劝他,跟你们一起回北京。”
“就怕小六从南方回来不让他走,她儿子跟这儿上学。”妈说。
“我看姑父对那孩子根本不上心,不爱搭理他。那孩子太笨,考试两次不及格了。让他们娘俩待在天津,甭管他们。”
听康贤这么说,我特别高兴。但看的出,他对爸感到惋惜。
爸回来以后,康贤跟他谈了好长时间,爸听得很专心,并说来年(1929年)回北京。他让康贤在我们回去前跟北京找一处小点的房宅。
我和梅姐听到爸的决定高兴坏了。我记得那天晚上,我俩跑到花园,跟那两条大狗可着假山石上下追着玩。花园里装上了电灯,照得通明。小树、山石、花坛和西式台阶、阳台上,披着一层白雪,银装素裹,晶莹皎洁,真是迷人。我以前竟从未注意过。
“住在北京,能去西山看雪景了。”我说。
“下雪天,我们去长城吧。”梅姐说。
“看那无垠的山峦披着白雪,天放晴了,还能看到野鹿奔逐跳跃。白鹤、金鹰从紫禁城飞到郊外。”
“春天来时,御花园里有美丽的孔雀伴行漫步。”
“怎么会呢?”我问。
“你不知道御花园已经开放了?”
我在脑子里编织了一幅美丽的地毯,上面有辉煌的宫殿,富丽的园林,到处是鲜花、孔雀、白鹤、金鹰。金鱼在荷塘戏水,牡丹花色彩艳丽,雍容华贵,芳香怡人。在戏院、茶馆、寺庙和各种市集,都能见到一张张亲切和蔼的笑脸。环绕京城北部的西山、长城,给人一种安全感。这是春天的画卷。我多想拥有四季。能回到北京,是多么幸运啊!
(根据The Hogarth Press,London 1969年版译出)