1、1冰心 话说短文也许是我的精、气、神都江堰市不足吧，不但自己写不出长的东西，人读一本刊物时，也总是先挑短的看，不论是小说、散文或是其他的文学形式，最后才看长的。我总觉得，凡是为了非倾吐不可而写的作品，都是充满了真情实感的。反之，只是为写作而写作，如上之为应付编辑朋友，一之为多拿稿费，这类文章大都是尽量地往长里写，结果是即便的一点点的感情，也被冲洗到水分太多、淡而无味的地步。当由一个人物，一桩事迹，一幅画面而发生的真情实感，向你袭来的时候，它就像一根扎到你心尖上的长针，一阵卷到你面前的怒潮，你只能用最真切、最简练的文字，才能描画出你心尖上的那一阵剧痛和你面前的那一霎惊惶！我们伟大的祖国，是有写短
2、文的文学传统的。那部包括上下数千年的古文观止，“ 上起东周，下迄明末，共选辑文章 220 篇”有几篇是长的？如杜牧的阿房宫赋，韩愈的祭十二郎文等等，哪一篇不是短而充满了真情实感？今人的巴金的随感录，不也是一个实例吗？2A Chat about Short EssaysBing XinPerhaps due to my failing energies, not only haveI refrained from writing anything long, but also, inreading a magazine, for example, I usually finish itsshor
3、ter pieces of writing first, be they fiction, proseor any other forms of literature, before going on to the longer ones.I always believe that anything written with an irresistible inner urge to unbosom oneselfmust be full of genuine feelings. On the contrary, if one writes simply for the sake of wri
4、tingsay, to humor ones editor friends, or worse still, to earn more remuneration, one will mostprobably make his writings unnecessarily long until they become, despite what little feeling theymay contain, inflated and wishy-washy.When true emotions aroused by a person, an event or a scene come upon
5、you like a pinpricking your heart or an angry tide surging threateningly before you, all you can do is use themost vivid and succinct language to describe the severe pain in your heart or the momentaryfeelingof panic caused by the angry tide.3Our great motherland is known for its literary tradition
6、of short essays. Do you findanything unduly long in A Treasury of Best Ancient Chinese Prose with its 220 essays selectedfrom a period of several thousand years in ancient China from the Eastern Zhou Dynasty downuntil the end of the Ming Dynasty? Arent the essays in it, like Du Mus Rhapsody on Epang
7、Palace and Han Yus An Elegiac Address to My Nephew Shierlang, all short and yet full of truefeelings? Isnt A Collection of Random Thoughts by Ba Jin, our contemporary, another likeexample of pithy writing?巴金 木匠老陈生活的经验固然会叫人忘记许多事情。但是有些记忆过了多少时间的磨洗也不会消灭。故乡里那些房屋，那些街道至今还印在我的脑子里。我还记得我每天到学堂去总要走过的木匠老陈的铺子。木匠老
8、陈那时不过四十岁光景，脸长的像驴子脸，左眼下面有块伤疤，嘴唇上略有几根胡须。大家都说他的相貌丑，但是同时人人称赞他的脾气好。他平日在店里。但是他也经常到相熟的公馆里去做活，或者做包工，或者做零工。我们家里需要木匠的时候，总是去找他。我就4在这时候认识他。他在我们家里做活，我只要有空，就跑去看他工作。我那时注意的，并不是他本人，倒是他的那些工具；什么有轮齿的锯子啦，有两个耳朵的刨子啦，会旋转的钻子啦，像图画里板斧一般的斧子啦。这些奇怪的东西我以前全没有看见过。一块粗糙的木头经过了斧子劈，锯子锯，刨子刨，就变成了一方或者一条光滑整齐的木板，再经过钻子、凿子等等工具以后，又变成了各种各样的东西；像美
9、丽的窗格，镂花的壁板等等细致的物件，都是这样制成的。老陈和他的徒弟的工作使我的眼界宽了不少。那时我还在家里读书，祖父聘请了一位前清的老秀才来管教我们。老秀才不知道教授的方法，他只教我们认一些字，呆板地读一些书。此外他就把我们关在书房里，端端正正地坐在凳子上，让时间白白地流过去。过惯了这种单调的生活以后，无怪乎我特别喜欢老陈了。老陈常常弯着腰，拿了尺子和墨线盒在木板上面画什么东西。我便安静地站在旁边专心地望着，连眼珠也不转一下。他画好墨线，便拿起锯子或者凿子来。我有时候觉得有些地方很奇怪，不明白，就问他，他很和气地对我一一说明。他的态度比那个老秀才的好得多。家里人看见我对老陈的工作感到这么大的兴
10、趣，并不来干涉我，却嘲笑地唤我做老陈的徒弟，父亲甚至开玩笑地说要把我送到老陈5那里学做木匠。但这些嘲笑都是好意的，父亲的确喜欢我。因此有一个时候我居然相信父亲真有这样的想法，而且我对老陈说过要跟他学做木匠的话。“你要学做木匠？真笑话！有钱的少爷应该读书，将来好做官！穷人的小孩才做木匠，” 老陈听见我的话，马上就笑起来。“为什么不该学做木匠？做官有什么好？修房子，做家具，才有趣啊！我做木匠，我要给自己修房子，爬到上面去，爬得高高的，”我看见他不相信我的话，把它只当做小孩子的胡说，我有些生气，就起劲地争论道。“爬得高，会跌下来，” 老陈随口说了这一句，他的笑容渐渐地收起来了。“跌下来，你骗我！我就
11、没有见过木匠跌下来。”老陈看我一眼，依旧温和地说：“做木匠修房子，常常拿自己性命来拼。一个不当心在上面滑了脚，跌下来，不跌成肉酱，也会得一辈子的残疾。”他说到这里就埋下头，用力在木板上推他的刨子，木板查查地响着，一卷一卷的刨花接连落在地上。他过了半晌又加了一句：“我爹就是这样子跌死的。”我不相信他的话。一个人会活活地跌死！我没有看见过，也没有听见人说过。既然他父亲做木匠跌死了，为什么他现在还做木匠呢？我简直想不通。6“你骗我，我不信！那么你为什么还要做木匠？难道你就不怕死！”“做木匠的人这样多，不见得个个都遭横死。我学的是这行手艺，不靠它吃饭又靠什么？” 他苦恼地说。然后他抬起头来看我，他的眼
12、角上嵌着泪珠。他哭了！我看见他流眼泪，不知道怎么办才好，就跑开了。不久祖父生病死了，我也进了学堂，不再受那个老秀才的管束了。祖父死后木匠老陈不曾到我们家里来过。但是我每天到学堂去都要经过他那个小小的铺子。有时候他在店里招呼我；有时候他不在，只有一两个徒弟在那里钉凳子或者制造别的对象。他的店起初还能维持下去，但是不久省城里发生了巷战，一连打了三天，然后那两位军阀因为别人的调解又握手言欢了。老陈的店在这个时候遭到“丘八”的光顾，他的一点点积蓄都给抢光了，只剩下一个空铺子。这以后他虽然勉强开店，生意却很萧条。我常常看见他哭丧着脸在店里做工。他的精神颓丧，但是他仍然不停手地做活。我听说他晚上时常到小酒
13、馆里喝酒。又过了几个月他的店终于关了门。我也就看不见他的踪迹了。有人说他去吃粮当了兵，有人说他到外县谋生去了。然而有一天我在街上碰见了他。他手里提着一个篮子，里面装了几件木匠用的工具。7“老陈，你还在省城！人家说你吃粮去了！”我快活地大声叫起来。“我只会做木匠，我就只会做木匠！一个人应该安分守己，”他摇摇头微微笑道，他的笑容里带了一点悲哀。他没有什么大改变，只是人瘦了些，脸黑了些，衣服脏了些。“少爷，你好好读书，你将来做了官，我来给你修房子，”他继续笑说。我抓住他的袖子，再也说不出一句话来。他告辞走了。他还告诉我他在他从前一个徒弟的店里帮忙。这个徒弟如今发达了，他却在那里做一个匠人。以后我就没
14、有再看见老陈。我虽然喜欢他，但是过了不几天我又把他忘记了。等到公馆里的轿夫告诉我一个消息的时候，我才记起他来。那个轿夫报告的是什么消息呢？他告诉我：老陈同别的木匠一起在南门一家大公馆里修楼房，工程快要完了，但是不晓得怎样，老陈竟然从楼上跌下来，跌死了。在那么多的木匠里面，偏偏是他跟着他父亲落进了横死的命运圈里。这似乎是偶然，似乎又不是偶然。总之，一个安分守己的人就这样地消灭了。8Carpenter Lao ChenBa JinLots of things are apt to fade from memory asones life experiences accumulate. But so
15、mememories will withstand the wear and tear of time.Those houses and streets in my home town stillremain engraved on my mind. I still can recall how every day onmy way to school I wouldinvariably walk past Carpenter Lao Chens shop.Carpenter Lao Chen was then only about forty years old, with a longis
16、h face like that of adonkey, a scar under his left eye, and a wispy moustache on his upper lip. Peoplesaid helooked ugly, yet they praised him for his good temper.He usually worked in his own shop. But from time to time he was employed by some richpeople he knew well to work at their residences, eit
17、her as a hired hand on contract or as anoddjobber. Whenever my family needed a carpenter, he was always the man we wanted. Thatwas how Igot to know him. While he was in our home, I would come out to watch him work inmy spare time.9What attracted my attention, however, was not the man himself, but th
18、e tools he used,such as the saw with toothed blade, the plane with two ear-like handles, the revolving drill things entirely strange to me. A piece of coarse wood, after being processed with the hatchet,saw and plane, would become pieces of smooth and tidy wood, square or rectangular inshape. After
19、further treatment with the chisel, drill, etc., they would end up as various kinds ofexquisite articles, such as beautiful window lattices, ornamental engravings on woodenpartitions.The work which Lao Chen and his apprentices did was a real eye-opener to me. I was thenstudying at home under the tuto
20、rship of an old scholar of Qing Dynasty whom my grandfatherhad engaged. The old scholar knew nothing about teaching methods. All he did was make melearn some Chinese characters and do some dull reading. Apart from that, he had me coopedup in my study and sit bolt upright doing nothing while time was
21、 slipping through my fingers.Because of this monotonous life, it was no wonder that I developed a particular liking forCarpenter Lao Chen.10He was often bent over drawing something on a plankwith a ruler and an ink marker. AndI would stand by andwatch quietly and intently, my eyes riveted on him. Af
22、ter making the linewith the ink marker, he would pick up the saw or the chisel. Sometimes, when somethingpuzzled me, I would ask him questions out of curiosity, and he would explain patientlyeverything in detail. He was much more agreeable than the old scholar.My folks, however, showed no sign of di
23、sapproval when they found me so much interestedin Lao Chens work, but only teasingly called me an apprentice of his. Father even said jokinglythat he was going to apprentice me to Lao Chen. All that was the well-meaning remarks of anaffectionate father. Once I even believed that father had meant wha
24、t he said, and I even toldLao Chen that that was exactly what I had in mind.“You want to learn carpentry?“ said Lao Chen immediately with a smile. “No kidding! Awealthy young master like you should studyand grow up to be a government official! Only poorpeoples kids learn carpentry.“11Somewhat annoye
25、d by the way he shrugged off my words as childish nonsense, I arguedheatedly, “Why not become a carpenter? Whats the good of being a government official? Itsgreat fun to build houses and make furniture. If Im a carpenter, Ill climb high up, very highup, to build a house for myself.“You may fall down
26、 if you climb high,“ said he casually,the smile on his face fading away.“Fall down? Youre fooling me! Ive never seen a carpenter fall down.“Shooting a glance at me, he continued with undiminished patience.“A carpenter often has to risk his own life in building a house. One careless slip, and youfall
27、 down. Youll be disabled for life, if not reduced to pulp.“Thereupon, he bent his head and forcefully pushed hisplane over a plank, the shavings ofwhich fell continuously onto the ground amidst the screeching sound. Then he added after amoments silence.“Thats how my father died.“I just could not bri
28、ng myself to believe it. How could a man die like that? I had never seen ithappen, nor had I ev12er heard of it. If his father had died of an accident as a carpenter, whyshould Lao Chen himself still be carpenter now? I just couldnt figure it out.“Youre fooling me. I dont believe you! How come youre
29、 still a carpenter? Can you beunafraid of death?“Lots of guys are in this trade,“ he went on gloomily. “it doesnt follow that everybodymeets with such a violent death. Carpentry is my trade. What else could I rely on to make aliving?“He looked up at me, some teardrops visible from the corners of his
30、 eyes. He was crying!I was at a loss when I saw him in tears, so I went away quietly.Not long afterwards. My grandpa fell ill and died, and Iwas enrolled in a school, on longerunder the control of the old scholar. Lao Chen never came again to work in our household aftergrandpas death. But every day
31、on my wayto school, I would pass his small shop.Sometimes he beckoned me from his shop. Sometimeshe was absent, leaving a couple ofhis apprentices there hammering nails into a stool or making some other articles.At first, hecould somehow scrape along. Soon street fighting broke out in the provincial
32、 capital, lastingthree days until the dispute between two warlords was settled through the mediation of thirdparty. In the course of fighting, soldiers looted Lao Chens shop until it was empty ofevery13thing. After that, nevertheless, he still managed to keep his shop open though businesswas bad. I
33、often saw him working in his shop with a saddened look on his face. Dejected as hewas, he worked on as usual. I heard that he often went drinking at a small wine shop in theevening.Several months later, his shop closed down for good and I lost all trace of him. Some saidhe had gone soldiering, other
34、s said he had gone to another county to seek a livelihood. Oneday, however, I ran into him in the street. Hewas carrying a basket filled with some carpenterstools.“Lao Chen,“ I yelled out in joy, “youre still here in the provincial capital! People say yourejoined up!“Im good at noting else but carpe
35、ntry! One should be content with ones lot,“ he shook hishead, wearing a faintsmile with a touch of sorrow. There was not much changein him exceptthat he was thinner, his face darker and hisclothes more dirty.“Young master,“ he continued smilingly, “you should study hard. Let me build a house foryou
36、comeday when youre a government official.“I took hold of his sleeve, unable to utter a word. He said goodbye to me and went away. Hehad told me that hewas now working at the shop of former apprentice of his. The apprenticewas doing quite well while Lao Chen was now his hired hand.Thenceforth I never
37、 saw Lao Chen again. Much as I lik14ed him, I soon forgot him. It was notuntil the sedan-chair bearer of a rich household passed on me the news that I remembered himagain.What news did the sedan-chair bearer tell me?He told me: tighter with other carpenters, was buildinga mansion for a rich househol
38、d atthe southern city gate. When it was nearing completion, it suddenly came to passthat he felloff building and died.Why did Lao Chen, of all carpenters, die such a violent death like his father? All that seemsaccidental, and alsoseems predestined. In short, an honest man has thus passed out ofexis
39、tence.李大钊 艰难的国运与雄健的国民历史的道路，不会是坦平的，有时走到艰难险阻的境界。这是全靠雄健的精神才能冲过去的。一条浩浩荡荡的长江大河，有时流到很宽阔的境界，平原无际，一泻万里。有时流到很逼狭的境界，两岸丛山迭岭，绝壁断崖，江河流于期间，回环曲折，极其险峻。民族生命的进展，其经历亦复如是。15人类在历史上的生活正如旅行一样。旅途上的征人所经过的地方，有时是坦荡平原，有时是崎岖险路。志于旅途的人，走到平坦的地方，因是高高兴兴地向前走，走到崎岖的境界，俞是奇趣横生，觉得在此奇绝壮绝的境界，俞能感到一种冒险的美趣。中华民族现在所逢的史路，是一段崎岖险阻的道路。在这段道路上，实在亦有一种奇
40、绝壮绝的境至，使我们经过此段道路的人，感得一种壮美的趣味，是非有雄健的精神的，不能够感觉到的。我们的扬子江、黄河，可以代表我们的民族精神，扬子江及黄河遇见沙漠、遇见山峡都是浩浩荡荡的往前流过去，以成其浊流滚滚，一泻万里的魄势。目前的艰难境界，那能阻抑我们民族生命的前进。我们应该拿出雄健的精神，高唱着进行的曲调，在这悲壮歌声中，走过这崎岖险阻的道路。要知在艰难的国运中建造国家，亦是人生最有趣味的事National Crisis vs Heroic NationLi DazhaoThe course of history is never smooth. It issometimesbeset w
41、ith difficulties and obstacles andnothing short of a heroic spirit can help surmountthem.16A mighty long river sometimes flows through a broad section with plains lying boundlesson either side, its waters rolling on non-stop for thousands upon thousands of miles.Sometimes it comes up against a narro
42、w section flanked by high mountains and steep cliffs,winding through a course with many a perilous twist and turn. A nation, in the course of itsdevelopment, fares likewise.The historical course of mans life is just like a journey.A traveler on a long journey passesthrough now a broad, level plain,
43、now a rugged, hazardous road. While a determined travelercheerfully continues his journey upon reaching a safe and smooth place, he finds it still morefascinating to come to a rugged place, the enormously magnificent spectacle of which, hefeels, is better able to generate in him a wonderful sensatio
44、n of adventure.The Chinese nation is now confronted with a rugged and dangerous section of its historicalcourse. Nevertheless, there is also in this section a spectacle of enormous magnificence thatinspires in us passers-by a delightful sensation of splendor. And this delight17ful sensation,however,
45、 can only be shared by those with a heroic spirit.The Yangtze River and the Yellow River are both symbolic of our national spirit the twomighty rivers negotiate deserts and gorges until their turbid torrents surge forward withirresistible force. The present national crisis can never obstruct the adv
46、ance of our national life.Let us braceup our spirits and march through this rugged, dangerous road to the tune of oursolemn, stirring songs. The greatest joy of life, mind you, is to build up our country during itsmost difficult days.冰心 雪雨时候的星辰寒暑表降到冰点下十八度的时候，我们也是在廊下睡觉。每夜最熟识的就是天上的星辰了。也不过是点点闪烁的光明，而相看惯
47、了，偶然不见，也有些想望与无聊。连夜雨雪，一点星光都看不见。荷和我拥衾对坐，在廊子的两角，遥遥谈话。荷指着说：“你看维纳斯（Venus）升起来了！”我抬头望时，却是山路转折处的路灯。我怡然一笑，也指着对山的一星灯火说：“那边是丘比特（Jupiter）呢！”18愈指愈多。松林中射来零乱的风灯，都成了满天星宿。真的，雪花隙里，看不出来天空和森林的界限，将繁灯当作繁星，简直是抵得过。一念至诚的将假作真，灯光似乎都从地上飘起。这幻成的星光，都不移动，不必半夜梦醒时，再去追寻他们的位置。于是雨雪寂寞之夜，也有了慰安了！Stars on a Snowy NightBing XinThe thermomet
48、er had dropped to 18 degreesbelow zero, but we still choose to sleep in the porchas usual. In the evening, the most familiar sight tome would be stars inthe sky. Though they were onlysprinkle of twinkling dots, yet I had become so accustomed to them that their occasionalabsence would bring me loneli
49、ness and ennui.It had been snowing all night, not a single star in sight. My roommate and I, each wrappedin a quilt, were seated far apart in a different corner of the porch, facing each other andchatting away.She exclaimed pointing to something afar, “Look, Venus is rising!“ I looked up and sawnothing but a lamp round the bend in a mountain path. I beamed and sa19id pointing to a tinylamplight on the opposite mountain, “Its Jupiter over there!“More and more lights came into sight as we kept pointing here and there. Lights fromhurricane
