Chapter　Twenty_seven

HAVING　NO　NEW　CLOTHES　Little　Niu　Niu　could　be　dressed　only　in　a　suit　of　short　but　clean　old　clothes.　She　was　put　into　a　small　wooden　box　and　buried　outside　the　city.

Yun　Mei　was　ill　and　could　not　get　up.　It　was　fortunate　that　Old　Three　and　Kaodee　were　there.　Old　Three　had　not　planned　to　stay　at　home　and　wanted　to　get　away　again　to　do　work　as　important　as　resistance　to　the　enemy.　He　had　seen　China　and　knew　what　China　needed，　he　could　not　stay　at　home　like　an　old　woman　and　deal　only　with　oil，　salt，　soy　sauce，　and　vinegar;　but　he　could　not　go　now.　He　must　first　get　Uncle　Chien　out　of　prison　and　see　that　he　had　some　definite　place　to　live　before　he　could　feel　at　ease，　and，　at　this　time　his　grandfather，mother，brother　and　sister-in-law　all　greatly　needed　him.　He　knew　that　his　loud　laughter　and　talk　and　his　careless　ways　could　break　up　the　deadly　silence　of　the　family.

Old　Three's　method　with　his　sister-in-law　was　very　simple　but　effective.　He　did　not　try　to　comfort　her　but　made　her　ears　ring　from　morning　to　night　with　his　demands.

“Sister-in-law，　haven't　you　got　up　yet？　I　want　some　chiaotse.　For　eight　years　I　have　not　eaten　chiaotse　such　as　you　make.”　Or，　“Sister-in-law，　get　up，　find　some　old　clothes　for　me.　Look　at　what　I　am　wearing　—　so　tight　I　cannot　breathe.”　He　knew　that　his　sister-in-law　who　liked　to　be　kind　would　certainly　be　tricked　by　him　into　struggling　to　get　up　and　do　something，　and　that　once　she　got　up　and　began　to　do　things　the　wound　in　her　heart　would　begin　to　heal.

Besides　stimulating　his　sister-in-law　with　his　demands　he　also　told　her　about　the　tragic　things　he　had　seen　with　his　own　eyes　—　the　boys　and　girls　bombed　in　the　air　raids，　the　children　thrown　by　their　own　parents　into　the　rivers　when　they　were　forced　to　flee.　Niu　Niu　was　after　all　only　one　of　thousands　and　tens　of　thousands　of　little　children　who　had　died　in　the　war.

Gradually　the　sister-in-law　was　able　to　get　up　and　begin　to　work.　She　was　thin，　and　the　thinner　she　became　the　larger　her　eyes　seemed.　As　she　worked　she　would　suddenly　stand　still　as　if　to　think　of　something.　That　she　should　not　have　the　opportunity　to　be　silent　in　this　way　Old　Three　told　Little　Precious　to　stay　more　with　his　mother　and　chat　with　her.

With　his　eldest　brother　Old　Three　had　many　things　to　talk　about.

The　two　of　them　moved　into　one　room　so　that　Kaodee　could　stay　with　Yun　Mei.

After　they　had　talked　for　three　or　four　nights　it　seemed　that　the　brothers　had　exhausted　their　conversation　but　were　still　unwilling　to　stop　talking.　They　had　to　talk　about　family　affairs，　national　affairs，　and　world　affairs　as　if　the　prosperity　of　the　nation　and　the　peace　of　the　world　depended　on　the　plans　they　made.　When　there　was　really　nothing　left　to　say　they　would　talk　again　about　the　things　they　had　talked　of　before.

The　whole　family　liked　Kaodee.　She　was　no　longer　a　“young　lady”　but　was　a　person　willing　to　do　anything　—　she　had　been　trained　by　the　war.　She　waited　on　Old　Man　Chi　and　Mrs.　Tien　Yiu　and　cooked　for　the　whole　family.　Her　cooking　was　still　not　very　good　but　she　did　not　let　this　worry　her.　Whether　she　did　well　or　not　so　well　she　went　ahead　with　the　work，　and　if　this　time　she　did　not　do　so　well，　would　she　not　do　better　next　time？

This　was　another　reason　why　Yun　Mei　felt　that　she　must　get　up　—　she　could　not　let　the　guest　do　everything　for　her.　Even　Old　Man　Chi　was　moved　and　forgot　his　prejudice　against　the　Kuans.　Secretly　he　said　to　Old　Three，　“Don't　let　the　guest　wait　on　us;　what　kind　of　a　way　to　act！”

Old　Three　smiled　but　said　nothing.

The　poet，　Mr.　Chien，　was　able　to　leave　prison　on　the　seventh　day　after　the　day　of　victory.

Old　Three　decided　to　give　Uncle　Chien　a　small　welcome　party.　Peiping　had　been　quiet　after　the　victory.　Rey　Tang　did　not　like　this　silence.

He　went　to　talk　it　over　with　his　grandfather.　The　grandfather　agreed　and　said　urgently，　“You　must　get　wine，　he　likes　a　drink　or　two.”

“Surely，　I　know　a　place　where　I　can　get　wine.”

Also　he　discussed　with　Yun　Mei　and　Kaodee　the　kind　of　food　they　should　have.　Yun　Mei　thought　that　dried　soybean　curd　and　peanuts　would　go　well　with　the　wine　and　would　be　enough.　To　cook　a　meal　for　the　whole　party　she　could　not　manage;　she　had　not　that　much　money　and　she　had　not　that　much　energy.

“Good，　that　will　do，　Eldest　Sister-in-law，　and　make　us　some　tea.”

He　went　to　his　mother，　“Mother，　Uncle　Chien　is　coming;　you　must　get　up　and　greet　him.”

Mr.　Tien　Yiu　nodded.

Rey　Tang　told　his　eldest　brother　that　they　must　go　together　to　get　Mr.　Chien.　Rey　Shuan　of　course　wanted　to　go　but　he　also　thought　of　Mr.　Goodrich.　He　spent　a　whole　day　trying　to　find　his　old　friend　and　learned　that　Mr.　Goodrich　had　been　taken　a　few　months　before　to　the　concentration　camp　in　Weihsien，　in　Shantung　province.

Old　Three　went　to　notify　Wang　the　Third，　to　invite　him　and　young　Mrs.　Chien　both　to　come　to　the　Chi　home.　Then　he　also　invited　Fourth　Mistress　Li，　Cheng　Chang　Shun，　and　all　the　neighbors　in　the　Little　Sheep　Fold.　The　neighbors　were　as　pleased　as　when　they　had　heard　the　news　of　victory.

Rey　Shuan　and　Rey　Tang　went　and　brought　back　Mr.　Chien.

Mr.　Chien，　except　for　the　clothes　on　his　back，　possessed　nothing.

Leaning　with　one　hand　on　Old　Three's　arm　he　held　the　hand　of　his　grandson　with　the　other　and　limped　out　of　the　prison　gate.　Rey　Shuan　followed　behind.

Mr.　Chien　had　not　been　tortured　this　time　when　he　had　been　questioned　in　prison.　The　Japanese　wanted　him　to　surrender　and　when　he　refused　their　“kindness”　they　stole　his　grandson　and　brought　him　to　the　prison.　Once　every　day　they　allowed　the　grandfather　and　grandson　to　see　each　other.　Mr.　Chien　knew　they　were　using　the　child　to　bring　pressure　on　him:　if　he　would　bend　his　head　and　surrender，　the　child　would　live;　if　he　refused，　they　would　torture　the　child　in　his　presence.

But　Mr.　Chien　had　not　been　worried.　He　would　not　lose　his　temper　and　so　stir　them　up　to　make　the　child　suffer　at　once　nor　would　he　say　the　words　of　surrender　to　make　the　child　safe.　In　his　gentle　smiling　way　he　accepted　things　as　they　came.　If　the　time　should　come　when　he　really　could　not　protect　the　child　there　would　be　nothing　he　could　do.　He　would　not　surrender.　What　did　it　matter　if　one　more　died　in　the　war　even　if　that　one　were　his　grandson？

When　the　child　had　first　come　into　the　prison　he　had　cried　and　made　a　continuous　disturbance.　He　was　crying　the　first　time　they　brought　him　to　Mr.　Chien　and　the　tears　were　all　over　his　face.　He　had　struck　his　grandfather　on　the　legs　and　shouted，　“I　want　my　mother，　I　want　my　mother.”

Mr.　Chien　had　patted　the　child's　head　gently　and　said　many　times，　“Be　quiet，　be　a　good　boy　and　don't　cry.”　After　he　had　stopped　crying　and　srtuggling　the　child　asked，　“Why　have　they　shut　us　up　here？　Why　won't　they　let　us　go　home？”

“No　reason.”

“Why　is　there　no　reason？”

“Just　no　reason.”

After　a　few　days　the　child　had　seemed　to　adapt　to　the　situation　and　no　longer　wept　and　struggled.　When　he　was　brought　to　his　grandfather　he　seemed　to　be　especially　glad.　He　asked　his　grandfather　many　questions　—　what　was　war，what　was　prison，　where　did　the　Japanese　come　from，　why　did　the　Japanese　come　to　Peiping？　His　grandfather　would　explain　gently　to　the　child　cach　question　as　it　came.

The　grandson　asked　the　grandfather　to　give　him　a　name.　He　remembered　that　his　mother　had　often　said　that　his　name　would　be　given　him　by　his　Grandfather　Chien.

Before　the　child　was　born，　the　grandfather　had　prepared　a　name　for　him，　Chien　Cho　—　Revenge　Chien.　But　now　that　the　child　stood　beside　his　knee　he　felt　that　he　should　not　make　the　child　carry　such　a　bitter　name　through　life.　The　old　man　asked　the　child，　“What　do　you　think　of　the　word　`revenge'？”

The　grandson　had　blinked　his　little　eyes　and　pretended　to　think.　He　could　think　how　a　cat，　or　a　dog，　or　a　cow　looked，　but　revenge　—　what　was　revenge？　He　could　not　imagine，　so　it　must　be　bad.　He　said，　“I　don't　want　it.”

The　grandfather　apologized.　“Good，　wait　and　I　will　think　—　I　will　think　of　a　good　name　for　you.”

And　then　one　day　he　had　said，　“How　would　you　like　the　name　Chien　Shan　—　Chien　the　Righteous　or　Good　—　from　the　first　line　of　the　Three-word　Classic　I　have　been　teaching　you，　`When　man　was　created　his　nature　was　good'？”　And　the　child　had　agreed.

The　Japanese　had　at　first　let　the　child　stay　with　his　grandfather　a　few　minutes　only　each　time　but　gradually　as　the　grandfather　and　the　grandchild　got　on　better　with　each　other　they　had　lengthened　the　time　for　them　to　chat，　hoping　the　child　would　soften　Mr.　Chien　for　them.　Then　sometimes　they　would　take　the　child　suddenly　away　and　he　would　struggle　and　weep.

Young　Mrs.　Chien　and　Little　Precious　stood　at　the　entrance　to　the　Little　Sheep　Fold　and　waited　for　her　father-in-law　and　her　son.　One　could　hardly　recognize　her;　she　was　so　thin　but　her　eyes　were　still　very　bright　and　active　as　if　she　had　put　her　whole　life　force　into　them　to　find　her　son.　Now　that　she　knew　he　was　coming　to　her　again　her　eyes　seemed　to　flash　fire.

Young　Mrs.　Chien　ran　forward　as　soon　as　she　saw　the　grandfather　and　grandson.　She　swept　Little　Shan　into　her　arms　and　held　him　tightly.　She　crouched　on　the　ground　and　pressed　her　face　to　her　son's　face.

When　they　reached　house　Number　One　young　Mrs.　Chien　stopped　from　habit，　but　Mr.　Chien　did　not　even　look　at　the　gate　and　walked　slowly　past.

There　was　a　crowd　outside　the　Chi　family　gate.　They　all　wanted　to　run　forward　when　they　saw　Mr.　Chien　but　no　one　moved，　Mr.　Chien，　their　good　neighbor，　their　old　friend　and　hero，　wore　an　old　blue，　cotton-cloth　monk's　robe　which　reached　only　to　his　knees.　His　hair　was　entirely　white　and　unkempt.　His　cheeks　were　deeply　sunk　and　appeared　dry　and　pale.　He　did　not　look　like　their　hero　but　like　something　covered　with　the　wounds　of　war.　They　could　not　help　looking　at　each　other—their　own　clothes　were　also　shabby，　and　their　own　faces　were　also　pale　and　thin.　Then　they　looked　around　the　Little　Sheep　Fold　and　saw　that　the　gates　were　not　painted，　the　walls　were　peeling，　and　everything　was　sad　and　unpleasant　to　look　at.

The　comedian，　Fang　the　Sixth，　lit　a　small　string　of　tiny　firecrackers　to　welcome　the　hero　in　the　traditional　way.

Each　wanted　to　be　the　first　to　take　Mr.　Chien's　hand　but　all—　without　consultation　and　as　one　—　gave　the　priority　to　Old　Man　Chi.　Old　Man　Chi　took　Mr.　Chien's　hand　in　both　of　his　and　said　only，　“You　have　come　back，”　and　had　no　more　to　say.　He　thouhgt　of　Tien　Yiu.　Of　all　in　the　Little　Sheep　Fold　the　one　who　most　resembled　Tien　Yiu　—　in　age，　in　height，　and　in　his　quality—　was　Mr.　Chien.

Mr.　Chien　held　the　old　man's　hand　warmly　but　could　say　nothing.

Old　Three，　who　wanted　to　make　this　welome　party　as　lively　as　possible，　said，　“Come，　come　and　have　a　drink　inside　the　courtyard.”

Old　Man　Chi　turned　and　stood　beside　the　gate　to　let　Mr.　Chien　go　in　first　and　urged　him，　“Please，　please.”

Mr.　Chien　indeed　wanted　a　drink.　He　had　made　a　vow　that　he　would　not　touch　any　spirits　until　the　day　of　victory，　and　today　he　must　drink　some　wine.

He　walked　into　the　gate　and　as　he　walked　he　greeted　Kaodee，　Mrs.　Tien　Yiu，　Mrs.　Liu，　and　the　others.

Old　Man　Chi　waited　until　all　had　entered　the　courtyard　and　then　slowly　went　in　himself.　Rey　Tang　had　long　ago　joined　the　others　but　Rey　Shuan　waited　to　support　his　grandfather.　After　walking　a　few　steps　the　old　man　nodded　and　said，　“Rey　Shuan，　have　all　the　neighbors　come？　It's　a　real　celebration.”　There　was　a　smile　on　the　old　man's　face.

“When　we　celebrate　your　ninetieth　birthday　it　will　be　more　lively　than　this，”　Rey　Shuan　said.

In　the　Little　Sheep　Fold　the　leaves　of　the　locust　trees　stirred.　A　fresh　wind　was　rising.

图书在版编目（CIP）数据

老舍全集.第6卷，小说/老舍著.—修订本.北京：人民文学出版社，2008.8

ISBN　978-7-02-006658-2

Ⅰ.①老…　Ⅱ.①老…　Ⅲ.①老舍（1899～1966）—全集②长篇小说—作品集—中国—当代　Ⅳ.①I217.2

中国版本图书馆CIP数据核字（2008）第023554号

责任编辑　岳洪治

装帧设计　刘静

责任印制　王景林

出版发行　人民文学出版社

社址　北京市朝内大街166号

邮政编码　100705

网址　http：//www.rw-cn.com

印刷　北京新华印刷有限公司

经销　全国新华书店等

字数　9551千字

开本　880毫米×1230毫米　1/32

印张　408.375　插页　58

印数　1—10000

版次　2013年1月北京第1版

印次　2013年1月第1次印刷

书号　978-7-02-006658-2

定价　1380.00元（全十九卷）

如有印装质量问题，请与本社图书销售中心调换。电话：01065233595

文前彩插

1947年于美国

1946年老舍与曹禺（右）于美国耶鲁大学

《鼓书艺人》英文译本书影

《无名高地有了名》手迹

本卷说明

本卷收入长篇小说《鼓书艺人》中、英文译本及《无名高地有了名》。

《鼓书艺人》，1948年至1949年写于纽约，未曾发表出版。因中文原稿遗失，根据英文译本The　Drum　Singers（郭镜秋译，1952年纽约Harcourt，Brace　and　Company出版），由马小弥复译为中文，发表在1980年《收获》第2期，同年10月本社初版（单行本）。在编入本书时，对中、英文译本都重新作了校订，并加入简要注释。

《无名高地有了名》，1954年写于北京，1955年在《解放军文艺》杂志1月号至4月号连载，本社1955年5月初版。编入本书时，根据初版本校勘。