精品散文:半日

Half a Day-- Naguib Mahfous (埃及作家)

I walked alongside my father, clutching his right hand. All my clothes were new: the black shoes, the green school uniform, and the red cap. They did not make me happy, however, as this was the day I was to be thrown into school for the first time.

My mother stood at the window watching our progress, and I turned towards her from time to time, hoping she would help. We walked along a street lined with gardens, and fields planted with crops: pears, and date palms.

"Why school ?" I asked my father. "What have I done ?"
"I'm not punishing you, " he said, laughing. "School's not a punishment. It's a place that makes useful men out of boys. Don' t you want to be useful like your brothers?"

走在父親身邊，緊緊攀着他的右手。身上的衣裳全是嶄新的：黑色的小皮鞋，綠色的校服，還有紅色的帽子。這一切絲毫不能使我開心起來，因爲，這是我被扔進學校的第 一天。

媽媽站在窗邊看着我們步步前行，我一次又一次轉過身來期盼着媽媽的幫助。

“爲什麼要這樣？”我問我的父親。“我做錯了什麼嗎？”

“我不是懲罰你。”他笑着說“去上學校並不是懲罰。這是一個能把你從男孩變成有用之人的地方，你不想變得象你的兄長一樣，做個真正的男人嗎？”

I was not convinced. I did not believe there was really any good to be had in tearing me away from my home and throwing me into the huge, high-walled building.

When we arrived at the gate we could see the courtyard, vast and full of boys and girls. "Go in by yourself, " said my father, "and join them. Put a smile on your face and be a good example to others. "

I hesitated and clung to his hand, but he gently pushed me from him. "Be a man, " he said. "Today you truly begin life. You will find me waiting for you when it's time to leave. "

I took a few steps. Then the faces of the boys and girls came into view. I did not know a single one of them, and none of them knew me. I felt I was a stranger who had lost his way. But then some boys began to glance at me in curiosity, and one of them came over and asked, "Who brought you?"

"My father, " I whispered.

"My father's dead, " he said simply.

我沒有被說動。我可不相信把我從家中牽走然後扔進高牆深院的建築有什麼好的。

當我們到達學校的大門，我看見了大操場，那兒滿是男孩和女孩。“自己走進去。”父親告訴我“融入他們之中，面帶微笑面對一切，這也是給他們作個榜樣。”

我猶豫着不願鬆開父親的手，但他輕輕的推開我的小手。“象個男人一樣”他說“今天你的人生真正開始了。你離開時我會在這兒等你。

我走了幾步，到處都是男孩女孩的陌生面孔，我一個也不認識……他們中也沒人認識我……我感到自己就象迷路的旅行者。接着一些孩子開始好奇的打量我，

其中一個走上前來問：“誰帶你來的？”

“我爸爸”我回答道。

“我的爸爸死了”他平淡地說。

I did not know what to say. The gate was now closed. Some of the children burst into tears. The bell rang. A lady came along, followed by a group of men. The men began sorting us into ranks. We were formed into an intricate pattern in the great courtyard surrounded by high buildings; from each floor we were overlooked by a long balcony roofed in wood.

"This is your new home, "said the woman.

"There are mothers and fathers here, too. Everything that is enjoyable and beneficial is here. So dry your tears and face life joyfully. "

Well, it seemed that my misgivings had had no basis. From the first moments I made many friends and fell in love with many girls. I had never imagined school would have this rich variety of experiences.

這時我不知道該說些什麼了，突然，大門關上了。立刻就有一些孩子哭了出來。接着鈴響了，一個女人走了過來，她身後跟着一羣男人。男人們開始把我們編成隊列。我們在高樓間的庭院裏被排出複雜的隊形,那會我可以望見每層樓都有木頂的陽臺。

“這兒就是你們的新家 ！”那個女人這麼說道：“這裏一樣也有家人和父母，所有有益處和舒適的東西都在這兒。所以，擦乾你的眼淚準備享受這裏幸福的生活吧。”

的確如此，看來我的疑慮和痛苦是毫無根據的。從第一刻起，我就認識了許許多多的新朋友，我與許許多多女孩墜入愛河。我從沒想到學校生活會是如此多姿多彩。

We played all sorts of games. In the music room we sang our first songs. We also had our first introduction to language. We saw a globe of the Earth, which revolved and showed the various continents and countries. We started learning numbers, and we were told the story of the Creator of the universe. We ate delicious food, took a little nap, and woke up to go on with friendship and love, playing and learning.

Our path, however, was not totally sweet and unclouded. We had to be observant and patient. It was not all a matter of playing and fooling around. Rivalries could bring about pain and hatred or give rise to fighting. And while the lady would sometimes smile, she would often yell and scold. Even more frequently she would resort to physical punishment.

In addition, the time for changing one' s mind was over and gone and there was no question of ever returning to the paradise of home. Nothing lay ahead of us but exertion, struggle, and perseverance. Those who were able took advantage of the opportunities for success and happiness that presented themselves.

我們玩轉了各式的遊戲，在音樂教室裏唱起了第一首歌，還第一次感觸了文學的魅力。我們從地球儀上認識了神奇的不同大陸和迥異的國度。我們學習了數學，還聽到了造物主的傳說。在學校裏，我們品嚐了美味的食物，睡了那麼香甜的午覺。然後又從睡夢中新來去繼續我們的友誼、愛情、玩樂和學習。

當然了。我們的旅程也不是那麼甜美而愜意。我們得遵紀和耐心，因爲這一切也不總是遊戲人生和無所事事。事實上到處都伴隨着競爭，競爭帶來了傷痛和仇恨,抑或助長了那些爭鬥,然而那位女士出現時卻總是以微笑替代鼓勵或斥責,即便她可更常的訴諸體罰。

最後，已經不再有什麼能改變我們的想法了，我們甚至不會去想念那溫暖如天堂般的家。在我們的腦海裏，只剩下了努力，奮鬥，鍥而不捨。爲的是在機會出現時能抓住屬於自己的幸福與成功。

The bell rang, announcing the passing of the day and the end of work. The children rushed toward the gate, which was opened again. I said goodbye to friends and sweethearts and passed through the gate. I looked around but found no trace of my father, who had promised to be there. I stepped aside to wait. When I had waited for a long time in vain, I decided to return home on my own. I walked a few steps, then came to a startled halt. Good Lord! Where was the street lined with gardens? Where had it disappeared to? When did all these cars invade it? And when did all these people come to rest on its surface? How did these hills of rubbish find their way to cover its sides?

鈴聲再次響起,宣告了一日的完結和辛勞的尾聲。孩子們向再次敞開的大門涌去。我對朋友和心愛的可人們道了再會,走了出去。四下張望卻不見保證出現的父親的身影,我走到一邊等着。一段漫長而徒勞的等待過後,我決定自己回家。我前行幾步,卻驚恐的停下了。天啊!我那回家的路呢，那條花園之中的小路呢？消失去了何方？這兒何時已被這些車輛擠滿？人們又何時開始走在了汽車的兩旁？成山的廢品如何遍佈了路面？漫無邊際的田地哪去了？高樓接管了一切,街道滿是兒童,驚擾的噪音震顫着上空。處處是展示小把戲和令蛇從籃子裏探出的小丑與術士們,樂隊宣佈着馬戲團的開演,那兒有密集的人羣跟着前面的舉重者。

And where were the fields that bordered it? High buildings had taken over, the street was full of children, and disturbing noises shook the air. Here and there stood conjurers showing off their tricks or making snakes appear from baskets. Then there was a band announcing the opening of a circus, with clowns and weight lifters walking in front.
Good God! I was in a daze. My head spun. I almost went crazy. How could all this have happened in half a day, between early morning and sunset? I would find the answer at home with my father. But where was my home? I hurried towards the crossroads, because I remembered that I had to cross the street to reach our house, but the stream of cars would not let up. Extremely irritated, I wondered when I would be able to cross.

真主!我只覺得一片茫然,開始眩暈,近乎癲狂。一切的一切如何能在清晨到日落這半日內發生？我要回家在父親那裏得到答案。但家在哪裏？我朝十字路口趕去,因爲還記得須穿過這條街回去,然而車流卻不肯停下。我心煩意亂的想知道何時才能通過。

I stood there a long time, until the young boy employed at the ironing shop on the corner came up to me.

He stretched out his arm and said, "Grandpa, let me take you across."

在那兒默立了許久,直到一個受僱於街角的鐵鋪的年輕人向我走過來。

他向我伸出臂膀：“老爺爺,我領你過去吧。”