《女人和土匪》（英译本） 第十四章：张家自毁大花园（下）

作家的道歉信：本人因不懂英文，錯将《女人和土匪（英译本）》前十三章当成《传教士和他的女儿（英译本）》在网上博客发布。特此深深向读者道歉！ 张宗铭《女人与土匪》内容简介：这是一部叙说一位真正的正直的革命家遭遇太多的不幸和屈辱的作品；一部叙说解放初期国民党起义将领及其家庭的作品；-部描写解放初期土匪、地主、地主婆及其子女、妓女、革命队伍中的卑劣小人、穷苦人……为生存、为权利、为命运而奋争的作品；一部用儿童的目光，注视新中国、新政权、幸福与光明，暴力与血腥的作品；一部用耶稣基督的献身精神，宣扬信仰、仁爱、无私奉献的作品；一部张扬人性、呼唤权利、期望法制、宣扬真爱、鞭挞暴力、揭露丑恶……奉献给新世纪人类的作品！W0men and Bandits女人和土匪 （英译本）Zongming Zhang张宗銘 著Translated by Tangjin Xiao肖唐金 译Mr. Song, Zhang Yan’s tutor, was absent these days. Yang said Song was a leader in the new government, as he used to be an underground Communist. Zhang Yan was puzzled why Mr. Song as an underground Communist should have stayed in his house for over 10 years. Why didn’t Mr. Song fight against the Japanese invaders and the Kuomintang army?After Mr. Song left, Zhang Yan did not need to spend so much time reciting those boring classic books, such as the Three-character Primer. Neither did he have to practice Chinese handwriting with a brush. But the child could not understand why Song was a Communist.Seeing the ruins of the garden, Zhang Yan realized why his Mom was going to take him to Qiangling Mountain today.Uncle Yang said in an embarrassed way, “Dear boy, Mom is going to take you to Qianling Mountain.”“Uncle Yang, why was the garden changed so much?”Yang thought for a while and replied, “Is it good to be a rich person now?”“No. People would consider the rich as exploiters.”Yang could not help laughing, “You’re right. Now you are learned and understand things. Is your family rich?”“Mom says the money was left by my grandparents. We have never exploited the others, nor has my daddy. But my classmates said my daddy is a Kuomintang, and my mom a capitalist.”“Look! Isn’t it good to be a poor person now?”“Sure.”“Then, do the poor have gardens by their houses?”“No.”“Let’s change the garden into a place where we grow garlic, scallion, turnip and Chinese cabbage. What do you think of it?”Zhang Yan touched his own head, and said, “Is it so? Uncle Yang, if we don’t change the garden to a vegetable land, will people consider us as belonging to the poor?”Ynag said, “It takes time.”Zhang Yan went on, “If it is so, I’d like to have the garden changed. I’d like not to have the lotus pond.” Then, he cast a glance at the ruins. He was reluctant to say goodbye to the past fun here: birds, butterflies, dragonflies, bees, glowworms and…Zhang Yan found Uncle Yang tearful. At the same time he felt a gentle hand touching his right hand. It was his mom’s. He was aware that Uncle Yang showed much respect for Mom.Tang Weiqi touched her son’s head. There were tears in her eyes. She was sad that the garden had been destroyed. The rocks, flowers and stone benches had been arranged according to her will. The garden was a place where she prayed to God. Now that it caught much attention of the others who criticized it as a work of capitalism, she had to have it ruined. This world was really puzzling. The poor farmers became the masters of the country, and the landlords became the targets of suppressions. The conflicts between them were fiercer and fiercer.Madame Wang and Dai Min often mentioned the open criticism meeting against landlords and reactionaries to Tang and her son. The scene of the landlords and capitalists being beaten to death scared them.From time to time landlords, old-times officers, bandits, agents, trade leaders and those so-called bad people were sentenced to death or capitalized. Tang was really sorry to see what was happening. To her, the landlords and the so-called bad people were indeed guilty, but should people revenge in this way? She had to ask God for help. She would like to give up all her possessions if she could get peace this way. If this garden where she communicated with God could be kept intact, she would like to pay a lot to the others.Tang was aware that the church was closed, and the bridge between God and her was ruined. But she felt Lord speaking to her, “You’ll suffer a lot, but God will protect you.”The sense of impending disaster made her determined to ruin the garden. She persuaded her husband to agree with her, as guided by Lord.Tang saw a few masons standing in the courtyard as she came back from the garden with her son. Zhang Yunxuan told them what to do. He saw his son coming near, and then stopped speaking. With inquisitive eyes he looked at his wife and son. Zhang Yan went up to his daddy sadly, pressing his face against Daddy’s smooth cotton trousers and asking, “Daddy, why do we destroy the garden? Is it a nuisance?”Zhang hugged him gently, replying, “The garden is not a nuisance, but you are growing up. I’d like to change it into a soccer field. What do you think of it?”“Is it true?”“Yes.”“Then I’ll bring some kids here. Please don’t forbid us to play here. Mom, will you please buy me a big ball?”Tang used not to allow her son to play soccer, for fear of making him injured. Yet she knew the society was changing, and her son must get adapted to it. The rich had to live in an atmosphere of disrespect. Maybe, playing soccer was a good way for him to get used to the new living. Maybe God told her she should do this. With this thought, Tang said:“Sure. But you must study hard at school.”“You mentioned we’ll go to Qiangling Mountain today. Is that right?”“Yes. I won’t go to the church today.”“Why?”“Collective service is not allowed.”“Couldn’t people sing praise to Lord and make confessions without a priest?”Tang and Uncle Yang laughed at this. She looked at them seriously and then told Zhang Yan patiently, “Dear son, I can only pray at home now. But remember to place Lord in our hearts at any time. Lord won’t blame us for a lack of collective service in the church.” Tang spoke to her husband, “Is it wrong for me to love God?”Zhang stopped laughing and said gently to his wife, “How come? Although I don’t believe in God, I admire Jesus. If the leaders could act like Jesus, the world would be peaceful.”Yang added, “Right. Jesus is really worth respecting and worshipping. Look! We don’t need to offer incenses to him.Yang’s words delighted the masons present and made them laugh. At this time the guard of the gate came, and said the public security office workers came for residential registration. Zhang Yan saw Uncle Yang take Daddy to the small hall behind the sitting room and then accompany Mom to greet the public security office workers. Zhang Yan felt that he should go to Qianling Mountain with his cousins. Then, he went to the rooms in the back of the house.