Home>> Literature>> 短篇小说>> 张爱玲 Zhang Ailing   中国 China   现代中国   (1920年9月30日1995年9月8日)
Cattle
  Lu Xing mouth, pipe down pipe, Cha Zhaoyao at the door. The rain stopped, the roof thatch sparkling in the dripping wet. Underground, and the rough Wong Tanzi, Wang the green water. _Set_aria mind a few sparse water, with the water vortex, gently shaking light chestnut heads. Head-wind blowing, still cold from the tip of the nose grazed, but it seems a little more than winter grass incense.
  Lu Xing knock knock on the door panel ash, a tight waist tight band, went to the cowshed. Over there, the beginning of the sun through the thin clear the fence, covered in mud uniform rectangular shadow and light, two small thin Qieqie shaking sticky yellow chicken wings, walk around pecking food, cattle bar inside, lonely, gathering dust, empty water tank lay, spread a layer of paper above, basking in the dried vegetables. Corner, there is dry grass litters. Side of the fence there was friction between white, it is used to neck itch grass fed cattle when grinding. Lu Xing gently worn hand on the fence, touched the rough wood, a ray of bitter taste on the bridge of the nose to climb slowly, blocking the throat, tears filled the eyes of the Pan-
  Eyes.
  He was taken aback - heard the sound of heavy breathing behind, when he was looking back, do not know since when, Lu Xing lady has _set_ behind him, as also Zhideng Deng looked at the empty cattle pens and hair dilute the wind mess, chin quivering, tears in the eyes of milling. He does not ring, she did not ring, but each of them if we see sharp mind. _Set_aria thin Qieqie chicks in the nest Susu tread, very quiet all around. To the sun dried on a gentle wind wafting the smell.
  "In the end made up his mind what?" She scoop up blue apron to wipe eyes.
  "... ... Not how." "No how! Saw the beginning of spring is necessary, and everyone brought the cattle on the land, our cows do?" "Tomorrow I'm on the maiden Aunt borrow, borrow!" He impatiently to smoke tube Toto knocked bar. "Yes, that vernacular down easy! Three aunt This is a good pro with our good neighbors, the last people to borrow a few liters meters, you will not, and now in turn ask for help, people willing to fall?"
  His impatience is obviously enhanced, the more she discovers that he hated the pain of this confession had sores, she still chose to expose. Speaking of the original offended that he has always been strange to speak of the three good aunt, but she actually caught the irony of this repeatedly for the handle -
  "Tomorrow, look for Jiang Tiangui go!" He turned backwards, that do not want more than a word, but she never seemed to like his answer that meet -
  "Days of your lady said in public, would like to take cattle, prepaid rent money."
  He lowered his eyes, and bending to catch the chicken in hand, over and over again looks for its prominent ribs and thin legs; chicken creak in his palm to call.
  "No, no!" She cried excitedly, she figured he implied silent. She now seems a little hoarse than usual, though she is only just over three-year-old man tame her soft brown eyes, with the kind of panic and pleading glance at him, "This trip I am in any case no yes! God! first my my beef cattle ... ... ... ... led to the people alive, but also Yinzan child ... ... what should turn these two chicks! You a man, I only intend to something - I ask you, who bear frozen chicken to save money for hungry bear? I ask you what - "she was completely lost self-control, the blue cloth apron and a veiled woman wept.
  "Clamor for cattle also would like to take you, is you could not bear the chicken!" Lu Xing turn away and smoking, twist a piece of dried vegetables in his hand, sniffed, still on the sink.
  "I am a person not want to -" Lu Xing shoulder, she tried to stretch over his face. "You - you air, you are also willing to give as gifts to the house! I do not worthwhile! Why bother to eat for the people suffering around the house shook Xin production, only to end up these words! Heaven at the top - the first took away my cattle , but also Yinzan child, what should turn chicken! by what you mean, it is better to take the knife to remember me chop off a piece of meat to give it away down clean! save next time out new tricks! "
  Lu Xing silent, looked up into the _set_ting sun light Wong shadow on the wall, he knew that if a woman is not serious, she will not soften up the sun _set_s. By cattle is a serious matter in the end - not till the fields, do not live and so starve it? This, though she is a woman, but also understood.
  Xiegua yellow moon on the chimney in the cottage, according to the wet grass into a crisp white. Puff is to take the chimney smoke, have smoked on bedroom □ □, the chicken has been in a cage, and whispered, creak clucked.
  Hut door was ajar, oil leakage line orange light, a tall figure standing in the doorway filled with all the doors the whole, it was Lu Xing, Cha Zhaoyao in the suction pipe down, he thought, tomorrow, the same night, less squeaky giggle chickens cry, which is how lonely a night ah!
  The day after tomorrow morning, did not have a name, Lu Xing lady got up and ordered to fire on the stove, along with Paul Hing also got up, ate a hot meal of baked pumpkin Puff, the red cloth tied to the two chickens in the foot, put down In the hands of Jiang Xing Xing went to the head.
  To the destination, the children bear the cattle owner's mission Zaisandingning him, then stand at the side to monitor his cattle rack rake, and then left them. He began to cattle was. However, cattle seem interested in joking, just take the three steps will be the body sank, and fell to the ground would not, despite his best all means, it is only in that the shadow of thick horn he slyly peered askance. Hot sun to shine on his jacket, so he was covered in sweat all out. Distant ridge, farmers successfully drove them, and sang, in his anxious mind with a mocking when they crossed the taste. "Hybrid animal! Bully you I, I just bully you!" He impatiently cursing, brush it and smoked it for a whip. "You - you - you hybrid beast, I can not dare to bully you?" Cow suddenly enlarged pupil, and turned over the look up to him, nose up big, boo to spitting gas, which then slowly , the dignity to stand up, so Paul Hing very quickly sniffs the air in the crisis. A sudden sharp falls the shadow of terror to his heart. That he survived two Xieshen rushed to his giant horn, and soon lay down to go and the body of a roll, rolling down the slope straight Gulu Lu Tian Long to go. Side of the roll, he heard the up side of a large cattle Xiu Xiu's nostrils the breath, and think that a pair of hideous eyes nearer, nearer the larger - and as big as the wheel, and later stabbed while he felt like a drama pain, blood and salty and fishy import cavity go - he lost consciousness, the ear seems far Xiu Xiu heard the sound of cattle and clamor of the crowd noise.
  Another evening, Lu Xing lady Pimadaixiao, sending two men carried a black coffin to go out. She repeatedly pressed his face in cold coffin board, with her loose on the roots rub a damp seal paint. The shaking her soft brown trainer eyes filled with tears inside; she whispered with a trembling voice told:
  "First ... ... First, my cows will eat it ... ... I will do to the strong ox pulled out alive ... ... ... ... ... ... dowry Yinzan Jiucheng child silver, shiny Yinzan is my child ... ... and then the chicken ... ... and you ... ... and you also give lift to the ... ... "she cried to play choke - she felt that her life can be encountered in all things love to grow wings in the cool of the evening breeze gradually Run fly.
  Yellow moon Xiegua in the chimney, get smoked by the smoke drifted □ □, open purple morning glory in the Luanfen heap of small speakers, shaking Susu _Set_aria maroon heads. Lady Lu Xing start in life is in front of a long night - the lack of a creak sound of clucking chickens and Lu Xing, tall in the light dangling before the shadow of the night, how lonely the night Oh!
  (1936)
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