「五四遺事」英文版

oIhavemadeadecision,&rdquohesaidinalowvoice,lookingather.Then,whenshedidnotaskhimwhatitwas,hesaid,&ldquoMissFan,willyouwaitforme?Itmighttakeyears.&rdquo Shehadturnedaway,herheadbent.Herhandsplayedwiththelowerleftcornerofherslittedblouse,furlingandunfurlingit. Actuallyshedidnotagreetohisgettingadivorceuntildayslater.Butthatevening,whenthefourofthemdinedatarestaurantfamousforitslakefish,Loalreadyfeltpledgedanddedicated.Allthewinehedranktastedlikethelastcupbeforesettingoutonalonghardjourneyonacoldnight. TherestaurantwascalledtheHouseBeyondHouse.Itleanedoverthelakeonthreesides.Despitetheviewanditspoeticnameitwasanonchalantlyuglyplacewithgreasyoldfurniture.Thewaitershoutedorderstothekitcheninasingsongchant.Whentheglassdomewasliftedfromtheplateofliveshrimp,someoftheshrimpjumpedacrossthetable,inandoutofthesaucedish,andlandedonMissFan,tailingsoyasaucedownthefrontofherblouse.MissChousquealed.InthedingyyellowelectriclightMissFanlookedflushedandhappyanddidnotseemtomindatall. LodidnotgohomeuntiltheSaturdayafterthat.Thejourneytooktwohoursbytrainandwheelbarrow.Hiswifelookedsheepishashermother-in-lawloudlyandostentatiouslyexcusedherfromvariousdutiesbecauseherhusbandwashome.Shewaswearingashortblueoverallwiththeredsatinbindingofasilktunicshowingunderneathit.Shehadnotbeensurethathewouldbecoming. Hespoketoherthatnightaboutdivorce.Shecriedallnight.Itwasterrible,almostasifajudgeweretosleepinthesamebedwithacondemnedman.Saywhathemight,heknewhewasconsigninghertodishonorablewidowhoodfortherestofherlife. Hismotherflewintoarageonbeingtold.Shewouldnothearofit.LowentbacktoHangchowandstoppedcominghomealtogether.HismothergothisuncletogouptoHangchowandtalkhimoutofhisfoolishness.Heinturnmanagedtopersuadeacousintogoandtalktohisfamily.Ittookinfernallylongtonegotiatethroughrelativeswhowere,furthermore,unreliabletransmittersofharshwords,beingpeacemakersatheart,especiallywherematrimonywasconcerned.Tobreakupamarriageisacardinalsinthatautomaticallytakestenyearsoffaman&rsquosgivenlifespan. Logotalawyertowritehiswifeanalarminglywordedrequestfordivorce.Hiswife&rsquosfamily,theChangs,boiledoverwithrage.Didhethinkhiswifewasanorphan?NotalltheChangsweredead.True,theycouldnotrevengethemselvesonthefaithlessmanunlesshiswifeweretohangherselfonhislintel.Thatwouldplacehislifeandpropertyentirelyattheirmercy.Butitwasnotforthemtorecommendsuchasteptoher. TheheadoftheLoclanwasmovedtospeak.TheoldmanthreatenedtoinvitetheFamilyLawoutofitsnicheandbeattheyoungrascalintheancestraltemple.&ldquoFamilyLaw&rdquowasaeuphemismfortheplankusedforflogging. MissFanandLocontinuedtoseeeachotherinthecompanyofWenandMissChou.Theirfriendsweredelightedandexhilaratedbythecourageofthisundertaking-thoughitdidputWeninadifficultposition,evenifMissChouwasneveropenlyreproachful.Itnowappearedasthoughthewistfulnessthatwaspartofthebeautyoftheirrelationshipwasnotoneofthosethingsthatcouldn&rsquotbehelped. Lowasonlyhomeonceintwoyears.Theyweredifficultyearsforboththemotheranddaughter-in-law.Theybegantogetoneachother&rsquosnerve