2022年10月2日:
海邊沙灘的左側有大石斷崖，石頭表面凹凸有致且十分光滑，不見有草，大約有五六層樓的高度。斷崖上邊靠近海的地方有一個半圓的小網棚，我就坐在裡面面向大海打坐。
打完了坐，來到一個公用的小平房，東西有兩個進出口。在裡面碰到了兩位五六十歲、看上去事業有成的白人。他們問我住在附近嗎，我手指了指不遠處豪宅錯落但並不擁擠的東坡，回答說：「是的，就在那邊。」他們似乎有些驚訝，其中一個人對我有善意，另外一個面露一絲傲慢與不信。因為這裡是富人區，房產都很貴。我有點爭辯地說：「我和我丈夫都是一個一文不名的窮學生，從中國來到這裡的，憑藉著自己的本事和努力才成就了這一切。」
說完我就走了出去想回家。將要到小房子的東邊出口時，正好他們倆也從那個門出來，還說著話，似乎還是不信我說的。他們沒注意到我，我就停下腳步站在房子一側，等他們走遠了，我再往回走。
在我前方一箭之遙的是一條蜿蜒平緩的山路，兩邊散落著幾棟小洋房，我家就在那裡了。這時有一個十五六歲的小男孩從那裡迎面走來，他說：「今天是撿水晶的日子。」我問：「撿水晶？」他回答：「就是下到沙灘上去撿被潮水衝上岸的水晶，是各種顏色的水晶砂石。幸運的人會撿到鑽石呢。」
場景突然變了，原本路兩旁的巨石塊兒一下就變成了兩邊有一個挨著一個小商店的迷你街道，路比較窄。小店裡面不大，門窗都開得比較低矮，裡面陳列的都是水晶工藝製品，琳琅滿目。但顧客是走不進去的，只能在門窗處跟裡面的店員交易、購買。那些製品的設計，顯得相當豪華、大氣。
那小男孩這時在前面的地攤上買了兩個三寸長的竹籌碼。他遞給我一個，說是用這個籌碼才能買東西。小男孩在右手邊一個店門口處買了一樣東西。當我看到時，店員正用紙把它包裝起來，我沒看真切，只是感覺非常漂亮，有一尺多高，腰鼓形，表面似乎有水晶雕刻的植物莖葉等，大概有兩三種顏色，晶瑩剔透。
一轉身，我左後方的石牆上也開了一扇矮矮的門。我往裡一瞅，又是一家水晶商店。我看到有幾個大碗尺寸的器皿，荷葉邊，植物形狀，非常漂亮。我說：“Sleek！”裡面的女店員問：「你說什麼？」我指著裡面的兩個器皿說：「這兩個相當的 sleek。」我的意思是說這兩個設計有現代感，流線型，漂亮。我又說：「另外一個就比較老式了，那個是我們叫車料的老工藝，中規中矩的保守式樣。」
**********************************
Meditation on the Cliff, a Debate in the Wealthy Enclave, and the Miniature Street of Crystal Crafts
To the left of the ocean beach rose a precipitous cliff of massive stone. Its surface was contoured and smooth, entirely devoid of grass, reaching a height of about five or six stories. Near the sea, atop the cliff, stood a semi-circular mesh shelter, and I sat inside it, facing the ocean to meditate.
After meditating, I walked to a public pavilion with entrances on its east and west sides. Inside, I encountered two white men in their fifties or sixties who appeared highly accomplished. They asked if I lived nearby. I pointed toward the eastern slope where luxury homes stood scattered but uncrowded, and replied, "Yes, right over there." They seemed somewhat surprised; one showed goodwill, while the other wore an air of arrogance and disbelief, for this was an affluent neighborhood where real estate was exceedingly expensive. Somewhat argumentatively, I said, "My husband and I came here from China as penniless students. We achieved all of this entirely through our own ability and hard work."
Having said this, I stepped outside to head home. As I approached the eastern exit of the pavilion, the two men happened to walk out of the same door, still talking, seemingly still skeptical of my words. They did not notice me, so I halted and stood along the side of the building, waiting until they had walked far away before resuming my journey home.
A stone's throw ahead of me lay a winding, gentle mountain path scattered with a few small western-style houses; my home was right there. Just then, a teenage boy around fifteen or sixteen years old walked toward me and said, "Today is the day for gathering crystals." "Gathering crystals?" I asked. "Yes, going down to the beach to collect crystals washed ashore by the tide—crystal sand and stones of various colors. Lucky individuals might even find diamonds."
Suddenly, the scenery shifted. The massive boulders that originally flanked the path transformed into a narrow miniature street lined with small shops standing side by side. The shops were small inside, with low doors and windows. Inside, a dazzling array of crystal crafts was on display, but customers could not step inside; they could only transact and purchase through the doors and windows with the shop assistants. The designs of those pieces appeared remarkably luxurious and grand.
The boy then purchased two three-inch bamboo tokens from a street stall. He handed one to me, explaining that these tokens were required to buy goods. He then bought something at a shop entrance on the right. By the time I saw it, the assistant was wrapping it in paper. I did not see it clearly, but felt it was exceedingly beautiful, about a foot high, shaped like a waist-drum, its surface seemingly carved with crystal plant stems and leaves in two or three translucent colors.
Turning around, I noticed a low door cut into the stone wall to my left rear. Poking my head in, I discovered yet another crystal shop. I saw several large bowl-sized vessels with ruffled lotus-leaf edges shaped like plants, beautifully crafted. I said, "Sleek!" The female sales assistant inside asked, "What did you say?" I pointed to the two vessels and said, "These two are quite sleek." I meant that these two designs possessed a modern, streamlined look. I added, "The other one is rather old-fashioned; it is the old craftsmanship we call cut-glass—proper, conventional, and conservative in style."
特別感謝 Gemini AI 提供充滿活力的翻譯和文本潤色。
Special thanks to Gemini AI for providing the spirited translation and text refinement.
第四百十七篇
No comments:
Post a Comment