一件小事

我從鄕下跑到京城裏，一轉眼已經六年了。其間耳聞目覩的所謂國家大事，算起來也很不少；但在我心裏，都不留什麽痕迹，倘要我尋出這些事的影響來說，便只是增長了我的壞脾氣，——老實說，便是教我一天比一天的看不起人。

我从乡下跑到京城里，一转眼已经六年了。其间耳闻目睹的所谓国家大事，算起来也很不少；但在我心里，都不留什么痕迹，倘要我寻出这些事的影响来说，便只是增长了我的坏脾气，——老实说，便是教我一天比一天的看不起人。

It is six years now, in the twinkling of an eye, since I came from the country to the capital. In that time I have heard and seen a good many so-called affairs of state, but none of them has left any trace in my heart. If I tried to name their effect on me, it would only be that they made my temper worse; to be honest, they taught me to think less of people day by day.

這是民國六年的冬天，大北風刮得正猛，我因爲生計關係，不得不一早在路上走。一路幾乎遇不見人，好容易纔雇定了一輛人力車，教他拉到S門去。不一會，北風小了，路上浮塵早已刮淨，剩下一條潔白的大道來，車夫也跑得更快。剛近S門，忽而車把上帶著一個人，慢慢地倒了。

这是民国六年的冬天，大北风刮得正猛，我因为生计关系，不得不一早在路上走。一路几乎遇不见人，好容易才雇定了一辆人力车，教他拉到S门去。不一会，北风小了，路上浮尘早已刮净，剩下一条洁白的大道来，车夫也跑得更快。刚近S门，忽而车把上带着一个人，慢慢地倒了。

It was the winter of the sixth year of the Republic. A strong north wind was blowing hard, and to earn my living I had to be out on the road early in the morning. There was hardly anyone about, and with great difficulty I managed to hire a rickshaw to take me to S Gate. After a while the north wind dropped a little. By now the dust had been blown clean off the road, leaving a clean, white highway, and the rickshaw man ran faster. Just as we were nearing S Gate, someone was caught on the shafts of the rickshaw and slowly fell to the ground.

跌倒的是一個女人，花白頭髮，衣服都很破爛。伊從馬路邊上突然向車前橫截過來；車夫已經讓開道，但伊的破棉背心沒有上釦，微風吹著，向外展開，所以終於兜著車把。幸而車夫早有點停步，否則伊定要栽一個大觔斗，跌到頭破血出了。

跌倒的是一个女人，花白头发，衣服都很破烂。伊从马路边上突然向车前横截过来；车夫已经让开道，但伊的破棉背心没有上扣，微风吹着，向外展开，所以终于兜着车把。幸而车夫早有点停步，否则伊定要栽一个大斤斗，跌到头破血出了。

It was a woman, with greying hair and very ragged clothes. She had suddenly cut across in front of us from the side of the road. The rickshaw man had swerved to make way, but her tattered padded waistcoat was unbuttoned and, flapping open in the breeze, it caught on the shaft. Luckily the rickshaw man had already slowed down, or she would have taken a bad fall and cut her head open.

我這時突然感到一種異樣的感覺，覺得他滿身灰塵的後影，剎時高大了，而且愈走愈大，須仰視纔見。而且他對於我，漸漸的又幾乎變成一種威壓，甚而至於要榨出皮袍下面藏著的『小』來。

我这时突然感到一种异样的感觉，觉得他满身灰尘的后影，刹时高大了，而且愈走愈大，须仰视才见。而且他对于我，渐渐的又几乎变成一种威压，甚而至于要榨出皮袍下面藏着的『小』来。

At that moment I suddenly had a strange feeling. His dusty figure, seen from behind, seemed in an instant to grow larger, and the further he walked the larger he grew, until I had to look up to see him. And for me he gradually became almost a kind of pressure, which even seemed about to squeeze out the "smallness" hidden under my fur-lined gown.

我沒有思索的從外套袋裏抓出一大把銅元，交給巡警，說，『請你給他……』

我没有思索的从外套袋里抓出一大把铜元，交给巡警，说，『请你给他……』

Without thinking, I pulled a handful of coppers out of my coat pocket and handed them to the policeman. "Please give him these ..."

這事到了現在，還是時時記起。我因此也時時熬了苦痛，努力的要想到我自己。幾年來的文治武力，在我早如幼小時候所讀過的『子曰詩云』一般，背不上半句了。獨有這一件小事，卻總是浮在我眼前，有時反更分明，教我慚愧，催我自新，並且增長我的勇氣和希望。

这事到了现在，还是时时记起。我因此也时时熬了苦痛，努力的要想到我自己。几年来的文治武力，在我早如幼小时候所读过的『子曰诗云』一般，背不上半句了。独有这一件小事，却总是浮在我眼前，有时反更分明，教我惭愧，催我自新，并且增长我的勇气和希望。

To this day I still often remember that incident. Because of it I often bear the pain of trying hard to think about myself. The civil rule and military might of these years have long been to me like the "Confucius said" and "the Book of Songs says" I recited as a small boy: I could not repeat half a line of them. Only this small incident keeps floating before my eyes, sometimes even more clearly than before, making me ashamed, urging me to renew myself, and adding to my courage and my hope.