Chapter 22 Brownville - Streets of Memory

The Paris that appeared in front of him was a sunny day after the rain. Bajin and his entourage were amazed by the warm welcome at Charles de Gaulle International Airport.Before the trip, Ba Jin and his party received a farewell banquet in Beijing hosted by the French ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, Arnault. It was only then that they heard that not long ago, fellow French writers had been building momentum for the aging Chinese writer Ba Jin to visit France.While the films shot by the Shanghai Film Studio were grandly staged in various parts of France, French writers, under the management of the honorary chairman of the French PEN, Jean-Claude Crancière, rushed to the eve of Ba Jin's visit to present the French version of the novel, "The Garden of Rest" and Waiting for the three works to be launched grandly.Ba Jin's name is therefore well known among French youth.The popularity of the movie and the novel of the same name has contributed to the "Baking Fever" in Paris and other cities!

"After I returned to Shanghai from France, I lived in a pavilion on Baoshan Road in Zhabei. At that time, I was thinking about Paris almost every day, and wanted to write down my impression of Paris on paper, but I still didn't know how to write it. .Although I have already started writing novels in France.” On the night they arrived in beautiful Paris, Ba Jin and his party attended the grand welcome reception held by Chairman Crancière for them.When the master's toast to Ba Jin came to an end, Crancière sat beside Ba Jin intimately and had a quiet conversation with him.Ba Jin's French is already a little rusty, but they still talked very speculatively through the interpreter.Ba Jin was telling Crancière a story about himself: "It was a rainy morning, and I suddenly remembered the Polish girl I met in Paris, and a flame ignited in my heart. My heart couldn't calm down , my recollection told me that I must write something. So I wrote the short story entitled "Ariana."

"Yes, Mr. Ba Jin, I have read this novel, so I have a respect for Mr. Because no foreign writer can describe our Paris more sincerely than Mr. Mr. The moving parts of your novel Yes, a kind of enthusiasm from an oriental country, which may be the same as Mr.'s personality, even writing is full of true feelings." "Yes, I like the Seine River in France and the bells of Notre Dame de Paris! As long as I am alone these years, I will recall the Paris I visited when I was young." Ba Jin sat under the light, thinking But back to the past.He knew that at least half of what he had written in that novel was true.He told his French friends: "Ariana is the name of the Polish girl. 'Wu' in the novel is a friend of mine, and 'Jin' is naturally me. Not long after I arrived in Paris, Wu and Ariana met because of The so-called international conference was expelled by the French government. I still remember this incident very clearly.”

"Really?" There was silence in Paris at night.Not far from the Government Hall of the Fourth District of Paris, where the welcome banquet was held for Ba Jin, it is beside the old Seine River that has haunted Ba Jin's dreams for many years.What Ba Jin said surprised Crancière and all the French writers attending the banquet. They only heard that Ba Jin was studying here, and they also knew that his novels started in a small French town.However, no one thought that the novel written by Ba Jin back to Shanghai would have a touching and lingering story behind it. Ba Jin continued to tell his story: "I remember it was a Sunday night, I went to Wu's room, and then Ariana and her boyfriend Hang Ke also came. They had a lot of conversations with Wu, and they looked very nervous. From their conversations, I know that the conference that day was disbanded by the police, and the police also checked the residence permits of every attendee. Severe punishment is waiting for them, and it will not last long. I see that they all No fear, especially Ariana, she often smiled when she talked, I watched her carefully, this is a small girl. She has thick golden hair, two big blue eyes, a Zhang Honghong's round face. These are common for an ordinary Polish girl. Wu told me that she was just twenty years old."

Crancière couldn't help exclaiming: "Mr. Ba Jin, I didn't expect you to still remember it so clearly after more than fifty years?" French writers also exclaimed at the same time.This heavy story suddenly added a bit of solemnity to the cheerful atmosphere of the welcome dinner. Ba Jin continued: "The next day, detectives came to the hotel to search Wu's room. Later, I heard that Ariana's room was also visited by detectives that day. There was no movement in the next few days. One morning, Wu was suddenly Passed to the police station, received the deportation order, handed in his residence permit, was forced to have his fingerprints taken, had his portrait taken, and left France within three days. Many people received the same punishment, and Ariana naturally Not an exception. Wu was busy writing letters when he returned to the hotel from the police station, and was busy going out to meet friends. Ariana came, and she sent a letter to Wu. From that letter, we knew that she was going back to Poland Although Poland is her hometown, she is a wanted person. If she is caught in Poland, she will be locked up for at least several years. We don't want her to go back, but we can't stop her. Wu's own sorrow is also Very big. In his farewell letter to many French friends, he said: 'I am leaving France, I love this place, and I will always love it.' My sorrow is also great, losing these friends, I am in Life in Paris is even lonelier."

Ba Jin's words echoed in the banquet hall.No one would have thought that the stories told by the writer Ba Jin were so touching and dignified. In the magnificent hall, the French friends seemed to have entered the realm of his stories.Still not returning to reality from his past, Ba Jin continued: "Wu read Ariana's letter and sat silently by the table, looking at me with his melancholy eyes. When he felt lonely, he often That's right. The next afternoon, Wu asked me to see Ariana off. We found her in a hotel in District 6. Besides Ariana, we saw two young women. This meeting The situation is a bit like what I described in the novel "Ariana", but only part of the novel is true and the rest is fiction. It is mentioned in the novel that we sent Ariana to the train station, but In fact, we sent her to a hotel where a friend was staying, and shortly thereafter, we broke up with her.  …”

It seems to have entered an unforgettable TV drama plot.The French friends waited quietly for the next one, but the excited Ba Jin realized that he had talked too much. He saw some French maids gathered nearby, and they seemed to be deeply attracted by his story.So he decided to stop this conversation at an appropriate time. "What happened to Wu after that?" Crancière was still immersed in the tragic atmosphere created by Ba Jin, and he began to pay attention to the ending of the characters in the novel.But Ba Jin had just gone through a long journey and was a little too tired. He found that his French counterparts were also a little tired.He didn't want to continue, so he ended his non-novel stories in the shortest language: "Afterwards, Wu's whereabouts were unclear! ... But he must be alive. The reason I wrote this novel is to One day I can see my old friend Wu again, and of course, I will commemorate my unforgettable experience as a foreign student in France!"

"Oh, Mr. Ba Jin is really an outstanding master. He is a master who processes every bit of what he discovers in life into real literary works!" The French friends all returned to reality from Ba Jin's story.They felt that it was a miracle that Ba Jin reappeared in ancient Paris after more than 50 years.His arrival will undoubtedly give French readers who have come into contact with Chinese social conditions in the 1930s from the Japanese and French translations the opportunity to learn more about the ancient East. Crancière excitedly stood up and toasted Ba Jin. He said: "Dear master, your name, your work, your example, your life means the love of justice and freedom. Since your youth, a Your thoughts, your works and your actions are guided by a longing and constant passion. In a word, you are a rebel against the old feudal society!"

Everyone at the banquet applauded.The applause broke the silence in the hall, and a gratified smile appeared on Ba Jin's face. He seemed to have just returned to reality from a nightmare. The old man looked at the ancient buildings outside the hall through the blurred lights. At that moment, he found that Paris, France was at his feet. "Dear Mr. Ba Jin," a large group of French writers left their seats one after another, raised their glasses in front of Ba Jin, and respectfully offered a glass to Ba Jin.The leading French writer raised his glass high, and said to Ba Jin and all the Chinese guests present: "We sincerely wish Mr. Ba Jin happiness and freedom, and look forward to your writing new masterpieces for China, France, and the world!"

Thunderous applause broke out in the hall again.Ba Jin's eyes were moist. Paris looks extraordinarily charming in the confused spring rain. Ba Jin stood alone in front of the hotel where he was staying under the rain, staring at the cars of various colors running in the rain and the hurried pedestrians with colorful umbrellas. At this time, he would think of the scene when he first came to Paris 52 years ago.He remembered that it was also on this street at that time, he stood blankly in front of the door of the small inn, looking up at the cars speeding back and forth.At that time, he was different from now. He was just a poor student who just came to study in Europe from China. He felt at a loss for the strange Paris.Ba Jin hesitated, passing by this street every day, like a blind man who couldn't find his way.

After all, the student days are hard.When Ba Jin arrived in Paris for the first time, he hurriedly left the hotel after breakfast to attend lectures at the university. He liked reading English books very much at that time, but he had no money to buy them.So he had no choice but to go to the library to borrow books at night, and when he found a good joke, he copied it in the exercise book.At that time, Ba Jin's mind was empty and could only be enriched by the knowledge in books.His melancholy character may have begun to develop at that time.After all, he is only 23 years old, Ba Jin is too young and innocent.At that time, he was thinking in front of the door every day, why should I come to France?Isn't China great?When he came out of Chengdu, Ba Jin would never have thought that one day he would come to Paris by some strange and unexpected circumstances.When he came out of Shanghai, he had a particularly strong yearning for France.However, when he actually came to Paris now, he felt so lonely and helpless as a young Chinese living in a city where French is the main feature of communication. There is no way to escape from the spirit platform, The stormy and dark hometown. I wish Han Xing Tsuen didn't notice, I recommend Xuanyuan with my blood. At that time, when Ba Jin was alone, he would often write Lu Xun's "Seven Unique Self-titled Portraits" on a piece of white paper and hang it in front of his bed.When I have nothing to do, I will recite quietly to comfort my lonely soul. "Mr. Ba Jin, is this the place where you lived?" In the rustling drizzle, several cars have already started to move according to the schedule discussed by Ba Jin before going to France.Bergeron, a famous French writer and chairman of the France-China Friendship Association, was in charge of receiving Ba Jin and his party.He and Ba Jin were in the same car, driving along the rainy street.Soon, the long motorcade left the bustling street and drove into a secluded and deep alley.This was the place Barkin had known many years ago—Brownville Street.Fifty years ago, this was a relatively prosperous street in Ba Jin's eyes. Now, after wars and decades of vicissitudes, it looks so dilapidated and ancient. "Yes, it's this street, this small street. But why can't I find that I stayed in a hotel back then!" Ba Jin got out of the car, stood in the drizzle, and tried his best to find those little things in the rain. Houses and small buildings on both sides of the street.Although the old appearance was vague, Ba Jin found that this street was different from the street in his memory.The row upon row of private houses suddenly lost their former glory, and the walls of the houses became mottled and dark.Strange patch marks appeared on the dilapidated tin roof. He remembered that when he lived here in 1927, he lived in a hotel facing the street.It was a small window facing the street on the fifth floor, and I still remember it in my heart today.However, old man Ba ​​Jin felt strange that the small yellow French-style building could not be found anymore for some reason. "Mr. Ba Jin, did you start writing novels from here?" Bergeron was very familiar with the experience of this old Chinese writer, and he was one of the only French writers who had read Ba Jin's "Autobiography".Because he has been studying the author of the novel for many years, Bergeron has a deep affection for the narrow and dilapidated street in front of him, because he knows that the preciousness of this small street lies in fifty years ago. Ba Jin, a writer in the literary world, provided board and lodging and a place to write temporarily. "Yes, it's here." Ba Jin tried his best to search the first floor and the house in front of him through the lenses of his glasses. He hoped to compare the ancient street in front of him with the street in his memory, so as to discover new miracles.He knew that he walked out from the dark street ahead, and then turned a few alleys to the famous Pantheon.Every day when he passed the Pantheon, his heart was filled with great respect.Because Ba Jin knew that the philosophers he had been in awe of since he was a child were buried there, including not only the famous writer Hugo, but also the great philosophers Rousseau and Zola.As early as when Ba Jin was in Shanghai, he had read the works and poems of these people, especially those articles that reminded him of the indelible philosophy so far, which had aroused emotional impulses in the depths of his young heart. Bergeron is also looking for the site of the hotel where Bajin lived before.But they still couldn't find it, so they asked: "Mr. Ba Jin, despite the age, the old house will still retain its unique traces, right? Why can't you even find a trace of it?" "Yeah, I also feel a little strange." Ba Jin knew this small street well in the past, and almost every household was firmly in his heart.However, after all, half a century has passed.The small streets remain the same, and the houses are dilapidated.He seemed to remember that he would pass this street with ease every morning and night, especially in the middle of the night, when he came back from school, it was already dark and the street was dark.But he was able to find the hotel facing the street by himself without a flashlight, and then he climbed up to the fifth floor and had supper in the room he rented.At this time, through the open window, he could faintly hear the bells wafting from the tall bell tower of Notre Dame Cathedral.Up to now, he still seems to be able to hear the clear and unusual ringing of the bell in the middle of the night.The old man Ba ​​Jin said to Bergeron: "I remember that every night, in a certain room on this street, I used an old exercise book to write my novel "Death". That was the first time I wrote!" Bergeron looked at Ba Jin, who was still standing in the drizzle, thinking about the past with some confusion.He asked a little puzzled: "Use old exercise books to write novels? Why use old exercise books?" "Yes, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Because of poverty, because at that time writing was just for pouring out your inner feelings, not for publishing." Ba Jin declined others to come over and put an umbrella on his head. The old man always hoped that Appeared in the crowd as a civilian writer.Although he couldn't find the hotel he was most familiar with when he came to this small street named Longville, Ba Jin was still excited.After all, he is now standing on this familiar land.Ba Jin's thoughts were still flowing along his own, and he murmured to the Frenchman: "I remember correctly, it was my friend Wu who rented a room for me on the fifth floor of the hotel on this street. The room is It is narrow, but the windows are open all day long. I remember the quiet street below, and occasionally only a few pedestrians pass by, just like now. I also remember that there is a small coffee shop at the corner of the street. I can see it from the window I saw people coming in and out through the wide open glass doors. But I heard no noise of drinking or gambling. Directly opposite seemed to be a mansion, this old building, which not only blocked my sight, but gave me Blocked the sun and made my gas and onion-smelling hut even darker. But now I don’t understand why the building suddenly became shorter?” "Mr. Ba Jin, how can there be any buildings on this street?" Bergeron laughed when he heard this, and pointed to the dark small buildings beside the street and said, "You may have misremembered, the buildings with three or five floors are here. There are many, maybe you think of the five-story building as some kind of building? I can say with certainty that at that time, the husband must have lived a poor life here, because you can’t see enough sunlight in winter, so there is a high-rise building in front of you. feeling, right?" Surrounded by his French friends, Ba Jin continued to walk north along that small street.He still firmly believes that a miracle will happen here, and eventually he will find the building that year.He took the umbrella from Bergeron's hand, and walked forward with his French friend, and along the way, the old man and Bergeron and others continued to talk about the past: "My life at that time was monotonous. Every morning, I go for a walk in the Luxembourg Gardens where there are few dead trees, and at night I go to school to study French. I stay at home during the day and read books. I read books that others do not read. Often after a period of embarrassing silence, thinking and structure My work "Destroyed", I didn't understand why I became a writer until later, and a writer is a job for an idler!" "You mean that the success of writing should be thanks to the lonely life?" Both Bergeron and his French counterparts shared the old man's lament.Because his philosophical language comes from Ba Jin's many years of thinking and summarization. "Yes, loneliness can produce wisdom." Ba Jin stared at the dark gray buildings in the drizzling rain, catching the traces of the past in his heart, and said, "At that time, after 11 o'clock in the evening, I returned to my room on the fifth floor. , lit the gas stove, and made tea to drink. At this time, the bell of Notre Dame rang. In such an environment, it is easy to have image thinking, and the pain continued to torture me. My heart hurts like being cut by a knife .The inextinguishable flame was burning fiercely again. In order to comfort my lonely heart, I began to write down the little things I got from life. Every night, while listening to the bells of Notre Dame, I wrote in the exercise book Something like a novel, and in three months, I wrote the first four chapters of Perish." The drizzle was getting heavier and heavier. The rough and dilapidated Qingshi Street in the small street was covered with puddles of rainwater.All the French friends who accompanied Ba Jin to look for old traces on Longville Street approached the white-haired old man, and everyone was once again moved by Ba Jin's words.They all felt that although Ba Jin was a man of few words, when he revisited the old place, the closed door of his heart was quietly opened. "Is "Death" born on this street?" French friends were all surprised.None of them could connect the dilapidated alley in front of them with the debut novel of this internationally renowned Chinese writer. "No no, that was my first time writing a novel, and I stopped writing here." Ba Jin said, "Later, because of an accident, I put the unfinished novel on hold. Until August, the Paris newspapers After the news was published on the Internet, I learned that my beloved fishmonger, that is, the "sir" mentioned in the preface to "Destroyed", he and his companions were burned to death in Boston's Charleston Jail, so I looked through the pile of broken books. After I got out of the exercise book, I continued to write Chapters 17 and 18 of "Destruction", and then continued to write Chapters 5, 6, 10, 11, and 12. However, the novel still has not been written. Finish. Soon, I was occupied with some economics, and I wanted to read Kropotkin's works with all my energy, especially "Origin and Development of Ethics", and I started to translate it. I had to read the works of Plato, Aristotle and others. I even got to know the Bible. At this time, I have not paid attention to the unfinished novel.  …” The small street in the rain was extremely quiet, and Ba Jin found that there were a few pedestrians passing by occasionally in the rain.He seemed to have returned to his youth. Fortunately, the French friends who accompanied him were still looking for the hotel Ba Jin mentioned.Although Ba Jin advocated going back several times, the French friend insisted on satisfying Ba Jin.Finally, the sky darkened, and under the guidance of Renault, a staff member of the France-China Friendship Association, they finally found the old local residents, and finally found the site of the hotel where Ba Jin once lived.It turned out that the hotel where Ba Jin stayed was at the other end of Brownville Street.Ba Jin was in front of the old building that had already been rebuilt, and he finally saw the small taupe building.Ba Jin climbed up the wooden stairs, and he found that the room he lived in was still there, and the small window was still open, but the warmth and silence he used to write in the past could no longer be found in the room. "How time flies!" The drizzle was rustling, and the small street was silent.Standing on Brownville Street, Ba Jin couldn't help sighing as he looked at the somewhat unfamiliar building.He realized that his 52 years in China, just like the old dilapidated street in front of him, were quietly undergoing unexpected changes.