When my sixth brother, who was an officer, came to Shanghai last year, he brought a small orderly soldier with him, and we got along very well when we met, because I found out so many things from him, all because I couldn't figure it out. understandable.When the sixth brother went to Nanjing to discuss work, he temporarily left him at my residence. I liked this little soldier very much.When I go out to play, I often take him with me. People who don’t know it think this is my younger brother. Some people even say that he looks like me. No matter where I take him, people who see him always think that this little soldier is not bad.In fact, this kid is really decent.

one He has a long dark face, a straight nose, a pair of delicate and majestic eyebrows, and two big and flexible eyes, all of which are very well-proportioned, even better than my sixth brother. This little soldier is very well-behaved, imposing and great, he also knows some characters and can read.When my sixth younger brother went to Nanjing to go back to the Hunan army to sell his errands, I said jokingly: "Officer, let's discuss it and deal with each other, and leave you, young man, to me. I will train him, and he will achieve some careers. Look at him like that, it is worth taking care of him!"

The sixth brother didn't quite understand what I meant, so he said that I shouldn't use a second soldier, because one more person would be an extra burden. And he knows that I have a bad temper, so it's fun to be happy today, and it's not easy to send this kid back to Hunan when I'm unhappy tomorrow. He didn't know that I meant to keep his deputy to study in Shanghai, so he said that I shouldn't be an extra burden. I said, "I don't deserve a lieutenant, do I? I don't want him to wear a military uniform, and I'm not an officer, so I don't need the pomp! I want him to wear a school uniform, and let him study." I also said He said, "If chance puts this boy in a good school, I dare to say that his future achievements will be higher than our brothers. I think there will be no mistakes in my estimation, because this little soldier will never be a little soldier forever. But I have seen many people, the opportunity only allows him to be a soldier, he will be a soldier for the rest of his life, and he will not be able to stand up. Now I want to give this soldier a different chance, so that he can get him in a good luck. Proper development. I think I'm a hothouse for this creep."

My sixth younger brother thought it was very funny when he heard my scholar's opinion, so he laughed loudly. "Then you are destroying him!" He said seriously. "You thought it was cultivating him, and your kindness is worthy of thanks. You thought he could become a celebrity after ten years of study. This is really a dream! You must have asked him, and of course he promised you that this is very good. Okay. This person is not only able to satisfy you with his appearance, but he can also make you happy with another aspect of his personality. But if you really put him in a school, you will understand what a character is. Can a person who has been an orderly for three years and grew up in our barbaric place still be able to study?

At this time, you tell him that reading is a good thing, and at the same time you lead him to meet those university professors and those famous people. You don’t say that this is the result of reading, but he still knows that these people are so comfortable and noble because they have read some books. of.I heard him tell me, you take him to the homes of those gentlemen, sit on soft chairs, and everyone talks very affectionately, and then go to school, look at those college students, walk proudly, as if they were domesticated The rooster wears various clothes. He is naturally envious at first glance, but he is just like you look at a soldier.Just see the surface.Don't you often say that you want to be a soldier?

Well, why don't you try again.I introduce you to try in a team, to see if our life is as beautiful as you imagined, and as bad as others said.You are happy to talk about it, you go to live in detail for a while. Wait until you get there for a month or two before you understand what life is like in our current team.Ordinary people use their own material likes and dislikes and their own moral values ​​as standards to criticize soldiers whose lives are completely different from theirs, and none of them are right. You're a veteran, but nothing has changed in ten years, and if you look at it now, you won't be writing about the easy-going memories of military life.War makes the human soul savage, and you can say that without knowing what it really means. "

I used to talk to my sixth brother about leaving his little soldiers to study, but who knows that he who doesn't talk much usually has so many empty words to say.What he said meant something, and he smiled with the air of a full-fledged scholar.Because I was very confident at that time, I thought that the environment could change any human nature, and I felt that Liu Di's words were almost arbitrary.I asked him what are the reasons why people who have served in the army are not suitable to go to a school, what are the reasons, and what are some examples. The sixth brother said: "Second brother, I know you have yourself in your words. You are trying to use yourself as a defense, thinking that a soldier is no more hopeless than a student. Because you are a soldier. Don't you Xin, I didn’t mean to make fun of you, don’t you feel that you are outstanding in some ways? It’s not just you who think so, you may also understand that you will not be a good soldier, nor will you be a good artist.

(You yourself have admitted that you can't be a good citizen, you are very self-aware!) When people don't know you, they all praise you with one voice!Although you are not proud of this situation.But you have got a not quite correct idea about the fact that a soldier has the same soul as an ordinary person.I am going to correct this, you are completely wrong.The average man, who knows nothing but a few books of manners and hypocrisy, does not understand such things.But you shouldn't be so confused.This is completely two worlds and two classes. It is not a fair reason to mix him up far-fetchedly!You can only dream about how to start an article, but you can't estimate a thing. "

"Don't say anything about me, I won't admit it." I naturally had to argue, and I couldn't say I lost for an officer. "I've told you before that in your life, if I don't follow the habit of going to a certain place, I will be a junior officer and try to make progress slowly. I am already considered an outdated soldier. Later, I fled to another direction, and I still couldn’t obey the rules and seek compromise with the current social customs. Now I’m an uncivilized person, so naturally I’m still out of date. I failed myself, and I understand that it’s because of my character. I have the temperament of a poet, but I have the style of a soldier, so when I go to the army, people think I am cowardly, thinking wildly, thinking about those distant things, thinking about those empty things, analyzing the temperament of those who are with me, and their identities. I don’t agree with them. Among the scholars, people think that I am careless, do things indiscriminately, and my behavior is frighteningly simple. I still don’t fit in with their status. I can’t get any benefits in two aspects, so I don’t make any progress, and I feel meaningless to life. This It is because of my physical weakness, of course there is nothing I can do about it. As for the little lieutenant, I do not believe that he is still as tragic as I am."

"You don't want him to be like you. Who do you think he can be like? Also, of course he won't be like you. If he is really like you, he is a person who can only dream and not seek reality, only imagine and not live. He followed me back at this time, the opportunity only allows him to be a soldier, and he will naturally become a poet in the future. Because although a person's temperament is caused by the environment, he will still rebel against his environment because of another temperament, and he can go out in another way. One way. If he himself does not feel the need to study, like others, many people come out of college and still can't do anything."

"I don't agree with you. I just think it's better to use this kid as a student than to serve as a soldier. He is a person who was abandoned by his family. Let him stay here and send him to the XX middle school run by our acquaintances. It doesn’t cost money or trouble, so why not do it.” My sixth younger brother seemed to have nothing to say, and asked me how many years it would take to graduate from XX Middle School. I said, isn't it the same as other middle schools, where you can graduate in six years?The sixth brother laughed again, shaking his military-like head. "Graduating in six years seems very short to you, doesn't it? Because you said that you have to write novels for at least ten years before you have any hope. You see life so casually, which proves that you are not a soldier. If you are a soldier, he Will only say six months. In six years, you just made this kid graduate from an ordinary middle school, go out of school to find a small job, and have to be introduced by acquaintances, work as a proofreader in a bookstore, and even have problems with his qualifications.But on our side, do you know what will happen to the world in six years?A student can only qualify for college within six years, but a soldier can be promoted to battalion commander within six years.Comparing the two things, the difference is too far.Growing up in Shanghai, my father and brother were supported by foreign businessmen. They did a little work and slowly climbed up. For ten or eight years, because of their prudence in business, they won the trust of foreign capitalists. You can make a fortune, and after your son graduates from university, he goes to work in a foreign firm. This is the outlook on life of Shanghai Ocean Nu.In addition, there are people who would rather use what they have learned to teach than to be slaves to foreign businessmen or officials. But if you don't have someone to lean on, where can you find a book teacher?As a person from middle school, what other books can you teach besides elementary school?The income of a local primary school teacher is not more than twice that of a soldier. A soldier who has done a little bit has ten times more opportunities to change his life than a primary school teacher. If these two things are put together, what do you want to choose? ? " I said, "You mean to think your lieutenant can be an officer in six years, don't you?" "I just thought he was not suitable for studying. Because you are not suitable for making a living with scholars, and he is naturally even less suitable." I still wanted to argue about this matter, but the sixth brother understood what I meant, so he rushed to say: "If you think you are right, I will try it for you and use the facts to make you get a truth." After listening to some of what he said, I had cut the fun of this kid's transformation by half, but at this time, as if I wanted to fight against this officer on purpose, I said, "Leave him to me. I want to He graduated from one of the best universities in the country, so my claim is successful." The sixth brother smiled: "If you want to trouble yourself like this, I'm too embarrassed to insist." We have settled the matter. The sixth brother will return to Hunan in three days. After he leaves, I will find a friend to tutor in mathematics and all necessary courses for this future bachelor. I also plan to spend one hour a day teaching him Chinese. , take an hour to correct the paper for him.It was October at that time, and after two months I calculated that he would be able to go to XX Middle School to study.I think I can really make a difference with this little soldier, because this piece of raw material is undeniable that it can be cured into something of value. I also talked to this little soldier alone, and asked him if he would stay here to study without going back. I can't describe his happy look.He told me that I don't want to be a general, but I am willing to be an educated civilian.He also expressed some opinions on the topic. I think that although the opinions are not brilliant, the spirit is extremely rare.Afterwards, I shared our conversation with my sixth brother, who always found it funny.I thought it was the stubborn and confident temper of the sixth brother soldier, so I didn't want to argue with him. After three days, the little lieutenant really looked like my best brother during the three days. I really don't believe there is such a smart and sensible person. His general knowledge, no matter who sees it, I believe they have to find a few words to praise him, so that he can feel worthy of this kid. I don't care how indifferent the sixth brother looks, but I don't look at his color, I just think about everything for my little friend.My sixth brother gave me 100 yuan, and I was in another place at that time, and I was getting dozens of yuan in manuscript fees. I didn't use it for a while, so I took him to the street to read the application materials for him.We went to another place to see a small bed, and saw many other things in other shops.He said he didn't like to wear long clothes, which were too cumbersome, so I ordered a short black woolen tunic suit for him, and made a coarse woolen coat.He said that square-toed leather shoes are more suitable for children, so I customized a pair of square-toed leather shoes for him.We looked around for a long time, and estimated that everything was ready, and half of all the money had been used. I still didn't seem to have enough money, but he said that the money should not be spent so much, and the two of us returned to our residence.I'm going to treat him like a prince because he deserves that much attention.I planned to make his genius develop at the same age in the future, and I thought in my heart that when this boy was twenty years old, he would definitely become an ideal perfect man in the world.He must be good at music and drawing, and he must be extremely understanding of what he is not good at.He must have had a deep interest in literature and a perfect knowledge of science.He must be strong and honest, and he must be healthy and noble.He is not afraid of failure in anything he does, and his success with women must be the same as in other life. His appearance commensurate with his virtue, so that those who are close to him feel very respected. …Don’t laugh at me, I was a person who was very good at dreaming about small things. The person with milk on his head who thought he would start a family and start a business in twenty years is a bosom friend of mine. I heard such a story when I was young, When I heard people say that his milk was spilled on the ground, I was still sad for him for most of the day.Now my dream has naturally been shattered by another matter.But at that time, I myself forgot about my extravagant and exaggerated imagination. I dreamed about that little soldier for twenty years, and I also experienced the dream twenty years later.I thought that this boy had become the most complete and lovable man in the world because of my strength, and because of my help, he was accompanied by a woman who was just suitable for his status. Happiness is actually able to live in this world extremely calmly.I should have been in my fifties by then, and I felt complete in life, because that was my career, a success. It was only one day before the sixth brother was going back to the sales office in Hunan. The three of us went to a photo studio to take a picture. After taking photos, the three of us went to the XX theater to watch a play. It was not yet time, so we transferred to the XX garden to play. Walking among the fallen leaves in the woods in the garden, when I came to a poplar tree, I asked my little friend if he could climb it, and he said he could.After walking for a while, I came to a big maple tree that embraced the tree, and asked this one if he could climb it, and he said he could climb it again.He talked like this while walking, and his answers were all very satisfactory to me.The sixth brother walked in front alone, and I knew he thought our conversation was funny.When we got there, we heard gunshots and knew that someone was shooting a target over there. The sixth brother happily walked over, and we also followed. From a distance, we saw those people lying behind a mound of dirt, aiming at the white target on the big mound. shooting.I asked him if he had fired the gun, but the kid just smiled at the sixth brother, not daring to answer. I said, "Don't lie, did you call me yourself?" "Hit once." "What did you hit?" The kid smiled at the sixth brother again, but couldn't answer. The sixth brother said: "Are you sorry to say that? Second brother, you see him as honest and gentle, he is really a little bandit! Because of him, we almost got murdered in ××. Such a small person, I can't stand a single punch, and I have to fight with other people when I go to ××. I stole my pistol and prepared to fight with them. If it wasn't for luck, I would almost have opened the stomach of a student of Yue Yun. When I arrived in Hankou I checked the gun and asked him why a bullet was missing, and he accused me of using it in a fight with someone in Changsha. I asked him why he dared to hit someone with a gun, and he said that he couldn’t beat others because he was called ugly. So I wanted to kill that guy with one shot." What the sixth brother thought was boring, but I found it more interesting. I pulled the boy's short hair to make him look at me, and it was difficult to avoid it. I said, "You are really a hero, you have courage. I want to ask you , How much older is that person than you? Why would you want to kill him?" "He is three years older than me. He is a student of Yueyun Middle School. I live in Changsha with the staff officer in XX. In June, I went to the Xiang River to take a bath with the students of a military class. He bathed in the river. I was a little slower, and his classmates called me in Changsha dialect that my butt was whiter than others, and I couldn’t beat him with bare hands, so I wanted to beat him to death.” "Then why didn't you kill him again?" "I missed a shot and the bullet gnawed in the chamber. I was afraid they would catch me, so I ran away." The sixth brother said: "With this kind of temperament, you have to become a bandit, and you can become a king in three years. After a while, he will be arrested and displayed in public. " I said, "I don't agree with you. His courage made him a great king, and it also made him do other great things. You were like that when you were young.The same person went outside to fight and mess around, and his head was broken with an iron fist, and his face was covered with blood. If you say you are not allowed to cry, you will not cry.The reason why you are an officer now is also a good soldier.If you are as useless as me, you were bullied when you were a child, and you can’t take revenge, so you just sit on the grass and think about how you can learn how to use a sword, fly a sword to kill that enemy, or think about how you can become an official. The general sent his family to the Yamen to take his enemy to the Yamen and beat him a thousand times.What's the use of just thinking like this?The more daydreaming a man is, the nearer he is to being useless, and I am a perfect example. " The sixth brother said: "Then your temper is not a bad temper. It is because of this weakness of your talent that you have achieved another strength of your talent. If you want to reach for a pistol and go out to beat people all day long, what else do you have?" Create and write." "But you also know that as many articles as there are grievances." "Okay, I will give you the pistol in Hankou, and ask him to keep it for you and be your bodyguard. If you are bullied from now on, let this little hero avenge you." What the sixth brother said made us all laugh.I said to Xiaobing, "If there is a pistol, when I hate someone in the future, if you want you to kill them for me, do you dare to do it?" He looked at me and smiled, a little shy, and said resolutely, " dare." I really believed his words, and his attitude was so sincere and innocent that one couldn't help but believe it. Of course I don't need such a escort!Because I never had a single enemy worth shooting.Some people see that I am very quiet and don’t gossip about gossip, and sometimes create rumors about me about other things, just like walking on the street and being barked by an unknown dog for a while. The reason is that I don’t pay much attention to them. If Give them a little bit of benefits, and they won't be surprised or frightened.And some people who think they have read a lot of books don’t understand me and look down on me, that’s normal.As for the fact that women don't like me, it's because I've been too negligent in making women happy. If I think it's a kind of hatred, then I have to plan another way of revenge, not to mention the pistols of escorts. But I have such a brave partner like a lion cub by my side, I will definitely work harder from now on, this is what I am most proud of.Even if my temperament may not allow me to act strong, my imagination must be a little more savage and presumptuous because of the companions around me.His spirit gave me a strength that will last forever and is not easily destroyed. The movie we watched that day was "The Legend of Child Prodigy", which tells how an orphan struggles to achieve a career in his life. The next day, the sixth brother left for Hunan.Because the sixth brother was going by plane, we sent him to the plane. When the sixth brother saw me with such a happy look, he was embarrassed to criticize Xiaobing for saying something disappointing. Go to the Nanjing division office, because people there often go back to Hunan, so he can still go back.The resolute and calm look of the sixth brother made me feel very aggrieved, so I said: "I will wait until you see his achievements later, and I hope you will stop treating him as an officer!" "That's naturally good. You are confident that you can make him, but I'm afraid he can't be made by you. Just leave him for a few months and see." I corrected his previous sentence and said loudly: "In a few years." The sixth brother hurriedly said, "Okay, in a few years. If you can keep one thing unchanged for a few years, I will be very happy." The time was up, and the sixth brother sat in the passenger seat of the plane, and the plane left after a while, and we will return home when the plane is completely gone.When I came back, I always remembered Liu Di’s expression of diametrically opposed opinion to mine, and I felt very aggrieved, thinking that Liu Di was really a soldier, seeing things so simple that he was frighteningly simple, with deep self-confidence and prejudices, and in some places he really seemed to be very stubborn.Because I took what Sixth Brother said to my heart, I felt that I wanted to be more patient and straighten out my little soldier. I also wanted to use facts to break Sixth Brother's prejudice. People were amazed at how well I handled this kid. After the sixth brother left, the new life we ​​had planned began. Looking at Xiao Bing's appearance, he was smarter than I expected in many places. He was extremely happy to read and write.Four days later, the mathematics teacher was also found, and the mathematics teacher was still a university professor!As soon as the big professor came to my place and saw the little soldier studying, he was very satisfied. He said, "I love this kid very much, what a joke." I said, "That's wonderful, he is preparing for the exam. ×× Middle School, your big professor has the right to do his duty as a primary school teacher and teach him to multiply and divide with fractions." The big professor agreed without hesitation. Many friends know that there is a little genius in my family. Anyone who comes to my residence to play always goes to the pavilion to talk to the children.Everyone who played with him for an hour didn't think he was cute, and no one didn't think that this kid would achieve more than himself in the future.My friend, the musician XX, advocated that this kid learn to play the violin, and he was willing to run from the extreme north of the International Settlement to teach him every day.My friend the poet XX also thinks that this child should become a poet.There is also an engineering professor, Mr. Song, who advised me to send my child to a very strict middle school. If he graduates and enters Beiyang University in the future, he is willing to help him with tuition fees for three years.There is also a lawyer, a very funny person, who said, "For the sake of all your future royalties for your works, you have to make him a famous lawyer so that he can live securely." Everyone wanted this little boy to be their comrade, and for this reason, each of them explained to me many reasons.Why my acquaintances are so fond of this little soldier, I didn't quite understand at the time, but now I understand, it's all because this little soldier has a charming appearance.This little soldier is indeed too decent.My self-confidence, my dreams, are all deceived by that appearance! This little soldier is making rapid progress, and everything seems to be a little smoother than I expected. I am very happy to see my plan and the success of others.In order to surprise the sixth younger brother by surprise, he did not tell the sixth younger brother the news at present. The reason for studying for this little soldier is that I, who didn't follow the order in my life, gradually found order.I have no interest in life, but for his progress, I feel like a father in front of his good son, that life is worth working hard for. Every day I do things in my room, and he also does things in his small room. When we eat, we go to the Russian restaurant next door to a foreign woman to eat beef soup and steak.In the early morning, I sometimes go to the ×× garden to play, and sometimes I just walk along the road. In the evening, he should rest for a while after dinner. Either I will learn the story of Baotou in Suiyuan in the Northwest for him, or the story in the Northeast. Sometimes he can tell me that he accompanied my sixth brother to various places to suppress bandits in recent years. He used an honest and touching Xiangxi dialect to talk about the courage of my sixth brother.Speaking of the sixth brother's horse.Talking about what kind of river bank used a box gun to beat bandits, how he was lying behind a pile of stones, how the boat caught fire, and how the river was full of red light.He also talked about what kind of cave they were in, searched for the remnants, fumigated the cave with smoke, and found a total of seventeen white mice each weighing three catties. He also talked about how a Miao bandit king named "Sanwuba" was brave enough to cherish friendship and never robbed his fellow villagers at will.Everything is said by the little soldier, with his own ideas mixed in, it seems that in the retelling of these stories, I see a little soul shining a strange light. In such cases, I am always silent. In a kind of quiet thinking, there is nothing to say.Because of the comparison of the child's ideas, feelings, and interests, I felt that I was already like an old man, and I could no longer be like him.This little soldier's personality made me very depressed when I reflected on it. When I was his age, I didn't know anything to pay attention to except playing truant from school or squatting on the ground with some hooligans to gamble with dice.Later, I took the same steps as him and became a soldier in the army, which was absurdly close to life.However, due to my long-standing habit of dissoluteness, when I was working as a secretary, I only had a single sweater, because it rained immediately after I washed it, and I was still not dry when I went downstairs to eat, so I was embarrassed to go downstairs with my adjutants naked. After eating, I was hungry for a meal.Now this little soldier seems to be able to stand up and become a person without being taken care of. Because of this little soldier's personality, I can't help but feel very sad when I think of my past and the present affected by my past habits. The days passed by leisurely, and in a short while it will be a month. Xiaobing lived with me and got used to everything. Sometimes I didn't go out and asked him to go somewhere to read the letter, but he did a good job.Sometimes the math teacher couldn't come, so he went to the teacher himself.After a long time, some of the properties, which I thought were a little too rough at first, have disappeared in the end. One day, I got a letter from my sixth brother from Changsha, which said: ...Second brother, has your plan succeeded?Is your interest still as strong as before?According to my guess, you must have already felt like a failure.I told you that you would be bored by "a few months", but you would not be bored when you said "a few years". You can keep going, you look very angry.But by now you must have a slightly different opinion.When I say this, I know that you will still be able to discipline our soldiers very patiently for the sake of pride and deliberately denying my opinion. You must not want to fail in what you do.However, it is very hard for you, and it has been nearly two months now, and you have had enough. Back then, the child’s disadvantages and disposition not suitable for reading, if it was because of his charming His beauty made you forgive your negligence, but by now, he must have gradually made you hate him. ...I hope you don't trouble yourself too much.Don't quarrel with me, don't be willing to admit it after failure because of your opinion as a poet.I know your temper, because we have discussed this matter for a while, so you are not willing to send Xiaobing back at this time, and you will not tell me about your recent situation. But I understand that you want to create a personality in this kid. You think that because of your care and education, you can make him a good person. But this is an exaggerated dream that can never be realized.You can influence some people, make some people believe in you and obey you, I do not deny this. But you don't make that little soldier a good guy.It is not fitting for him to be with him, nor is it fitting for you. It may be a little early for me to say this at this time, but I know that soldier better than you. He has been with me for two years, and I know what material he is.He'd better come back, next year I'll send him to officer preparatory school, the boy's best luck is to receive one of the most rigorous training in the army, he will be useful and hopeful. ... Don't think that what I say is close to arbitrary, I am actually without prejudice.Now a colleague, Battalion Commander Wang, is coming to Nanjing. He will definitely come to Shanghai to see you. Don't you object to my honest proposal, or hand over the soldier to that colleague Wang and take him back.In the past two months, I know that you have spent a lot of money for him. This is a trivial matter. What makes me sad the most is that you have lost a lot of spirit on this little soldier. If anything happens in the future, I will definitely give you more Trouble. ... You feel that your self-confidence will not be diminished by this failure. Let me tell you a joke, you still try to get married.My own child can be transformed at my own will, or after I get married next year and have a child, I will give it to you when I am about half a year old, and you will educate and nurture it.I really believe that your seriousness in children's education will definitely make them healthy and intelligent, but a child with a little bit of ethnic habit will have many disputes with you! ………… The letter of the sixth younger brother is still so military-like, always thinking that I have failed, and reluctantly living with his soldiers under the situation of vindictiveness.In particular, when he mentioned the long-standing habits of that "ethnic group", I felt very aggrieved.I was very uncomfortable, so I thought that if Wang Guo came to look for me in two days, I would not see him. Three days later, Xiaobing and I went out to a friend’s house to look at engraved photos sent back from France. When we returned, the second landlord said that an officer was looking for me, sat for a while, left a note, and left.Only after reading the note did I realize that the person surnamed Wang was here.At first, the sixth brother only talked about his colleague, Battalion Commander Wang, but now I know that the colleague of the sixth brother is my classmate more than ten years ago. When he and I were students in the sergeant's technical class in the township, we each brought a bamboo from home all day long, and prepared to go to school to practice pole vaulting. We were both very young, and we wore gray clothes and straw sandals every day. Two bamboos bumped into each other on the street, and when we left the city, the city guards always joked that we were monkeys, and deliberately stopped them, saying that children were not allowed to carry bamboos in and out, for fear of poking someone's eyes.The king officer was very cunning, so he deliberately put the bamboo across the city gate, and yelled that the city guards had robbed him of his pole-vaulting pole.Unexpectedly, this person is now a battalion commander. For the sake of me, I still want to visit my classmate, ask him how much he has improved in pole vaulting, and also want to ask him if he still needs to tie his body with a belt and do somersaults in the sand.On the one hand, I wanted to bring Xiaobing to show him. When he went back to see Liudi, he had nothing to say, so we met at the Dazhonghua Hotel that night. After seeing it, we mentioned the matter of the bamboo. Officer Wang said: "Second Master, your skills are much more refined now. You see that you have shortened the bamboo that was one foot long to five inches, and took it all day long. Draw on paper, thanks to you!" I said, "Where's yours?" He said, "Mine? It's also shortened, but it's shortened to a flute two feet long. I'm pretty good at playing the flute these days." I understood what he meant, because this man's face was thin and white, I already guessed that he was smoking opium.I smiled and pretended not to understand, "It's not bad to play the flute. When we were young, we just wanted to steal the Taoist's flute to play, but when we got it, we still couldn't make a sound." The officer thought I was stupid and couldn't understand what the flute he was referring to, so it was extremely funny. "Don't talk about the flute, it's really annoying to be addicted to playing the flute!" I said, "Do you know how to smoke?" "Is that a weird thing? Is it any good? It's easier than the two of us jumping three-foot-six in front of a bunker. But these things are better for people to see, so I still don't care." Between them, it's like a cameo in an opera, not a role." "Then, our class of pole-vaulting students all shortened the bamboo." "Of course there are people who don't need this hand, but the habit is really not good. Many people who hold pens also die with 'guns', and there is no way to arrange them." Speaking of this, we remembered the little soldier. He was standing by the window looking at the street. Officer Wang said, "Little devil, your appearance has completely changed. Your staff is afraid that you will cause trouble in Shanghai. If you are tired, Mr. Er, I want you Come back with me, do you want to be a doctor or an officer?" Xiaobing said, "I won't go back." "You've been with Mr. Er for such a short time, and it's useless to learn to be gentle. You lead my Sanduo outside to play.You must understand the 'white phase'.Just lure him to Baixiang on the main road, don't make trouble, find a small restaurant, ask San Duo to buy you a glass of wine, and he gets a lot of money.He wants to buy boots, you lead him to buy them, but don't buy them like a policeman wears. " Xiaobing heard the joke made by Officer Wang, and said that he should lead the lieutenant Sanduo outside to play. He only smiled when he looked at me, and it was difficult to answer. Officer Wang said again: "You don't want to play with Sanduo, do you? Your second gentleman is now teaching at the university, and you are still happy to play with me. Do you think you are a student and can't be with my deputy?" Xiao Bing saw that Officer Wang seemed to be angry, and purposely used words to embarrass him, not knowing how to argue, and his face was blushing.王军官便一手把他揪过去，“小鬼头，你穿得这样体面，人又这样标致，同我回去，我为你做媒讨个标致老婆，不要读书了罢。” 小兵益觉得不好意思，又想笑又有点怕，望着我想我帮帮他的忙，且听我如何吩咐，他就照样做去。 我见到我这个老同学爽利单纯，不好意思不让他陪勤务兵出去玩，我就说：“你熟习不熟习买靴子的地方？” 他望了我半天，大约又明白我不许他出去，又记到我告过他不许说谎，所以到后才说： "I know." 王军官说：“既然知道，就陪三多去。你们是老朋友，同在一堆，你不要以为他的军服就辱没了你的身分。你骗不了我，你的样子倒象学生，你的心可不是学生。你莫以为我的勤务兵像貌蠢笨，三多是有将军的分的。你们就去罢，我同你二先生还要在这里谈谈话，回头三多请你喝酒，我就要二先生请我喝酒。……”王军官接着就喊，“三多，三多。” 那副兵当我们来时到房中拿过烟茶后，出去似乎就正站立在门外边，细听我们的谈话，这时听到营长一叫，即刻就进来了。 这副兵真象一个将军，年纪似乎还不到十六岁，全身就结实得如成人，身体虽壮实却又非常矮短，穿的军服实在小了一点，皮带一束，因此全身绷得紧紧的如一木桶，衣服同身体便仿佛永远在那里作战。在一种紧张情形中支持，随时随处身上的肉都会溢出来，衣服也会因弹性而飞去。这副兵样子虽痴，性情却十分好，他把话都听过了，一进来就笑嘻嘻的望着小兵。 王军官一见到自己勤务兵的痴样子，做出十分难受的神情，“三大人，我希望你相信我的忠告，少吃喝一点，少睡一点！你到外面去瞧瞧，你的肉快要炸开了。我要你去爬到那个洋秤上去过一下磅，看这半个月来又长了多少，你磅过没有？人家有福气的人肥得象猪，一定是先做官再发体，你的将军还没有得到，在你的职务上就预先发起胖来，将来怎么办？” 那勤务兵因为在我面前被王军官开着玩笑，仿佛一个十几岁处女一样，十分腼腆害羞，说道，“我不知为什么总要胖。” “沈参谋告你每天喝酸醋一碗，你试验过没有？” 那勤务兵说不出话来，低下头去，很有些地方象上的猪八戒，在痴呆中见出妩媚。我忍不住要笑了，就拈了一支烟来，他见到时赶忙来刮自来火。我问他，是什么乡下的，今年有了多大岁数？他告我他是高枧的人，搬到城里住，今年还只十五岁。我又问他为什么那么胖，他十分害羞的告我说，是因为家中卖牛肉同酒，小小儿吃肉就发了膘。 王军官告三多可以跟着小兵去玩，我不好意思不让他们去，到后两人就出去了。 我同这个老同学谈了许多很有趣味的话，到后我就说：“营长，你刚才说的你的未来将军请我的未来学士喝酒，我就来做东，只看你欢喜吃什么口味。” 王军官说，“什么都欢喜，只是莫要我拿刀刀叉叉吃盘中的饭，那种罪我受不了。” 第二天我们早约定了要到王军官处去的，因为一去我怕我的“学士”又将为他的“将军”拖去，故告诉他，今天不要出去，就在家中读书。等一会儿一个杜先生同一个孙先生或许还要来。（这些朋友是以到我处看看小兵为快乐的。）我又告他，若是杜教授来了，他可以接待客人到他小房间里去，同客人玩玩。把话嘱咐过后，我就到大中华饭店找寻王军官去了。晚上我们又一同到一个电影院去消磨了两个钟头，那时已经快要十二点钟了，我很担心一个人留在住处的小兵，或者还等候着我没有睡觉，所以就同王军官分了手，约好明天我送他上车过南京。回来时，我奇怪得很，怎么不见了小兵。 我先以为或者是什么朋友把他带走看戏去了，问二房东有什么朋友来找我，二房东恰恰日里也没有在家，回来时也极晏。 我又问到二房东家的佣人，才知道下午有一个小大块头兵士来邀他出去，他们说的本乡话，她听不懂。出门时还是三点钟以前。我算定这兵士就是王军官处那个勤务兵三多，来邀他玩，他不好推辞，以为这一对年轻人一定是到什么“大世界”热闹场所去玩，所以把回家的时间也忘却了。当时我就很生气，深悔昨天不应该带他到那里去，今天又不该不带他去。 我坐在房中等着，预备他回来时为他开门，一直等过了十二点还毫无消息。我以为不是喝醉了酒，就一定是在外面闯了乱子，不敢回来，住到那将军住处去了。这些事我认为全是那个王军官的副兵勾引的，所以非常讨厌那个小胖子。我想此后可再不同这军官来往了，再玩一天我的学士就会学坏，使我为他所有一切的打算，都将付之泡影。 到十二点后他不回来，我有点疑心，就到他住身的亭子间去，看看是不是留得什么字条，看了一下，却发现了他那个箱子位置有点不同，蹲下去拖出箱子看看，他的军衣都不见了。我忽然明白他是做些什么事了，非常生气，跑回到我自己房中来，检察我的箱子同写字台的抽屉，什么东西都没有动过，一切秩序井然如旧，显然他是独自私逃走去的。我恐怕王军官那边还闹了乱子，拐失了什么东西，赶忙又到大中华饭店去，到时正见王军官生气骂茶房，见我来了才不作声，还以为我是来陪他过夜的，就说：“来的好极了，我那将军这时还不回来，莫非被野鸡捉去了！” 我说：“恐怕他逃了，你赶快清查一下箱子，有些东西失落没有。” “那里有这事，他不会逃的。” “我来告你，我的学士也不在家了！你的将军似乎下午三点钟时候，就到我住处邀他，两人一块儿走了！” 王军官一跳而起，拖出箱子一看，发现日前为太太兑换的金饰同钞票，全在那里，还有那枝手枪，也搁在那里，不曾有人动过。他一面搜检其他一个为朋友们代买物件所置的皮箱，一面同我说：“这小土匪，我看不出他会逃走！”看到另外一口箱子也没有什么东西失掉，王军官松了一大口气，向我摇着头说：“不会逃走，不会逃走，一定是两人看戏散场太晚，恐怕责备不敢回来了。一定是被野鸡拉去了。上海野鸡这样多，我这营长到乡下的威风，来到这生地方被她们一拉也得头昏，何况我那个宝贝。我真为他们担心。” 我摇头否认这种设想，“恐怕不是这样，我那个学士，他把军服也带走了。” 王军官先还笑着，因为他见到自己重要东西没有失掉，所以总以为这两个人是被妓女扣留到那里过夜的，所以还露着羡慕的神气，笑说他的“将军”倒有福气。他听到我说是小兵军服也拿走了，才相信我的话，大声的辱骂着“杂种”，同时就打着哈哈大笑。他向我笑着说：“你六弟说这小子心野得很，得把他带回去，只有他才管得住这小土匪，不至于多事，话有道理。我还没有和你好好的来商量，事情就发生了。我想不到是我那个将军居然也想逃走，你看他那副尊范，居然在那全是板油的肚子里，也包得有一颗野心。他们知道逃走也去不远，将来终有方法可以知道所去的地方，恐怕麻烦，所以不敢偷什么东西。……” 说到这里，这军官突然又觉得这事一定另外还有蹊跷了，因为既然是逃走，一个钱不拐去，他们又到什么地方去了呢？ 若说别处地方有好事情干，那么两个宝贝又没有枪械，徒手奔走去会做出什么好事情？ 他说：“这个事我可不明白了！我不相信我那个将军，到另外一个地方去比他原来的生活还好！你瞧他那样子，是不是到别的地方去就可以补上一个大兵的名额？他除了河南人耍把戏，可以派他站到帐幕边装傻子收票以外，没有一个去处是他合式的地方！真是奇怪的世界，这种傻瓜还要跳槽！” 我说：“我也想过了，我那一位也不应当就这样走去的。 我问你，你那将军他是不是欢喜唱戏？他若欢喜唱戏，那一定是被人骗走了。由他们看来，自然是做一个名角也很值得冒一下险。 " 王军官摇着头连说：“绝对不会，绝对不会。” 我说：“既不是去学戏，那真是古怪事情。我们应当赶即写几个航空信到各方面去，南京办事处，汉口办事处，长沙，宜昌，一定只有这几个地方可跑，我们一定可以访得出他们的消息。明天早上我们两人还可到车站上去看看，到轮船上去看看。” “拉倒了罢，你不知道这些土匪的根基是这样的，你对他再好也无益处。不要理他们算了。这些小土匪，有许多天生是要在各种古怪境遇里长大成人的，有些鱼也是在逆水里浑水里才能长大。我们莫理他，还是好好睡觉罢。” 我这个老同学倒真是一个军人胸襟，这件事发生后，骂了一阵，说了一阵，到后不久依然就躺在沙发上呼呼睡着了。 我是因为告他不能同谁共床，被他勒到一个人在床上睡的。想到这件事情的突然而至，而为我那个小兵估计到这事不幸的未来，又想到或者这小东西会为人谋杀或饿死，到无人知道的什么隐僻地方，心中轮转着辘轳，听着王军官的鼾声，响四点钟了我才稍稍的合了一下眼。 第二天八点，我们就到车站上去，到各个车上去寻找，看到两路快慢车的开去后，又赶忙走到黄浦江边，向每一只本日开行的轮船上去探询。我们又买了好几份报纸，以为或者可以得到一点线索，结果自然什么也没有得到。 当天晚上十一点钟，那个王军官一个人上车过南京去了，我还送他到车上去。开车后，我出了车站，一个人极其无聊，想走到北四川路一个跳舞场去看看，是不是还可以见到个把熟人。因为我这时回去，一定又睡不着。我实在不愿意到我那住处去，我想明天就要另外搬一个家。我心上这时难受得很，似乎一个男子失恋以后的情形，心中空虚，无所依傍。 从老靶子路一个人慢慢儿走到北四川路口，站了一会，见一辆电车从北驶来，心中打算不如就搭个车回去，说不定到了家里，那个小兵还在打盹等候着我回来！可是车已上了，这一路车过海宁路口时，虹口大旅社的街灯光明烛照，引起了我的注意，我临时又觉得不如在这旅馆住一夜，就即刻跳下了车。到虹口大旅社我看了一间小小房间，茶房看见我是单身，以为我或者是来到这里需要一个暗娼作陪的，就来同我搭话，到后见我告他不要什么，只嘱咐他重新上一壶开水就用不着再来时，他看到我抑郁不欢，或许猜我是来此打算自杀的人。 我因为上一晚没有睡好，白天又各处奔走累了一天，当时倒下去就睡着了。 第二天大清早我回到住处，计划搬家的事，那个听差为我开门时，却告我小朋友已经回来了。我听到这个消息，心中说不分明的欢喜，一冲就到三楼房中去，没有见到他。又走过亭子间去，也仍然没有见到。又走到浴间去找寻，也没有人。那个听差跟在我身后上来，预备为我升炉子，他也好象十分诧异，说：“又走了吗？” 我还以为他或因为害羞躲在床下，还向床下看过一次。我急急促促的问他：“这是怎么回事，他什么时候到这儿来？” 听差说：“昨天晚上来的，我还以为他在这里睡。” 我说：“他没说什么话吗？” 听差说：“他问我你是什么时候出去的。” “没说别的了吗？” “他说他饿了，饭还不曾吃，到后吃了一点东西，还是我为他买的。” “一个人吗？” "one person." “样子有什么不同吗？” 听差好象不明白我问他这句话的意义，就笑着说：“同平常一样长得好看，东家都说他象一个大少爷。” 我心里乱极了，把听差哄出房门，訇的把门一关，就用手抱着头倒在床上睡了。这事情越来越使我觉得奇怪，我为这迷离不可摸捉的问题，把思想弄成纷乱一团。我真想哭了。 我真想殴打我自己，我又来深深的悔恨自己，为什么昨天晚上没有回来！我又悔恨昨天我们为了找寻这小兵，各处都到过了，为什么不回到自己住处来看看！ 使我十分奇怪的，是这小东西为什么拿了衣服逃走又居然回来？若说不是逃走，那这时又到哪里去了呢？难道是这时又跑到大中华去找我们，等一会儿还回来吗？难道是见我不回来，所以又逃走了吗？难道是被那个“将军”所骗，所以逃回来，这时又被逼到逃走了吗？ 事情使我极其糊涂，我忽然想到他第二次回来一定有一种隐衷，一定很愿意见见我，所以等着我，到后大约是因为我不回来，这小兵心里害怕，所以又走去了。我想到各处找寻一下，看看是不是留得有什么信件，以及别的线索，把我房中各处皆找到了，全没有发现什么。到后又到他所住的房里去，把他那些书本通通看过，把他房中一切都搜索到了，还是找不出一点证据。 因为昨天我以为这小兵逃走，一定是同王军官那个勤务兵在一处，故找寻时绝不疑心他到我那几个熟人方面去。此时想起他只是一个人回来，我心里又活动了一点，以为或者是他见我不回来，所以大清早走到我那些朋友处找我去了。我不能留在住处等候他，所以就留下了一个字条，并且嘱咐楼下听差，倘若是小兵回来时，叫他莫再出去，我不久就会回来的。我于是从第一个朋友家找到第二个朋友家，每到一处当我说到他失踪时，他们都以为我是在说笑话，又见到我匆匆忙忙的问了就走，相信这是一个事实时，就又拦阻了我，必得我把情形说明，才许我脱身。我见到各处都没有他的消息，又见到朋友们对这事的关心，还没有各处走到，已就心灰意懒明白找寻也是空事了。先前一点点希望，看看又完全失败，走到教小兵数学的教授家去，他的太太还正预备给小朋友一枝自来水笔，要××教授今天下半天送到我住处去，我告他小兵已逃走了，这两夫妇当时惊诧失望的神气，我真永远忘不了。 各处绝望后，我回家时还想或者他会在火炉边等我，或者他会睡在我的床上，见我回来时就醒了。听差为我开门的样子，我就知道最后的希望也完了。我慢慢的走到楼上去，身体非常疲倦，也懒得要听差烧火，就想去睡睡，把被拉开，一个信封掉出来了。我象得到了救命的绳子一样，抓着那个信封，把它用力撕去一角，上面只写着这样一点点话： “二先生，我让这个信给你回来睡觉时见到。我同三多惹了祸，打死了一个人，三多被人打死在自来水管上。我走了。 你莫管我，请你暂时莫同参谋说。你保佑我罢。 " 为了我想明白这将军究竟因什么事被人打死在自来水管子上，自来水管又在什么地方，被他们打死的另外一个又是什么人，因此那一个冬天，我成天注意到那些本埠新闻的死亡消息，凡是什么地方发现了一个无名尸首时，我总远远的跑去打听。但是还仍然毫无结果。 只有一次听到一个巡警被人打死的消息，算起日子来又完全不对。我还花了些钱，登过一个启事，告诉那个小兵说，不愿意回来，也可以回湖南去，我想来这启事是不是看得到，还不可知，若见到了，他或者还是不会回湖南去的。 这就是我常常同那些不大相熟爱讲故事的人说笑话时，说我有一个故事，真象一个传奇，却不愿意写出这原因！有些人传说我有一个稀奇的恋爱，也就是指这件事而言的。有了这件事以后，我就再也不同我的六弟通信讨论问题了。我真是一个什么小事都不能理解的人，对于性格分析认识，由于你们好意夸奖我的，我都不愿意接受。因为我连一个十三四岁的小孩子，还为他那外表所迷惑，不能瞭解，怎么还好说懂这样那样。至于一个野蛮的灵魂，装在一个美丽盒子里，在我故乡是不是一件常有的事情，我还不大知道；我所知道的，是那些山同水，使地方草木虫蛇皆非常厉害。我的性格算是最无用的一种型，可是同你们大都市里长大的读书人比较起来，你们已经就觉得我太粗糙了。 one 九三一年五月十五日完成