Chapter 3 spring on the nile

Leading to the verandah are two large glass floor-to-ceiling windows, through which the golden sun shines in.I drew back the heavy blue velvet curtains and switched on the light by the bed.She had just finished taking a shower, sweat dripped from her forehead and temples, she was sitting facing the sun, with a deeper blush on her face, when she saw me pull the curtains, she quickly smiled and said, "Thank you, actually I'm not very Hot..." Lowering her head, she pulled the skirt of the kimono in front of her knees to the right, wrapping her legs tightly. I laughed and said, "It's not just for you, I'm also afraid of direct sunlight, and it's better to talk deeply in a dark room."

As I said that, I went around the bed, picked up the phone, took care of the restaurant downstairs, and brought us refreshments for the three of us. Xiuzi raised her head, smiled modestly and said: "The day we arrived, I heard that you went to pick it up twice, but you didn't pick it up. Really, it's so cold at night, and we all feel very tired after running back and forth like that. ...I'm very sorry!" I sat on the edge of the bed, lit a cigarette for her, pushed the cigarette tray away, and said with a smile: "When it comes to welcoming Japanese friends, the word 'tired' is not used. You have no idea how excited we are! It has been less than a year since the emergency meeting in Tokyo, and we met again in Cairo. For joy Looking forward, we can't sleep well at night, instead of tossing and turning in the hotel bed, it's better to go to the airport!" She smiled, "The plane is a little late, and we are in a hurry... Speaking of 'joyful anticipation' , are the same as each other, counting from the Tashkent meeting, we have met for the third time, I always thought the world was big, but it turns out the world is so small.”

She smiled and looked at the light smoke curling up in her hand, then lowered her head again, when there was the sound of running water in the bathroom. I said: "The world is very big, but in my heart these years, it seems that the continents on the earth have become big rafts floating on the ocean. As long as the people on each raft stretch out their arms, Holding hands together, we moved towards our arms together, and several rafts became one... I saw the badge of this Asian-African Writers Conference, which showed a yellow hand and a black hand tightly clenched That's how I feel when we're together!"

Xiuzi's eyes shone with joy, "Your words are so poetic! As long as the people on these continents extend the hand of friendship to each other..." At this moment, a restaurant waiter in Arabic costume knocked on the door and came in. He put a large tea tray of tea sets and snacks on the small round table, and went out again bowing and dragging his robe. While pouring tea, I asked with a smile, "How are our Tokyo friends? Are they interested in writing? " Hideko said: "They are all well, thank you. Especially after the Tokyo meeting last year, they all seemed to have a special inspiration and wrote one after another. You know, some newspapers and publications dare not use their articles. I think it offends the American imperialists too much. Their lives are somewhat difficult, but the scope of their readers is expanding every day, so their interest has always been high."

The door of the bathroom opened, and Kazuko came out covering the kimono on her body, sweeping back her short hair stuck to her forehead, and said with a smile: "The water here is so hot, I lost a full two pounds. You know, we haven't had a good bath since we left Tokyo, our hotel only has hot water in the morning and evening, and it's still warm!" She smiled and sat down on a soft bed next to the round table opposite Xiuzi. Chair, took a cup of tea I handed her, blowing gently. I laughed and said, "I said a long time ago that if you all come, it will not cause me any trouble at all, and it will also bring me happiness. When we meet at the venue, we are always in a hurry..."

Hezi picked up a piece of snack from the table and ate it, and asked with a smile, "What were you talking about just now, did I interrupt you? Let's continue." Xiuzi looked at me with a smile, and I repeated her words. again. Kazuko restrained his smile, stared at the silver shoes on his feet, and said slowly: "It is true that life is difficult, and my review article is not easy to publish. It is Mr. Yamada, Mr. Komai... who are so affected. There are novelists who are welcomed by everyone, and some publishers dare not accept their works..." She looked up, her eyes shining with bravery and pride, "Indeed, since the Tokyo meeting last year, we have all increased our courage. Knowing that we are not isolated on the three islands, across the ocean, there are countless people who are responding to our call for justice! What moved us the most was the speeches of those African representatives. Do you remember? They Said: They didn’t know anything about Japan in the past. They only knew that Japan was an imperialist country, and they never separated the Japanese government from the people. When they came to Japan, they found that Japan, like them, had US military bases on its territory. Being oppressed and enslaved, their sympathy and friendship surged out, and they were willing to fight to the end with the Japanese people... Tell you, these words really awakened many people like the bells of dawn; , There are still many people who regard the thief as their father, and regard the US imperialists riding on our heads as their own protectors!"

Xiuzi coughed lightly, and said in a low voice: "I'm afraid there are quite a few intellectuals who have had this kind of thought. It should be said that they include us—at least myself! Mr. Komai, after hearing a After an African representative made a speech, he said to me very sadly: "We Japanese intellectuals, since the Meiji Restoration, have always looked at the West and poured themselves into Western civilization. Not to mention Africans, even Asians are not in their eyes." .'We never understood that intellectuals should stand with the people...I never thought that when the people of our country, including intellectuals, were bullied by the U.S. imperialists, they would extend a warm and supportive hand to us , but...the people of Asia and Africa that we have never thought of!"

Hezi looked at Xiuzi in surprise and joy, and then turned her head to look at me. From her eyes, I remembered that Hezi once told me that Xiuzi was a very shy and quiet woman. It is easy to hear excited words.Hideko is emotional! I laughed and said, "Tokyo Conference is an inspiration and an education for each of us. I heard many African writers praise this successful conference, and they all have deep gratitude and respect for the efforts of Japanese writers.They also know that at this Cairo Conference, Japanese writers will continue to hold the banner of the Tokyo Conference and march forward courageously. "

Kazuko said happily and thoughtfully: "The Asian-African Writers Conference has indeed surrounded Japanese writers in a big family that is anti-imperialist and anti-colonial, united and warm..." Xiuzi didn't hear what we said, and only caressed the edge of the kimono on her lap with her hands absently, as if she wanted to press it flatter, and said, "And what the representative from Cameroon said yesterday, 'in the empire Today, when the system of communism is collapsing, and the devil of imperialism is struggling and trembling in a pool of blood, which writer still accepts the words of the theories of "art for art's sake" and "literature and politics should be separated" , this writer is an accomplice in killing our people and our literature!' These words were like rumbling thunder, my ears were hot, my heart was beating, I couldn't sit still in my seat, I thought... I I want to run out..."

She raised her blushing face, her passionate eyes swept across our faces, and Kazuko and I were silent for a moment, only listening to the gushing spring that broke through the rock and let it flow down. Xiuzi hurriedly continued, "My mind has opened up, and my eyes have brightened. Who said that the Asian-African Writers Conference is a political conference?Who said that the speeches at the Asian-African Writers Conference were all political agitation and propaganda? From my point of view, they are all the best literature, poured out from the hearts of hundreds of millions of people. "

The phone beside the bed rang, waking us up from our boiling emotions. Hideko let out a slight breath of shyness and apology, and took out a small handkerchief embroidered with red flowers from the front of her cover, Gently wipe the sweat on the temples.I hurried to the front of the phone. I handed the phone receiver to Hezi and said, "It's yours." Kazuko smiled and said a few words in Japanese into the phone, then put the phone down. "They said that once we got here, we wouldn't want to come back! It's time for us to have a meeting with the North Korean delegation, and they are waiting for us to set off together!" Xiuzi also stood up.The two of them were busy picking up the loose belt from my bed and helping each other to tie it tightly. Hideko's sash was gold, matching her dark purple kimono with white flowers.Kazuko's belt is silver, and it looks very pretty against her light blue dress with dark blue flowers.When they were wandering in front of the full-length mirror, the electric light beside the bed was obviously not bright enough, so I walked over and pulled the thick curtain aside. The light of the day poured into the room, they suddenly saw their own gorgeous shadows in the mirror, they were taken aback, turned around, and walked to the door with a smile on my nod, and stood side by side with me ... The Cairo Tower, which is far higher than the pyramids, stands exquisitely and gracefully in the golden light mist like fine porcelain; , On the long poles of the spiers of several high-rise buildings, flags were unfurled, fluttering to the west, and the east wind was blowing everywhere! Hideko squeezed my hand tightly, looked at me and smiled and said, "Do you remember the conversation we had on the boat on Lake Biwa in Kyoto last year? How hard was the east wind blowing that day? Another year has passed...whether in Asia or in In Africa, I feel that the spring is getting better every year, and I also feel that I am getting younger every year..." Hezi hugged Xiuzi's shoulders and said with a smile: "What a 'spring is getting better every year'! Let's go, bring this sentence to the symposium." They pushed and pulled to the bedside, hurriedly Picking up the odds and ends, putting them in my handbag, and hurriedly saying goodbye, I sent them to the elevator with attachment. When I came back, I turned off the light by the bed, and when I was arranging the tea set, I found a handkerchief embroidered with a few small red flowers, which had fallen on the floor beside the chair.That was what Xiuzi used to wipe his sweat just now.Embroidering red flowers one by one onto a snow-white handkerchief is not a quick job!I bent down to pick it up, and unconsciously pressed the slightly moist handkerchief tightly against my chest. March 18, 1962 (This article was originally published in the April 1962 issue of "People's Literature", and later included in the collection of essays "Praise of Cherry Blossoms".)