<p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"><u> 黑娃骑着一匹乌青马朝白鹿村赶来，月亮下去了，星光昏暗。他和弟兄们刚刚做毕一件活儿，就像种罢一垄麦子或是收割完一畦水稻，弟兄们用马驮着粮食回山里去了，自己单身匹马去给小娥送一袋粮食。沿路所过的大村小寨不见一星灯火，偶尔有几声狗的叫声，饥荒使白鹿原来完全陷入死般的静寂，无论大村小寨再也无法组织得起巡更护村的人手了，即使他们入室抢动富家大户，住在东西隔壁的邻居明知发生了什么事也懒得吭声。进入白鹿村之前，黑娃首先看见吊庄白兴儿的房舍，处于整个拥拥挤挤的白鹿村外首的这个吊庄，恰如中华版图外系的台湾或者海南岛。</u></b></p><p class="ql-block"></p><p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"> Heiwa rode a dark blue horse towards Bailu Village. The moon had set, and the starlight was dim. He and his brothers had just finished a task, like planting a row of wheat or harvesting a field of rice. The brothers had carried the grain back to the mountains on their horses, while he rode alone to deliver a bag of grain to Xiao'e. Along the way, he passed through villages and hamlets without a single light, only the occasional bark of a dog. Famine had plunged Bailu into a deathly silence. No village, large or small, could muster enough manpower for patrols and protection. Even if they broke into wealthy households, the neighbors living next door, knowing what was happening, remained silent. Before entering Bailu Village, Heiwa first saw the house of Bai Xing'er in Diaozhuang, a village situated on the outer edge of the crowded Bailu Village, much like Taiwan or Hainan Island on the outer edge of the Chinese map.</b></p> <p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"><u> 他对白兴儿的庄场忘记忆深刻，那头种牛雄健无比，牛头上的两只银灰色的抵角朝两边弯成两个半圆的圈儿，脖颈子下的肉脸子一低头就垂到地上。那头灰驴和一匹骡子一样高大，浑圆的尻蛋子毛色油亮，看见母马时就蹦达起来，尖嘎的叫声十分硌耳。最引人的还数那匹种马，赤红的鬃毛象一团盛开的石榴花。他那时候就知道，公牛压过母牛生牛犊，种马压过母马母马也生马驹，而叫驴压了母马母马既不生马也不生驴却生下一头骡驹来。</u></b></p><p class="ql-block"></p><p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"> He had a vivid memory of Bai Xing'er's ranch. The bull was incredibly strong, its two silver-gray horns curving into two semicircles, its fleshy face drooping to the ground when it lowered its head. The gray donkey was as tall as a mule, its round rump glossy coat gleaming. It would leap up when it saw a mare, its shrill braying quite jarring. The most captivating of all was the stallion, its crimson mane resembling a cluster of blooming pomegranate blossoms. He knew then that a bull mating with a cow would produce a calf, a stallion mating with a mare would produce a foal, but a donkey mating with a mare would produce neither a horse nor a donkey, but instead a mule foal.</b></p> <p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"><u> 每年春天和秋天，白鹿原上远远近近的大庄稼户和小庄稼户牵着发情的母牛草驴或母牛到吊庄来，白兴儿笑殷殷地让客户坐到凉棚下去喝茶，然后把母畜牵到一个栅栏式的木架里头去。每年夏收或秋收以后，白兴儿就牵着种牛叫驴或者种马，脖子上拴一匝红绸，红绸下系一只金黄色的铜铃，到各个村庄里转游；那些配过种而且已经得到了小牛犊小马驹小骡驹的庄户人，听见铀铃叮当叮当的响声就用木斗提出豌豆来，倒进白兴儿搭在牲畜背上的口袋，连一句多余的饶舌话也无须罗索;白兴儿一边是意在收账，另一边意思是夸庄，向各个村庄凡饲养母畜的庄稼户展示种畜的英姿，名曰夸庄，吸引更多的人把发情的母畜牵到他的吊庄里去，算是一种最原始最古老的广告形式……黑娃在山寨时与白牡丹或黑牡丹干过那种事后，总是想到小时候偷看白兴儿的配种场里的秘密。</u></b></p><p class="ql-block"></p><p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"> Every spring and autumn, farmers from near and far on Bailuyuan would bring their estrus cows, donkeys, or other female animals to Diaozhuang. Bai Xing'er would greet the customers with a warm smile and invite them to sit under the shade of the pavilion to drink tea, and then lead the female animals into a fence-like wooden . Every summer or autumn after the harvest, Bai Xing'er would lead his breeding cattle, donkeys, or horses, each with a red silk ribbon around its neck and a golden copper bell attached to the bottom, to various villages. Those farmers who had bred animals and had calves, foals, or mules would hear the jingling of the bell and use wooden buckets to scoop up peas, pouring them into the bag Bai Xing'er carried on the back of the animals, without uttering a single unnecessary word. Bai Xing'er's purpose was twofold: to collect debts and to boast, showing off his breeding stock to farmers in various villages who raised female livestock. This was called "boasting," attracting more people to bring their estrus animals to his stables—a most primitive and ancient form of advertising… After having such an affair with Bai Mudan or Hei Mudan in the mountain village, Heiwa always thought of the secrets he had spied on in Bai Xing'er's breeding grounds when he was a child.</b></p> <p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"><u> 黑娃驱马从村子东头的慢道上下来不由一惊，进入窑院跳下马来，却看不见熟悉的窑门和窑窗了，坍塌的黄土覆盖着原先的窑洞。他旋即翻身上马，返身奔到吊庄白兴儿的庄场上来。昔时人欢马叫的庄场一片凄凉，专供不驯顺的母畜就范的木头栅架已经拆毁，庄场大约关闭停业了，大饥馑年月，牲畜早被庄稼人卖了钱换了粮或进杀坊卖了肉，还有鬼来配种哩！黑娃把马拴到暗处树下，敲响了白兴儿的门板，好半天才听见白兴儿在门里惊恐的问话声。</u></b></p><p class="ql-block"></p><p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"> Heiwa was startled as he dismounted from the slow path at the east end of the village. He jumped off his horse into the cave dwelling courtyard, but the familiar cave doors and windows were nowhere to be seen. Collapsed yellow earth covered the former cave dwellings. He immediately remounted and rode back to Bai Xing'er's farm. The farm, once bustling with activity, was now desolate. The wooden fences used to tame unruly female livestock had been dismantled. The farm had probably closed down. During the great famine, the livestock had long been sold by the farmers for grain or slaughtered for meat. Who would want to breed them? Heiwa tied his horse to a tree in the shadows and knocked on Bai Xing'er's door. It took a long time before he heard Bai Xing'er's terrified voice from inside.</b></p> <p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"><u> 黑娃说：“老哥你甭害怕，我是黑娃。我只问你一句话，你不开门也行。我媳妇到哪达去咧？窑咋也塌了？”白兴儿大约犹疑了片刻还是拉开了门闩，压低声儿说：“黑娃兄弟！你真个到这会儿还不知道？”黑娃也急了：“咋回事你快说到底是咋回事？”白兴儿说：“你媳妇给人杀咧！”黑娃大吃一惊，一把抓住白兴儿瘦削的肩胛问：“谁下的毒手？你给我实说你甭害怕。”白兴儿说：“不知道。瞎咧好咧都没逮住一句影踪儿话柄儿。你那窑里散出臭气时，我才寻见发现的，后来就挖土把窑封了。”黑娃又问：“你真个没听到一句半句影踪话把儿？”白兴儿连连摇头：“没有没有……”黑娃狠着劲儿说：“算了不麻烦你了。我把马拴在椿树上你照看一下，我一会儿来骑……”</u></b></p><p class="ql-block"></p><p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"> Heiwa said, "Brother, don't be afraid, it's me, Heiwa. I only have one question for you, you can stay away from the door. Where did my wife go? And why did the kiln collapse?" Bai Xing'er hesitated for a moment before finally opening the latch and whispering, "Brother Heiwa! You really don't know by now?" Heiwa was also anxious: "What happened? Tell me quickly, what happened?" Bai Xing'er said, "Your wife was killed!" Heiwa was shocked and grabbed Bai Xing'er's thin shoulder, asking, "Who..." "You did it? Tell me the truth and don't be afraid." Bai Xing'er said, "I don't know. I couldn't catch a single word. I only found it when the stench emanated from your kiln, and then I dug up some soil to seal it up." Heiwa asked again, "You really didn't hear a single word?" Bai Xing'er shook his head repeatedly, "No, no..." Heiwa said forcefully, "Never mind, I won't trouble you. I'll tie the horse to the ailanthus tree and watch over it. I'll come back to ride it in a bit..."</b></p> <p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"><u> 黑娃端直找到鹿子霖的门下。白兴儿一告知小娥被杀的消息，他脑子里第一个反应出来的就是鹿子霖那张眼窝很深鼻梁细长的脸。他一纵身攀住墙头，轻轻一跃就跌落到院中，双脚着地以后就捅死了一条扑到腿前的黑狗。院子里一丝声息也没有，他用刀片插人门缝拨开木闩，进入漆黑的上房东屋。鹿子霖睡得正香正死，他的婆娘背对着他侧身面里睡着。一刀子下去，鹿子霖可能连睁眼认的机会也不曾得到就完结了。黑娃想着就坐在太师椅上。顺手摸过黄铀水烟壶儿，捻了一撮水烟丝儿塞进烟筒，拼打火镰，火石的响声惊醒了鹿子霖。鹿子霖粘糊着嗓音说：“你呀烟瘾倒比我还大咧！”鹿子霖把黑娃当作他的婆娘了。</u></b></p><p class="ql-block"></p><p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"> Heiwa went straight to Lu Zilin's door. The moment Bai Xing'er told him about Xiao'e's murder, the first image that came to his mind was Lu Zilin's face—deep-set eyes and a long, thin nose. He leaped over the wall, jumped lightly, and landed in the courtyard. He stabbed a black dog that had lunged at his legs to death. There was no sound in the courtyard. He used a razor blade to pry open the wooden latch and entered the dark east room. Lu Zilin was fast asleep, his wife sleeping with her back to him, face turned towards him. With one stab, Lu Zilin might not even have a chance to open his eyes and recognize her before it was all over. Heiwa thought to himself as he sat down in the armchair. He casually picked up his yellow water pipe, pinched off a tuft of tobacco, stuffed it into the pipe, and struck a flint and steel. The clanging of the flint woke Lu Zilin. Lu Zilin said in a slurred voice, "Your smoking habit is even worse than mine!" Lu Zilin had mistaken Heiwa for his wife.</b></p> <p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"><u> 黑娃吸得水烟壶咕噜响，吹燃火纸点燃了灯，瞅着鹿子霖枕在玉石枕头上那颗硕长的脑袋。鹿子霖大约摸到了身旁僵睡着女人而意识到事情不妙，一骨碌翻起身来问：“你是谁？”黑娃说：“甭摸甭摸。”鹿子霖换一种口气问：“黑娃噢我当是谁……”黑娃说：“我来问你一件事，说在你，不说也在你；你要是动手动脚，你那两下子不胜我那两下子，你不信不要紧，说完话咱摆开场子明着弄。你知道我为着啥事来问你——”鹿子霖穿衣蹬裤，又推醒了身旁的女人，吩咐她去烧茶，回过头说：“老侄儿！我知道你为着啥事来的。我早就料到你总有一天要来寻我的。”</u></b></p><p class="ql-block"></p><p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"> Heiwa puffed loudly on his water pipe, blew on the tinder to light the lamp, and stared at Lu Zilin's large head resting on the jade pillow. Lu Zilin, having roughly felt the woman sleeping stiffly beside him, realized something was wrong and quickly sat up, asking, "Who are you?" Heiwa said, "Don't touch me, don't touch me." Lu Zilin changed his tone and asked, "Heiwa, oh, who is it..." Heiwa said, "I've come to ask you something. It's up to you whether you tell me or not; if you try to touch me, your skills are no match for mine. If you don't believe me, that's fine. After we finish talking, we'll settle things openly. Do you know why I'm asking you this—" Lu Zilin put on his clothes and trousers, then woke the woman beside him, told her to make tea, and turned back to say, "Nephew! I know why you've come. I knew you would come looking for me one day.”</b></p> <p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"><u> 黑娃说：“那就不要罗罗索索。”鹿子霖说：“你媳妇遭害，我一听说就想到给我惹下麻烦了，咋哩？人自然会想到你游我半我。你跑了我杀你女人出气。可人都想不到另一层，我要是想杀小娥还不如杀了兆鹏！他整我比谁都叫我更伤心。再说，不怕你侄儿犯心病，你逃走了，小娥几次找我哭哭啼啼，让我给田总说情宽容你。我这人心软，一见谁哭就哭得我仇也消了气儿也跑了。我虽则没有为你说成人情，田总在后总算宽饶了小娥。我看她一个女人空牺牺惶惶，周济给她一点点粮食，有人还借机胡扬脏哩！给我脸上抹屎尿哩！你想想我怎么会下毒手？”</u></b></p><p class="ql-block"></p><p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"> Heiwa said, "Then stop rambling." Lu Zilin said, "When I heard your wife was harmed, I immediately thought it would cause me trouble. What? People naturally think you're playing me for a fool. You ran away, so I killed your woman to vent my anger. But people don't think about the other side. If I wanted to kill Xiao'e, I'd rather kill Zhaopeng! He hurt me more than anyone else. Besides, I'm not afraid your nephew will have a mental breakdown. You ran away, and Xiao'e came to me several times crying and begging me to plead with Boss Tian to forgive you. I'm a soft-hearted person; when I see someone crying, my anger dissipates and I run away. Although I didn't do you a favor, Boss Tian eventually forgave Xiao'e. I saw her, a woman, all alone and living in fear. I gave her a little bit of food, and some people even took the opportunity to spread rumors! They smeared excrement and urine on my face! How could I possibly be so cruel?"</b></p> <p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"><u> 黑娃梗着脖子说，“你的舌头软和我是知道的。我要是再想不来谁只想到杀小娥的就是你，你说咋办？鹿子霖反倒挺胸睁眼说：“你老侄儿要是想杀我我没办法，你因旁的事杀我我不说啥；你要是为小娥报仇杀了我，你老侄儿日后要后悔的。事情终究有开明的一天，你明白了杀小娥的不是我，你就后悔了，搁旁人做错事也许不后悔，你会后悔的，因你是个讲义气的直杠子脾气……”黑娃反倒心动了：“你听没听说谁下的毒手？”鹿子霖说：“这事人命关天，我没实据不敢乱说。我只管保我没做对不住老侄儿的事。你要是有实据证明是我下的毒手，我就把脖顶伸到你刀下给你割。”黑娃说：“那好嘛！你现时上炕去续着睡你的觉，我从哪儿进来再由哪儿出去，免得你开门关门。鹿子霖抱歉他说：“那我不送你了失礼了……”</u></b></p><p class="ql-block"></p><p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"> Heiwa, with his neck stiff, said, "I know you're weak-tongued. If I still can't think of anyone else, and all I can think of is you who killed Xiao'e, what do you suggest I do?" Lu Zilin, on the other hand, puffed out his chest and opened his eyes, saying, "If your old nephew wants to kill me, I can't help it. If you kill me for any other reason, I won't say anything; but if you kill me to avenge Xiao'e, your old nephew will regret it later. Things will eventually come to light. Once you realize that I didn't kill Xiao'e, you'll regret it. Others might not regret doing something wrong, but you will, because you're a loyal and straightforward person..." Heiwa was tempted: "Have you heard who did the killing?" Lu Zilin said, "This is a matter of life and death, I don't dare to say anything without concrete evidence. I'll only guarantee that I haven't done anything to wrong my old nephew. If you have concrete evidence to prove that I did the killing, I'll put my neck under your knife and let you cut it." Heiwa said, "Alright then!" "Go back to bed and continue your sleep. I'll leave through the same place I came in, so you don't have to open and close the door." Lu Zilin apologized, saying, "Then I won't see you off. Sorry for the inconvenience..."</b></p> <p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"><u> 陈忠实（1942年8月3日—2016年4月29日），陕西灞桥人，中国大陆当代作家，曾任陕西省作家协会主席、党组成员、名誉主席、中国作家协会副主席，是西北五省继柯仲平之后第二位担任中国作家协会副主席的作家。</u></b></p><p class="ql-block"> </p><p class="ql-block"><b style="font-size:20px;"> Chen Zhongshi (August 3, 1942 - April 29, 2016), a native of Baqiao, Shaanxi Province, is a contemporary writer from mainland China. He served as chairman, party group member, honorary chairman, and vice chairman of the Shaanxi Writers Association. He is the second writer from the five northwestern provinces to serve as vice chairman of the China Writers Association after Ke Zhongping.</b></p>