主 角 2（上部2）‍ ‍The Protagonist ‍ ‍—— 陈 彦 ‍ ‍—— Chen Yan

躍龍

　　易青娥跟着舅，在公社客房歇了一晚上。

Yi Qing'e spent the night with her uncle in a guest room at the commune.

公社好几个人跟她舅都熟，晚上来房里谝，还弄了半坛子甘蔗酒，就一碗腌萝卜，七七八八地干喝了半夜。易青娥睡在里间房，盖着被子，装睡着了，就听他们谝了些特别没名堂的话。有的易青娥能听懂，有的一点都听不懂。他们问她舅：剧团人，是不是都花得很？几年后，易青娥才知道“花”是啥意思。她舅说，都是胡说哩。有人说：“哎，都说剧团里的男女，干那事，可随便了。”舅说：“照你们这样说，好像剧团人的东西，都长在手心了，手一挨，麻达就来了。那是单位，跟你们这公社一样，要求严着哩。你胡朝女的身上挨，一胡挨，搞不好就开除球了。你们这公社好几任书记，不都招这祸了？”后来，喝着喝着，就开始审问她舅：“听说你胡三元，就是个花和尚啊！”都问他在剧团到底有几个相好的。舅死不承认，几个人就要扒舅的裤子。舅说：“有娃在呢，有娃在呢。”有人就把中间的格子门拉上了。她听见，几个人好像到底还是把舅的裤子扒了。舅好像也给人家承认，是有一个的。再后来的事，她就不知道了。

　　Several people from the commune were acquainted with her uncle, and they came to her room that night to chat. They even brought out half a jar of sugarcane wine and a bowl of pickled radishes, drinking it all down until midnight. Yi Qing'e slept in the inner room, pretending to be asleep under the covers, listening to their utterly nonsensical chatter. Some of it she could understand, some she couldn't understand at all. They asked her uncle: "Are all the people in the theater troupe very extravagant?" Years later, Yi Qing'e finally learned what "extravagant" meant. Her uncle said it was all nonsense. Someone said, "Hey, everyone says the men and women in the theater troupe do *that* kind of thing." Her uncle said, "According to you, it's like everyone in the troupe has their thing on their hands, and if they touch it, they'll get a headache. That's a work unit, just like your commune, the rules are strict. If you, Hu, touch a woman, you might get expelled. Several secretaries in your commune have gotten into trouble because of that, haven't they?" Later, as they drank, they started interrogating her uncle: "We heard you, Hu Sanyuan, are a womanizer!" They asked him how many lovers he had in the troupe. Her uncle vehemently denied it, and several people tried to pull down his pants. Her uncle said, "There's a girl here, there's a girl here." Someone then closed the lattice door in the middle. She heard that the people seemed to have eventually pulled down her uncle's pants. Her uncle seemed to admit that he did have one. After that, she didn't know what happened.

　　第二天一早，她跟舅就坐班车去了县城。车在路上还坏了几起，到县城已是杀黑时分。易青娥东张西望着，就被她舅领进了一个窄得只能骑自行车的土巷子。高一脚低一脚地走了好久，终于有一个门洞，大得有两人高，五六个人横排起来那么宽，歪歪斜斜地敞开着。

The next morning, she and her uncle took the bus to the county town. The bus broke down several times along the way, and it was already dark when they arrived. Yi Qing'e looked around anxiously before her uncle led her into a narrow dirt alley, barely wide enough for a bicycle. They walked for a long time, stumbling along, until finally they came to a doorway, wide enough for two people to stand side-by-side, its opening slanted and precarious.

舅说：“到了。”

"We're here," her uncle said.

里面有个院子，院子中间有根木杆，上面挑着一个灯泡。灯泡上粘满了细小的蚊虫。还有一蓬一蓬的虫子，在跃跃欲试着，一次次朝灯泡上飞撞。

Inside was a courtyard, with a wooden pole in the middle, from which hung a light bulb. The bulb was covered in tiny insects. Swarms of insects eagerly flew and bumped against the bulb.

　　有人跟舅搭腔说：“三元回来了。”

Someone spoke to her uncle, saying, "Sanyuan's back."

舅只哼了一声，就领着她进了前边院子。

Her uncle merely grunted and led her into the front yard.

所谓前后院子，其实就是一排平房隔开的。

The so-called front and back yards were actually just a row of single-story houses separated by a wall.

整个院子很大很大，是由几长溜房子合围起来的。

The entire yard was very large, enclosed by several long rows of houses.

　　易青娥还从来没见过这么大的院子。

Yi Qing'e had never seen such a large courtyard before.

前院也是中间竖了根木杆，杆子上吊个灯泡。灯泡被一个烂洋瓷盘样的罩子扣着。无数的蚊虫也在拼命朝光亮处飞扑着。有的粘到灯泡上，有的就跌落在地下了。

In the front yard, a wooden pole stood in the middle, with a light bulb hanging from it. The bulb was covered by a rotten enamel plate-like shade. Countless mosquitoes were frantically flying towards the light. Some stuck to the bulb, while others fell to the ground.

地上是厚厚一层飞虫尸体。

The ground was covered with a thick layer of dead insects.

前后院的灯杆下，都有一个水池子，有人在那里冲洗得哗啦啦一片响。

Under the lamppost in both the front and back yards, there was a small pool of water, where people were washing themselves, making a loud splashing sound.

　　她舅刚走进前院，就有人招呼：“三元，你跑呢，今天咱们在院子里逮了一条菜花蛇，刚吃完，你就回来了。”

As soon as her uncle stepped into the front yard, someone called out, "Sanyuan, where have you been? We caught a rat snake in the yard today, and we just finished eating it, and you're back already!"

“吃死你。”她舅说着，就领她走进一个拐角房里去了。

"You'll eat yourself to death," her uncle said, leading her into a corner room.

舅的房不大，摆了一张床，还有一个条桌，一把老木椅，一个洗脸盆架子。房的正中间支着他的鼓。一个灯泡，把用报纸糊的墙和顶棚，照得昏黄昏黄的。

His uncle's room wasn't big, containing a bed, a long table, an old wooden chair, and a washbasin stand. His drum stood in the center of the room. A light bulb cast a dim, yellowish light on the walls and ceiling, which were covered with newspaper.

　　舅的床干干净净的。被子和枕头，都用白布苫着。易青娥累得刚想把屁股端上床，就被舅一下拉了下来，说：“屁股那么脏，也不打一下灰，就朝床上赖。”说着，舅把枕头旁边一个很讲究的刷子拿过来，在她身上、屁股上，细细扫了一遍。舅说：“剧团可都是讲究人，千万别把放羊娃那一套给人家带来了。脏得跟猪一样，咋跟人在一起排戏、唱戏呢？”

Uncle's bed was spotless. The blankets and pillows were covered with white cloths. Yi Qing'e, exhausted, was about to climb onto the bed when her uncle pulled her back down, saying, "Your bottom is so dirty, you don't even brush off the dust before sprawling on the bed." As he spoke, he took a very elegant brush from beside the pillow and carefully brushed her body and bottom. Uncle said, "The theater troupe are all very particular people. Don't bring your shepherd boy ways to them. How can you rehearse and perform with them if you're as dirty as a pig?"

　　易青娥刚在床拐角坐下，就见一个女的闪了进来。易青娥一下认出来了，这不就是上次在公社看戏，那个演女赤脚医生的吗？她吓得急忙从床边溜了下来。

Yi Qing'e had just sat down at the corner of the bed when a woman darted in. Yi Qing'e immediately recognized her—wasn't this the barefoot doctor she'd seen playing in the play at the commune? Startled, she quickly slid off the bed.

那女的倒是和善，先开口了：“这就是你姐的娃？”

The woman was friendly and spoke first: "Is this your sister's child?"

舅噢了一声。

Yi Qing'e said "Oh."

那女的突然扑哧笑了：“不会吧，这娃咋……”

The woman suddenly chuckled: "No way, how come this child..."

　　不知她想说啥，舅急忙给她挤眼睛，她就把话咽回去了。

Unsure what she wanted to say, her uncle quickly winked at her, and she swallowed her words.

舅说：“这就是剧团的大名演，胡彩香。叫胡老师。你看过胡老师戏的。”

Her uncle said, "This is the famous actress of the troupe, Hu Caixiang. Call her Teacher Hu. You've seen Teacher Hu perform before."

易青娥怯生生地点点头。

Yi Qing'e nodded timidly.

舅对胡彩香说：“这回就靠你了噢。下个礼拜就考试，你无论如何得把娃带一带。先把唱腔音阶教一下，再给娃把胳膊腿顺一顺，能看过去就行。”

Her uncle said to Hu Caixiang, "This time it's up to you. The exam is next week, you have to take care of the child no matter what. First, teach her the singing techniques and scales, then help her straighten her arms and legs, just enough to make her passable."

　　胡彩香说：“哎，这回报名的可不少，据说是五选一呢。”

Hu Caixiang said, "Hey, there are quite a few applicants this time. Apparently, it's one in five."

舅说：“哪怕十选一呢，剧团人的亲戚还能不照顾？”

The uncle said, "Even if it's one in ten, wouldn't the relatives of the troupe members get preferential treatment?"

胡彩香说：“你看你才回去两天，就啥都不知道了。今早才开的会，黄主任说了，这回要坚决杜绝走后门的风气，团内团外一个样。”

Hu Caixiang said, "Look at you, you've only been back for two days and you already know nothing. There was a meeting this morning, and Director Huang said that this time we must resolutely eliminate the practice of back-door deals; everyone inside and outside the troupe is treated the same."

　　舅把牙一咬：“嚼他娘的牙帮骨。不收我姐的娃，你叫他试试。”

Uncle gritted his teeth: "You son of a bitch! You won't accept my sister's kid? You try and get him!"

胡彩香急忙掩嘴说：“你悄声点。小心人家听见，又开你的会哩。”

Hu Caixiang quickly covered her mouth and said, "Keep your voice down. Be careful people hear us, or they'll start another meeting."

“开他妈的个瘪葫芦子！”舅骂开了。

"Start another meeting, my ass!" Uncle cursed.

胡彩香急得直摇头：“你就是个挨了打，不记棍子的货！”

Hu Caixiang shook her head anxiously: "You're the kind of person who doesn't learn from a beating!"

　　“记他妈的瘪葫芦子，记！”

“Remember that damn flat-chested gourd, remember that!”

“好了好了，我都不敢跟你多说话了，一搭腔，躁脾气就来了。明晚又演《向阳红》呢，你知道不？”

“Alright, alright, I don’t dare talk to you anymore. If I do, you get irritable.They’re putting on *Xiangyanghong* again tomorrow night, you know that?”

“给谁演？”

“For whom?”

“说是上边来了领导，专门检查啥子赤脚医生工作的。”

“They said some leaders came from above, specifically to inspect the work of some barefoot doctors.”

“重要演出，那肯定是你上么。”

“An important performance, so you’re definitely going to be in it.”

　　胡彩香把嘴一撇：“哼，看把你能的。我上，我给人家黄主任的老婆，还没织下背心呢。”

Hu Caixiang scoffed, "Hmph, look at you, so capable. I've already knitted a vest for Director Huang's wife, and I haven't even finished that yet."

“啥事嘛？把人说得稀里糊涂的。”舅问。

"What's going on? You're making things so confusing," her uncle asked.

“你不知道了吧。那骚货前一阵，在县水泥厂弄了十几双线手套，拆呀缠呀的，不是老在用钩针，钩一件菊花背心吗？你猜最近穿在谁身上了？”

"You don't know, do you? That slut got over a dozen pairs of gloves from the county cement factory a while ago, and she was unraveling and rewinding them, all the while crocheting a chrysanthemum vest, right? Guess who's wearing it lately?"

　　“黄主任的老婆？”

"Director Huang's wife?"

“算你娃聪明！昨天晚上下了场雨，那女人就穿着出来纳凉了。你说这么热的天气，好不容易下点雨，都不怕捂出痱子来。嘿，人家就穿出来了，你有啥办法。哼，穿么，哪一天把那个米妖精，勾引到她老汉的床上，她就不穿了。”胡彩香说得既眉飞色舞，又有些酸不溜溜的。

"You're smart, kid! It rained last night, and that woman came out wearing it to cool off. In this sweltering weather, it's rare for it to rain, isn't she afraid of getting heat rash? Hey, she just wore it out, what can you do? Humph, she'll wear it, one day she'll seduce that vixen into her old man's bed, and then she won't wear it anymore." Hu Caixiang spoke with a mixture of excitement and sarcasm.

舅说：“都定了，让米兰上？”

Uncle said, "It's all settled, should we let Milan do it?"

“人家今天把戏都练上了。”

"She even practiced her act today."

　　“让她上么。明明不行，领导还要硬朝上促呢。看我明晚不把这戏，敲得烂包在舞台上才怪呢。”

"Let her do it. She's clearly not up to it, but the leaders are still pushing her. I'll make sure she's completely ruined by tomorrow night."

胡彩香又撇撇嘴说：“吹，吹，可吹。小心明晚上给人家献媚，把糖都喂到人家嘴里了。”

Hu Caixiang scoffed, "Bragging, bragging, you're all talk. Be careful you don't end up sucking up to her tomorrow night and feeding her all your sweets."

“我给她献媚？呸！”

"Sucking up to her? Pah!"

胡彩香说：“我就看你明晚能拉出一橛啥硬货来。”

Hu Caixiang said, "I'll see what kind of solid stuff you can pull out tomorrow night."

　　“放心，那些给哈领导献媚的，我都有办法收拾。”舅把话题一转，说，“你可得把这娃的事当事。”

"Don't worry, I'll handle those who fawn over Leader Ha," Uncle said, changing the subject. "You'd better take this child's matter seriously."

胡彩香说：“放心。你这窄的床，又是个女娃，睡着多不方便，就到我那儿睡几天吧。刚好，我也能给娃说说戏。”

Hu Caixiang said, "Don't worry. Your bed is so narrow, and it's a girl's bed, it's inconvenient for her to sleep. Why don't she stay at my place for a few days? I can also talk to her about opera."

舅说：“那就太麻烦你了。”

Uncle said, "That would be too much trouble for you."

“看你那死样子，还说这客气话。”胡彩香说着，就把懵懵懂懂的易青娥拉到她房里去了。

"Look at you, so polite," Hu Caixiang said, pulling the bewildered Yi Qing'e into her room.

　　胡彩香的宿舍跟她舅中间只隔了一个厨房。房子一样大，里面摆设也几乎差不多。不过胡彩香毕竟是女的，房里就多了许多梳子、发卡、雪花膏之类的东西。走进去，先是一股香味扑鼻而来，甚至有些刺人眼睛。胡彩香到院子里端了一盆凉水回来，又把暖瓶里的热水兑了兑，让易青娥洗了麻利睡。她就出去到院子里，跟水池子附近坐着的人谝闲传去了。易青娥听见，那些话里，有一句没一句的，都与那件菊花背心有关。

Hu Caixiang's dormitory was separated from her uncle's by only a kitchen. The rooms were the same size, and the furnishings were almost identical. However, Hu Caixiang was a woman, so her room had many more combs, hair clips, face cream, and the like. Upon entering, a strong, almost pungent fragrance wafted through the air. Hu Caixiang went to the yard and brought back a basin of cool water, then diluted the hot water in the thermos so Yi Qing'e could wash up and go to bed quickly. She then went out to the yard and chatted idly with the people sitting near the pond. Yi Qing'e overheard that many of their conversations revolved around the chrysanthemum vest.

　　易青娥洗完后，就上床缩成一团，胆怯地睡在胡彩香的床拐角了。

After washing up, Yi Qing'e curled up in bed, timidly sleeping in the corner of Hu Caixiang's bed.

外面有水声，有说话声，还有笛子声、胡琴声、唱戏声。再有夜蚊子的嗡嗡轰炸声。

Outside, there were sounds of water, voices, flutes, erhu, and opera singing. There was also the buzzing of mosquitoes.

易青娥突然有些害怕，把身子再往紧里缩了缩，几乎缩成了蚕蛹状。

Suddenly, Yi Qing'e felt a pang of fear, shrinking even further, almost like a cocoon.

　　在山里放羊，即使走得再远，她都没害怕过。但在这里，她害怕了。她觉得唱戏好像没有放羊那么简单。她想回去，却又不敢对舅讲。她用毛巾被把头捂起来，偷着唤了一声“娘”，眼泪就唰唰地下来了。

Herding sheep in the mountains, no matter how far they went, she had never been afraid. But here, she was afraid. She felt that performing opera wasn't as simple as herding sheep. She wanted to go back, but she didn't dare tell her uncle. She covered her head with a towel, secretly called out "Mother," and tears streamed down her face.

　　陈彦，1963年生于陕西镇安。一级编剧。中国作家协会会员。曾创作《迟开的玫瑰》《大树西迁》《西京故事》等戏剧作品数十部，三次获“曹禺戏剧文学奖”“文华编剧奖”，作品三度入选国家舞台艺术精品工程“十大精品剧目”。曾创作32集电视剧《大树小树》，获“飞天奖”。著有长篇小说《西京故事》《装台》，其中《装台》被中国小说学会评为“2015小说排行榜”长篇小说榜首，“2015中国好书”，2017年获首届“吴承恩长篇小说奖”。出版有《陈彦剧作选》《陈彦词作选》《陈彦西京三部曲》，散文集《必须抵达》《边走边看》《坚挺的表达》《说秦腔》等著作。