穆涛其人其事 　　

　　Mu Tao and His Stories 　　

　　贾平凹 　　

　　贾平凹 　　

　　胡宗锋罗宾吉尔班克译 　　

　　胡宗锋罗宾吉尔班克 　　

　　一。 　　

　　我在《美文》 杂志当主编，副主编是从河北石家庄调来的穆涛，他是个蛮有智慧又有一肚子谑趣的人。一天，我们驱车到外县去，经过秦岭北麓，他发感慨：你们陕西人谦虚，这么大的山竟不称山，叫个岭。我知道他又要作贱陕西了，就说：说谦虚那比不上你们河北，那么大个省会不称城，叫个庄！车到一个山弯，忽然公路上奔跑着一只野兔，车一鸣喇叭，它就窜向路右边的半崖上，双耳翘起，小脑袋左右扭动，又跑下公路，竟在车前疾奔。车一加速，又一转身窜到左边的坡下，没想到跌了跟斗，一疙瘩毛肉滚将下去。穆涛就笑着野兔的机警和急，却也就说到老虎，说，老虎之所以是老虎，它是没这份机警的，它总是慵懒地卧在那里，似乎在打盹睡，可一旦猎物出现，它一下子就捕获了，然后又卧在那里安安静静地什么也不作理。我说穆涛你说得好，我回去给你画张虎。穆涛说：这可是你主动说的，你是君子！我说我当然是君子。穆涛就快乐了，话也多得很，全说老虎的王者之气，最后说道：你瞧瞧这汉语，词下得多准，给虎之前就加一个老字！我说：是吗，鼠之前也加一个老字哩。 　　

　　1. 　　

　　我是散文杂志《美丽的信》的主编，我的副手穆韬是从河北调到西安的。他是一个充满智慧和欢乐的人。有一天，我们参观了西安城外的一个县城。路过秦岭北坡时，他感慨道："你们陕西人真谦虚。你用后缀"岭"来形容这样一个伟大的山脉。"我知道他又要诋毁陕西了，就三三三六零插话"没你们河北人多。你们省的省会——石家庄——如此之大，你却给它加了个后缀"庄"。" 　　

　　当汽车到达一个弯道时，一只野兔突然窜上公路。一听到我们的喇叭声，它就窜到路右边悬崖上的一个洞里。它的两只耳朵竖了起来，它的小脑袋扭了过来，然后它又回到了马路上，在我们的车前飞快地跑着。我们加速，它折回，向左边的悬崖驶去。像一团毛茸茸的肉，它从目标处翻了回来。穆韬嘲笑兔子的机敏和敏捷。他的话题很快转移到老虎身上，他猜测道："老虎之所以是老虎，仅仅是因为它缺乏兔子的机敏。老虎总是懒洋洋地蹲着，好像在打瞌睡。但是一旦有猎物出现，它就会猛扑过去。之后，这只大猫又安静地伸开四肢，对周围的一切浑然不觉。" 　　

　　我说他说得很对，我们回去后我会给他画一只老虎。 　　

　　"你提出了这个提议，所以应该尊重它 　　

I insisted that I was a gentleman through-and-through. Mu Tao was happy and became talkative, praising the regal glamour of the tiger. Finally, he added: “The Chinese language is so precise. When we talk of tigers we always call them ‘old tigers’, as if to show our respect.”

“Is that so? But we call mice ‘old mice’ as well!”

从外县返回，我真的画了一张虎，画好了却舍不得再给穆涛。穆涛骂我画虎者有鼠气，我说，正因为有鼠气才把虎画留下要补虎气啊。

When we returned, sure enough I composed a tiger picture for him. However, once it was finished I felt too fond of this portrait and refused to give it to him. Mu Tao jeered at me, saying that I had painted a tiger, but with the narrow mind of a mouse.

“It’s because I have the narrow mind of a mouse that I’ve decided to keep the tiger. Now I can be puffed up with the air of that noble beast.”

二．
因为喜欢了穆涛的文，也就喜欢了穆涛的人。人是小眼睛的，看着就生急逼，话又慢，仿佛在肚里酝酿了又酝酿，一点点地滴洒。

2.

It was his way with language that first endeared Mu Tao to me. He has a pinched pair of eyes, which cast a coercive gaze. He talks in a halting way as if the words are being fermented repeatedly in his stomach before being decanted drop by drop.

穆涛就占了个从容。
　　 时下的国人依然浮躁着，但浮躁的文章人已经厌了。超越激愤，面对了永恒和没有永恒的局面，许多弄文的的人忽然觉得从容就好，于是就从容，要么去写了鸡零狗碎的东西，要么如那些也要从容的书法家一样，偏把字写得松歪丑懒，其实一派造作。做人和做文，不是要从容就能从容的，它需要一种定力，定力又来自大的境界。穆涛的文有点像黄宾虹的画，以世界的角度来审视和重铸民族的传统，又藉传统的伸展或转移来确立自身的价值。

Mu Tao’s main characteristic is his serenity.

At the present time, the masses in our country are in a turbulent mood. And yet they are tired of articles which set out to incite. Surpassing their kneejerk anger and facing up to what seems eternal and the absence of eternity, many men of letters find that it is better to remain calm. Once that has been achieved, they can either write about the vicissitudes of everyday life or learn from the example of calligraphers whose composure is feigned. Such people daub out words in a louche or haphazard fashion. Writing articles is no different from the business of being a man. It is not that you seek out a state of serenity and are assured of attaining it. A kind of anchoring force is required. This anchoring force derives from the apprehension of there being a sublime realm. Mu Tao’s articles bear some resemblance to Huang Binhong’s paintings. They survey and recast the national tradition from a global perspective. The dissemination and transference of that tradition is what thus establishes an individual sense of value.
　 我并不知道穆涛的出身和经历——鬼知道他来自仙界还是魔方——难以了解到如此从容的原因，但在研读了他许多文章后，发现他的从容呈现出了他的一种文气和智慧。人是有聪明和智慧之分的。聪明的人到处都有，但聪明常常害人，要沦落到一个小字里边去；智慧却是难得，有智慧的人，特有一种艺术的感觉，平凡的事物里他会觉悟出非凡，话有三说，他巧说得有态有度，该肥就肥，该瘦就瘦，如美妇人。

I remain somewhat in the dark about the circumstances of Mu Tao’s birth and his life experiences – heaven only knows if he migrated from Arcadia or else the realm of devils. His serenity is inscrutable. And yet, after having read and studied many of his articles I found that it is within his serenity that his wisdom and literary flair are manifested. Mankind is evolving into those who are wise and those who are clever. Clever people are to be found everywhere, but they constantly inflict harm upon others, demeaning themselves into being petty men. Those people who have wisdom are hard to find because they possess a special kind of artistic sense. They are apt to infer extraordinary things from ordinary things. Everything can be expressed in three different ways. He has expressed his ideas with appropriate words and a correct attitude in an artful manner. Like a beautiful lady, her regions of plumpness and leanness are properly apportioned.
文坛如社会一样，好人和坏人到处在平均分配着，尤其在当今，天才和小丑常常无法分清，闲人多多，投机者充斥，穆涛可惜没混出个著名来，他实在是写得太少。静观穆涛，他似乎并不与人争一时短长，多于思考，依赖体证，博览群书，广泛吸收，他的心态是十分地健康。现在很年轻的一批作家，比以前的作家老熟得多，这使我又敬又畏。我知道穆涛会有好作品出来的，却没想到出品的竟是长长的《原罪》，读着这本书，想他眼小言慢，善于蓄力，就体会到了一句古语：口锐者天钝之，目空者鬼降之。

The literary field is a microcosm of society. Rascals and virtuous fellows are evenly distributed everywhere. Nowadays especially, it is hard to distinguish genius from clownery. There are so many idlers and speculators. It is a pity that Mu Tao has not achieved great fame from writing. He has written sparingly. If we observe him quietly, it may be discerned that he is inured to short-term success. He has spent more time in meditation, collecting materials, reading various kinds of books, absorbing all the nourishment he requires. His state of mind is extremely healthy. These days, a group of young writers has emerged who appear more adept than the previous generation. This fills me both respect and fear. I know that some time in the future, he will produce his masterwork. I never expected that he would turn out a manuscript so long as his novel The Original Sin. Reading this book, and bringing to mind his narrow eyes, slow speech, and propensity to accrue power, I thought back to an old saying: “Heaven will curb the sharp-tongued; Ghosts will conquer the proud.”
穆涛从石家庄到西安，我们从作者与编辑的关系过渡到一个办公室的同事，开始了行立坐卧都很适意的生活。有茶清待客，无事乱翻书。人是有气味的，或许我们气味相投。

Mu Tao came over to Xi’an from Shijiazhuang. Our relationship changed from author and editor to office colleagues and a feeling of ease affected our work and daily lives. When we obtain fine tea, we entertain each other. When we have nothing to do we randomly read books. Each man has his own smell, so perhaps those of the same odour cleave together.
　　 这么长的一部作品说了这么短一个序，如一个胖子头上的小帽，这帽子可以摘下不戴，权当是一本大戏，开场前的几点锣鼓。

I have written such a brief preface for what has turned out to be a substantial collection. It is rather like an obese man balancing a tiny hat on his head. The hat may be put on or left off. It may serve as the introductory gong and drum, beating the overture to a theatrical performance.

1995年穆涛（左）贾平凹（中）胡宗锋（右）在西安