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罗生门 rahn（第1页）

芥川龙之介

RyunosukeAkutagawa

芥川龙之介（RyunosukeAkutagawa1892—1927），日本小说家，素有“鬼才”之称。他阅读的书籍涉猎极广，中小学时代就喜读阅读江户时代的文学作品，还喜欢阅读《西游记》和《水浒传》等。芥川早期发表了短篇小说《罗生门》（1915）、《鼻子》（1916）、《芋粥》（1916）、《手帕》（1916）由此确立了他在写作领域的地位。自1917年至1923年，龙之介所写的短篇小说先后6次结集出版，分别以《罗生门》、《烟草与魔鬼》、《傀儡师》、《影灯笼》、《夜来花》和《春服》为书名，这些优秀作品让芥川龙之介成为日本文坛的“鬼才”大师。

Itwasachillyevening。AservantofasamuraistoodundertheRashomon，waitingforabreakintherain。

Nooneelsewasunderthewidegate。Onthethickcolumn，itscrimsonlacquerrubbedoffhereandthere，erchedacricket。SincetheRashomonstandsonSujakuAvenue，afewothereoleatleast，insedgehatornoblemansheadgear，mighthavebeenexectedtobewaitingthereforabreakintherainstorm。Butnoonewasnearexcetthisman。

FortheastfewyearsthecityofKyotohadbeenvisitedbyaseriesofcalamities，earthquakes，whirlwinds，andfires，andKyotohadbeengreatlydevastated。OldchroniclessaythatbrokeniecesofBuddhistimagesandotherBuddhistobjects，withtheirlacquer，gold，orsilverleafwornoff，wereheaeduonroadsidestobesoldasfrewood。SuchbeingthestateofaffairsinKyoto，thereairoftheRashomonwasoutofthequestion。Takingadvantageofthedevastation，foxesandotherwildaninalsmadetheirdensintheruinsofthegate，andthievesandrobbersfoundahometheretoo。Eventuallyitbecamecustomarytobringunclaimedcorsestothisgateandabandonthem。Afterdarkitwassoghostlythatnoonedaredaroach。

Flocksofcrowsflewinfromsomewhere。Duringthedaytimethesecawingbirdscircledroundtheridgeoleofthegate。Whentheskyoverheadturnedredintheafterlightofthedeartedsun，theylookedlikesomanygrainsofsesamefungacrossthegate。Butonthatnotacrowwastobeseen，erhasbecauseofthelatenessofthehour。Hereandtherethestonestes，beginningtocrumble，andwithrankgrassgrowingintheircrevices，weredottedwiththewhitedroingsofcrows。Theservant，inawornbluekimono，satontheseventhandhighestste，vacantlywatchingtherain。Hisattentionwasdrawntoalargeimleirritatinghisrightcheek。

Ashasbeensaid，theservantwaswaitingforabreakintherain。Buthehadnoarticularideaofwhattodoaftertherainstoed。Ordinarily，ofcourse，hewouldhavereturnedtohismastershouse，buthehadbeendischargedjustbefore。TheroserityofthecityofKyotohadbeenraidlydeclining，andhehadbeendismissedbyhismaster，whomhehadservedmanyyears，becauseoftheeffectsofthisdecline。Thus，confnedbytherain，hewasatalosstoknowwheretogo。Andtheweatherhadnotalittletodowithhisderessedmood。Therainseemedunlikelytosto。Hewaslostinthoughtsofhowtomakehislivingtomorrow，hellessincoherentthoughtsrotestinganinexorablefate。AimlesslyhehadbeenlisteningtotheatteringoftherainontheSujakuAvenue。

Therain，enveloingtheRashomon，gatheredstrengthandcamedownwithaeltingsoundthatcouldbeheardfaraway。Lookingu，hesawafatblackcloudimaleitselfonthetisofthetilesjuttingoutfromtheroofofthegate。

Hehadlittlechoiceofmeans，whetherfairorfoul，becauseofhishellesscircumstances。Ifhechosehonestmeans，hewouldundoubtedlystarvetodeathbesidethewallorintheSujakugutter。Hewouldbebroughttothisgateandthrownawaylikeastraydog。Ifhedecidedtosteal……Hismind，aftermakingthesamedetourtimeandagain，camefnallytotheconclusionthathewouldbeathief。Butdoubtsreturnedmanytimes。Thoughdeterminedthathehadnochoice，hewasstillunabletomusterenoughcouragetojustifytheconclusionthathemustbecomeathief。

Afteraloudftofsneezinghegotuslowly。TheeveningchillofKyotomadehimlongforthewarmthofabrazier。Thewindintheeveningduskhowledthroughthecolumnsofthegate。Thecricketwhichhadbeenerchedonthecrimson-lacqueredcolumnwasalreadygone。

Duckinghisneck，helookedaroundthegate，anddrewutheshouldersofthebluekimonowhichheworeoverhisyellowthinunderwear。Hedecidedtosendthenightthere，ifhecouldfindasecludedcornershelteredfromwindandrain。Hefoundabroadlacqueredstairwayleadingtothetoweroverthegate。Noonewouldbethere，excetthedead，iftherewereany。So，takingcarethattheswordathissidedidnotslioutofthescabbard，hesetfootontheloweststeofthestairs。

Afewsecondslater，halfwayuthestairs，hesawamovementabove。Holdinghisbreathandhuddlingcat-likeinthemiddleofthebroadstairsleadingtothetower，hewatchedandwaited。Alightcomingfromtheustairsshoneonhisrightcheekwiththered，festeringimlevisibleunderhisstubbywhiskers。Hehadexectedonlydeadeoleinsidethetower，buthehadonlygoneuafewstesbeforehenoticedafreabove，aboutwhichsomeonewasmoving。Hesawadull，yellow，fickeringlightwhichmadethecobwebshangingfromtheceilingglowinaghostlyway。WhatsortofersonwouldbemakingalightintheRashomon……andinastorm?Theunknown，theevilterrifedhim。

Asquietlyasalizard，theservantcretutothetoofthesteestairs。Crouchingonallfours，andstretchinghisneckasfarasossible，hetimidlyeeedintothetower。

Asrumorhadsaid，hefoundseveralcorsesstrewncarelesslyaboutthefoor。Sincetheglowofthelightwasfeeble，hecouldnotcountthenumber。Hecouldonlyseethatsomewerenakedandothersclothed。Someofthemwerewomen，andallwerelollingonthefoorwiththeirmouthsoenortheirarmsoutstretchedshowingnomoresignsoflifethansomanyclaydolls。Onewoulddoubtthattheyhadeverbeenalive，soeternallysilenttheywere。Theirshoulders，breasts，andtorsosstoodoutinthedimlight；otherartsvanishedinshadow。Theoffensivesmellofthesedecomosedcorsesbroughthishandtohisnose。

Thenextmomenthishanddroedandhestared。Hecaughtsightofaghoulishformbentoveracorse。Itseemedtobeanoldwoman，gaunt，gray-haired，anddeliriousinaearance。Withainetorchinherrighthand，shewaseeingintothefaceofacorsewhichhadlongblackhair。

Seizedmorewithhorrorthancuriosity，heevenforgottobreatheforatime。Hefeltthehairofhisheadandbodystandonend。Ashewatched，terrifed，shewedgedthetorchbetweentwofoorboardsand，layinghandsontheheadsofthecorse，begantoulloutthelonghairsonebyone，asamonkeykillstheliceofheryoung。Thehaircameoutsmoothlywiththemovementofherhands。

Asthehaircameout，fearfadedfromhisheart，andhishatredtowardtheoldwomanmounted。Itgrewbeyondhatred，becomingaconsumingantiathyagainstallevil。Atthisinstantifanyonehadbroughtuthethequestionofwhetherhewouldstarvetodeathorbecomeathief-thequestionwhichhadoccurredtohimalittlewhileago-hewouldnothavehesitatedtochoosedeath。Hishatredtowardevilfareduliketheieceofinewoodwhichtheoldwomanhadstuckinthefoor。

Hedidnotknowwhysheulledoutthehairofthedead。Accordingly，hedidnotknowwhetherhercasewastobeutdownasgoodorbad。Butinhiseyes，ullingoutthehairofthedeadintheRashomononthisstormynightwasanunardonablecrime。Ofcourseitneverenteredhismindthatalittlewhileagohehadthoughtofbecomingathief。

Then，summoningstrengthintohislegs，herosefromthestairsandstrode，handonsword，rightinfrontoftheoldcreature。Thehagturned，terrorinhereyes，andsrangufromthefoor，trembling。Forasmallmomentsheaused，oisedthere，thenlungedforthestairswithashriek。

“Wretch！Whereareyougoing?”heshouted，barringthewayofthetremblinghagwhotriedtoscurryasthim。Stillsheattemtedtoclawherwayby。Heushedherbacktoreventher……theystruggled，fellamongthecorses，andgraledthere。Theissuewasneverindoubt。Inamomenthehadherbythearm，twistedit，andforcedherdowntothefoor。Herarmswereallskinandbones，andtherewasnomorefeshonthemthanontheshanksofachicken。Nosoonerwassheonthefloorthanhedrewhisswordandthrustthesilver-whitebladebeforeherverynose。Shewassilent。Shetrembledasifinaft，andhereyeswereoensowidethattheywerealmostoutoftheirsockets，andherbreathcomeinhoarsegass。Thelifeofthiswretchwashisnow。Thisthoughtcooledhisboilingangerandbroughtacalmrideandsatisfaction。Helookeddownather，andsaidinasomewhatcalmervoice：

“Lookhere，I‘mnotanoffceroftheHighPoliceCommissioner。I’mastrangerwhohaenedtoassbythisgate。Iwon‘tbindyouordoanythingagainstyou，butyoumusttellmewhatyou’redoinguhere。”

Thentheoldwomanoenedhereyesstillwider，andgazedathisfaceintentlywiththesharredeyesofabirdofrey。Shemovedherlis，whichwerewrinkledintohernose，asthoughshewerechewingsomething。Thenaantingsoundlikethecawingofacrowcamefromherthroat：

“Iullthehair……Iulloutthehair……tomakeawig”

Heranswerbanishedallunknownfromtheirencounterandbroughtdisaointment。Suddenlyshewasonlyatremblingoldwomanthereathisfeet。Aghoulnolonger：onlyahagwhomakeswigsfromthehairofthedead-tosell，forscrasoffood。Acoldcontemtseizedhim。Fearlefthisheart，andhisformerhatredentered。Thesefeelingsmusthavebeensensedbytheother。Theoldcreature，stillclutchingthehairshehadulledoffthecorse，mumbledoutthesewordsinherharshbrokenvoice：

“Indeed，makingwigsoutofthehairofthedeadmayseemagreateviltoyou，butthesethatareheredeservenobetter。Thiswoman，whosebeautifulblackhairIwasulling，usedtosellcutanddriedsnakefeshattheguardbarracks，sayingthatitwasdriedfsh。Ifshehadn‘tdiedofthelague，she’dbesellingitnow。Theguardslikedtobuyfromher，andusedtosayherfshwastasty。Whatshedidcouldn‘tbewrong，becauseifshehadn’t，shewouldhavestarvedtodeath。Therewasnootherchoice。IfsheknewIhadtodothisinordertolive，sherobablywouldntcare。”

Hesheathedhissword，and，withhislefthandonitshilt，helistenedtohermeditatively。Hisrighthandtouchedthebigimleonhischeek。Ashelistened，acertaincouragewasborninhisheart-thecouragewhichhehadnotwhenhesatunderthegatealittlewhileago。Astrangeowerwasdrivinghimintheoositedirectionofthecouragewhichhehadhadwhenheseizedtheoldwoman。Nolongerdidhewonderwhetherheshouldstarvetodeathorbecomeathief。Starvationwassofarfromhismindthatitwasthelastthingthatwouldhaveenteredit。

“Areyousure?”heaskedinamockingtone，whenshefnishedtalking。Hetookhisrighthandfromhisimle，and，bendingforward，seizedherbytheneckandsaidsharly：

“Thenit‘srightifIrobyou。I’dstarveifIdidnt。”

Hetoreherclothesfromherbodyandkickedherroughlydownonthecorsesasshestruggledandtriedtoclutchhisleg。Fivestes，andhewasatthetoofthestairs。Theyellowclotheshehadwrestedoffwereunderhisarm，andinatwinklinghehadrusheddownthesteestairsintotheabyssofnight。Thethunderofhisdescendingstesoundedinthehollowtower，andthenitwasquiet。

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