[666][666][旺柴][旺柴]
很有意思的一本小说集,作者美国的杰克伦敦。我在读他第一篇小说《热爱生命》(大约写于1900-1916年,而中国共产党1921年才草创)故事时,我一下子想到了中学课本里有一篇“红军小说”《党费》的故事。杰克伦敦在小说中写到分火柴的细节,这一下子我就想当了《党费》当中也有三根火柴的细节,两者简直是如出一辙,你要说《党费》的作者,没有借鉴《热爱生命》这篇小说,打死我也不信,因为这“抄袭”得太明显了呀!如果不是来认真读杰克伦敦,根本找不到中文《党费》作者的“借鉴”来源。暂且把杰克伦敦原文分火柴细节分享如下:
He unwrapped his pack and the first thing he did was to count his matches. There were sixty-seven. He counted them three times to make sure. He divided them into several portions,wrapping them in oil paper, disposing of one bunch in his empty tobacco pouch, of another bunch in the inside band of his battered hat, of a third bunch under his shirt on the chest. This accomplished, a panic came upon him, and he unwrapped them all and counted them again. There were still sixty-seven.
可是,很奇怪,我真去查阅“党费”的故事,却是现代作家王愿坚在1958年发表于《人民文学》的小说《七根火柴》。那就是我把“党费”故事和《七根火柴》记混淆了吧!《七根火柴》有细节故事如下:
卢进勇惶惑地把手插进那湿漉漉的衣服。这一刹那间,他觉得同志的胸口和衣服一样冰冷了。在那人腋窝里,他摸出了一个硬硬的纸包,递到那个同志的手里。
那同志一只手抖抖索索地打开了纸包,那是一个党证;揭开党证,里面并排着一小堆火柴。焦干的火柴。红红的火柴头簇集在一起,正压在那朱红的印章中心,像一簇火焰在跳。
“同志,你看着……”那同志向卢进勇招招手,等他凑近了,便伸开一个僵直的手指,小心翼翼地一根根拨弄着火柴,口里小声数着:“—,二,三,四……”
一共有七根火柴,他却数了很长时间。
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2025.11.06星期四于岭南
乙巳年九月十七日