The Road Home——A story from East Asia
归乡路——一个东亚的故事
There have been so many wars, in every country of the world.
世界上每个国家都发生过无数次战争。
When the wars finish, the soldiers have to return home.
战争结束后，士兵们必须返回家乡。
But they are different men, and they return to a different world.
但他们已不再是当初的自己，他们回到的是一个截然不同的世界。
War changes people.
战争会改变人。
This story is about a soldier from East Asia.
这个故事讲述了一位来自东亚的士兵。
War has changed him greatly.
战争极大地改变了他的命运。
It is a sad story, but in a strange way, also a happy one.
这是一个悲伤的故事，但奇怪的是，也是一个幸福的故事。
The long war was over, and the soldier was going home.
漫长的战争结束了，士兵正要回家。
His road home was long and hard.
他回家的路漫长而艰辛。
In the beginning, the soldier was not alone on the road.
起初，路上并不只有他一个人。
Many other soldiers were going home too, and for a long time they walked together, not speaking, just thinking about their homes at the end of the long road.
许多其他士兵也在回家的路上，很长一段时间里，他们结伴而行，沉默不语，只是想着那条漫长道路尽头的家。
They walked across rice fields, past banana farms, along empty roads, through silent villages.
他们走过稻田，穿过香蕉园，沿着空旷的道路，穿过寂静的村庄。
No lights showed in the windows of the dark houses.
黑暗的房屋窗户里没有灯光。
Nothing moved, only the soldiers and the wind in the trees.
万物静止，只有士兵和树梢的风在移动。
After a while, each man took his own road home.
过了一会儿，每个人都踏上了各自回家的路。
One turned right and went up into the mountains.
一个向右转，走进了群山。
Another turned left, down to the sea and the fishing boats.
另一个向左转，走向大海和渔船。
Some soldiers followed the road to far cities; others followed the small roads into the hills.
一些士兵沿着道路走向遥远的城市；另一些则沿着小路走进山丘。
One by one, they went their different ways.
他们一个接一个地分道扬镳。
One by one, they went their different ways.
他们一个接一个地分道扬镳。
The soldier walked on alone, taking his own road home.
士兵独自一人继续前行，走上了他回家的路。
He did not think about the other soldiers, or about the war.
他没有想其他士兵，也没有想战争。
He thought only about the long road back to his home.
他只想着那条回到家乡的漫长道路。
Home,’ thought the soldier. ‘I know my home is at the end of this road.
“家，”士兵心想。“我知道我的家就在这条路的尽头。
I just need to go on walking.’
我只需要继续走下去。”
The road felt hard under his boots, and the only sound was the noise of his boots on the road – tramp, tramp, tramp.
靴子下的路感觉很硬，唯一的声响就是他的靴子踩在路上的声音——踢踏，踢踏，踢踏。
He was tired and thirsty, and his mouth was dry as dust.
他又累又渴，嘴巴干得像灰尘一样。
There’s no water,’ he thought. ‘Just dust. Dust in my mouth. Dust everywhere.’
“没有水，”他想。“只有灰尘。我嘴里全是灰尘。到处都是灰尘。”
Tramp, tramp, tramp went his boots.
踢踏，踢踏，踢踏，他的靴子继续前行。
Don’t stop walking,’ he told himself. ‘I can’t stop. I mustn’t stop.
“别停下脚步，”他告诉自己。“我不能停。我不可以停。
I’ll rest when I get home. Mother will make tea, and then I can rest.’
到家了我就能休息了。妈妈会泡茶，然后我就能休息了。”
He tried to walk faster, but he felt so tired, so tired.
他试图走得更快，但他感到如此疲惫，如此疲惫。
His feet felt heavier and heavier, and he walked more and more slowly.
他的脚越来越重，走得越来越慢。
He wanted to lie down by the side of the road, in the dark, and stay there.
他想躺在路边的黑暗中，永远留在那里。
If I lie down,’ he thought, ‘I’ll never get up again.’
“如果我躺下，”他想，“我就再也起不来了。”
So he went on walking, one foot in front of the other, tramp, tramp, tramp.
所以他继续走着，一只脚迈到另一只脚前面，踢踏，踢踏，踢踏。
The war is finished,’ he told himself. ‘Forget the war. Just think about home.
“战争结束了，”他告诉自己。“忘记战争。只想家。
I must get home. I promised.’
我必须回家。我答应过的。”
The road began to go up into the hills.
路开始向上延伸，进入山丘。
There were trees on each side, and their dark leaves in the night made the road dark too.
两旁都是树木，夜晚深色的树叶也让道路变得昏暗。
The road climbed up and up into the hills.
路不断地向山上爬升。
He knew his home was somewhere on the other side of the hills.
他知道他的家就在山的另一边。
I can see it now,’ he thought. ‘Our little house, so small, but always clean and quiet.
“我现在能看到它了，”他想。“我们的小房子，那么小，但总是干净而安静。
I can see the lamp on the table… I can see Mother, with her long black hair.
我能看到桌上的灯……我能看到妈妈，有着长长的黑发。
She’s sitting in her chair, singing my little sister to sleep.
她坐在椅子上，唱着歌哄我妹妹睡觉。
My little sister… She was just a baby when I left.
我妹妹……我离开时她还是个婴儿。
How old is she now? Three? Four? Can she talk yet?’
现在她多大了？三岁？四岁？她会说话了吗？”
He felt sad, because he could not remember his little sister’s face.
他感到悲伤，因为他想不起妹妹的脸。
But I remember Mother at the door when I went away to the war,’ he thought.
“但我记得我去参战时妈妈在门口的样子，”他想。
‘I remember her words, every one of them. Go safely, and be sure to come back to me.
“我记得她的话，每一个字都记得。平安去吧，一定要回到我身边。
And I promised her. I will come home. Those were my words, and I must keep my promise to her.’
我答应过她。我会回家的。那是我的话，我必须信守对她许下的诺言。”
Now the road began to turn downhill, and the land beside the road fell away into fields and woods.
现在路开始下坡，路边的土地延伸到田野和树林。
I know those fields down there,’ he thought. ‘I know these woods.
“我认识下面那些田地，”他想。“我认识这些树林。
I can’t remember their names, but I know my village is down in this valley.
我不记得它们的名字了，但我知道我的村庄就在下面的山谷里。
Mother’s waiting, down there, at home.’
妈妈在下面等我，在家里。”
The soldier walked on, along the dark road under the trees.
士兵继续在树下的黑暗道路上行走。
He was so tired. His feet felt so heavy and his mouth was so dry.
他是如此疲惫。他的脚感觉如此沉重，嘴巴如此干涩。
He wanted to lie down in the dark and never move again.
他想躺在黑暗中，再也不动弹。
But his boots went on hitting the road – tramp, tramp, tramp.
但他的靴子继续敲击着路面——踢踏，踢踏，踢踏。
The soldier walked on, along the dark road under the trees.
士兵继续在树下的黑暗道路上行走。
If I stop now,’ he told himself, ‘I’ll never see Mother again.
“如果我现在停下，”他告诉自己，“我就再也见不到妈妈了。
And I promised her, so I must go on walking.
我答应过她，所以我必须继续走。
Rest. When I get home, I can rest.
休息。到家了我就能休息了。
Mother will make tea. We’ll sit in her quiet room and drink tea together, and then my mouth will not be so dry.’
妈妈会泡茶。我们会坐在她安静的房间里一起喝茶，然后我的嘴巴就不会那么干了。”
The soldier’s village looked different in the dark.
士兵的村庄在黑暗中看起来不一样了。
There were fewer trees and gardens. There were more houses, and they looked bigger than he remembered.
树木和花园变少了。房子变多了，而且看起来比他记忆中要大。
But the soldier knew that this was his village at last, at the end of his road.
但士兵知道，这终于到了他的村庄，是他道路的尽头。
He was nearly home, and home is home.
他快到家了，家就是家。
The soldier went through his village like the wind.
士兵像风一样穿过他的村庄。
In no time at all, he stood outside his mother’s little house.
不一会儿，他站在了妈妈的小屋外。
It was the smallest house in the village, and the only one that still looked the same.
那是村里最小的房子，也是唯一一座看起来还和以前一样的房子。
But the soldier did not care about the other houses.
但士兵并不在乎其他房子。
He stood outside his mother’s door. He touched the door with his hand, and it opened.
他站在妈妈的门外。他用手碰了碰门，门开了。
Inside he saw the little clean room, the table, the lamp…
屋内他看到了那个干净的小房间，桌子，灯……
Across the room his mother was lying in her bed.
房间的另一头，妈妈正躺在床上。
Of course,’ he thought, ‘It’s the middle of the night. She’s sleeping, of course.
“当然，”他想，“现在是半夜。她当然在睡觉。
She works so hard. She needs to rest, like me.’
她工作那么辛苦。她需要休息，像我一样。”
Then, for a second, the soldier thought he was in the wrong house, because the body lying in the bed was an old, old woman with white hair.
然后，有一瞬间，士兵以为他走错了房子，因为躺在床上的是一位白发苍苍的老妇人。
But at that moment, the body moved. His mother’s eyes opened, and she looked at him and smiled.
但就在这时，那身体动了。妈妈的眼睛睁开了，她看着他，微笑了。
She got up and came across the room to the open door, and took his hand.
她起身穿过房间来到敞开的门口，握住了他的手。
Something was still lying in the bed behind her, but the soldier looked only at his mother.
有什么东西还躺在她身后的床上，但士兵只看着他的妈妈。
Still young, with her long dark hair falling around her face.
依然是年轻的模样，长长的黑发垂在脸旁。
I knew you would come back,’ she said, ‘I waited for you.’
“我知道你会回来的，”她说，“我一直在等你。”
I came as fast as I could,’ said the soldier, ‘but it was a long road home.’
“我尽可能快地赶来了，”士兵说，“但这是一条漫长的归乡路。”
Yes,’ said his mother, ‘I’ve waited a long time. But you are home now, at last.
“是的，”妈妈说，“我等了很久。但你终于回家了。
Sit down and rest. I will make tea.’
坐下来休息吧。我去泡茶。”
The soldier sat down. His mother lit the lamp and made tea, moving quietly around the room.
士兵坐了下来。妈妈点亮了灯，开始泡茶，在房间里安静地走动。
The soldier forgot about the war, and the long road home. He felt quiet and peaceful.
士兵忘记了战争，忘记了漫长的归乡路。他感到平静而安宁。
His mother put the tea on the table, and they both drank.
妈妈把茶放在桌上，他们一起喝了。
The soldier finished his tea. He said, ‘I’m sorry it took so long to come home.’
士兵喝完茶。他说：“很抱歉回家花了这么长时间。”
The important thing is that you have come,’ said his mother. ‘I’ve waited a long time for you. So long!
“重要的是你回来了，”妈妈说。“我等了你很久。这么久！
But I knew you would come back in the end.’
但我一直知道你最终会回来的。”
I promised you that I would come home,’ he said.
“我答应过你会回家的，”他说。
Yes,’ said his mother. ‘I knew you would keep your promise, and so I waited for you.
“是的，”妈妈说。“我知道你会信守诺言，所以我一直在等你。
Now you have come, we can leave together.’
现在你来了，我们可以一起走了。”
They stood up. The soldier did not feel tired any more. He felt light, like a bird, like a drop of rain.
他们站了起来。士兵不再感到疲惫。他感到轻盈，像一只鸟，像一滴雨。
He looked around his mother’s room for the last time, then took his mother’s hand.
他最后一次环顾了妈妈的房间，然后握住了妈妈的手。
Behind them, on the other side of the room, there was something lying in the bed. It was the body of an old, old woman, lying very still.
在他们身后，房间的另一头，床上躺着什么东西。那是一位非常非常老的妇人的身体，躺着一动不动。
But the soldier did not look at it. He saw only the kind and loving face of his mother, with her long dark hair falling around her face.
但士兵没有看它。他只看到了妈妈慈爱的脸庞，长长的黑发垂在脸旁。
She came across the room to the open door, and took his hand.
她穿过房间来到敞开的门口，握住了他的手。
The soldier and his mother moved quickly to the door, holding hands.
士兵和妈妈手牵着手，快步走向门口。
They went outside into the bright starlight, and were gone.
他们走出去，融入明亮的星光中，消失了。
The soldier’s little sister visited her mother every day.
士兵的妹妹每天都来看望她的妈妈。
The sister was now a woman of sixty-eight years, with three adult children of her own, and five grandchildren. Her oldest granddaughter, who was fifteen, was with her today.
妹妹现在是一位六十八岁的妇人，有三个成年的孩子和五个孙子孙女。她十五岁的长孙女今天和她在一起。
The sister lived in a new, modern house just outside the city. She wanted her old mother to come and live with her, in her comfortable modern house, but the mother always said no, she would not leave her little old house.
妹妹住在城外一座新建的现代房子里。她希望年迈的妈妈去和她住，住在她舒适的现代房子里，但妈妈总是拒绝，她不愿离开她那座老旧的小房子。
She wanted to stay in her own home.
她想待在自己的家里。
Why won’t she come and live with us, Grandma?’ asked the sister’s granddaughter.
“奶奶，她为什么不搬来和我们一起住呢？”妹妹的孙女问道。
It’s because of my brother,’ said the sister. ‘Years ago, when I was only a baby, there was a war.
“是因为我哥哥，”妹妹说。“许多年前，当我还是个婴儿时，发生了一场战争。
My brother was a soldier. He went away to the war, and he never came home again.’
我哥哥是一名士兵。他去参战了，但再也没有回家。”
What happened to him?’ asked the granddaughter. ‘Did he die?’
“他后来怎么样了？”孙女问道。“他去世了吗？”
I don’t know,’ said the sister. ‘My mother never heard what happened to him.
“我不知道，”妹妹说。“妈妈从来没有听到过他的消息。
I can’t remember him at all, but my mother has never forgotten him. I don’t think that a day goes past when she doesn’t think about him.’
我完全不记得他了，但妈妈从未忘记过他。我觉得没有哪一天她是不想着他的。”
So many young men went away to that war. So many did not come back.
那么多的年轻人去参战。那么多人没有回来。
The ones who did come back were now old men, but the soldier’s mother went on waiting.
那些回来的人现在已是老人，但士兵的妈妈却一直在等待。
She would not move to a new house. Even now, when she was so old herself, she would not leave.
她不愿搬去新房子。即使现在她自己也这么老了，她也不愿离开。
For the last few years, she could not get out of bed. She was not ill, but she was very tired, and she could not walk.
在过去的几年里，她无法下床。她没有生病，只是非常疲惫，无法行走。
So the sister came every day to visit her mother and to sit with her in the little house.
所以妹妹每天都会来小屋看望妈妈，陪在她身边。
A nurse came every day too, because the mother was so old.
因为妈妈太老了，也有一位护士每天来。
Today, the sister was taking her granddaughter with her. ‘It’ll be good for you,’ she told her granddaughter, ‘to spend some time with my mother.’
今天，妹妹带上了她的孙女。“这对你有好处，”她告诉孙女，“花点时间和我妈妈待在一起。”
What will we have to do for her, Grandma?’ asked the granddaughter.
“奶奶，我们要为她做些什么呢？”孙女问。
We’ll help her sit up in bed,’ said the sister. ‘We’ll wash her face and tidy her hair. And we’ll make tea for her.
“我们会帮她坐起来，”妹妹说。“我们会洗她的脸，整理她的头发。还会给她泡茶。
When the nurse comes, we can leave.’
护士来了我们就可以走了。”
They were driving to the mother’s house along the new road.
他们沿着新路开车去妈妈的房子。
This was a fast road that went from the city around the hills to the villages in the valley on the other side.
这是一条快车道，从城市绕过山丘，通往另一边山谷里的村庄。
The old road went over the hills.
旧路则是翻过山丘。
You never use the old road, do you, Grandma?’ the granddaughter said.
“奶奶，你从不走旧路，对吧？”孙女说。
No, it takes too long that way,’ said the sister.
“对，那样走太远了，”妹妹说。
Good,’ said the granddaughter. ‘I don’t like that road. There are lots of trees along it, and they make the road very dark.
“好，”孙女说。“我不喜欢那条路。路边有很多树，让路变得很黑。
Girls at school say that if you walk there at night, you can hear a ghost.’
学校里的女生说，如果你晚上走在那条路上，能听到鬼魂的声音。”
They say that if you walk there at night, you can hear a ghost.’
她们说，如果你晚上走在那条路上，能听到鬼魂的声音。”
The sister laughed. ‘A ghost!’ she said.
妹妹笑了。“鬼魂！”她说。
It’s true, Grandma!’ said the granddaughter. ‘I don’t like that road. There are lots of trees along it, and they make the road very dark.
“是真的，奶奶！”孙女说。“我不喜欢那条路。路边有很多树，让路变得很黑。
I don’t like that road. There are lots of trees along it, and they make the road very dark.’
我不喜欢那条路。路边有很多树，让路变得很黑。”
Ah yes, I remember now,’ said the sister. ‘There is a story about the road over the hills.
“啊，是的，我现在想起来了，”妹妹说。“关于那条翻山的路有一个故事。
When I was a girl at school, years ago, people were telling the same story even then.
多年前我上学时，人们就在讲同样的故事了。
Some ghost stories go on for ever, don’t they?’
有些鬼故事会流传很久，不是吗？”
When they arrived in the village, the sister stopped the car outside her mother’s little house.
当他们到达村庄时，妹妹把车停在妈妈的小屋外。
She opened the front door and looked inside. She was not surprised by what she saw.
她打开前门往里看。她对她看到的景象并不感到惊讶。
Wait outside,’ she told her granddaughter quickly. ‘Use your mobile phone to call an ambulance. Then wait in the car.’
“在外面等着，”她迅速告诉孙女。“用手机叫救护车。然后在车里等着。”
She did not say that a doctor was no longer necessary.
她没有说现在已经不需要医生了。
The sister shut the door and sat down next to her mother’s bed. She held her mother’s cold hand.
妹妹关上门，坐在妈妈的床边。她握着妈妈冰冷的手。
Her mother looked peaceful, the sister thought. She looked happy.
她妈妈看起来很安详，妹妹想。她看起来很幸福。
There was only one thing that the sister did not understand. On the little table, on the other side of the room, there were two empty tea cups.
只有一件事妹妹不明白。在房间另一头的小桌子上，有两个空茶杯。
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