乡村舞会（2）

但刚刚走出院子，突然听到后面隐隐约约有人在喊“麦西拉！麦西拉过来……”就连忙站住。

But just as I walked out of the yard, I suddenly heard someone behind me faintly calling “Maisila! Maisila, come here…” and I quickly stopped.

再仔细地听时，院子里却只是电子琴声和细细密密的谈话声。

As I listened carefully, I realized that the sounds in the yard were just the sound of an electric piano and scattered conversations.

忍不住悄悄往回走，一直走到院子北侧的大房间那边，趴在窗台上看了一会儿。

Unable to resist, I quietly walked back, heading towards the large room on the north side of the yard, and crouched down by the windowsill to take a look for a while.

窗玻璃外蒙着一层厚塑料纸，里面红色金丝绒窗帘和白色蕾丝窗纱也拉上了，什么也看不见。

The glass window was covered with a thick plastic sheet, and inside, the red velvet curtains and white lace window curtains were also drawn, preventing me from seeing anything.

人影幢幢，手风琴和男女合唱的声音闹哄哄传了出来。

There were shadows moving, and the loud sounds of an accordion and male and female singing came from inside.

我打开门，看到走廊左侧第一个房间的门不时地开合，人来人往。

I opened the door and saw the door to the leftmost room in the corridor opening and closing repeatedly, with people coming and going.

我悄悄晃进去，一迈进房间，浓黏潮湿的热气立刻把我团团裹住，白茫茫的水汽从室外扑进房间，在地上腾起半米多高。

I quietly slipped in. The moment I stepped into the room, the dense, damp heat immediately wrapped around me; the white mist rushed in from outside, rising more than half a meter high on the floor.

过了一会才看清周围的情形：房间不大，光炕就占了二分之一，铺着色调浓艳的大块花毡，上面坐着站着躺着趴着十多个人。

After a while, I could see the surroundings clearly: the room was small, with the big kang (a traditional heated bed) taking up half of the space, covered with brightly colored, large patterned carpets, on which more than ten people were sitting, standing, lying, and crouching.

三面墙上从上到下都挂满了壁毯，还挂着一根精致古老的马鞭，一把冬不拉（双弦琴），还有一只鹰和两只白狐狸的皮毛标本。

The walls on three sides were hung from top to bottom with tapestries, and there were an exquisite old riding crop, a two-stringed instrument (dombra), and taxidermy specimens of an eagle and two white foxes.

炕下的长条茶几上堆满了糖果和干奶酪，盛着黄油的玻璃碟子闪闪发光。

On the long tea table under the kang, there were heaps of candies and dried cheese, and a glass plate filled with butter was sparkling.

进门的右手边是火墙，炉火烧得通红。

To the right of the entrance was a fire wall, with the furnace fire burning bright red.

火墙和炕之间抵着一张有着雕花栏杆的蓝漆木床，上面层层叠叠、整整齐齐地摞着二十多床鲜艳的缎面绸被，都快顶到天花板上了。

Between the fire wall and the kang stood a blue-painted wooden bed with intricately carved railings, piled high with more than twenty vibrant satin quilts, nearly reaching the ceiling.

最上面盖着一面雪白的垂着长长流苏的镂空大方巾。

At the top lay a snow-white embroidered lace shawl with long tassels hanging down.

我站在门边，慢慢扫了一圈，麦西拉不在这里……很失望。

I stood by the door and slowly scanned around. Maisila was not here… I felt disappointed.

准备退出去，但突然瞟到那张漆床的床栏上搭着的一件外套，看着挺眼熟的。

Just as I prepared to leave, I suddenly caught sight of a coat draped over the bed rail of the lacquered bed, which looked somewhat familiar.

于是顺墙根若无其事地蹭过去，捞过外套袖子一看，袖口打着块补丁，哈！不是麦西拉的是谁的？

So I casually made my way to the wall, brushing against it, and took the coat sleeve in my hand. Upon inspection, I noticed a patch on the cuff—ha! Whose could it be if not Maisila's?

房子里人越来越多，进进出出的，谁也没注意到我。

With more people entering and leaving the room, no one noticed me.

我偷偷从茶几上抓了一把葡萄干儿，坐在炕沿最里头，守着麦西拉的衣服，一边等一边慢慢地吃。

I secretly grabbed a handful of raisins from the tea table, sat at the innermost edge of the kang, guarding Maisila's coat, slowly eating as I waited.

果然，没过一会儿，麦西拉和另外一个年轻人拉开门进来了！

Indeed, after a while, Maisila and another young man opened the door and came in!

他们说笑着，向我走来……然后越过我，俯身去取自己的外套。

They were laughing and walking towards me… then they passed by me, bending down to take their coats.

我连忙起身，帮他把外套拿下递给他。

I quickly stood up and handed him the coat.

我以为他取外套是因为要走了，可他没有。

I thought he was taking his coat to leave, but he did not.

他只是翻了翻外套口袋，摸出一个很旧很破的小本子，取出里面夹着的一张纸条给了同来的人。

He simply rummaged through the coat pockets, pulled out a very old and worn notebook, and took out a slip of paper from inside to give to the other person.

然后又顺手把外套递给我，我连忙接过来搭回床栏的原处。

Then, he casually handed the coat back to me, and I quickly took it back to its original spot on the bed rail.

然后——居然当我隐形似的！他只顾着和那个人说着什么。

Then—he seemed to ignore me! He was just busy talking to that person.

等那个人捏着纸条推门出去了，麦西拉这才回过头来，对我说：“谢谢你”。

When that person squeezed out the paper and pushed the door open to leave, Maisila finally turned his head back to me and said, “Thank you.”

“没什么的，麦西拉。”

“It’s nothing, Maisila.”

他听到我叫他的名字，这才格外注意了我一下：“哦，原来是裁缝家的丫头。”

When he heard me call his name, he paid special attention to me for a moment: “Oh, it’s the tailor’s girl.”

他弯下腰脱鞋，一边又说：“怎么不出去跳舞呢？”

He bent down to take off his shoes and said, “Why don’t you go out dancing?”

“外面没人了。”

“There is no one outside.”

“怎么没有？全是小伙子嘛，你一个人坐在这里干什么？……”

“Why not? There are plenty of young fellows! What are you doing sitting here all alone?…”

我就笑了。

I just laughed.

然后不知怎么的说起谎来：“……我在等人呢，——他在隔壁房子说话呢……呃，等一会儿我们一起回家……太黑了……一个人嘛，害怕嘛……”真是不知道，这到底出于什么样的一种骄傲……

Then, I somehow started to lie: “...I’m waiting for someone—he’s talking next door…uh, we’ll go home together in a bit… it’s too dark… I’m afraid being alone…” I truly didn't know what kind of pride this came from…

“哦。”他起身上炕。

“Oh.” He got up onto the kang.

我也连忙脱了鞋子爬上床挨过去。

I quickly took off my shoes and climbed onto the bed to snuggle up next to him.

炕上人很多，都在乱七八糟地喝酒呀，拉手风琴呀，唱歌跳舞呀什么的。

There were many people on the kang; they were chaotically drinking, playing the accordion, singing, dancing, and so on.

还有三四个人在角落里打扑克牌。

Three or four people were playing cards in a corner.

整个房子吵吵闹闹乌烟瘴气的。

The whole house was noisy and smoky.

地上全是烟头、糖纸和瓜子壳。

The floor was littered with cigarette butts, candy wrappers, and sunflower seed shells.

麦西拉窝进木漆床旁边的角落里，顺手从墙上取下双弦琴，随意拨弄了几下，又挂了回去。

Maisila nestled into a corner next to the wooden lacquered bed, casually took down the two-stringed instrument from the wall, played a few notes, and hung it back up.

我想了想，伸手过去把琴再次取下，递给他：“你弹吧。”

I thought for a moment, stretched out my hand to take the instrument again, and handed it to him: “You play it.”

他笑着接过来：“你会不会呢？”

He smiled as he accepted it: “Can you play?”

“不会。”

“No.”

“这个不难的，我教你吧？”

“It’s not difficult. I’ll teach you, okay?”

“我笨得很呢，学不会的……”

“I’m too clumsy; I won’t be able to learn…”

“没事的，你不笨。你不是裁缝吗？做衣服都学得会呢，呵呵……”

“It’s okay, you’re not clumsy. You’re a tailor, aren’t you? You learned to make clothes, haha…”

我笑了：“还是你弹吧……”

I smiled: “You play it instead…”

他又拨了几下弦，调了调，把琴扶正了，熟滑平稳地拨响了第一串旋律。

He plucked the strings a few more times, tuned it, adjusted it, and smoothly played the first melody.

——那是一支经常听到的曲子。

—It was a tune I often heard.

调子很平，起伏不大，旋律简单而循环不止。

The key was rather flat, with little variation, and the melody was simple and repetitive.

但一经麦西拉拨响，里面就有一种说不出的“浓重”的意味，听起来醇厚踏实……

But once Maisila played it, there was an indescribable “rich” meaning to it, sounding thick and steady…

不知是因为双弦琴节奏的鲜明，还是因为弹者对曲子的太过熟悉，在这一房间的嘈杂之中——炕的另一头正在起哄、合唱、鼓掌，手风琴的琴声明丽响亮，还有人一边喝酒，一边激烈地争论……

I couldn’t tell if it was the clear rhythm of the two-stringed instrument or the player's familiarity with the piece. Amid the noise of the room—on the other end of the kang people were shouting, singing, and clapping, the accordion sound was bright and loud, and someone was debating fervently while drinking…

而麦西拉的琴声，完整而清晰，不受一丝一毫的干扰，不浸一点一滴的烦躁。

Yet Maisila's music was complete and clear, unaffected by the slightest disturbance; it wasn’t tinted by even a drop of annoyance.

他温和平淡地坐在房间嘈杂的漩涡正中央，安静得如同在旷野中一般。

He sat calmly in the chaotic whirlpool of noise, quiet as if in the wilderness.

那琴声一经拨响，就像是从不曾有过起源，也再不会结束了似的，一味深深地、深深地进行着。

Once the instrument sounded, it felt like it had no beginning and would never end, deeply and profoundly continuing on.

音量不大，却那么坚定，又如同是忠贞……

The volume wasn’t loud, yet it was so firm, loyal…

我做梦似的看着四周，除了我们两个，所有人都喝得差不多了，酒气冲天。

I gazed dreamily at my surroundings. Except for the two of us, everyone else had drunk enough, and the air was thick with the smell of alcohol.

似乎他们离我们很遥远——无论是嘴里说的话，还是眼睛里看到的东西，和我们都接不上茬。

It seemed they were very distant from us—whatever words they spoke or sights they saw, they could not connect with us.

房间里的氛围整个都醉醺醺的。

The atmosphere in the room was entirely drunken.

我悄悄爬过去，从他们的腿缝里找到一只翻倒了的空酒杯，用裙子擦了擦。

I quietly crawled over, finding an overturned empty wine glass between their legs and wiped it with my skirt.

又顺手拎过来半瓶白酒，满满地斟了一杯，递给麦西拉。

Then I casually grabbed half a bottle of white liquor, poured a full glass, and handed it to Maisila.

他停下来，笑着道谢。

He paused, smiled, and thanked me.

接过去抿了一小口，然后还给我，低头接着又弹。

He took it, sipped a little, then handed it back to me, lowering his head to continue playing.

我捧着酒杯，晕晕乎乎地听了一会儿，似乎刚喝过酒的人是自己一样。

I held the wine glass, feeling a bit woozy, and listened for a while, as if I had been the one drinking.

忍不住捧着酒杯低着头也小口小口啜了起来。

Unable to resist, I held the wine glass and lowered my head, taking small sips.

一边听，一边啜，一边晕。

As I listened, sipped, and felt dazed.

大半杯酒让我喝见底了时，这才意识到再这么坐下去实在很失态。

When I drank down to the bottom of the glass, I suddenly realized that staying like this would be quite embarrassing.

于是又晕晕乎乎起身，滑下炕，从炕下那一大堆鞋子中找到自己的两只，趿上，穿过一室的嘈杂，悄悄走了……

So I stood up a bit unsteadily, stumbled down from the kang, found my shoes in the pile under the bed, put them on, and quietly walked through the noisy room…

推开门要踏出去时，忍不住回头又看了一眼，麦西拉仍坐在那个角落里，用心地——又仿佛是无心地——弹拨着，根本不在意我的来去……

As I pushed the door to step outside, I couldn't help but look back one more time. Maisila was still sitting in that corner, intently—yet seemingly absent-mindedly—plucking the strings, completely unconcerned with my comings and goings…

十月的乡村，金黄的草料垛满家家户户的房顶和牛圈顶棚。

In October, the countryside was filled with golden haystacks piled high on the roofs of every household and barn.

金黄的草垛上面是深蓝的天空。

Above the golden stacks was a deep blue sky.

麦垛和天空的光芒照耀大地，把乡村的朴素之处逼迫得辉煌华丽。

The light from the haystacks and the sky illuminated the earth, forcing the simple aspects of the countryside to appear splendid and glorious.

寂静的夏天已经过去，在夏牧场上消夏和放牧的人们纷纷回来了。

The quiet summer had already passed, and the people who spent their summers in the pastures returned one after another.

喀吾图小镇最热闹的日子开始了，婚礼连绵不断。

The busiest days in the small town of Kawu began, with weddings happening one after another.

几乎夜夜都有舞会，几乎夜夜都有爱情。

There was almost a ball every night, almost a love story every night.

与舞会相比，星空都冷清下来了！

Compared to the balls, the starry sky seemed lonely!

遥远的音乐旋律从村子那端传到这端时，经过长长一截子寒冷和悄宁，涣散得只剩下它的四分之三的节拍。

When distant melodies drifted from one end of the village to the other, they went through a long stretch of coldness and silence, dispersing to only a fraction of the original rhythm.

这节拍在夜色里律动，心脏律动一般律动……

This rhythm pulsed through the night like a heartbeat…

空气颤颤的，四肢轻轻的，似乎这四肢在每一个下一秒钟都会舞动起来，做出一个美好的亮相动作，再无限地伸展开去。

The air quivered, and my limbs felt light, as if they would dance gracefully in the next second, making an elegant display, then stretching infinitely.

哪怕已经入梦，这节拍仍会三番五次潜入梦中，三番五次让你在黑暗中孤零零地睁开眼睛。

Even if I had already fallen asleep, this rhythm would repeatedly intrude into my dreams, waking me up lonely and wide-eyed in the dark.

十月乡村的夜空，总有那么一个角落明亮如昼。

In the October night sky of the countryside, there was always a corner as bright as day.

似乎有无数的灯盏聚在那一处朝上空投射，使飘过那片天空的夜云，也絮絮地泛着白天才有的白。

It seemed there were countless lamps gathering in that place, casting upwards and making the drifting night clouds over that sky show a whitish hue usually only seen during the day.

那一处有舞会。

In that spot, there was a ball.

而另一处也有舞会。

And in another corner, there was also a ball.

回过头来，乡村的另一个角落以及那个角落上方的那片天空，也同样明亮如昼。

Turning back, the other corner of the village and the sky above it were also equally bright as day.

这样，明亮和节拍就成了我们记忆中乡村舞会的全部内容了。

Thus, brightness and rhythm became the entirety of our memories of the countryside balls.

至于具体的那些细节——歌声呀，美丽的衣裙呀，喜悦的交谈呀，还有宴席，还有舞步、角落里投过来的热烈的注视、牵手、一杯啤酒一饮而尽后的眩晕、满地糖纸和瓜子壳、对下一支舞曲的猜测……

As for the specific details—melodies, beautiful dresses, joyful conversations, the banquet, dance steps, the warm gazes thrown from the corners, hand-holding, the dizziness after downing a pint of beer, the floors covered in candy wrappers and sunflower seed shells, the guessing of the next dance tune…

这些细节全都在说不出的快乐和遗憾中闪烁，无法让人更准确地去捕捉。

These details shimmered in a mix of unutterable joy and regret, making it impossible to capture them any more accurately.

在以后日子里的某些瞬间，总会异常清晰地记起，再进一步展开回想时，又全涣散了……

In some fleeting moments in the days to come, they would always suddenly become clear again. When I tried to recall further, they would once again disperse…

只剩那晚的明亮，只剩那晚的四分之三节拍。

Only the brightness of that evening remained, only the three-quarter rhythm of that evening remained.

……每一棵树上都牵满了灯泡，每一张桌子上都堆满了食物。

…Every tree was covered with light bulbs, and every table was piled high with food.

院子角落里篝火熊熊，上面支着的大铁锅沸水翻腾，浓郁的肉香把夜都熏得半熟了。

In the corner of the yard, a bonfire blazed, a large iron pot above it bubbled with boiling water, and the rich smell of meat permeated the night, making it feel half-cooked.

人们走来走去，面孔发光。

People came and went, their faces glowing.

女人们去掉了臃肿的外套，身子灵活，举止轻盈，走过后，留下一股子掺着牛奶和羊膻味的体香。

Women shed their bulky coats, their figures became agile, their movements light, and after passing by, they left behind a lingering scent mixed with milk and sheep.

还有的女人抹了“月亮”——那是我们这里的女人们最常用的一种香水的牌子。

Some women applied “Moonlight”—a brand of perfume most commonly used by the women here.

虽然这种香水闻起来更像是驱蚊水，但是到了这会儿，它那种强烈刺激的气息也只让人喜悦地感受着这女人的青春和激情……

Although this perfume smelled more like mosquito repellent, at this moment, its intensely stimulating aroma merely made one joyfully feel the youth and passion of these women…

每个房间的门都在不停地开，不停地关。

Every room's door kept opening and closing.

开门的一瞬间，房间里华丽的宴席、强烈的灯光、歌声、欢笑、白色的热气……

In an instant, the gorgeous feasts, bright lights, singing, laughter, and white steam from inside the room…

所有这些，会猛地、耀眼地从门洞突然涌出来，又在那里突然消失。

All of this would suddenly and dazzlingly rush out from the doorway and suddenly disappear there.