作者:王曉輝
《水滸傳》中的武松,是一副頂天立地的英雄形象。第二十三回,武松剛一出場(chǎng),就讓人眼前一亮:
宋江在燈下看那武松時(shí),果然是一條好漢。但見(jiàn):身軀凜凜,相貌堂堂。一雙眼光射寒星,兩彎眉渾如刷漆。胸脯橫闊,有萬(wàn)夫難敵之威風(fēng);語(yǔ)話(huà)軒昂,吐千丈凌云之志氣。心雄膽大,似撼天獅子下云端;骨健筋強(qiáng),如搖地貔貅臨座上。如同天上降魔主,真是人間太歲神。
小說(shuō)中的人物,身高多少,相貌如何,完全取決于作者。武松如此身材相貌和氣質(zhì),可以說(shuō)是施耐庵對(duì)他的偏愛(ài)。如果讀者足夠細(xì)心,還會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)武松還是個(gè)有潔癖、重穿戴的男人。小說(shuō)中武松每一次出場(chǎng),都要“洗漱”一番,而且,他還特別愛(ài)洗澡,就是在孟州城的監(jiān)獄里,他也經(jīng)常洗澡。再看武松的衣著,或是“新衲紅綢襖”,或是“鸚哥綠纻絲衲襖”,即使是穿布衫時(shí),腰間也要系上一條“紅絹搭膊”。整部小說(shuō)看下來(lái),武松就沒(méi)有灰頭土臉邋邋遢遢的時(shí)候,總是干凈光鮮又不失英武之氣,這在《水滸傳》一群粗糙漢子中,還是比較另類(lèi)的。
武松雖有如此雄壯威猛的相貌和絕世武功,卻不幸出身在社會(huì)的最底層,從小父母雙亡,由身材矮小性格懦弱的哥哥武大郎撫養(yǎng)長(zhǎng)大。沒(méi)有父母的照顧,哥哥又不能替他撐腰,可以想象武松在成長(zhǎng)過(guò)程中遭了多少欺負(fù),受了多少委屈,胸中憋了多少怨恨。貧寒的出身,讓武松對(duì)受人尊重的生活格外向往,但是,向上的掙扎注定是艱難且痛苦的。好不容易憑借拳頭和力量成了打虎英雄,被陽(yáng)谷縣的縣令賞識(shí),安排他在縣衙做了個(gè)步兵都頭。武松對(duì)縣令的抬舉感恩戴德,跪謝道:“若蒙恩相抬舉,小人終身受賜?!边@一腳跨進(jìn)了體制內(nèi),是武松夢(mèng)寐以求的機(jī)遇,如果一切順利,說(shuō)不定有一天他會(huì)像林沖和魯智深那樣成為中產(chǎn)階級(jí)的一員。
但現(xiàn)實(shí)是殘酷的,一個(gè)接一個(gè)的災(zāi)難和陷阱在等著他。先是從小把他拉扯大的哥哥被害,嫉惡如仇的武松為哥哥報(bào)仇,殺了潘金蓮和西門(mén)慶,自己也鋃鐺入獄。雖然孟州城監(jiān)獄的小管營(yíng)施恩對(duì)武松照顧有加,那也是看上了武松的拳腳功夫,讓他充當(dāng)打手,從蔣門(mén)神手里奪回快活林酒店的經(jīng)營(yíng)權(quán)。結(jié)果,武松剛剛爬出一個(gè)陷阱,又掉進(jìn)了另一個(gè)陷阱。蔣門(mén)神和武松一樣,是在前面出頭的馬仔,背后是更大的靠山張團(tuán)練和張都監(jiān)。張都監(jiān)為了置武松于死地,親自設(shè)下陷阱,將武松招至家中,酒食相待,看作親人一般,還許諾將使女玉蘭許配給他。張都監(jiān)的虛情假意,竟然讓武松感動(dòng)不已,他跪下稱(chēng)謝道:“小人是個(gè)牢城營(yíng)內(nèi)囚徒,若蒙恩相抬舉,小人當(dāng)以執(zhí)鞭墜鐙,伏侍恩相?!?nbsp;
旁觀者一眼就能看清楚的勾當(dāng),武松為什么就看不明白呢?我想,他是太渴望進(jìn)入體制內(nèi)了,太想借助一點(diǎn)運(yùn)氣躍上一個(gè)社會(huì)階層了!所以,他選擇了相信,相信天上會(huì)掉下餡餅來(lái)。
等待他的是又一個(gè)死亡陷阱。張都監(jiān)和蔣門(mén)神給武松設(shè)計(jì)了一個(gè)入室盜竊的罪名,人贓俱獲,打入大牢,臉上刺字,發(fā)配恩州。路上,張都監(jiān)又安排下殺手,準(zhǔn)備結(jié)果武松。此時(shí)的武松徹底清醒了,也徹底絕望了。對(duì)他來(lái)說(shuō),更好的生活和出人頭地只是一種幻想,無(wú)形的天花板和刀槍棍棒在等著他。
好吧,既然這個(gè)世界如此待我,那我就讓你們嘗嘗血的滋味!小說(shuō)作者施耐庵只用了一句話(huà),就把武松的心態(tài)刻畫(huà)得淋漓盡致:“(武松)提著樸刀,躊躇了半晌,一個(gè)念頭,竟奔回孟州城里來(lái)。”短短的一句話(huà),讓人看了脊背發(fā)涼。
武松開(kāi)始?xì)⑷肆?。不論好人壞人,男人女人,跟自己有沒(méi)有仇怨,甚至張都監(jiān)家的丫鬟仆人,包括那個(gè)為他清唱過(guò)蘇學(xué)士“明月幾時(shí)有”的玉蘭,一個(gè)不留。刀砍得卷刃了,換一把接著砍,臨出門(mén)時(shí),還從死尸身上割下一片衣襟來(lái),蘸著血,去白粉壁上寫(xiě)下八字:“殺人者,打虎武松也!”
從這一刻起,武松從一個(gè)精神干凈、衣著講究、追求向上的青年,轉(zhuǎn)變成了一個(gè)殺人不眨眼的狠角色,而等待他的歸宿只有一個(gè),那就是梁山。
【配圖:彭靖雯】
梁山的好漢個(gè)個(gè)身懷絕技,而武松更是出類(lèi)拔萃。別的好漢都是打人,武松則不然,他能打虎。在梁山泊108個(gè)好漢中,武松排在第十四位,但論在民間的聲望地位,他是妥妥的第一,原因就是他打過(guò)老虎?!端疂G傳》第二十三回“橫??げ襁M(jìn)留賓,景陽(yáng)岡武松打虎”是這樣描寫(xiě)的:
那一陣風(fēng)過(guò)處,只聽(tīng)得亂樹(shù)背后撲地一聲響,跳出一只吊睛白額大蟲(chóng)來(lái)。武松見(jiàn)了,叫聲:“呵呀!”從青石上翻將下來(lái),便拿那條梢棒在手里,閃在青石邊。那個(gè)大蟲(chóng)又饑又渴,把兩只爪在地下略按一按,和身望上一撲,從半空里攛將下來(lái)。武松被那一驚,酒都做冷汗出了。說(shuō)時(shí)遲,那時(shí)快,武松見(jiàn)大蟲(chóng)撲來(lái),只一閃,閃在大蟲(chóng)背后。那大蟲(chóng)背后看人最難,便把前爪搭在地下,把腰胯一掀,掀將起來(lái)。武松只一躲,躲在一邊。大蟲(chóng)見(jiàn)掀他不著,吼一聲,卻似半天里起個(gè)霹靂,振得那山岡也動(dòng);把這鐵棒也似虎尾倒豎起來(lái),只一剪,武松卻又閃在一邊。原來(lái)那大蟲(chóng)拿人,只是一撲,一掀,一剪,三般提不著時(shí),氣性先自沒(méi)了一半。那大蟲(chóng)又剪不著,再吼了一聲,一兜兜將回來(lái)。武松見(jiàn)那大蟲(chóng)復(fù)翻身回來(lái),雙手輪起梢棒,盡平生氣力,只一棒,從半空劈將下來(lái)。只聽(tīng)得一聲響,簌簌地將那樹(shù)連枝帶葉劈臉打?qū)⑾聛?lái)。定睛看時(shí),一棒劈不著大蟲(chóng)。原來(lái)慌了,正打在枯樹(shù)上,把那條梢棒折做兩截,只拿得一半在手里。那大蟲(chóng)咆哮,性發(fā)起來(lái),翻身又只一撲,撲將來(lái)。武松又只一跳,卻退了十步遠(yuǎn),那大蟲(chóng)卻好把兩只前爪搭在武松面前。武松將半截棒丟在一邊,兩只手就勢(shì)把大蟲(chóng)頂花皮肐嗒地揪住,一按按將下來(lái)。那只大蟲(chóng)急要掙扎,早沒(méi)了氣力,被武松盡氣力納定,那里肯放半點(diǎn)兒松寬。武松把只腳望大蟲(chóng)面門(mén)上、眼睛里只顧亂踢。那大蟲(chóng)咆哮起來(lái),把身底下扒起兩堆黃泥,做了一個(gè)土坑。武松把那大蟲(chóng)嘴直按下黃泥坑里去,那大蟲(chóng)吃武松奈何得沒(méi)了些氣力。武松把左手緊緊地揪住頂花皮,偷出右手來(lái),提起鐵錘般大小拳頭,盡平生之力,只顧打。打得五七十拳,那大蟲(chóng)眼里、口里、鼻子里、耳朵里都迸出鮮血來(lái)。
施耐庵真是講故事的高手,把這段驚心動(dòng)魄的人獸大戰(zhàn)描寫(xiě)得有聲有色,如在眼前。那么,這么精彩的敘述翻譯成英文還有同樣的效果嗎?我們來(lái)欣賞一下沙博理的譯文:
Suddenly a wild gale blew, and when it passed a roar came from behind the thicket and out bounded a huge tiger. Its malevolent upwardslanting eyes gleamed beneath a broad white forehead.
"Aiya!" cried Wu Song. He jumped down, seized his staff, and slipped behind the rock.
Both hungry and thirsty, the big animal clawed the ground with its front paws a couple of times, sprang high and came hurtling forward. The wine poured out of Wu Song in a cold sweat. Quicker than it takes to say, he dodged, and the huge beast landed beyond him. Tigers can't see behind them, so as its front paws touched the ground it tried to side-swipe Wu Song with its body. Again he dodged, and the tiger missed. With a thunderous roar that shook the ridge, the animal slashed at Wu Song with its iron tail. Once more he swivelled out of the way.
Now this tiger had three methods for getting its victim — spring, swipe and slash. But none of them had worked, and the beast's spirit diminished by half. Again it roared, and whirled around.
Wu Song raised his staff high in a two-handed grip and swung with all his might. There was a loud crackling, and a large branch, leaves and all, tumbled past his face. In his haste, he had struck an old tree instead of the tiger, snapping the staff in two and leaving him holding only the remaining half.
Lashing itself into a roaring fury, the beast charged. Wu Song leaped back ten paces, and the tiger landed in front of him. He threw away the stump of his staff, seized the animal by the ruff and bore down. The tiger struggled frantically, but Wu Song was exerting all his strength, and wouldn't give an inch. He kicked the beast in the face and eyes, again and again. The tiger roared, its wildly scrabbling claws pushing back two piles of yellow earth and digging a pit before it. Wu Song pressed the animal's muzzle into the pit, weakening it further. Still relentlessly clutching the beast by the ruff with his left hand, Wu Song freed his right, big as an iron mallet, and with all his might began to pound.
After sixty or seventy blows the tiger, blood streaming from eyes, mouth, nose and ears, lay motionless, panting weakly.
翻譯文學(xué)作品最難的是情緒和氣氛的把握,譯者不僅要與原文作者心意相通,還要關(guān)照讀者的感受。施耐庵的原文充滿(mǎn)動(dòng)感,一個(gè)動(dòng)作連著一個(gè)動(dòng)作,沙博理的譯文也是一樣,采用簡(jiǎn)單明快的句式,強(qiáng)化動(dòng)詞的作用。
翻譯這段文字,快節(jié)奏是關(guān)鍵。以第一句為例,“那一陣風(fēng)過(guò)處,只聽(tīng)得亂樹(shù)背后撲地一聲響,跳出一只吊睛白額大蟲(chóng)來(lái)”。按照一般人對(duì)原文的理解和英文的掌握,很有可能翻譯成Suddenly there came a gust of wind. When the wind was over, Wu Song heard a roar from behind the trees. Then a huge tiger with slanting eyes and white hair on its forehead jumped out. 這樣翻譯肯定沒(méi)有錯(cuò),但行文拖泥帶水,冗長(zhǎng)的句子將原文營(yíng)造的緊張氣氛消解得無(wú)影無(wú)蹤。沙博理在翻譯這句話(huà)時(shí),先將關(guān)鍵信息收在一個(gè)句子里,Suddenly a wild gale blew, and when it passed a roar came from behind the thicket and out bounded a huge tiger,然后再告訴讀者這是一只吊睛白額老虎。沙博理寧肯多寫(xiě)一句話(huà),也不肯將with slanting eyes and white hair on its forehead插進(jìn)去,從而影響敘事的快節(jié)奏。
老虎“跳”,武松“閃”;老虎“撲”,武松“跳”,預(yù)熱動(dòng)作并不復(fù)雜。但是按照英語(yǔ)習(xí)慣,一段文字之內(nèi)用詞要盡量避免重復(fù),所以,沙博理用了bound、jump、spring、dodge、charge、leap等多組意思相近的動(dòng)詞來(lái)描述一人一虎撲閃跳躍的動(dòng)作。
“說(shuō)時(shí)遲,那時(shí)快”是說(shuō)書(shū)人常用的表現(xiàn)手法,根據(jù)上下文可以有多種翻譯方法,如It is slow in the telling, but happens in a flash,或It's much faster than I can tell。沙博理為了加快節(jié)奏,用了quicker than it takes to say,更為簡(jiǎn)潔。
中國(guó)人敘事有點(diǎn)兒像大寫(xiě)意,經(jīng)常有“三五天”“八九點(diǎn)”這樣大而化之的說(shuō)法,英語(yǔ)中雖然也有,但并不多見(jiàn)。原文中武松打虎,打了五七十拳,中間相差二十拳,這跨度也太大了吧?為了不讓外國(guó)讀者感到困惑,沙博理將其翻譯成sixty or seventy blows,變成了六七十拳。
打虎讓武松名震天下,也成為他人生的一個(gè)轉(zhuǎn)折點(diǎn)。清代文人張潮說(shuō),《水滸傳》是一部怒書(shū)。這一“怒”字,在武松身上體現(xiàn)得最為鮮明。他沒(méi)有魯智深那副柔軟善良的心腸,也不會(huì)像王進(jìn)那樣惹不起就走,更不會(huì)像林沖那樣委曲求全,在命運(yùn)的極致壓迫之下,他會(huì)奮起回?fù)?,而每一次回?fù)?,都是帶血的、致命的?/p>
不過(guò),在梁山一百單八將中,比起那些鴆酒毒死的和沙場(chǎng)戰(zhàn)死的兄弟們,武松的結(jié)局算是好的了。雖然在征討方臘的戰(zhàn)斗中斷了一只胳膊,但畢竟保全了性命。他沒(méi)有跟隨宋江回朝領(lǐng)賞,而是選擇在杭州六和寺出家,后至八十而善終。這不能不說(shuō)是作者對(duì)武松這個(gè)角色的偏愛(ài)。