神马文学网肥皂Soap
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Lu Xun
Soap
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Written: March 22, 1924
Source: Selected Stories of Lu Hsun, Published by Foreign Languages Press, Peking, 1960, 1972
Transcribed: Original transcription from coldbacon.com
HTML Markup: Mike B. for MIA, 2005
Public Domain: Marxists Internet Archive (2005). You may freely copy, distribute, display and perform this work; as well as make derivative and commercial works. Please credit “Marxists Internet Archive” as your source.
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With her back to the north window in the slanting sunlight, Ssu-min‘s wife with her eight-year-old daughter, Hsiu-erh, was pasting paper money for the dead when she heard the slow, heavy footsteps of someone in cloth shoes and knew her husband was back. Paying no attention, she simply went on pasting coins. But the tread of cloth shoes drew nearer and nearer, till it finally stopped beside her. Then she could not help looking up to see Ssu-min before her, bunching his shoulders and stooping forward to fumble desperately under his cloth jacket in the inner pocket of his long gown.
By dint of twisting and turning at last he extracted his hand with a small oblong package in it, which he handed to his wife. As she took it, she smelt an indefinable fragrance rather reminiscent of olive. On the green paper wrapper was a bright golden seal with a network of tiny designs. Hsiu-erh bounded forward to seize this and look at it, but her mother promptly pushed her aside.
"Been shopping? . . ." she asked as she looked at it.
"Er—yes." He stared at the package in her hand.
The green paper wrapper was opened. Inside was a layer of very thin paper, also sunflower-green, and nor till this was unwrapped was the object itself exposed—glossy and hard, besides being sunflower-green, with another network of fine designs on it. The thin paper was a cream colour, it appeared. The indefinable fragrance rather reminiscent of olive was stronger now.
"My, this is really good soap!"
She held the soap to her nose as gingerly as if it were a child, and sniffed at it as she spoke.
"Er—yes. Just use this in future. . . ."
As he spoke, she noticed him eyeing her neck, and felt herself flushing up to her cheekbones. Sometimes when she rubbed her neck, especially behind the ears, her fingers detected a roughness; and though she knew this was the accumulated dirt of many years, she had never given it much thought. Now, under his scrutiny, she could not help blushing as she looked at this green, foreign soap with the curious scent, and this blush spread right to the tips of her ears. She mentally resolved to have a thorough wash with this soap after supper.
"There are places you can‘t wash clean just with honey locust pods,"1 she muttered to herself.
"Ma, can I have this?" As Hsiu-erh reached out for the sunflower-green paper, Chao-erh, the younger daughter who had been playing outside, came running in too. Mrs. Ssu-min promptly pushed them both aside, folded the thin paper in place, wrapped the green paper round it as before, then leaned over to put it on the highest shelf of the wash-stand. After one final glance, she turned back to her paper coins.
"Hsueh-cheng!" Ssu-min seemed to have remembered something. He gave a long-drawn-out shout, sitting down on a high-backed chair opposite his wife.
"Hsueh-cheng!" she helped him call.
She stopped pasting coins to listen, but not a sound could she hear. When she saw him with upturned head waiting so impatiently, she felt quite apologetic.
"Hsueh-cheng!" she called shrilly at the top of her voice.
This call proved effective, for they heard the tramp of leather shoes draw near, and Hsueh-cheng stood before her. He was in shirt sleeves, his plump round face shiny with perspiration.
"What were you doing?" she asked disapprovingly. "Why didn‘t you hear your father call?"
"I was practising Hexagram Boxing. . . ." He turned at once to his father and straightened up, looking at him as if to ask what he wanted.
"Hsueh-cheng, I want to ask you the meaning of o-du-fu."2
"O-du-fu? . . . Isn‘t it a very fierce woman?"
"What nonsense! The idea!" Ssu-min was suddenly furious. "Am I a woman, pray?"
Hsueh-cheng recoiled two steps, and stood straighter than ever. Though his father‘s gait sometimes reminded him of the way old men walked in Peking opera, he had never considered Ssu-min as a woman. His answer, he saw now, had been a great mistake.
"As if I didn‘t know o-du-fu means a very fierce woman. Would I have to ask you that?—This isn‘t Chinese, it‘s foreign devils‘ language, I‘m telling you. What does it mean, do you know?"
"I . . . I don‘t know." Hsueh-cheng felt even more uneasy.
"Pab! Why do I spend all that money to send you to school if you don‘t even understand a little thing like this? Your school boasts that it lays equal stress on speech and comprehension, yet it hasn‘t taught you anything. The ones speaking this devils‘ language couldn‘t have been more than fourteen or fifteen, actually a little younger than you, yet they were chattering away in it, while you can‘t even tell me the meaning. And you have the face to answer ‘I don‘t know.‘ Go and look it up for me at once!"
"Yes," answered Hsueh-cheng deep down in his throat, then respectfully withdrew.
"I don‘t know what students today are coming to," declared Ssu-min with emotion after a pause. "As a matter of fact, in the time of Kuang Hsu, 3 I was all in favour of opening schools; but I never foresaw how great the evils would be. What ‘emancipation‘ and ‘freedom‘ have we had? There is no true learning, nothing but absurdities. I‘ve spent quite a bit of money on Hsueh-cheng, all to no purpose. It wasn‘t easy to get him into this half-Western, half-Chinese school, where they claim they lay equal stress on ‘speaking and comprehending English.‘4 You‘d think all should be well. But—bah!—after one whole year of study he can‘t even understand o-du-fu! He must still be studying dead books. What use is such a school, I ask you? What I say is: Close the whole lot of them!"
"Yes, really, better close the whole lot of them," chimed in his wife sympathetically, pasting away at the paper money.
"There‘s no need for Hsiu-erh and her sister to attend any school. As Ninth Grandpa said, What‘s the good of girls studying?‘ When he opposed girls‘ schools I attacked him for it; but now I see the old folk were right after all. Just think, it‘s already in very poor taste the way women wander up and down the streets, and now they want to cut their hair as well. Nothing disgusts me so much as these short-haired schoolgirls. What I say is: There‘s some excuse for soldiers and bandits, but these girls are the ones who turn everything upside down. They ought to be very severely dealt with indeed. . . ."
"Yes, as if it wasn‘t enough for all men to look like monks, the women are imitating nuns." 5
"Hsueh-cheng!"
Hsueh-cheng hurried in holding a small, fat, gilt-edged book, which he handed to his father.
"This looks like it," he said, pointing to one place. "Here. . . ."
Ssu-min took it and looked at it. He knew it was a dictionary, but the characters were very small and horizontally printed too. Frowning, he turned towards the window and screwed up his eyes to read the passage Hsueh-cheng had pointed out.
"‘A society founded in the eighteenth century for mutual relief.‘—No, that can‘t be it.—How do you pronounce this?" He pointed to the devils‘ word in front.
"Oddfellows."
"No, no, that wasn‘t it." Ssu-min suddenly lost his temper again. "I told you it was bad language, a swear-word of some sort, to abuse someone of my type. Understand? Go and look it up!"
Hsueh-cheng glanced at him several times, but did not move.
"This is too puzzling. How can he make head or tail of it? You must explain things clearly to him first, before he can look it up properly." Seeing Hsueh-cheng in a quandary, his mother felt sorry for him and intervened rather indignantly on his behalf.
"It was when I was buying soap at Kuang Jun Hsiang on the main street," sighed Ssu-min, turning to her. "There were three students shopping there too. Of course, to them I must have seemed a little pernickery. I looked at five or six kinds of soap all over forty cents, and turned them down. Then I looked at some priced ten cents a cake, but it was too poor, with no scent at all. Since I thought it best to strike a happy mean, I chose that green soap at twenty-four cents a cake. The assistant was one of those supercilious young fellows with eyes on the top of his head, so he pulled a long dog‘s face. At that those impudent students started winking at each other and talking devils‘ language. I wanted to unwrap the soap and look at it before paying—for with all that foreign paper round it, how could I tell whether it was good or bad? But that supercilious young fellow not only refused, but was very unreasonable and passed some offensive remarks, at which those whipper-snappers laughed. It was the youngest of the lot who said that, looking straight at me, and the rest of them started laughing. So it must have been some bad word." He turned back to Hsueh-cheng. "Look for it in the section headed Bad Language!"
"Yes," answered Hsueh-cheng deep down in his throat, then respectfully withdrew.
"Yet they still shout ‘New Culture! New Culture!‘ when the world‘s in such a state! Isn‘t this bad enough?" His eyes on the rafters, Ssu-min continued. "The students have no morals, society has no morals. Unless we find some panacea, China will really be finished. How pathetic she was. . . ."
"Who?" asked his wife casually, not really curious.
"A filial daughter. . . ." His eyes came round to her, and there was respect in his voice. "There were two beggars on the main street. One was a girl who looked eighteen or nineteen. Actually, it‘s most improper to beg at that age, but beg she did. She was with an old woman of about seventy, who had white hair and was blind. They were begging under the eaves of that clothes shop, and everybody said how filial she was. The old one was her grandmother. Whatever trifle the girl received, she gave it to her grandmother, choosing to go hungry herself. But do you think people would give alms even to such a filial daughter?"
He fixed her with his eye, as if to test her intelligence.
She made no answer, but fixed him with her eye, as if waiting for him to elucidate.
"Bah—no!" At last he supplied the answer himself. "I watched for a long time, and saw one person only give her a copper. Plenty of others gathered round, but only to jeer at them. There were two low types as well, one of whom had the impertinence to say:
"‘Ah-fa! Don‘t be put off by the dirt on this piece of goods. If you buy two cakes of soap, and give her a good scrubbing, the result won‘t be bad at all!‘ Think, what a way to talk!"
She snorted and lowered her head. After quite a time, she asked rather casually: "Did you give her any money?"
"Did I?—No. I‘d have felt ashamed to give just one or two coins. She wasn‘t an ordinary beggar, you know. . . ."
"Mm." Without waiting for him to finish she stood up slowly and walked to the kitchen. Dusk was gathering, and it was time for supper.
Ssu-min stood up too, and walked into the courtyard. It was lighter out than in. Hsueh-cheng was practising Hexagram Boxing in a corner by the wall. This constituted his "home education," and he used the economical method of employing the hour between day and night for this purpose. Hsueh-cheng had been boxing now for about half a year. Ssu-min nodded very slightly, as if in approval, then began to pace the courtyard with his hands behind his back. Before long, the broad leaves of the evergreen which was the only potted plant they had were swallowed up in the darkness, and stars twinkled between white clouds which looked like torn cotton. Night had fallen. Ssu-min could not repress his growing indignation. He felt called on to do great deeds, to declare war on all bad students about and on this wicked society. By degrees he grew bolder and bolder, his steps became longer and longer, and the thud of his cloth soles grew louder and louder, waking the hen and her chicks in the coop so that they cheeped in alarm.
A light appeared in the hall—the signal that supper was ready—and the whole household gathered round the table in the middle. The lamp stood at the lower end of the table, while Ssu-min sat alone at the head. His plump, round face was like Hsueh-cheng‘s, with the addition of two sparse whiskers. Seen through the hot vapour from the vegetable soup, he looked like the God of Wealth you find in temples. On the left sat Mrs. Ssu-min and Chao-erh, on the right Hsueh-cheng and Hsiu-erh. Chopsticks pattered like rain against the bowls. Though no one said a word, their supper table was very animated.
Chao-erh upset her bowl, spilling soup over half the table. Ssu-min opened his narrow eyes as wide as he could. Only when he saw she was going to cry did he stop glaring at her and reach out with his chopsticks for a tender morsel of cabbage he had spotted. But the tender morsel had disappeared. He looked right and left, and discovered Hsueh-cheng on the point of stuffing it into his wide-open mouth. Disappointed, Ssu-min ate a mouthful of yellowish leaves instead.
"Hsueh-cheng!" He looked at his son. "Have you found that phrase or not?"
"Which phrase?—No, not yet!"
"Pah! Look at you, not a good student and with no sense either—all you can do is eat! You should learn from that filial daughter: although she‘s a beggar, she still treats her grandmother very respectfully, even if it means going hungry herself. But what do you impudent students know of such things? You‘ll grow up like those low types. . . ."
"I‘ve thought of one possibility, but I don‘t know if it‘s right . . . . I think, perhaps, they may have said o-du-fu-la (Chinese transliteration of ‘old fool‘—Translator )."
"That‘s right! That‘s it exactly! That‘s exactly the sound it was: o-du-fu-la. What does that mean? You belong to the same group: you must know."
"Mean?—I‘m not sure what it means."
"Nonsense. Don‘t try to deceive me. You‘re all a bad lot."
"‘Even thunder won‘t strike folk at meat,‘" burst out Mrs. Ssu-min suddenly. "Why do you keep losing your temper today? Even at supper you can‘t stop hitting the hen while pointing at the dog. What do boys that age understand?"
"What?" Ssu-min was on the point of answering back when he saw her sunken cheeks were quivering with anger, her colour had changed, and a fearful glint had come into her eyes. He hastily changed his tune. "I‘m not losing my temper. I‘m just telling Hsueh-cheng to learn a little sense."
"How can he understand what‘s in your mind?" She looked angrier than ever. "If he had any sense, he‘d long since have lit a lantern or a torch and gone out to fetch that filial daughter. You‘ve already bought her one cake of soap: all you have to do is buy another. . . ." "Nonsense! That‘s what that low type said."
"I‘m not so sure. If you buy another cake and give her a good scrubbing, then worship her, the whole world will be at peace."
"How can you say such a thing? What connection is there? Because I remembered you‘d no soap. . . . ."
"There‘s a connection all right. You bought it specially for the filial daughter; so go and give her a good scrubbing. I don‘t deserve it. I don‘t want it. I don‘t want to share her glory."
"Really, how can you talk like that?" mumbled Ssu-min. "You women. . . ." His face was perspiring like Hsueh-cheng‘s after Hexagram Boxing, probably mostly because the food had been so hot.
"What about us women? We women are much better than you men. If you men aren‘t cursing eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl students, you‘re praising eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl beggars: such dirty minds you have! Scrubbing, indeed! —Disgusting!"
"Didn‘t you hear? That‘s what one of those low types said."
"Ssu-min!" A thundering voice was heard from the darkness outside.
"Tao-tung? I‘m coming!"
Ssu-min knew this was Ho Tao-tung, famed for his powerful voice, and he shouted back as joyfully as a criminal newly reprieved.
"Hsueh-cheng, hurry up and light the lamp and show Uncle Ho into the library!"
Hsueh-cheng lit a candle, and ushered Tao-tong into the west room. They were followed by Pu Wei-yuan.
"I‘m sorry I didn‘t welcome you. Excuse me." With his mouth still full of rice, Ssu-min went in and bowed with clasped hands in greeting. "Won‘t you join us at our simple meal? . . ."
"We‘ve already eaten," Wei-yuan stepped forward and greeted him. "We‘ve hurried here at this time of night because of the eighteenth essay and poem contest of the Moral Rearmament Literary League. Isn‘t tomorrow the seventeenth?"
"What? Is it the sixteenth today?" asked Ssu-min in surprise.
"See how absent-minded you are!" boomed Tao-tung.
"So we‘ll have to send something in tonight to the newspaper office, to make sure they print it tomorrow."
"I‘ve already drafted the title of the essay. See whether you think it will do or not." As he was speaking, Tao-tung produced a slip of paper from his handkerchief and handed it to Ssu-min.
Ssu-min stepped up to the candle, unfolded the paper, and read it word by word: " We humbly suggest an essay in the name of the whole nation to beg the President to issue an order for the promotion of the Confucian classics and the worship of the mother of Mencius, 6 in order to revive this moribund world and preserve our national character.‘ Very good. Very good. Isn‘t it a little long, though?"
"That doesn‘t matter," answered Tao-tung loudly. "I‘ve worked it out, and it won‘t cost more to advertise. But what about the title for the poem?"
"The title for the poem?" Ssu-min suddenly looked most respectful. "I‘ve thought of one. How about The Filial Daughter? It‘s a true story, and she deserves to be eulogized. On the main street today. . . ."
"Oh, no, that won‘t do," put in Wei-yuan hastily, waving his hand to stop Ssu-min. "I saw her too. She isn‘t from these parts, and I couldn‘t understand her dialect, nor she mine. I don‘t know where she‘s from. Everyone says she‘s filial; but when I asked her if she could write poems, she shook her head. If she could, that would be fine." 7
"But since loyalty and filial piety are so important, it doesn‘t matter too much if she can‘t write poems. . . ."
"That isn‘t true. Quite otherwise." Wei-yuan raised his hands and rushed towards Ssu-min, to shake and push him. "She‘d only be interesting if she could write poems."
"Let‘s use this title." Ssu-min pushed him aside. "Add an explanation and print it. In the first place, it will serve to eulogize her; in the second, we can use this to criticize society. What is the world coming to anyway? I watched for some time, and didn‘t see anybody give her a cent—people are utterly heartless! . . ."
"Aiya, Ssu-min!" Wei-yuan rushed over again. "You‘re cursing baldheads to a monk. I didn‘t give her anything because I didn‘t happen to have any money on me."
"Don‘t be so sensitive, Wei-yuan." Ssu-min pushed him aside again. "Of course you‘re an exception. Let me finish. There was quite a crowd around them, showing no respect, just jeering. There were two low types as well, who were even more impertinent. One of them said: ‘Ah-fa! If you buy two cakes of soap and give her a good scrubbing, the result won‘t be bad at all!‘ Just think. . . ."
"Ha, ha! Two cakes of soap!" Tao-tong suddenly bellowed with laughter, nearly splitting their ear-drums. "Buy soap! Ho, ho, ho!"
"Tao-tung! Tao-tung! Don‘t make such a noise!" Ssu-min gave a start, panic-stricken.
"A good scrubbing! Ho, ho, ho!"
"Tao-tung!" Ssu-min looked stern. "We‘re discussing serious matters. Why should you make such a noise, nearly deafening everyone? Listen to me: we‘ll use both these titles, and send them straight to the newspaper office so that they come out without fail tomorrow. I‘ll have to trouble you both to take them there."
"All right, all right. Of course," agreed Wei-yuan readily.
"Ha, ha! A good scrubbing! Ho, ho!"
"Tao-tung!" shouted Ssu-min furiously.
This shout made Tao-rung stop laughing. After they had drawn up the explanation, Wei-yuan copied it on the paper and left with Tao-tung for the newspaper office. Ssu-min carried the candle to see them out, then walked back to the door of the hall feeling rather apprehensive. After some hesitation, though, he finally crossed the threshold. As he went in, his eyes fell on the small, green, oblong package of soap in the middle of the central table, the gold characters with fine designs around them glittering in the lamplight.
Hsiu-erh and Chao-erh were playing on the floor at the lower end of the table, while Hsueh-cheng sat on the right side looking up something in his dictionary. Last of all, on the high-backed chair in the shadows far from the lamp, Ssu-min discovered his wife. Her impassive face showed neither joy nor anger, and she was staring at nothing.
"A good scrubbing indeed! Disgusting!"
Faintly, Ssu-min heard Hsiu-erh‘s voice behind him. He turned, but she was not moving. Only Chao-erh put both small hands to her face as if to shame somebody.
This was no place for him. He blew out the candle, and went into the yard to pace up and down. Because he forgot to be quiet, the hen and her chicks started cheeping again. At once he walked more lightly, moving further away. After a long time, the lamp in the hall was transferred to the bedroom. The moonlight on the ground was like seamless white gauze, and the moon—quite full—seemed a jade disc among the bright clouds.
He felt not a little depressed, as if he, like the filial daughter. were "utterly forlorn and alone." That night he did not sleep till very late.
By the next morning, however, the soap was being honoured by being used. Getting up later than usual, he saw his wife leaning over the wash-stand rubbing her neck, with bubbles heaped up over both her ears like those emitted by great crabs The difference between these and the small white bubbles produced by honey locust pods was like that between heaven and earth. After this, an indefinable fragrance rather reminiscent of olives always emanated from Mrs. Ssu-min. Not for neatly half a year did this suddenly give place to another scent, which all who smelt it averred was like sandal-wood.
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1.1 In many parts of China, honey locust pods were used for washing. They were cheaper than soap, but not so effective.
2. In Chinese this means "vicious wife."
3. I.e. 1875-1908.
4. English was taught in nearly all the new schools at that time, and learning to speak was considered as important as learning to read.
5. Monks and nuns in China shaved their heads. Hence, at the end of the Ching dynasty and later, conservatives laughed at the men who cut their queues, claiming they looked like monks.
6. A woman famous for her virtue. According to tradition, she moved house three times to avoid undesirahle companions for her son.
7. In old China, it was considered romantic for women to exchange ideas with men through the medium of poems. The fashionable courtesans could write poetry.
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肥皂
四铭太太正在斜日光中背着北窗和她八岁的女儿秀儿糊纸锭，忽听得又重又缓的布鞋底声响，知道四铭进来了，并不去看他，只是糊纸锭。但那布鞋底声却愈响愈逼近，觉得终于停在她的身边了，于是不免转过眼去看，只见四铭就在她面前耸肩曲背的狠命掏着布马挂底下的袍子的大襟后面的口袋。
他好容易曲曲折折的汇出手来，手里就有一个小小的长方包，葵绿色的，一径递给四太太。她刚接到手，就闻到一阵似橄榄非橄榄的说不清的香味，还看见葵绿色的纸包上有一个金光灿烂的印子和许多细簇簇的花纹。秀儿即刻跳过来要抢着看，四太太赶忙推开她。
“上了街？……”她一面看，一面问。
“唔唔。”他看着她手里的纸包，说。
于是这葵绿色的纸包被打开了，里面还有一层很薄的纸，也是葵绿色，揭开薄纸，才露出那东西的本身来，光滑坚致，也是葵绿色，上面还有细簇簇的花纹，而薄纸原来却是米色的，似橄榄非橄榄的说不清的香味也来得更浓了。
“唉唉，这实在是好肥皂。”她捧孩子似的将那葵绿色的东西送到鼻子下面去，嗅着说。
“唔唔，你以后就用这个……。”
她看见他嘴里这么说，眼光却射在她的脖子上，便觉得颧骨以下的脸上似乎有些热。她有时自己偶然摸到脖子上，尤其是耳朵后，指面上总感着些粗糙，本来早就知道是积年的老泥，但向来倒也并不很介意。现在在他的注视之下，对着这葵绿异香的洋肥皂，可不禁脸上有些发热了，而且这热又不绝的蔓延开去，即刻一径到耳根。她于是就决定晚饭后要用这肥皂来拚命的洗一洗。
“有些地方，本来单用皂荚子是洗不干净的。”她自对自的说。
“妈，这给我！”秀儿伸手来抢葵绿纸；在外面玩耍的小女儿招儿也跑到了。四太太赶忙推开她们，裹好薄纸，又照旧包上葵绿纸，欠过身去搁在洗脸台上最高的一层格子上，看一看，翻身仍然糊纸锭。
“学程！”四铭记起了一件事似的，忽而拖长了声音叫，就在她对面的一把高背椅子上坐下了。
“学程！”她也帮着叫。
她停下糊纸锭，侧耳一听，什么响应也没有，又见他仰着头焦急的等着，不禁很有些抱歉了，便尽力提高了喉咙，尖利的叫：
“[纟全]儿呀！”
这一叫确乎有效，就听到皮鞋声橐橐的近来，不一会，[纟全]儿已站在她面前了，只穿短衣，肥胖的圆脸上亮晶晶的流着油汗。
“你在做什么？怎么爹叫也不听见？”她谴责的说。
“我刚在练八卦拳〔２〕……。”他立即转身向了四铭，笔挺的站着，看着他，意思是问他什么事。
“学程，我就要问你：‘恶毒妇’是什么？”
“‘恶毒妇’？……那是，‘很凶的女人’罢？……”
“胡说！胡闹！”四铭忽而怒得可观。“我是‘女人’么！？”
学程吓得倒退了两步，站得更挺了。他虽然有时觉得他走路很像上台的老生，却从没有将他当作女人看待，他知道自己答的很错了。
“‘恶毒妇’是‘很凶的女人’，我倒不懂，得来请教你？——这不是中国话，是鬼子话，我对你说。这是什么意思，你懂么？”
“我，……我不懂。”学程更加局促起来。
“吓，我白化钱送你进学堂，连这一点也不懂。亏煞你的学堂还夸什么‘口耳并重’，倒教得什么也没有。说这鬼话的人至多不过十四五岁，比你还小些呢，已经叽叽咕咕的能说了，你却连意思也说不出，还有这脸说‘我不懂’！——现在就给我去查出来！”
学程在喉咙底里答应了一声“是”，恭恭敬敬的退出去了。
“这真叫作不成样子，”过了一会，四铭又慷慨的说，“现在的学生是。其实，在光绪年间，我就是最提倡开学堂的，〔３〕可万料不到学堂的流弊竟至于如此之大：什么解放咧，自由咧，没有实学，只会胡闹。学程呢，为他化了的钱也不少了，都白化。好容易给他进了中西折中的学堂，英文又专是‘口耳并重’的，你以为这该好了罢，哼，可是读了一年，连‘恶毒妇’也不懂，大约仍然是念死书。吓，什么学堂，造就了些什么？我简直说：应该统统关掉！”
“对咧，真不如统统关掉的好。”四太太糊着纸锭，同情的说。
“秀儿她们也不必进什么学堂了。‘女孩子，念什么书？’九公公先前这样说，反对女学的时候，我还攻击他呢；可是现在看起来，究竟是老年人的话对。你想，女人一阵一阵的在街上走，已经很不雅观的了，她们却还要剪头发。我最恨的就是那些剪了头发的女学生，我简直说，军人土匪倒还情有可原，搅乱天下的就是她们，应该很严的办一办……。”
“对咧，男人都像了和尚还不够，女人又来学尼姑了。”
“学程！”
学程正捧着一本小而且厚的金边书快步进来，便呈给四铭，指着一处说：
“这倒有点像。这个……。”
四铭接来看时，知道是字典，但文字非常小，又是横行的。他眉头一皱，擎向窗口，细着眼睛，就学程所指的一行念过去：
“‘第十八世纪创立之共济讲社〔４〕之称’。——唔，不对。——这声音是怎么念的？”他指着前面的“鬼子”字，问。
“恶特拂罗斯（Ｏｄｄｆｅｌｌｏｗｓ）。”
“不对，不对，不是这个。”四铭又忽而愤怒起来了。“我对你说：那是一句坏话，骂人的话，骂我这样的人的。懂了么？查去！”
学程看了他几眼，没有动。
“这是什么闷胡卢，没头没脑的？你也先得说说清，教他好用心的查去。”她看见学程为难，觉得可怜，便排解而且不满似的说。
“就是我在大街上广润祥买肥皂的时候，”四铭呼出了一口气，向她转过脸去，说。“店里又有三个学生在那里买东西。我呢，从他们看起来，自然也怕太噜苏一点了罢。我一气看了六七样，都要四角多，没有买；看一角一块的，又太坏，没有什么香。我想，不如中通的好，便挑定了那绿的一块，两角四分。伙计本来是势利鬼，眼睛生在额角上的，早就撅着狗嘴的了；可恨那学生这坏小子又都挤眉弄眼的说着鬼话笑。后来，我要打开来看一看才付钱：洋纸包着，怎么断得定货色的好坏呢。谁知道那势利鬼不但不依，还蛮不讲理，说了许多可恶的废话；坏小子们又附和着说笑。那一句是顶小的一个说的，而且眼睛看着我，他们就都笑起来了：可见一定是一句坏话。”他于是转脸对着学程道，“你只要在‘坏话类’里去查去！”
学程在喉咙底里答应了一声“是”，恭恭敬敬的退去了。
“他们还嚷什么‘新文化新文化’，‘化’到这样了，还不够？”他两眼钉着屋梁，尽自说下去。“学生也没有道德，社会上也没有道德，再不想点法子来挽救，中国这才真个要亡了。——你想，那多么可叹？……”
“什么？”她随口的问，并不惊奇。
“孝女。”他转眼对着她，郑重的说。“就在大街上，有两个讨饭的。一个是姑娘，看去该有十八九岁了。——其实这样的年纪，讨饭是很不相宜的了，可是她还讨饭。——和一个六七十岁的老的，白头发，眼睛是瞎的，坐在布店的檐下求乞。大家多说她是孝女，那老的是祖母。她只要讨得一点什么，便都献给祖母吃，自己情愿饿肚皮。可是这样的孝女，有人肯布施么？”他射出眼光来钉住她，似乎要试验她的识见。
她不答话，也只将眼光钉住他，似乎倒是专等他来说明。
“哼，没有。”他终于自己回答说。“我看了好半天，只见一个人给了一文小钱；其余的围了一大圈，倒反去打趣。还有两个光棍，竟肆无忌惮的说：‘阿发，你不要看得这货色脏。你只要去买两块肥皂来，咯支咯支遍身洗一洗，好得很哩！’哪，你想，这成什么话？”
“哼，”她低下头去了，久之，才又懒懒的问，“你给了钱么？”
“我么？——没有。一两个钱，是不好意思拿出去的。她不是平常的讨饭，总得……。”
“嗡。”她不等说完话，便慢慢地站起来，走到厨下去。昏黄只显得浓密，已经是晚饭时候了。
四铭也站起身，走出院子去。天色比屋子里还明亮，学程就在墙角落上练习八卦拳：这是他的“庭训”〔５〕，利用昼夜之交的时间的经济法，学程奉行了将近大半年了。他赞许似的微微点一点头，便反背着两手在空院子里来回的踱方步。不多久，那惟一的盆景万年青的阔叶又已消失在昏暗中，破絮一般的白云间闪出星点，黑夜就从此开头。四铭当这时候，便也不由的感奋起来，仿佛就要大有所为，与周围的坏学生以及恶社会宣战。他意气渐渐勇猛，脚步愈跨愈大，布鞋底声也愈走愈响，吓得早已睡在笼子里的母鸡和小鸡也都唧唧足足的叫起来了。
堂前有了灯光，就是号召晚餐的烽火，合家的人们便都齐集在中央的桌子周围。灯在下横；上首是四铭一人居中，也是学程一般肥胖的圆脸，但多两撇细胡子，在菜汤的热气里，独据一面，很像庙里的财神。左横是四太太带着招儿；右横是学程和秀儿一列。碗筷声雨点似的响，虽然大家不言语，也就是很热闹的晚餐。
招儿带翻了饭碗了，菜汤流得小半桌。四铭尽量的睁大了细眼睛瞪着看得她要哭，这才收回眼光，伸筷自去夹那早先看中了的一个菜心去。可是菜心已经不见了，他左右一瞥，就发见学程刚刚夹着塞进他张得很大的嘴里去，他于是只好无聊的吃了一筷黄菜叶。
“学程，”他看着他的脸说，“那一句查出了没有？”
“那一句？——那还没有。”
“哼，你看，也没有学问，也不懂道理，单知道吃！学学那个孝女罢，做了乞丐，还是一味孝顺祖母，自己情愿饿肚子。但是你们这些学生那里知道这些，肆无忌惮，将来只好像那光棍……。”
“想倒想着了一个，但不知可是。——我想，他们说的也许是‘阿尔特肤尔’〔６〕。”
“哦哦，是的！就是这个！他们说的就是这样一个声音：‘恶毒夫咧。’这是什么意思？你也就是他们这一党：你知道的。”
“意思，——意思我不很明白。”
“胡说！瞒我。你们都是坏种！”
“‘天不打吃饭人’，你今天怎么尽闹脾气，连吃饭时候也是打鸡骂狗的。他们小孩子们知道什么。”四太太忽而说。
“什么？”四铭正想发话，但一回头，看见她陷下的两颊已经鼓起，而且很变了颜色，三角形的眼里也发着可怕的光，便赶紧改口说，“我也没有闹什么脾气，我不过教学程应该懂事些。”
“他那里懂得你心里的事呢。”她可是更气忿了。“他如果能懂事，早就点了灯笼火把，寻了那孝女来了。好在你已经给她买好了一块肥皂在这里，只要再去买一块……”
“胡说！那话是那光棍说的。”
“不见得。只要再去买一块，给她咯支咯支的遍身洗一洗，供起来，天下也就太平了。”
“什么话？那有什么相干？我因为记起了你没有肥皂……”
“怎么不相干？你是特诚买给孝女的，你咯支咯支的去洗去。我不配，我不要，我也不要沾孝女的光。”
“这真是什么话？你们女人……”四铭支吾着，脸上也像学程练了八卦拳之后似的流出油汗来，但大约大半也因为吃了太热的饭。
“我们女人怎么样？我们女人，比你们男人好得多。你们男人不是骂十八九岁的女学生，就是称赞十八九岁的女讨饭：都不是什么好心思。‘咯支咯支’，简直是不要脸！”
“我不是已经说过了？那是一个光棍……”
“四翁！”外面的暗中忽然起了极响的叫喊。
“道翁么？我就来！”四铭知道那是高声有名的何道统，便遇赦似的，也高兴的大声说。“学程，你快点灯照何老伯到书房去！”
学程点了烛，引着道统走进西边的厢房里，后面还跟着卜薇园。
“失迎失迎，对不起。”四铭还嚼着饭，出来拱一拱手，说。“就在舍间用便饭，何如？……”
“已经偏过了。”薇园迎上去，也拱一拱手，说。“我们连夜赶来，就为了那移风文社的第十八届征文题目，明天不是‘逢七’么？”
“哦！今天十六？”四铭恍然的说。
“你看，多么胡涂！”道统大嚷道。
“那么，就得连夜送到报馆去，要他明天一准登出来。”
“文题我已经拟下了。你看怎样，用得用不得？”道统说着，就从手巾包里挖出一张纸条来交给他。
四铭踱到烛台面前，展开纸条，一字一字的读下去：
“‘恭拟全国人民合词吁请贵大总统特颁明令专重圣经崇祀孟母〔７〕以挽颓风而存国粹文”。——好极好极。可是字数太多了罢？”
“不要紧的！”道统大声说。“我算过了，还无须乎多加广告费。但是诗题呢？”
“诗题么？”四铭忽而恭敬之状可掬了。“我倒有一个在这里：孝女行。那是实事，应该表彰表彰她。我今天在大街上……”
“哦哦，那不行。”薇园连忙摇手，打断他的话。“那是我也看见的。她大概是‘外路人’，我不懂她的话，她也不懂我的话，不知道她究竟是那里人。大家倒都说她是孝女；然而我问她可能做诗，她摇摇头。要是能做诗，那就好了。”
“然而忠孝是大节，不会做诗也可以将就……。”
“那倒不然，而孰知不然！”薇园摊开手掌，向四铭连摇带推的奔过去，力争说。“要会做诗，然后有趣。”
“我们，”四铭推开他，“就用这个题目，加上说明，登报去。一来可以表彰表彰她；二来可以借此针砭社会。现在的社会还成个什么样子，我从旁考察了好半天，竟不见有什么人给一个钱，这岂不是全无心肝……”
“阿呀，四翁！”薇园又奔过来，“你简直是在‘对着和尚骂贼秃’了。我就没有给钱，我那时恰恰身边没有带着。”
“不要多心，薇翁。”四铭又推开他，“你自然在外，又作别论。你听我讲下去：她们面前围了一大群人，毫无敬意，只是打趣。还有两个光棍，那是更其肆无忌惮了，有一个简直说，‘阿发，你去买两块肥皂来，咯支咯支遍身洗一洗，好得很哩。’你想，这……”
“哈哈哈！两块肥皂！”道统的响亮的笑声突然发作了，震得人耳朵[口皇][口皇]的叫。“你买，哈哈，哈哈！”
“道翁，道翁，你不要这么嚷。”四铭吃了一惊，慌张的说。
“咯支咯支，哈哈！”
“道翁！”四铭沉下脸来了，“我们讲正经事，你怎么只胡闹，闹得人头昏。你听，我们就用这两个题目，即刻送到报馆去，要他明天一准登出来。这事只好偏劳你们两位了。”
“可以可以，那自然。”薇园极口应承说。
“呵呵，洗一洗，咯支……唏唏……”
“道翁！！！”四铭愤愤的叫。
道统给这一喝，不笑了。他们拟好了说明，薇园誊在信笺上，就和道统跑往报馆去。四铭拿着烛台，送出门口，回到堂屋的外面，心里就有些不安逸，但略一踌蹰，也终于跨进门槛去了。他一进门，迎头就看见中央的方桌中间放着那肥皂的葵绿色的小小的长方包，包中央的金印子在灯光下明晃晃的发闪，周围还有细小的花纹。
秀儿和招儿都蹲在桌子下横的地上玩；学程坐在右横查字典。最后在离灯最远的阴影里的高背椅子上发见了四太太，灯光照处，见她死板板的脸上并不显出什么喜怒，眼睛也并不看着什么东西。
“咯支咯支，不要脸不要脸……”
四铭微微的听得秀儿在他背后说，回头看时，什么动作也没有了，只有招儿还用了她两只小手的指头在自己脸上抓。
他觉得存身不住，便熄了烛，踱出院子去。他来回的踱，一不小心，母鸡和小鸡又唧唧足足的叫了起来，他立即放轻脚步，并且走远些。经过许多时，堂屋里的灯移到卧室里去了。他看见一地月光，仿佛满铺了无缝的白纱，玉盘似的月亮现在白云间，看不出一点缺。
他很有些悲伤，似乎也像孝女一样，成了“无告之民”〔８〕，孤苦零丁了。他这一夜睡得非常晚。
但到第二天的早晨，肥皂就被录用了。这日他比平日起得迟，看见她已经伏在洗脸台上擦脖子，肥皂的泡沫就如大螃蟹嘴上的水泡一般，高高的堆在两个耳朵后，比起先前用皂荚时候的只有一层极薄的白沫来，那高低真有霄壤之别了。从此之后，四太太的身上便总带着些似橄榄非橄榄的说不清的香味；几乎小半年，这才忽而换了样，凡有闻到的都说那可似乎是檀香。一九二四年三月二二日。
〔１〕本篇最初发表于一九二四年三月二十七、二十八日北京《晨报副刊》。
〔２〕八卦拳拳术的一种，多用掌法，按八卦的特定形式运行。清末有些王公大臣和“五四”前后的封建复古派把它作为“国粹”加以提倡。
〔３〕关于光绪年间开学堂，戊戌变法（１８９８）前后，在维新派的推动下，我国开始兴办近代教育，开设学堂。这些学堂当时曾不同程度地传播了西方近代的科学文化和社会学说。
〔４〕共济讲社（Ｏｄｄｆｅｌｌｏｗｓ）又译共济社，十八世纪在英国出现的一种以互济为目的的秘密结社。
〔５〕“庭训”《论语·季氏》载：孔丘“尝独立，鲤（按即孔丘的儿子）趋而过庭”，孔丘要他学“诗”、学“礼”。后来就常有人称父亲的教训为“庭训”或“过庭之训”。
〔６〕“阿尔特肤尔”英语Ｏｌｄｆｏｏｌ的音译，意为“老傻瓜”。
〔７〕孟母指孟轲的母亲，旧时传说她是善于教子的“贤母”。
〔８〕“无告之民”语出《礼记·王制》，其中说：孤、独、鳏、寡“四者，天民之穷而无告者也”。无告，有苦无处诉说。
Soap
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Written: March 22, 1924
Source: Selected Stories of Lu Hsun, Published by Foreign Languages Press, Peking, 1960, 1972
Transcribed: Original transcription from coldbacon.com
HTML Markup: Mike B. for MIA, 2005
Public Domain: Marxists Internet Archive (2005). You may freely copy, distribute, display and perform this work; as well as make derivative and commercial works. Please credit “Marxists Internet Archive” as your source.
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With her back to the north window in the slanting sunlight, Ssu-min‘s wife with her eight-year-old daughter, Hsiu-erh, was pasting paper money for the dead when she heard the slow, heavy footsteps of someone in cloth shoes and knew her husband was back. Paying no attention, she simply went on pasting coins. But the tread of cloth shoes drew nearer and nearer, till it finally stopped beside her. Then she could not help looking up to see Ssu-min before her, bunching his shoulders and stooping forward to fumble desperately under his cloth jacket in the inner pocket of his long gown.
By dint of twisting and turning at last he extracted his hand with a small oblong package in it, which he handed to his wife. As she took it, she smelt an indefinable fragrance rather reminiscent of olive. On the green paper wrapper was a bright golden seal with a network of tiny designs. Hsiu-erh bounded forward to seize this and look at it, but her mother promptly pushed her aside.
"Been shopping? . . ." she asked as she looked at it.
"Er—yes." He stared at the package in her hand.
The green paper wrapper was opened. Inside was a layer of very thin paper, also sunflower-green, and nor till this was unwrapped was the object itself exposed—glossy and hard, besides being sunflower-green, with another network of fine designs on it. The thin paper was a cream colour, it appeared. The indefinable fragrance rather reminiscent of olive was stronger now.
"My, this is really good soap!"
She held the soap to her nose as gingerly as if it were a child, and sniffed at it as she spoke.
"Er—yes. Just use this in future. . . ."
As he spoke, she noticed him eyeing her neck, and felt herself flushing up to her cheekbones. Sometimes when she rubbed her neck, especially behind the ears, her fingers detected a roughness; and though she knew this was the accumulated dirt of many years, she had never given it much thought. Now, under his scrutiny, she could not help blushing as she looked at this green, foreign soap with the curious scent, and this blush spread right to the tips of her ears. She mentally resolved to have a thorough wash with this soap after supper.
"There are places you can‘t wash clean just with honey locust pods,"1 she muttered to herself.
"Ma, can I have this?" As Hsiu-erh reached out for the sunflower-green paper, Chao-erh, the younger daughter who had been playing outside, came running in too. Mrs. Ssu-min promptly pushed them both aside, folded the thin paper in place, wrapped the green paper round it as before, then leaned over to put it on the highest shelf of the wash-stand. After one final glance, she turned back to her paper coins.
"Hsueh-cheng!" Ssu-min seemed to have remembered something. He gave a long-drawn-out shout, sitting down on a high-backed chair opposite his wife.
"Hsueh-cheng!" she helped him call.
She stopped pasting coins to listen, but not a sound could she hear. When she saw him with upturned head waiting so impatiently, she felt quite apologetic.
"Hsueh-cheng!" she called shrilly at the top of her voice.
This call proved effective, for they heard the tramp of leather shoes draw near, and Hsueh-cheng stood before her. He was in shirt sleeves, his plump round face shiny with perspiration.
"What were you doing?" she asked disapprovingly. "Why didn‘t you hear your father call?"
"I was practising Hexagram Boxing. . . ." He turned at once to his father and straightened up, looking at him as if to ask what he wanted.
"Hsueh-cheng, I want to ask you the meaning of o-du-fu."2
"O-du-fu? . . . Isn‘t it a very fierce woman?"
"What nonsense! The idea!" Ssu-min was suddenly furious. "Am I a woman, pray?"
Hsueh-cheng recoiled two steps, and stood straighter than ever. Though his father‘s gait sometimes reminded him of the way old men walked in Peking opera, he had never considered Ssu-min as a woman. His answer, he saw now, had been a great mistake.
"As if I didn‘t know o-du-fu means a very fierce woman. Would I have to ask you that?—This isn‘t Chinese, it‘s foreign devils‘ language, I‘m telling you. What does it mean, do you know?"
"I . . . I don‘t know." Hsueh-cheng felt even more uneasy.
"Pab! Why do I spend all that money to send you to school if you don‘t even understand a little thing like this? Your school boasts that it lays equal stress on speech and comprehension, yet it hasn‘t taught you anything. The ones speaking this devils‘ language couldn‘t have been more than fourteen or fifteen, actually a little younger than you, yet they were chattering away in it, while you can‘t even tell me the meaning. And you have the face to answer ‘I don‘t know.‘ Go and look it up for me at once!"
"Yes," answered Hsueh-cheng deep down in his throat, then respectfully withdrew.
"I don‘t know what students today are coming to," declared Ssu-min with emotion after a pause. "As a matter of fact, in the time of Kuang Hsu, 3 I was all in favour of opening schools; but I never foresaw how great the evils would be. What ‘emancipation‘ and ‘freedom‘ have we had? There is no true learning, nothing but absurdities. I‘ve spent quite a bit of money on Hsueh-cheng, all to no purpose. It wasn‘t easy to get him into this half-Western, half-Chinese school, where they claim they lay equal stress on ‘speaking and comprehending English.‘4 You‘d think all should be well. But—bah!—after one whole year of study he can‘t even understand o-du-fu! He must still be studying dead books. What use is such a school, I ask you? What I say is: Close the whole lot of them!"
"Yes, really, better close the whole lot of them," chimed in his wife sympathetically, pasting away at the paper money.
"There‘s no need for Hsiu-erh and her sister to attend any school. As Ninth Grandpa said, What‘s the good of girls studying?‘ When he opposed girls‘ schools I attacked him for it; but now I see the old folk were right after all. Just think, it‘s already in very poor taste the way women wander up and down the streets, and now they want to cut their hair as well. Nothing disgusts me so much as these short-haired schoolgirls. What I say is: There‘s some excuse for soldiers and bandits, but these girls are the ones who turn everything upside down. They ought to be very severely dealt with indeed. . . ."
"Yes, as if it wasn‘t enough for all men to look like monks, the women are imitating nuns." 5
"Hsueh-cheng!"
Hsueh-cheng hurried in holding a small, fat, gilt-edged book, which he handed to his father.
"This looks like it," he said, pointing to one place. "Here. . . ."
Ssu-min took it and looked at it. He knew it was a dictionary, but the characters were very small and horizontally printed too. Frowning, he turned towards the window and screwed up his eyes to read the passage Hsueh-cheng had pointed out.
"‘A society founded in the eighteenth century for mutual relief.‘—No, that can‘t be it.—How do you pronounce this?" He pointed to the devils‘ word in front.
"Oddfellows."
"No, no, that wasn‘t it." Ssu-min suddenly lost his temper again. "I told you it was bad language, a swear-word of some sort, to abuse someone of my type. Understand? Go and look it up!"
Hsueh-cheng glanced at him several times, but did not move.
"This is too puzzling. How can he make head or tail of it? You must explain things clearly to him first, before he can look it up properly." Seeing Hsueh-cheng in a quandary, his mother felt sorry for him and intervened rather indignantly on his behalf.
"It was when I was buying soap at Kuang Jun Hsiang on the main street," sighed Ssu-min, turning to her. "There were three students shopping there too. Of course, to them I must have seemed a little pernickery. I looked at five or six kinds of soap all over forty cents, and turned them down. Then I looked at some priced ten cents a cake, but it was too poor, with no scent at all. Since I thought it best to strike a happy mean, I chose that green soap at twenty-four cents a cake. The assistant was one of those supercilious young fellows with eyes on the top of his head, so he pulled a long dog‘s face. At that those impudent students started winking at each other and talking devils‘ language. I wanted to unwrap the soap and look at it before paying—for with all that foreign paper round it, how could I tell whether it was good or bad? But that supercilious young fellow not only refused, but was very unreasonable and passed some offensive remarks, at which those whipper-snappers laughed. It was the youngest of the lot who said that, looking straight at me, and the rest of them started laughing. So it must have been some bad word." He turned back to Hsueh-cheng. "Look for it in the section headed Bad Language!"
"Yes," answered Hsueh-cheng deep down in his throat, then respectfully withdrew.
"Yet they still shout ‘New Culture! New Culture!‘ when the world‘s in such a state! Isn‘t this bad enough?" His eyes on the rafters, Ssu-min continued. "The students have no morals, society has no morals. Unless we find some panacea, China will really be finished. How pathetic she was. . . ."
"Who?" asked his wife casually, not really curious.
"A filial daughter. . . ." His eyes came round to her, and there was respect in his voice. "There were two beggars on the main street. One was a girl who looked eighteen or nineteen. Actually, it‘s most improper to beg at that age, but beg she did. She was with an old woman of about seventy, who had white hair and was blind. They were begging under the eaves of that clothes shop, and everybody said how filial she was. The old one was her grandmother. Whatever trifle the girl received, she gave it to her grandmother, choosing to go hungry herself. But do you think people would give alms even to such a filial daughter?"
He fixed her with his eye, as if to test her intelligence.
She made no answer, but fixed him with her eye, as if waiting for him to elucidate.
"Bah—no!" At last he supplied the answer himself. "I watched for a long time, and saw one person only give her a copper. Plenty of others gathered round, but only to jeer at them. There were two low types as well, one of whom had the impertinence to say:
"‘Ah-fa! Don‘t be put off by the dirt on this piece of goods. If you buy two cakes of soap, and give her a good scrubbing, the result won‘t be bad at all!‘ Think, what a way to talk!"
She snorted and lowered her head. After quite a time, she asked rather casually: "Did you give her any money?"
"Did I?—No. I‘d have felt ashamed to give just one or two coins. She wasn‘t an ordinary beggar, you know. . . ."
"Mm." Without waiting for him to finish she stood up slowly and walked to the kitchen. Dusk was gathering, and it was time for supper.
Ssu-min stood up too, and walked into the courtyard. It was lighter out than in. Hsueh-cheng was practising Hexagram Boxing in a corner by the wall. This constituted his "home education," and he used the economical method of employing the hour between day and night for this purpose. Hsueh-cheng had been boxing now for about half a year. Ssu-min nodded very slightly, as if in approval, then began to pace the courtyard with his hands behind his back. Before long, the broad leaves of the evergreen which was the only potted plant they had were swallowed up in the darkness, and stars twinkled between white clouds which looked like torn cotton. Night had fallen. Ssu-min could not repress his growing indignation. He felt called on to do great deeds, to declare war on all bad students about and on this wicked society. By degrees he grew bolder and bolder, his steps became longer and longer, and the thud of his cloth soles grew louder and louder, waking the hen and her chicks in the coop so that they cheeped in alarm.
A light appeared in the hall—the signal that supper was ready—and the whole household gathered round the table in the middle. The lamp stood at the lower end of the table, while Ssu-min sat alone at the head. His plump, round face was like Hsueh-cheng‘s, with the addition of two sparse whiskers. Seen through the hot vapour from the vegetable soup, he looked like the God of Wealth you find in temples. On the left sat Mrs. Ssu-min and Chao-erh, on the right Hsueh-cheng and Hsiu-erh. Chopsticks pattered like rain against the bowls. Though no one said a word, their supper table was very animated.
Chao-erh upset her bowl, spilling soup over half the table. Ssu-min opened his narrow eyes as wide as he could. Only when he saw she was going to cry did he stop glaring at her and reach out with his chopsticks for a tender morsel of cabbage he had spotted. But the tender morsel had disappeared. He looked right and left, and discovered Hsueh-cheng on the point of stuffing it into his wide-open mouth. Disappointed, Ssu-min ate a mouthful of yellowish leaves instead.
"Hsueh-cheng!" He looked at his son. "Have you found that phrase or not?"
"Which phrase?—No, not yet!"
"Pah! Look at you, not a good student and with no sense either—all you can do is eat! You should learn from that filial daughter: although she‘s a beggar, she still treats her grandmother very respectfully, even if it means going hungry herself. But what do you impudent students know of such things? You‘ll grow up like those low types. . . ."
"I‘ve thought of one possibility, but I don‘t know if it‘s right . . . . I think, perhaps, they may have said o-du-fu-la (Chinese transliteration of ‘old fool‘—Translator )."
"That‘s right! That‘s it exactly! That‘s exactly the sound it was: o-du-fu-la. What does that mean? You belong to the same group: you must know."
"Mean?—I‘m not sure what it means."
"Nonsense. Don‘t try to deceive me. You‘re all a bad lot."
"‘Even thunder won‘t strike folk at meat,‘" burst out Mrs. Ssu-min suddenly. "Why do you keep losing your temper today? Even at supper you can‘t stop hitting the hen while pointing at the dog. What do boys that age understand?"
"What?" Ssu-min was on the point of answering back when he saw her sunken cheeks were quivering with anger, her colour had changed, and a fearful glint had come into her eyes. He hastily changed his tune. "I‘m not losing my temper. I‘m just telling Hsueh-cheng to learn a little sense."
"How can he understand what‘s in your mind?" She looked angrier than ever. "If he had any sense, he‘d long since have lit a lantern or a torch and gone out to fetch that filial daughter. You‘ve already bought her one cake of soap: all you have to do is buy another. . . ." "Nonsense! That‘s what that low type said."
"I‘m not so sure. If you buy another cake and give her a good scrubbing, then worship her, the whole world will be at peace."
"How can you say such a thing? What connection is there? Because I remembered you‘d no soap. . . . ."
"There‘s a connection all right. You bought it specially for the filial daughter; so go and give her a good scrubbing. I don‘t deserve it. I don‘t want it. I don‘t want to share her glory."
"Really, how can you talk like that?" mumbled Ssu-min. "You women. . . ." His face was perspiring like Hsueh-cheng‘s after Hexagram Boxing, probably mostly because the food had been so hot.
"What about us women? We women are much better than you men. If you men aren‘t cursing eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl students, you‘re praising eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl beggars: such dirty minds you have! Scrubbing, indeed! —Disgusting!"
"Didn‘t you hear? That‘s what one of those low types said."
"Ssu-min!" A thundering voice was heard from the darkness outside.
"Tao-tung? I‘m coming!"
Ssu-min knew this was Ho Tao-tung, famed for his powerful voice, and he shouted back as joyfully as a criminal newly reprieved.
"Hsueh-cheng, hurry up and light the lamp and show Uncle Ho into the library!"
Hsueh-cheng lit a candle, and ushered Tao-tong into the west room. They were followed by Pu Wei-yuan.
"I‘m sorry I didn‘t welcome you. Excuse me." With his mouth still full of rice, Ssu-min went in and bowed with clasped hands in greeting. "Won‘t you join us at our simple meal? . . ."
"We‘ve already eaten," Wei-yuan stepped forward and greeted him. "We‘ve hurried here at this time of night because of the eighteenth essay and poem contest of the Moral Rearmament Literary League. Isn‘t tomorrow the seventeenth?"
"What? Is it the sixteenth today?" asked Ssu-min in surprise.
"See how absent-minded you are!" boomed Tao-tung.
"So we‘ll have to send something in tonight to the newspaper office, to make sure they print it tomorrow."
"I‘ve already drafted the title of the essay. See whether you think it will do or not." As he was speaking, Tao-tung produced a slip of paper from his handkerchief and handed it to Ssu-min.
Ssu-min stepped up to the candle, unfolded the paper, and read it word by word: " We humbly suggest an essay in the name of the whole nation to beg the President to issue an order for the promotion of the Confucian classics and the worship of the mother of Mencius, 6 in order to revive this moribund world and preserve our national character.‘ Very good. Very good. Isn‘t it a little long, though?"
"That doesn‘t matter," answered Tao-tung loudly. "I‘ve worked it out, and it won‘t cost more to advertise. But what about the title for the poem?"
"The title for the poem?" Ssu-min suddenly looked most respectful. "I‘ve thought of one. How about The Filial Daughter? It‘s a true story, and she deserves to be eulogized. On the main street today. . . ."
"Oh, no, that won‘t do," put in Wei-yuan hastily, waving his hand to stop Ssu-min. "I saw her too. She isn‘t from these parts, and I couldn‘t understand her dialect, nor she mine. I don‘t know where she‘s from. Everyone says she‘s filial; but when I asked her if she could write poems, she shook her head. If she could, that would be fine." 7
"But since loyalty and filial piety are so important, it doesn‘t matter too much if she can‘t write poems. . . ."
"That isn‘t true. Quite otherwise." Wei-yuan raised his hands and rushed towards Ssu-min, to shake and push him. "She‘d only be interesting if she could write poems."
"Let‘s use this title." Ssu-min pushed him aside. "Add an explanation and print it. In the first place, it will serve to eulogize her; in the second, we can use this to criticize society. What is the world coming to anyway? I watched for some time, and didn‘t see anybody give her a cent—people are utterly heartless! . . ."
"Aiya, Ssu-min!" Wei-yuan rushed over again. "You‘re cursing baldheads to a monk. I didn‘t give her anything because I didn‘t happen to have any money on me."
"Don‘t be so sensitive, Wei-yuan." Ssu-min pushed him aside again. "Of course you‘re an exception. Let me finish. There was quite a crowd around them, showing no respect, just jeering. There were two low types as well, who were even more impertinent. One of them said: ‘Ah-fa! If you buy two cakes of soap and give her a good scrubbing, the result won‘t be bad at all!‘ Just think. . . ."
"Ha, ha! Two cakes of soap!" Tao-tong suddenly bellowed with laughter, nearly splitting their ear-drums. "Buy soap! Ho, ho, ho!"
"Tao-tung! Tao-tung! Don‘t make such a noise!" Ssu-min gave a start, panic-stricken.
"A good scrubbing! Ho, ho, ho!"
"Tao-tung!" Ssu-min looked stern. "We‘re discussing serious matters. Why should you make such a noise, nearly deafening everyone? Listen to me: we‘ll use both these titles, and send them straight to the newspaper office so that they come out without fail tomorrow. I‘ll have to trouble you both to take them there."
"All right, all right. Of course," agreed Wei-yuan readily.
"Ha, ha! A good scrubbing! Ho, ho!"
"Tao-tung!" shouted Ssu-min furiously.
This shout made Tao-rung stop laughing. After they had drawn up the explanation, Wei-yuan copied it on the paper and left with Tao-tung for the newspaper office. Ssu-min carried the candle to see them out, then walked back to the door of the hall feeling rather apprehensive. After some hesitation, though, he finally crossed the threshold. As he went in, his eyes fell on the small, green, oblong package of soap in the middle of the central table, the gold characters with fine designs around them glittering in the lamplight.
Hsiu-erh and Chao-erh were playing on the floor at the lower end of the table, while Hsueh-cheng sat on the right side looking up something in his dictionary. Last of all, on the high-backed chair in the shadows far from the lamp, Ssu-min discovered his wife. Her impassive face showed neither joy nor anger, and she was staring at nothing.
"A good scrubbing indeed! Disgusting!"
Faintly, Ssu-min heard Hsiu-erh‘s voice behind him. He turned, but she was not moving. Only Chao-erh put both small hands to her face as if to shame somebody.
This was no place for him. He blew out the candle, and went into the yard to pace up and down. Because he forgot to be quiet, the hen and her chicks started cheeping again. At once he walked more lightly, moving further away. After a long time, the lamp in the hall was transferred to the bedroom. The moonlight on the ground was like seamless white gauze, and the moon—quite full—seemed a jade disc among the bright clouds.
He felt not a little depressed, as if he, like the filial daughter. were "utterly forlorn and alone." That night he did not sleep till very late.
By the next morning, however, the soap was being honoured by being used. Getting up later than usual, he saw his wife leaning over the wash-stand rubbing her neck, with bubbles heaped up over both her ears like those emitted by great crabs The difference between these and the small white bubbles produced by honey locust pods was like that between heaven and earth. After this, an indefinable fragrance rather reminiscent of olives always emanated from Mrs. Ssu-min. Not for neatly half a year did this suddenly give place to another scent, which all who smelt it averred was like sandal-wood.
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1.1 In many parts of China, honey locust pods were used for washing. They were cheaper than soap, but not so effective.
2. In Chinese this means "vicious wife."
3. I.e. 1875-1908.
4. English was taught in nearly all the new schools at that time, and learning to speak was considered as important as learning to read.
5. Monks and nuns in China shaved their heads. Hence, at the end of the Ching dynasty and later, conservatives laughed at the men who cut their queues, claiming they looked like monks.
6. A woman famous for her virtue. According to tradition, she moved house three times to avoid undesirahle companions for her son.
7. In old China, it was considered romantic for women to exchange ideas with men through the medium of poems. The fashionable courtesans could write poetry.
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肥皂
四铭太太正在斜日光中背着北窗和她八岁的女儿秀儿糊纸锭，忽听得又重又缓的布鞋底声响，知道四铭进来了，并不去看他，只是糊纸锭。但那布鞋底声却愈响愈逼近，觉得终于停在她的身边了，于是不免转过眼去看，只见四铭就在她面前耸肩曲背的狠命掏着布马挂底下的袍子的大襟后面的口袋。
他好容易曲曲折折的汇出手来，手里就有一个小小的长方包，葵绿色的，一径递给四太太。她刚接到手，就闻到一阵似橄榄非橄榄的说不清的香味，还看见葵绿色的纸包上有一个金光灿烂的印子和许多细簇簇的花纹。秀儿即刻跳过来要抢着看，四太太赶忙推开她。
“上了街？……”她一面看，一面问。
“唔唔。”他看着她手里的纸包，说。
于是这葵绿色的纸包被打开了，里面还有一层很薄的纸，也是葵绿色，揭开薄纸，才露出那东西的本身来，光滑坚致，也是葵绿色，上面还有细簇簇的花纹，而薄纸原来却是米色的，似橄榄非橄榄的说不清的香味也来得更浓了。
“唉唉，这实在是好肥皂。”她捧孩子似的将那葵绿色的东西送到鼻子下面去，嗅着说。
“唔唔，你以后就用这个……。”
她看见他嘴里这么说，眼光却射在她的脖子上，便觉得颧骨以下的脸上似乎有些热。她有时自己偶然摸到脖子上，尤其是耳朵后，指面上总感着些粗糙，本来早就知道是积年的老泥，但向来倒也并不很介意。现在在他的注视之下，对着这葵绿异香的洋肥皂，可不禁脸上有些发热了，而且这热又不绝的蔓延开去，即刻一径到耳根。她于是就决定晚饭后要用这肥皂来拚命的洗一洗。
“有些地方，本来单用皂荚子是洗不干净的。”她自对自的说。
“妈，这给我！”秀儿伸手来抢葵绿纸；在外面玩耍的小女儿招儿也跑到了。四太太赶忙推开她们，裹好薄纸，又照旧包上葵绿纸，欠过身去搁在洗脸台上最高的一层格子上，看一看，翻身仍然糊纸锭。
“学程！”四铭记起了一件事似的，忽而拖长了声音叫，就在她对面的一把高背椅子上坐下了。
“学程！”她也帮着叫。
她停下糊纸锭，侧耳一听，什么响应也没有，又见他仰着头焦急的等着，不禁很有些抱歉了，便尽力提高了喉咙，尖利的叫：
“[纟全]儿呀！”
这一叫确乎有效，就听到皮鞋声橐橐的近来，不一会，[纟全]儿已站在她面前了，只穿短衣，肥胖的圆脸上亮晶晶的流着油汗。
“你在做什么？怎么爹叫也不听见？”她谴责的说。
“我刚在练八卦拳〔２〕……。”他立即转身向了四铭，笔挺的站着，看着他，意思是问他什么事。
“学程，我就要问你：‘恶毒妇’是什么？”
“‘恶毒妇’？……那是，‘很凶的女人’罢？……”
“胡说！胡闹！”四铭忽而怒得可观。“我是‘女人’么！？”
学程吓得倒退了两步，站得更挺了。他虽然有时觉得他走路很像上台的老生，却从没有将他当作女人看待，他知道自己答的很错了。
“‘恶毒妇’是‘很凶的女人’，我倒不懂，得来请教你？——这不是中国话，是鬼子话，我对你说。这是什么意思，你懂么？”
“我，……我不懂。”学程更加局促起来。
“吓，我白化钱送你进学堂，连这一点也不懂。亏煞你的学堂还夸什么‘口耳并重’，倒教得什么也没有。说这鬼话的人至多不过十四五岁，比你还小些呢，已经叽叽咕咕的能说了，你却连意思也说不出，还有这脸说‘我不懂’！——现在就给我去查出来！”
学程在喉咙底里答应了一声“是”，恭恭敬敬的退出去了。
“这真叫作不成样子，”过了一会，四铭又慷慨的说，“现在的学生是。其实，在光绪年间，我就是最提倡开学堂的，〔３〕可万料不到学堂的流弊竟至于如此之大：什么解放咧，自由咧，没有实学，只会胡闹。学程呢，为他化了的钱也不少了，都白化。好容易给他进了中西折中的学堂，英文又专是‘口耳并重’的，你以为这该好了罢，哼，可是读了一年，连‘恶毒妇’也不懂，大约仍然是念死书。吓，什么学堂，造就了些什么？我简直说：应该统统关掉！”
“对咧，真不如统统关掉的好。”四太太糊着纸锭，同情的说。
“秀儿她们也不必进什么学堂了。‘女孩子，念什么书？’九公公先前这样说，反对女学的时候，我还攻击他呢；可是现在看起来，究竟是老年人的话对。你想，女人一阵一阵的在街上走，已经很不雅观的了，她们却还要剪头发。我最恨的就是那些剪了头发的女学生，我简直说，军人土匪倒还情有可原，搅乱天下的就是她们，应该很严的办一办……。”
“对咧，男人都像了和尚还不够，女人又来学尼姑了。”
“学程！”
学程正捧着一本小而且厚的金边书快步进来，便呈给四铭，指着一处说：
“这倒有点像。这个……。”
四铭接来看时，知道是字典，但文字非常小，又是横行的。他眉头一皱，擎向窗口，细着眼睛，就学程所指的一行念过去：
“‘第十八世纪创立之共济讲社〔４〕之称’。——唔，不对。——这声音是怎么念的？”他指着前面的“鬼子”字，问。
“恶特拂罗斯（Ｏｄｄｆｅｌｌｏｗｓ）。”
“不对，不对，不是这个。”四铭又忽而愤怒起来了。“我对你说：那是一句坏话，骂人的话，骂我这样的人的。懂了么？查去！”
学程看了他几眼，没有动。
“这是什么闷胡卢，没头没脑的？你也先得说说清，教他好用心的查去。”她看见学程为难，觉得可怜，便排解而且不满似的说。
“就是我在大街上广润祥买肥皂的时候，”四铭呼出了一口气，向她转过脸去，说。“店里又有三个学生在那里买东西。我呢，从他们看起来，自然也怕太噜苏一点了罢。我一气看了六七样，都要四角多，没有买；看一角一块的，又太坏，没有什么香。我想，不如中通的好，便挑定了那绿的一块，两角四分。伙计本来是势利鬼，眼睛生在额角上的，早就撅着狗嘴的了；可恨那学生这坏小子又都挤眉弄眼的说着鬼话笑。后来，我要打开来看一看才付钱：洋纸包着，怎么断得定货色的好坏呢。谁知道那势利鬼不但不依，还蛮不讲理，说了许多可恶的废话；坏小子们又附和着说笑。那一句是顶小的一个说的，而且眼睛看着我，他们就都笑起来了：可见一定是一句坏话。”他于是转脸对着学程道，“你只要在‘坏话类’里去查去！”
学程在喉咙底里答应了一声“是”，恭恭敬敬的退去了。
“他们还嚷什么‘新文化新文化’，‘化’到这样了，还不够？”他两眼钉着屋梁，尽自说下去。“学生也没有道德，社会上也没有道德，再不想点法子来挽救，中国这才真个要亡了。——你想，那多么可叹？……”
“什么？”她随口的问，并不惊奇。
“孝女。”他转眼对着她，郑重的说。“就在大街上，有两个讨饭的。一个是姑娘，看去该有十八九岁了。——其实这样的年纪，讨饭是很不相宜的了，可是她还讨饭。——和一个六七十岁的老的，白头发，眼睛是瞎的，坐在布店的檐下求乞。大家多说她是孝女，那老的是祖母。她只要讨得一点什么，便都献给祖母吃，自己情愿饿肚皮。可是这样的孝女，有人肯布施么？”他射出眼光来钉住她，似乎要试验她的识见。
她不答话，也只将眼光钉住他，似乎倒是专等他来说明。
“哼，没有。”他终于自己回答说。“我看了好半天，只见一个人给了一文小钱；其余的围了一大圈，倒反去打趣。还有两个光棍，竟肆无忌惮的说：‘阿发，你不要看得这货色脏。你只要去买两块肥皂来，咯支咯支遍身洗一洗，好得很哩！’哪，你想，这成什么话？”
“哼，”她低下头去了，久之，才又懒懒的问，“你给了钱么？”
“我么？——没有。一两个钱，是不好意思拿出去的。她不是平常的讨饭，总得……。”
“嗡。”她不等说完话，便慢慢地站起来，走到厨下去。昏黄只显得浓密，已经是晚饭时候了。
四铭也站起身，走出院子去。天色比屋子里还明亮，学程就在墙角落上练习八卦拳：这是他的“庭训”〔５〕，利用昼夜之交的时间的经济法，学程奉行了将近大半年了。他赞许似的微微点一点头，便反背着两手在空院子里来回的踱方步。不多久，那惟一的盆景万年青的阔叶又已消失在昏暗中，破絮一般的白云间闪出星点，黑夜就从此开头。四铭当这时候，便也不由的感奋起来，仿佛就要大有所为，与周围的坏学生以及恶社会宣战。他意气渐渐勇猛，脚步愈跨愈大，布鞋底声也愈走愈响，吓得早已睡在笼子里的母鸡和小鸡也都唧唧足足的叫起来了。
堂前有了灯光，就是号召晚餐的烽火，合家的人们便都齐集在中央的桌子周围。灯在下横；上首是四铭一人居中，也是学程一般肥胖的圆脸，但多两撇细胡子，在菜汤的热气里，独据一面，很像庙里的财神。左横是四太太带着招儿；右横是学程和秀儿一列。碗筷声雨点似的响，虽然大家不言语，也就是很热闹的晚餐。
招儿带翻了饭碗了，菜汤流得小半桌。四铭尽量的睁大了细眼睛瞪着看得她要哭，这才收回眼光，伸筷自去夹那早先看中了的一个菜心去。可是菜心已经不见了，他左右一瞥，就发见学程刚刚夹着塞进他张得很大的嘴里去，他于是只好无聊的吃了一筷黄菜叶。
“学程，”他看着他的脸说，“那一句查出了没有？”
“那一句？——那还没有。”
“哼，你看，也没有学问，也不懂道理，单知道吃！学学那个孝女罢，做了乞丐，还是一味孝顺祖母，自己情愿饿肚子。但是你们这些学生那里知道这些，肆无忌惮，将来只好像那光棍……。”
“想倒想着了一个，但不知可是。——我想，他们说的也许是‘阿尔特肤尔’〔６〕。”
“哦哦，是的！就是这个！他们说的就是这样一个声音：‘恶毒夫咧。’这是什么意思？你也就是他们这一党：你知道的。”
“意思，——意思我不很明白。”
“胡说！瞒我。你们都是坏种！”
“‘天不打吃饭人’，你今天怎么尽闹脾气，连吃饭时候也是打鸡骂狗的。他们小孩子们知道什么。”四太太忽而说。
“什么？”四铭正想发话，但一回头，看见她陷下的两颊已经鼓起，而且很变了颜色，三角形的眼里也发着可怕的光，便赶紧改口说，“我也没有闹什么脾气，我不过教学程应该懂事些。”
“他那里懂得你心里的事呢。”她可是更气忿了。“他如果能懂事，早就点了灯笼火把，寻了那孝女来了。好在你已经给她买好了一块肥皂在这里，只要再去买一块……”
“胡说！那话是那光棍说的。”
“不见得。只要再去买一块，给她咯支咯支的遍身洗一洗，供起来，天下也就太平了。”
“什么话？那有什么相干？我因为记起了你没有肥皂……”
“怎么不相干？你是特诚买给孝女的，你咯支咯支的去洗去。我不配，我不要，我也不要沾孝女的光。”
“这真是什么话？你们女人……”四铭支吾着，脸上也像学程练了八卦拳之后似的流出油汗来，但大约大半也因为吃了太热的饭。
“我们女人怎么样？我们女人，比你们男人好得多。你们男人不是骂十八九岁的女学生，就是称赞十八九岁的女讨饭：都不是什么好心思。‘咯支咯支’，简直是不要脸！”
“我不是已经说过了？那是一个光棍……”
“四翁！”外面的暗中忽然起了极响的叫喊。
“道翁么？我就来！”四铭知道那是高声有名的何道统，便遇赦似的，也高兴的大声说。“学程，你快点灯照何老伯到书房去！”
学程点了烛，引着道统走进西边的厢房里，后面还跟着卜薇园。
“失迎失迎，对不起。”四铭还嚼着饭，出来拱一拱手，说。“就在舍间用便饭，何如？……”
“已经偏过了。”薇园迎上去，也拱一拱手，说。“我们连夜赶来，就为了那移风文社的第十八届征文题目，明天不是‘逢七’么？”
“哦！今天十六？”四铭恍然的说。
“你看，多么胡涂！”道统大嚷道。
“那么，就得连夜送到报馆去，要他明天一准登出来。”
“文题我已经拟下了。你看怎样，用得用不得？”道统说着，就从手巾包里挖出一张纸条来交给他。
四铭踱到烛台面前，展开纸条，一字一字的读下去：
“‘恭拟全国人民合词吁请贵大总统特颁明令专重圣经崇祀孟母〔７〕以挽颓风而存国粹文”。——好极好极。可是字数太多了罢？”
“不要紧的！”道统大声说。“我算过了，还无须乎多加广告费。但是诗题呢？”
“诗题么？”四铭忽而恭敬之状可掬了。“我倒有一个在这里：孝女行。那是实事，应该表彰表彰她。我今天在大街上……”
“哦哦，那不行。”薇园连忙摇手，打断他的话。“那是我也看见的。她大概是‘外路人’，我不懂她的话，她也不懂我的话，不知道她究竟是那里人。大家倒都说她是孝女；然而我问她可能做诗，她摇摇头。要是能做诗，那就好了。”
“然而忠孝是大节，不会做诗也可以将就……。”
“那倒不然，而孰知不然！”薇园摊开手掌，向四铭连摇带推的奔过去，力争说。“要会做诗，然后有趣。”
“我们，”四铭推开他，“就用这个题目，加上说明，登报去。一来可以表彰表彰她；二来可以借此针砭社会。现在的社会还成个什么样子，我从旁考察了好半天，竟不见有什么人给一个钱，这岂不是全无心肝……”
“阿呀，四翁！”薇园又奔过来，“你简直是在‘对着和尚骂贼秃’了。我就没有给钱，我那时恰恰身边没有带着。”
“不要多心，薇翁。”四铭又推开他，“你自然在外，又作别论。你听我讲下去：她们面前围了一大群人，毫无敬意，只是打趣。还有两个光棍，那是更其肆无忌惮了，有一个简直说，‘阿发，你去买两块肥皂来，咯支咯支遍身洗一洗，好得很哩。’你想，这……”
“哈哈哈！两块肥皂！”道统的响亮的笑声突然发作了，震得人耳朵[口皇][口皇]的叫。“你买，哈哈，哈哈！”
“道翁，道翁，你不要这么嚷。”四铭吃了一惊，慌张的说。
“咯支咯支，哈哈！”
“道翁！”四铭沉下脸来了，“我们讲正经事，你怎么只胡闹，闹得人头昏。你听，我们就用这两个题目，即刻送到报馆去，要他明天一准登出来。这事只好偏劳你们两位了。”
“可以可以，那自然。”薇园极口应承说。
“呵呵，洗一洗，咯支……唏唏……”
“道翁！！！”四铭愤愤的叫。
道统给这一喝，不笑了。他们拟好了说明，薇园誊在信笺上，就和道统跑往报馆去。四铭拿着烛台，送出门口，回到堂屋的外面，心里就有些不安逸，但略一踌蹰，也终于跨进门槛去了。他一进门，迎头就看见中央的方桌中间放着那肥皂的葵绿色的小小的长方包，包中央的金印子在灯光下明晃晃的发闪，周围还有细小的花纹。
秀儿和招儿都蹲在桌子下横的地上玩；学程坐在右横查字典。最后在离灯最远的阴影里的高背椅子上发见了四太太，灯光照处，见她死板板的脸上并不显出什么喜怒，眼睛也并不看着什么东西。
“咯支咯支，不要脸不要脸……”
四铭微微的听得秀儿在他背后说，回头看时，什么动作也没有了，只有招儿还用了她两只小手的指头在自己脸上抓。
他觉得存身不住，便熄了烛，踱出院子去。他来回的踱，一不小心，母鸡和小鸡又唧唧足足的叫了起来，他立即放轻脚步，并且走远些。经过许多时，堂屋里的灯移到卧室里去了。他看见一地月光，仿佛满铺了无缝的白纱，玉盘似的月亮现在白云间，看不出一点缺。
他很有些悲伤，似乎也像孝女一样，成了“无告之民”〔８〕，孤苦零丁了。他这一夜睡得非常晚。
但到第二天的早晨，肥皂就被录用了。这日他比平日起得迟，看见她已经伏在洗脸台上擦脖子，肥皂的泡沫就如大螃蟹嘴上的水泡一般，高高的堆在两个耳朵后，比起先前用皂荚时候的只有一层极薄的白沫来，那高低真有霄壤之别了。从此之后，四太太的身上便总带着些似橄榄非橄榄的说不清的香味；几乎小半年，这才忽而换了样，凡有闻到的都说那可似乎是檀香。一九二四年三月二二日。
〔１〕本篇最初发表于一九二四年三月二十七、二十八日北京《晨报副刊》。
〔２〕八卦拳拳术的一种，多用掌法，按八卦的特定形式运行。清末有些王公大臣和“五四”前后的封建复古派把它作为“国粹”加以提倡。
〔３〕关于光绪年间开学堂，戊戌变法（１８９８）前后，在维新派的推动下，我国开始兴办近代教育，开设学堂。这些学堂当时曾不同程度地传播了西方近代的科学文化和社会学说。
〔４〕共济讲社（Ｏｄｄｆｅｌｌｏｗｓ）又译共济社，十八世纪在英国出现的一种以互济为目的的秘密结社。
〔５〕“庭训”《论语·季氏》载：孔丘“尝独立，鲤（按即孔丘的儿子）趋而过庭”，孔丘要他学“诗”、学“礼”。后来就常有人称父亲的教训为“庭训”或“过庭之训”。
〔６〕“阿尔特肤尔”英语Ｏｌｄｆｏｏｌ的音译，意为“老傻瓜”。
〔７〕孟母指孟轲的母亲，旧时传说她是善于教子的“贤母”。
〔８〕“无告之民”语出《礼记·王制》，其中说：孤、独、鳏、寡“四者，天民之穷而无告者也”。无告，有苦无处诉说。