鹞鹰之死
The Death of the Sparrow Hawk
戴希
Dai Xi
那时，鹞鹰几乎人见人爱。它像鹰但比鹰小，长着鹰的尖喙却没有鹰之凶猛。只要训练有素，会用自己的尖喙给主人梳头、挠痒痒。盛夏酷热的夜晚，还会伫立主人的床头，轻轻扇动翅膀为主人送凉驱蚊。如果主人的偏头疼犯了，甚至会用尖喙和爪子轻轻按摩主人的头部穴位，据说很有奇效。当然，大唐时流行的胡旋舞，鹞鹰也跳得很美……
Back at that time, a sparrow hawk was almost everybody’s favourite creature. It looked like a hawk but was smaller; it had a hawk’s sharp beak without its ferocity. As long as it had been well-trained, it would employ its sharp beak in combing the head of its master and scratching his itch. During those nights at the height of summer when the heat was murdering, it would perch at the head of the bed and flap its wings gently to sweep coolness over towards its master and drive away the mosquitoes. If the master had an attack of migraine, it would even use its sharp beak and claws to gently massage the nerve ends on his head. The therapeutic effect was said to be miraculous. Of course, a sparrow hawk was also very good at the barbarians’ swirling dance popular during the then Tang Dynasty …
唐太宗李世民亦爱鹞鹰。
The emperor Taizong of Tang, whose original name was Li Shimin (598 – 649 AD), also loved sparrow harks very much.
贞观四年的一天，鲜花盛开、风和日丽，有人给唐太宗送来一只鹞鹰。这只鹞鹰形态俊美、毛色漂亮。
One day in the fourth year of the Zhen Guan period (630) when the flowers were in full bloom, the wind was gentle and the sun was bright, someone sent an outstanding sparrow hawk with very beautiful features to Taizong.
唐太宗甚喜，就在内宫赏玩。他把鹞鹰放于肩头，向前平伸出左臂，让鹞鹰在自己的肩头和手臂上翩翩起舞。
Greatly heartened, Taizong admired and played with the bird in the inner portion of the palace. He placed it on his shoulder and reached out his left arm horizontally so that the sparrow hawk could dance graciously on his shoulder and arm.
“咱大唐啊，一年判死刑者仅二十来人，百姓安居乐业。到处道不拾遗、夜不闭户。四海一统、天下和谐、寰宇来朝，这种盛世景观，中国几朝几代有过?”唐太宗一边欣赏鹞鹰舞之蹈之，一边洋洋自得，“嘘，嘘，嘘”地吹起口哨。
“Our great Tang sees only a little more than twenty condemned prisoners every year. The people live and work in peace and contentment. Nobody hoards the lost property of others which was found on the road and doors are left unbolted at night. The four seas have been united as one, the whole world is harmonious and all the foreign states have come to pay homage. How many dynasties in the history of China have witnessed such a prosperous age?” While admiring the dancing sparrow hawk, Taizong congratulated himself and started to let out gleeful whistles – Xu, xu, xu.
正在兴头上，忽报谏臣魏征已到门前，有事奏请。
When he was at the highest peak of his euphoria, it was suddenly announced that the remonstrator Wei Zheng (580 – 643) was already at the gate with some state affairs to be reported to the emperor for his sagacious judgement.
俨然顽童要见严师，唐太宗龙颜惶惧。四顾无处可藏，便将鹞鹰隐蔽于怀。然后正襟危坐，清清嗓子，准备接受魏征禀报。
Like a naughty brat got ready to meet his strict tutor, Taizong’s dragon-like visage was inscribed all over with panic and dread. Looking about and finding out that there was nowhere to hide the sparrow hawk, he had to stow it in his chest. Then neatening up his clothes, he sat down there solemnly and cleared his throat, getting ready to lend an ear to Wei Zheng’s report.
这一切，魏征看得分明，却佯装不知。
Having taken everything in with his eyes clearly, Wei Zheng pretended that he didn’t know a thing.
“臣闻求木之长者，必固其根本;欲流之远者，必浚其泉源;思国之安者，必积其德义……”礼毕，魏征就大讲特讲治国安邦之道。还列举尧舜、秦二世、梁武帝、隋炀帝等中国古代君王详加说明。用心阐述有的皇帝就因贪图安逸享乐、沉醉声色犬马，最终导致丧国灭身……
“Your subject has heard tell that if you want a tree to grow tall, you must strengthen its root; if you want a river to flow far, you must enrich its source; if you want a country to remain peaceful, you must store up your righteous virtues …” After paying obedience, Wei Zheng was in full flow about how to administer the country and subdue the nation. He also listed Yao, Shun, the Second Emperor in the Qin Dynasty, the Wu Emperor in the Liang Dynasty, the Yang Emperor in the Sui Dynasty and the other ancient Chinese emperors as examples to expound on. He delivered an especially detailed narration about how some emperors lost their kingdoms and brought death to themselves by overindulging in the cosy pleasures of songs, women, dog-racing and horseback hunting …
奏请之时，还不动声色地偷窥唐太宗怀中的动静。
During his narration, he peeked nonchalantly at the movements about Taizong’s chest.
魏征滔滔不绝，唐太宗心急如焚。怀中鹞鹰的气息已越来越弱，唐太宗欲暗示魏征下次再奏。想想，又觉不妥。因为向来敬重魏征，只好耐心听他进谏。
Wei Zheng was in full flow and Taizong’s heart was burning with anxiety. The sparrow hawk against his chest was breathing more and more weakly. Taizong wanted to drop Wei Zheng a tip for when he might remonstrate next time. Nonetheless, on second thoughts, he felt it improper. Since he had always respected and thought highly of Wei Zheng, he had to listen to his remonstration patiently.
结果，魏征得寸进尺、没完没了。直讲得喉咙干燥如十年未下雨的旱地，嘴角淌出的白沫沾满胡须像初冬的霜挂。
However, having gained an inch, Wei Zheng demanded one foot and dragged on and on until his throat was dry like a parched land that hadn’t received any rain for ten years and white foam was slithering out of the corners of his mouth and hanging suspended on his beard like the frost in early winter.
“皇上玩鹞鹰，我就玩皇上!”魏征暗下决心。“既然我都口吐白沫了，鹞鹰不口吐白沫才怪!”他又使劲给自己打气。
“Your Majesty is playing with the sparrow hawk and I will play with Your Majesty!” Wei Zheng made up his mind secretly. “Since I have spewed white foam, it would be strange if the sparrow hawk hasn’t!” He pumped himself up again.
继续天南地北口若悬河，直到唐太宗的怀中毫无动静。估摸那鹞鹰已一命呜呼，才心满意足地退下。
Continuing to ramble to the southernmost corner of the sky and the northernmost end of the earth and being eloquent like a roaring river, he didn’t take his leave contentedly until there was no movement about Taizong’s chest – in his surmise the sparrow hawk must have been long dead.
魏征一走，唐太宗就迫不及待，从怀中掏出鹞鹰。一看，那宝贝早已气绝身亡。心疼之余，不禁火冒三丈。
The moment Wei Zheng left Taizong freed the sparrow hawk and took a look. His treasure was already dead meat. His heart was aching and his wrath was soaring.
“朕一定要诛杀这个乡巴佬!”唐太宗怒吼。
“We will surely order that the country bumpkin be executed!” Taizong roared in exasperation.
正巧长孙皇后轻轻走进，便问：“谁冒犯了二哥呀?”
His empress Changsun (601–36) happened to come in. “Who has offended my second brother?” she enquired.
“除了魏征，还能有谁?这个乡巴佬，简直肆无忌惮!”唐太宗气不打一处来。
“Who else would dare apart from Wei Zheng? This country cousin really didn’t know where to stop!” Taizong’s anger didn’t have one sole source.
长孙皇后一愣：“魏征?他又说了些什么啦?”
Empress Changsun was taken aback. “Wei Zheng? What did he remonstrate with your Majesty about?”
“乱七八糟讲上一大堆，还指责我杀兄弟于殿前，囚慈父于后宫……说什么当皇帝就是赎罪的，当知耻而后进。你看你看，我不就玩了一下鹞鹰，犯得上他如此大做文章?”
“A huge load of rubbish. He even rebuked me for having slain my brothers in front of the throne room and for having imprisoned my benign father in the Inner Chambers … He concluded that I became the emperor to atone for my crimes and that I should make progress after knowing of my shame. You see, you see, I only played with a sparrow hawk this one time. Did he need to overact like this?”
“哦，这个——”长孙皇后略一思虑，便默不作声地退下。换上朝服后又匆匆折回，毕恭毕敬地给唐太宗行大礼。
“Oh, this –” Pondering awhile, Empress Changsun stepped down silently. After changing into her court clothing, she doubled back in a hurry and performed humbly the prescribed ritual to Taizong.
“观音婢，你这是……?”唐太宗一头雾水。
“Bodhisattva Guanyin’s Maiden Servant (Empress Changsun’s nickname), why …?” Taizong was in a fog.
“恭喜陛下!陛下有福、大唐大吉啦!”长孙皇后满面春风。
“Congratulations to Your Majesty! Your Majesty is blessed and the Great Tang is auspicious!” Empress Changsun was beaming.
唐太宗皱眉：“此话怎讲?”
Taizong furrowed his brow. “How did you arrive at this conclusion?”
“臣闻君明臣直。只有皇上圣明，大臣才会正直。……所谓魏征者，为政也;世民者，世世代代济世安民也。……古人云，玩物丧志。魏征只是想奉劝陛下励精图治、心无旁骛呀!……”
“Your subject has heard tell that when an emperor is wise his ministers are righteous. Only a sagacious emperor can have upright ministers. … The so-called Wei Zheng is a homophone that means ‘to benefit the governance;’ Your given name Shimin means ‘to aid the world and succour the people for generations.’ … The ancients have stated that excessive attention to a plaything saps one’s will to fight. Wei Zheng only wanted to admonish Your Majesty to arouse your determination to govern well and to concentrate on state affairs! …”
唐太宗终于转怒为喜。
Taizong’s rage finally gave way to delight.
长孙皇后也窃喜。
Empress Changsun also felt heartened secretly.
原来是长孙皇后听说唐太宗在玩鹞鹰，便悄悄派人给魏征通风报信，再和魏征里应外合……唐太宗被蒙在鼓里。
In fact, things went on like this: When Empress Changsun heard that Taizong was playing with a sparrow hawk, she sent a messenger to Wei Zheng quietly and then coordinated affairs from within … Taizong still didn’t have the foggiest idea about that as if he had been sealed within a huge drum.
从此，唐太宗再也没有玩过鹞鹰。
From then on, Taizong never again played with a sparrow hawk.
贞观之治得以延续并发扬光大。
The good government of the Zhen Guan period was carried forward to greater brilliance.
魏征死后不久，长孙皇后也英年早逝。
Not long after Wei Zheng’s death, Empress Changsun also departed this life at an early age.
不知从什么时候起，寂寞之余，唐太宗就拿出一面铜镜照着自己，有时眼角闪着泪花。
Nobody knows when this habit started, but later on Taizong would produce a bronze mirror to look at his image when he felt lonely, sometimes with tears at the corners of his eyes.
群臣不解，唐太宗便道：“以铜为镜，可以正衣冠;以古为镜，可以知兴替;以人为镜，可以明得失。今魏征去矣，朕痛失一镜也!”
His ministers couldn’t figure out why. Taizong explained: “With a bronze mirror, one can neaten up one’s hat and clothes; with history serving as a mirror, one can understand the reasons behind the ancient prosperity and what succeeded it; with a man serving as a mirror, one can tune into his gains and losses. Now Wei Zheng is gone. We have been deprived of a mirror.”
(原载《创作与评论》2013年第7期，转载于《小小说选刊》2013年第22期、《微型小说选刊》2013年第24期，选入《幸福的麻花辫子》《第七届小小说金麻雀奖获奖作品》，获“太仓杯”勤廉微型小说征文评选优秀奖。)
