潜伏 (下)

潜伏 (下)
The Mole

by 龙一


为了翠平的这次无组织无纪律的冒险行为，余则成只能强压住心中怒火，在向站长告辞时故作随意地提起要请一天假，说是家中来信，老岳母身体不好，需要女儿回去伺候，明天他想出城把太太送回去。他这是在冒违抗组织命令的风险，因为，翠平毕竟是组织上派来的同志，他没有权力将她调离工作岗位。
Yu had to suppress his anger with Cuiping for her reckless act and breach of discipline of the party. While saying their thanks and goodbye to the branch chief, he asked for a day off to take Cuiping back to her mother, who was ill and needed her. By doing this he was also in breach of discipline as he had no right to change Cuiping’s assignment by the party.

　　站长听了他这话，当即将翠平留给他太太，把余则成拉到一边严肃地说，我好不容易给我太太找了这么一个玩伴儿，而且她们两个也很投缘，你不能带她走。余则成说家中长辈有话来，不能不听。站长说长辈有病可以花钱治嘛，多给他们些钱就是了，你若是把我干女儿带走了，我太太没人陪，还不得照旧每天缠住我不放。
Upon hearing this, the branch chief led Cuiping to his wife and took Yu aside. He said, “It was not easy to find someone to be acceptable company for my wife. As they have hit it off so well, I can’t afford to let her leave.” Yu said, “How can I refuse my in-laws request?” The branch chief replied, “We can always give them money for treatment. If you send my god daughter away, my wife would be deprived her of her company and she will continue to nag at me instead.”

　　原来站长并非真心喜欢翠平的鲁莽，而是他正在给太太物色一个能绊住她的女友，却恰好被翠平撞上了。于是，余则成为了避免翠平再犯错误的意图便被站长的私心给化解了。为此，余则成在心底有一点儿可怜这个大特务头子，他娶了那么多房太太，却又要做出正人君子的样子，真的很难。
So it really was not that the branch chief was enamored of Cupping’s assertive personality, but his necessity to find a suitable companion for his wife that caused him to be nice to Cuiping. Now Yu’s attempt to keep Cuiping from making another gaffe was thwarted by the branch chief’s personal needs. He actually felt sorry for the head of the intelligence agency, who had many wives but wanted so hard to keep up the pretense of appearing to live a righteous life.

　　通过事后的争吵余则成发现，翠平的鲁莽与大胆绝不是批评教育可以解决的，而他又无法将她送走。只是，把这样一个女游击队员长期放在身边，还得带着她参加特务组织各种各样的活动，当真是危险得很。无奈之下，他通过联络点给组织上写了份申请，请求组织批准让翠平在他的指挥下，不要参与任何有危险的工作。
After all the arguments pertaining to this incident, Yu discovered he could neither teach or change Cupping’s boldness and recklessness, nor send her away. It was too dangerous to allow such a female guerrilla to work beside him and let her join him in the various activities organized by the intelligence agency. At his wits’ end, he had to request to the party that he be allowed to dictate to Cuiping not to commit any indiscretion or dangerous actions.

　　组织上很快回信同意了，他便将这个决定传达给了翠平。翠平说你说话不算话，前几天还说要给我任务，结果却在背后捣鬼，想要把我关在家里或者支走。余则成说现在你想走也走不成了。翠平说我拔脚就能走。余则成说你若是丢下站长太太一走了之，便是对革命工作的不负责任……很快，他们的讨论便又被演变成一场惯常的争吵。
So the party gave the permission immediately and Yu passed it on to Cuiping. Cuiping said,” You lied. Just a few days ago you promised to get me an assignment. And now you go behind my back, trying to shut me up at home or send me away.” Yu said, “Now you can’t leave even if you want to.” Cuiping replied, ”I can leave anytime I want.” To which Yu retorted, “It would be irresponsible to the party’s cause if you just leave the branch chief’s wife.” This discussion soon became another of the arguments they frequently had.

　　他们的这场争吵是在卧室中发生的，一个坐在床上，一个坐在地上，翠平一生气居然点起了烟 袋，浓烟把卧室熏得像座庙。余则成张了几次嘴，却又把禁止吸烟的话咽了下去。与革命工作有关的事再小也是大事，与个人相关的事再大也是小事，他不能因为个人好恶，而让他们的协作关系进一步恶化。
Their argument took place in the bedroom, while one was sitting on the bed and one on the floor. Cuiping got angry and lit up her pipe and the smoke instantly turned room into a temple. Yu opened his mouth several times, but in the end he refrained from asking her not to smoke. Insignificant things would be considered very significant if they pertained to the party’s cause, whereas even huge personal feelings would be considered insignificant. He couldn’t allow their working relationship to deteriorate due to his own personal likes or dislikes.

　　倒是翠平猛然醒悟过来，拎着烟袋光着脚跑到阳台上。余则成也跟着她来到阳台，本打算劝解她几句，缓和一下气氛，不想他却突然发现，在街对面停着一辆小汽车，里边有两只香烟的火头在一闪一闪。他又向街的两边望去，果然发现远处还停着一辆汽车， 但里边的人看不清楚。这是军统局典型的监视方法。于是，他伸出双臂，从后边搂住翠平，口中哈哈大笑了一阵，然后在她耳边低声道，你也笑。
Cuiping finally realized her act and took the pipe and went out bare foot to the balcony. Yu followed, thinking to console and apologize to her to lighten the mood. But he discovered that a car was parked across the street, with two lit cigarettes glowing. As he looked further up and down the street, he saw another car parked farther down. And even though he couldn’t recognize anyone in particular, he knew it was the typical method of the bureau surveillance. So he stretched out his arms and hugged Cuiping from behind, while laughing loudly. He whispered in her ears to do the same.

　　翠平显然很紧张，笑声一点儿也不好听。他又将翠平的身子转过来，一手搂住她的腰，另一只手搂住她的头，将嘴唇贴在她的嘴角边上，做出热吻的样子。翠平口中没有喷净的烟气，熏得他泪流满面。
Obviously, Cuiping was nervous and so her smile was not genuine. He turned her around, putting one hand on her waist and the other on her face. He kissed her on her lips, but the smoke in Cuiping’s mouth brought tears to his eyes.

　　你看一眼街对面，现在知道什么是危险了吧!他悄悄地说。知道了。翠平仅止点首而已。
“Look across the street, now you should realize how dangerous it really is.” He whispered. “Yes.” She nodded in agreement.

　　他接着说我希望你能听从我的安排。翠平把头摇得坚决，不行。为什么?翠平这才小声说她必须得有正经的革命工作才行。他说你这是不服从领导。翠平说领导也得听取群众意见。他说非常时期得有非常措施。翠平说放弃革命不行。他说你做工作的方法不适合现在的环境。翠平说你可以教我怎么做但不能不做。他说我交给你的任务就是陪好站长太太。翠平说那个老妖婆让我恶心。他说你要跟站长太太学的东西还多着 哪。翠平说打死我也不学当妖怪……
He continued, “You have to follow my instructions.” Cuiping shook her head resolutely, and said “No.” “Why not?” Cuiping replied in a whisper that it had to be a real assignment for the revolution. He then said, “You are not following the orders of your leader.” Whereupon Cuiping said, “Even the leaders have to listen to the opinions of the masses.” He replied, “Due to unusual times you must accept unusual measures.” Cuiping retorted,” Under no circumstances, should we be lax about the revolution.” He then said, ”Your working style does not fit the current situation.” So, Cuiping said, “You can teach me how to do it, but you must let me do it.” He then said, “The assignment I give you is to be company for the branch chief’s wife.” She answered, “That hag disgusts me.” So, he said, “There are many things you can learn from her.” Her retort was, “I’d rather die than learn to be a monster like her.”

　这一场争吵，直到翠平猛然甩手离开他才结束。她最后丢下一句狠话：我看你身上根本就没有革命战士的胆量。
The argument didn’t end until Cuiping flung his hand away and left. Her parting words stung in his ears, ‘I don’t see any courage of a revolutionary soldier in you.’

　　翠平回房间去了，余则成却不能追上去继续这场争论，因为他不得不在阳台上打完一套太极拳，以表演家庭生活的幸福与安闲，给楼下的特务看。他知道，楼下这些人是老马的布置，为了除掉他这个竞争者，老马甚至可能会把他“诬陷”成共产党。
Cuiping went back to the room, but Yu couldn’t continue the argument with her immediately, because he had to pretend to show harmony by starting a Taiqi routine to throw off any show of discord. He knew that those spying on him were sent by Old Ma and he was not above framing him if necessary.

　　用余则成自己的话说，他们的这场发生在革命团体内部的争论，是以翠平的部分胜利而告终。第二天，他不得不又给组织上写了一封信，请求组织上批准翠平参与一项危险性不大的工作。如此朝三暮四，出尔反尔，让他觉得自己很对不起党组织，给领导添麻烦了。
In Yu’s own words, this argument between the two comrades was partially won by Cuiping. The next day, he had to write to the party again, asking approval for a not too dangerous assignment for Cuiping. He was embarrassed at being in this wishy-washy situation.

　　他让翠平参与的所谓革命工作，是替他向组织上交纳他的党费。
The so-called revolutionary job that Yu gave Cuiping was to deliver the party dues to the party.

　　他在军统局所做的是那种让人无法清廉的工作，因为总是有那么一些人挖门托房地给他送钱， 目的并不一定是要他帮什么忙，而多半是希望他装一些糊涂，哪怕是少看他们一眼也行。到了天津站之后，他手中已经积存了一大堆十两的金条，但是，由于和党组 织的同志见不上面，他一直也无法上交。现在这一堆金条倒是给了他一个替翠平安排革命工作的理由。
His job at the bureau was difficult to perform without being corrupt, because there were many people who were desperately trying to bribe him for one thing or another, just to keep his eyes and mouth shut. Since his arrival in Tianjin, he had already accumulated a considerable amount of gold in the bribes accepted. As he hadn’t been able to meet any of the party members, he hadn’t turned in the money he was bribed with. Now he was giving this job of delivering the gold ingots to Cuiping.

　　他对翠平说我已经与组织上联系好了，你每天陪着站长太太出去玩儿，组织上会派交通员与你联络，告诉你交接金条的方法。翠平横了他一眼说原来不是送情报。他只好说这是组织安排，是极为重要的革命工作。翠平问如果我做得顺利，是不是就可以送情报 了?他说假如组织上同意，我们再商量。翠平说我不喜欢摸钱，更恨有钱人。他便说你现在就是有钱人，而且必须得让所有人都明白你是个有钱人，这样你才会安 全。翠平啐了一声狗屎，但还是同意了。
Yu informed Cuiping that the party had agreed that she must accompany the branch chief’s wife and that they would contact her as to how the transfer of the gold ingots was to be made. With a resentful look, she exclaimed,‘Oh it’s not for information.’ Yu had to admit it was the orders of the party and that it was important. Cuiping asked, ‘If I accomplish this, will I be allowed to deliver more important information in the future?’ ‘If the party agrees, of course we can discuss this in the future.’ He replied. Cuiping said, ‘I don’t like to touch money and I hate rich people.’ “You are now one of the rich ones, and you have to make others believe that you are. Only then will you be safe.” She retorted, ‘Oh, shit!’ But she agreed.

　　这样一来，他们“夫妻”便分别担任起不同的工作，既互不干扰，也互不了解。余则成认为，秘密工作的基本原则就是知道得越少越安全，对革命工作更是如此。
Consequently, the ‘husband and wife did their respective jobs and though they didn’t argue, still had their differences of opinion. Yu believed that the basic tenets of the spy business was that the less you know, the safer you are. This is especially true in the cause of revolution.

　　在此后很长的一段时间里，余则成的工作和“婚姻”终于平静了下来，一切都走上了正轨。而这个时候，老马对他也表现出了极大的热情和善意，经常过来找他闲聊，拉他吃饭泡澡听戏然后再泡澡再吃饭再听戏，而且还常常向翠平赠送贵重礼品。时常挂在老 马口头上的话是：站长太太对你太太比亲女儿还亲，娘俩出双入对，形影不离，日后那个副站长的位置必定是老弟你的，老哥哥将来还得请老弟多多关照提携才是。
Afterwards for some quite time, both the work and ‘marriage’ seemed to be going along smoothly for Yu. During this period, Old Ma was his congenial old-self. He would chat and visit Yu often. He invited Yu to dine with him, attend theatres and the bathhouse with him constantly. He gave Cuiping expansive gifts and continually flatted Yu by saying that the branch chief’s wife considered Cuiping more of a daughter than her own daughter by continually keeping her company. You will surely become the next vice branch chief. When the time comes, I hope you won’t forget me.

　　除此之外，老马还给他介绍了一批倒卖外币和黄金的掮客。为了能够维持住翠平上缴党费的工作不至于间断，同时也是为了避免翠平再次要求参与到他的情报工作中来，他便顺坡下驴地把自己打扮成了一个贪财的特务，于是，军统局中便又多了一个贪官。为此，站长曾几次暗示他，说凡事都得悠着点儿，不能操之过急，钱财之事无小事，应该从大处着眼，与大人物共事才安全。
In addition, Old Ma introduced Yu to several dealers and brokers of foreign currencies and gold. So as to keep Cuiping busy with her money delivery job and to prevent her from intruding upon his intelligence work, he made the overtures to act intensely interested in making more money than ever. Therefore, the bureau had one more corrupt official. It got so noticeable that the branch chief warned Yu several times to slow down his money chasing and see the big picture.

　　出事的那天，余则成因公跑了一趟塘沽，很晚才回来，却又被新的紧急公事给绊住脱不开身， 便往家中打电话，不想没有人接。他并不知道翠平这天有没有任务，就派手下人到家中去看，那人回来说家中无人，他便立刻意识到翠平出事了，因为，他们在一起 两年来，翠平总是早睡早起，从来也没有过夜不归宿的事发生。
Then it happened! On that day, Yu had gone to Tanggu on important business matters and got back very late. In addition, he had to take care of some emergencies at the office. So he called home, but no one answered. He was sure whether or not Cuiping had any special errands that day, so he sent someone home to check. The assistant returned saying no one was at home, and he immediately realized that something must have happened to Cuiping. In the two years that they had been together, she had always risen early and gone to bed early, and she had never stay out anywhere.

　　他给站长夫人打电话，老太太说干闺女原本陪她去瞧戏，压轴的《牧虎关》刚开锣，她就不知 道跑哪去了，而且再没见到她。然后他又给警察局长打电话，不一会儿那边回电说今晚没人报警发生绑架案件。他再给卫戍司令部打电话，让他们查寻各出城路口， 并描绘了翠平的身形相貌。然后又打电话找老马，没找到，便又跑下楼找特勤队的其他同事，他们都说今天只抓了些闹事的学生，没见着中校太太。
First he called the Branch chief’s wife, and her reply was that they had gone to the theatre, but before it was over, she just disappeared without a word. He then called the chief of police, and his reply also gave no information. So then he called the general’s office to give them Cuiping’s description and requested them to contact him if Cuiping had been sighted. He tried to call Old Ma but wasn’t able to reach him. So he went downstairs instead to talk to his men and see if they knew anything. They had only caught some student protesters and not any wives of officials.

　　其实他一点儿也不担心翠平被捕后会有什么不恰当的行为，他对她的勇敢和革命意志有信心。 他也不担心翠平为了不泄露机密而临危自尽，因为，自从决定让翠平传送党费的那一刻起，他便命令她将毒药和手雷全都留在家中，绝不许带在身上。他认为，她不带这些东西会更安全，也会更小心，否则，以她的性格，她可能会有恃无恐，做出冒险的事情来。
He really wasn’t worried that Cuiping would do anything damaging after arrest, knowing how brave she was. She also wouldn’t commit suicide, because he had already prevented her from carrying the poison or grenade on her. His thinking was that she would be more prudent without any means of killing herself or others. Otherwise, because of her personality, she might do something reckless.

　　他唯一担心的是，万一翠平真的被捕，她一定会咬紧牙关，绝不肯吐露她是他太太这一身份， 也就难免会受刑吃苦头。为此他在心底不住地批评自己，他原应该在派她出门之前便将所有可能发生的情况与应对策略都替她设计好，而不应该因为俩人相处得不愉快和任务危险性不大便忽视了安全准备。你对革命同志关心得很不够啊!他很是生自己的气。
Yu’s main worry was that Cuiping would clench her lips and refuse to identify herself if she was taken prisoner. His worry was that she would be tortured for not cooperation. He blamed himself for not having gone over any contingency plans if caught doing something wrong, mainly because he thought her was not that dangerous and because he wanted to avoid any further dissention.

　　到了第二天中午的时候，这件事连站长也惊动了。他说哪个混蛋会有这胆子?便抄起电话要通了中统局天津站的站长，那边也没有翠平的消息。直到傍晚时分，老马才回来说他把翠平给找到了。这不由得又让余则成多担了一份心，因为，本地任何人抓住翠平 都不会有太大危险，唯独老马是个例外，这家伙可是个设局害人的高手。
By the noon of the next day, even the branch chief was concerned over her disappearance. He exclaimed, ‘Who would have the nerve to do this?’ He even called the Branch Chief of another intelligence agency in Tianjin, but they had no new either. It was not until dusk, when Old Ma returned and said he found Cuiping. Yu was more concerned over this news than if anyone else had found her, because Old Ma was known as an expert in framing people.

　　翠平是被关在了税务局的拘留所里，老马陪着余则成前去领人。税务局大小官员排队在门口迎候，局长吓得面如死灰，就差磕头求饶了。翠平头发蓬乱，脸上有伤，却被人给换了一身新衣服。她一见余则成来接她，便把脸转了过去，脸色由白到红再到紫。
Cuiping was being held at the Tax Revenue bureau, where Old Ma took Yu to pick her up. As they approached, the officials had lined up to welcome them. The bureaeu chief was pale with fright, and looked as though they were ready to kowtow for forgiveness. Cuiping’s hair was a mess, her face was bruised, but she had been given new clothes to change into. When she saw Yu, she turned away and her face turned pale then red then purple.

　　余则成问局长是谁把翠平抓进来的，局长只是一味地作揖，口中不停地说兄弟该死有眼无珠。 除了退还翠平的金条，局长另外又送上一根金条说是给太太压惊。余则成不愿意理睬他，倒是翠平老实不客气地将金条抓在了手中。他知道，翠平一定是相信了他给 她灌输的道理——革命事业同样需要金钱的支持。
Yu asked who brought Cuiping in, but the bureau chief continued to offer apologies and cursed officer who brought her in. In addition to returning Cuiping’s gold, he added an additional ingot to compensate for her distress. Yu ignored him, but Cuiping grabbed the gold without hesitation. Yu knew that Cuiping must have been influenced by his constant promotion of the need for money for the revolutionary cause.

　　他又问老马是怎样找到翠平的。老马说你老哥哥没别的本事，只是手下多几个耳目罢了。老马又劝慰翠平不必难过，等两天他一定会替她出气，要让抓她的那些家伙求生不得求死不能。然而，余则成却仍然在担心这出戏是老马的导演，因为，税务局抓捕黄金贩子的侦探可以不认得翠平，但不可能不认得跟翠平形影不离的站长太太。
He then asked Old Ma How he found Cuiping. Old Ma said he had no special abilities but he had lots of men who were his eyes and ears. He consoled Cuiping by saying he would exact revenge upon those men who brought he in and they would wish they were dead before he was through with them. But Yu recognized that all this could have been set up by Old Ma to trick them into something, because even though the officer of the tax revenue bureau may not have recognized Cuiping, he surely would have recognized the bureau chief’s wife, who was her constant companion.

　　回到家中他问翠平接头的同志怎么样了。翠平泪流满面，说已经服毒牺牲了，并且埋怨余则成不该禁止她带上毒药，以至于让她被反动派抓了活口，而且有可能连累到他。但余则成却不这么想，他认为，如果他太太因为倒卖黄金被捕而服毒自尽，便是向所有人宣布她是在使用共产党人的秘密工作手段，反而会引来更大的怀疑，给他带来更大的危险。但是，他并没有把这话讲出口，因为翠平此时已经羞愧难过得死去活来 了。
After they got home, he asked Cuiping what happened to the messenger who was supposed to receive the money. She burst into tears saying, ‘He took the poison, which you wouldn’t allow me to have. So I was caught alive and may implicate you.’ But Yu wouldn’t agree, because he knew that had she committed suicide just because of trading gold, he would have been in more trouble because they would be suspicious of him using this as a method for passing intelligence to the communists. He didn’t say this out loud to Cuiping since she was already so embarrassed by being caught.

　　自此以后，翠平再没有向余则成提出过参与工作的要求，运送党费的工作也停止了，每天她只是蹲在阳台上抽烟袋，将牙齿熏得焦黑，再不出大门一步。站长为此也挺着急，说我太太很是想念干女儿。余则成只好替她遮掩说翠平病得挺厉害，等好一点儿立刻 叫她去见义母。他也确实希望翠平能够尽快好起来，哪怕是再跟他不断地争吵也行，然而，翠平甚至连话都不愿意多说一句，慢慢地，她原本强壮的身体便被她自己折磨得有些形销骨立了。
After this incident, Cuiping became silent and did not ask for any further work, would not even to deliver the money. She spent all day smoking her pipe until her teeth turned brown and never left the apartment. Even the branch chief became worried and complained to Yu that his wife missed her god daughter. Yu could only use illness as a pretext and that when she recovered, she would go visit her god mother. In his heart, he hoped that she would soon recover even if it meant more arguments between them. The reality was that Cuiping didn’t want to speak at all, and gradually became more and more emaciated and sickly.

　　正在这个时候，组织上突然来信询问翠平的工作情况，要余则成给翠平做一份工作成效和党性水平的鉴定书，说是要入档案的。
At this time, the party requested Yu to evaluate Cuiping’s working capacity and so that they could update her file.

　　这件事把余则成推入了一个两难的境地。在他看来，翠平无论是从学识相貌，到脾气秉性，以 及工作方法，都与她现在的工作大相径庭，更让他恼火的是，翠平几乎从来也不肯听从他的领导，不肯认同他的工作也是需要绝大的勇气和毅力的。然而，他却没有勇气将他的这些想法汇报给组织上，特别是在翠平出现了这次重大的失误之后。过去几年来，他一直在经手与中共有关的各项情报，早几年从延安传来的情报中，有多一半是报告中共整风运动和抓特务运动的情况，如果单从那些情报来看，确实有些吓人，然而，由于他与组织上没有直接的联系，他又无从判断这些情报的真实性 有多大，也就无法辨别那些派遣出去的特务是不是在写小说，编故事。
This put Yu in a big dilemma. From his perspective, her education, appearance, personality and work ethics all lacked sufficiency. More over, she never listened to him or followed his directions. She didn’t not acknowledge his worthiness: bravery, determination and self-sacrifice. However, he wasn’t ready to report these thoughts honestly to the party, especially after this fiasco. Over the past few years, Yu had seen many reports of the severe purging of the party members in Yan’an. The reports were scary enough to keep him from telling them the truth about Cuiping. Due to his lack of communication with the party, he couldn’t be sure of the accuracy of the reports, as to their validity.

　　但是，不管怎么说，他认为如实汇报都是不妥当的。翠平这孩子原本就够可怜的了，别的假夫妻一起过上三五个月便会向组织申请正式结婚，而他们在一起两年了，非但未能成婚，而且俩人的关系越来越冷淡，他认为责任在他自己。于是，他在鉴定书中写道：……该同志有着绝大的勇气和毅力。她对工作无畏无惧，热情之高令人钦佩；对同志严格要求，督责之严值得学习。建议对该同志予以表彰，以资鼓舞。
Regardless of truthfulness, it would be very inappropriate for him to report the truth about Cuiping and her shortcomings. She was a person to be pitied already in her pathetic situation. Normally, in their position, after 3 to 5 months, the marriage should have been consummated. But in their case, even after two years, not only did they not consummate, their relationship was even worse. He blamed himself for this. Therefore, he put in his evaluation that she had great deal of courage and perseverance, her passion for the cause was admirable, and her zeal for strict interpretation of the party’s cause should be emulated. Therefore, I recommend a commendation for her enthusiasm, as a token of encouragement.

　　再读一遍给翠平写的鉴定书，余则成觉得还没有把工作做到家，便又提笔补充道：鉴于该同志的经验已日渐成熟，建议再开设一个备用信箱，并由该同志专责收发。
Having reread his evaluation of Cuiping, he decided that it was not quite adequate and added that she had become a seasoned veteran and should now be given a backup drop box which she would be in charge of.

　　又过了一段时间，组织上回信了，同意由翠平负责一个备用联络点，并给翠平记了三等战功一次。
Before long the party responded with a message that they had approved his proposal for Cuiping for having her own drop box and in addition, they awarded her with a distinguished third class merit citation, which would be logged into her personal file.

　　这是新的任务，你必须完成。余则成在传达完组织上的指示后说。
“This is your new assignment and you are now in charge of it.” Yu said after he explained the party’s instruction to her.

　　让我带上毒药和手雷。翠平已虚弱得无力讲话，但黑眼睛里却燃起了热火。
Let me carry the poison pills and the grenade on me. Cuiping was still weak but her spirit was rejuvenated which showed in her dark eyes the hatred for the enemy.

　　一九四八年十月十四日深夜，在东北战局最为紧张的时刻，站长紧急召见余则成，拿出一只国民政府军事委员会的大信封给他看。余则成立刻注意到，信是给卫立煌集团在长春的守将郑洞国的。站长说南京的意思是让咱们派几个生人把手令送进去，我推荐了你，另外还有一道给你的指令，一旦发现临阵畏缩或意欲降敌者，你有权力当即格杀。余则成指着信封问那么……站长说你的想法和我一样，咱们别当糊涂鬼，还是拆吧。
The most intense period of the war in the Northeastern part of China occurred at midnight of October 14, 1948, that’s when the branch chief urgently summoned Yu to his office. He showed him a large envelope from the National Military Committee. Yu discovered the letter was from the Wei Lihuang clique to the general who was in charge of defending the City of Changchun. “Nanjing’s intentions are to have us send some messengers to penetrate the fortification of Changchun. I’ve recommended you to head this mission, with the proviso that anyone you find who might show any signs of desertion be shot on the spot.” Pointing to the envelope, Yu asked what was inside. To which, the branch chief replied I am of the same mind as you. Better not to be in the dark, let’s open it.

　　余则成用裁纸刀小心地敲碎封口的火漆，抽出蒋介石的手令铺在书桌上。手令内容很简单，蒋介石严令郑洞国率长春守军全力向沈阳方向突围，这样既可保存实力，也可以暂缓解放军对锦州和沈阳的压力。读罢手令，站长不禁长叹道：东北完了!
Yu used a letter opener to unseal the letter, and withdrew Chiang Kai-shek’s decree. It was simple, Chiang ordered General Zheng to break out with full force in the direction of Shenyang. By doing so, they could distract the liberation forces from both directions. Having seen the decree, the branch chief gave a long sigh and said, “We are finished in Northeastern China!”

　　余则成知道他对这次任务根本就没有推托的理由，便说您尽管放心吧。然后拿出一根火漆棒点燃滴在手令的封口上，站长也从书桌中取出一方仿制的封印盖在火漆上。这种事情两个人做得多了，已然熟练而流畅。
Knowing that he didn’t have any excuse to decline the mission, he pointedly assured the manger that he would carry out this mission. He heated the wax and the branch chief took out the counterfeit seal and stamped it shut again. Because they had done this often, it was easy and smooth.

　　站长说飞机已经准备好了，你这就动身吧，另外，你准备为党国尽忠用的东西……
The branch chief told him that the plane is on standby and you can take off immediately. Here’s what you will need if you need to sacrifice yourself for the country .,.

　　余则成破例讲了句笑话：我把氰化钾药丸放在了手枪弹匣里，但我的手枪现在还放在装袜子的抽屉里呢。
Uncustomarily for him, Yu said jokingly, “I left my poison in my pistol, which is in my sock drawer at home.”

　　站长听罢眼睛湿润了，说你跳伞的时候一定要当心，我可不想平白赔上我的左膀右臂。余则成说您老人家放心，您去南京当局长时，我还给您当副官。
With his eyes wet, the branch chief said,”When you jump from the plane, be very careful, I don’t want to lose my best right hand man for nothing.” Yu replied, ”Don’t worry. When you become the bureau chief in Nanjing, I will still be your deputy.”

　　余则成回到家中的时候，翠平还没有睡，因为她现在几乎整夜不睡，只是一味的抽烟而已。见他收拾出门的用品，她问：要去几天?余则成说很快就回来。其实他根本不知道这一次能不能回来，现在东北的战事打得像座熔炉，别说他带着几个人进去，就算是 蒋介石再向里边投进去一个兵团，也如同往钢水里投入一颗铁钉。
When Yu arrived home, Cuiping was still awake. Recently she had been unable to sleep and so she smoked and stayed awake all night long. When she saw him packing, she asked how long he would be gone. “Not long.” Although he knew chances of his return were very slim. The war in the Northeastern section was like a conflagration. Not even counting that they were only dispatching a few people, even if it had been a battalion, it would have been as if Chang Kaishek threw a nail into a pot of molten steel.

　　收拾完行李，他迅速将蒋介石手令的内容写在一张字条上交给翠平，说你明天一早把它送到你的那个联络点，然后在所有该标示的地方都做上加急的记号，希望组织上能尽快拿到。翠平问你出门就是办这件事吗?他说是的。到哪去?到长春。
As he finished packing, he wrote down Chang Kaishek’s message on a slip of paper. “Take it to your drop and mark it ‘Urgent’ and it needs to be delivered to the party as soon as possible.” Cuiping asked, ‘Are you travelling because of this?” He answered “Yes.” “Where?””Changchen.”

　　翠平听到这话便坐回到地铺上半天不语。很久以来，每当翠平心绪烦乱而余则成又有一点儿空 闲的时候，他便不停地对她讲话，希望能够缓解她内心的痛苦。然而他是个老实人，不善言辞，便只好把解放军在全国战场上的军事行动讲给她听，所以，对东北的 战局翠平也很清楚，只是对地理方位时常闹不大明白罢了。
Hearing this, Cuiping sat back down and became silent. For a while, whenever Cuiping was upset, Yu would try to pacify her by talking, even though he was not a verbal person. He would discuss situations of the war. So Cuiping was quite aware the dangers in the Northeastern sector.

　　见翠平不语，余则成心中也很不是滋味。相处两年多来，他们几乎没有过快乐的时候，这可不像是革命同志之间的友谊，然而这又是事实。他提着行李走到门口说，我要走啦!
Seeing her silent, Yu had mixed feelings. The truth was they had never really bonded like true comrades through the past two years. So when he picked up the baggage and walked to the door, he just said, “I’m leaving.”

　　此一去就是生离死别。他心中清楚得很，那份情报一旦送出去，郑洞国的兵团便断无逃生之 路。在相互厮杀的百万军中，他每时每刻都有被杀死的可能。不过，如果他回不来，对翠平倒可能是个解脱，因为她终于完成了任务，而且带着良好的评语，她可以 回到熟悉的环境和战友们中间，到那个时候，她也许能找到快乐，至少比与他相处要快乐得多。
This departure would most likely be final. He was clear that once the decree was delivered, General Zheng’s army would be forced to fight to the death. And at any moment, because he would be between the two forces, his life would be hanging by a thread. However, if he did come back, he would actually be doing Cuiping a service. Her mission would be completed with commendation. She could return to her home environment, joining her fellow guerillas and perhaps find happiness again. At least she would be happier than being with him.

　　他又说了一遍我走啦。
He said again, “ I’m leaving.”

　　这时，翠平突然说：跟你在一起住了两年，我已经没法再回去嫁人了，你一定要回来!
This time, Cuiping abruptly said, “I’ve been living with you for over two years. I can never remarry. So you must come back.”

　　这是翠平第一次对他提出私人的要求，他无法形容自己此刻是个什么心情，只好实话实说：我很难再回来了，送出情报之后，你还是回游击队去吧。
This was the first time Cuiping had ever made a request for herself. He couldn’t describe his emotions, but said honestly, “I probably won’t make it back. So after you deliver the message, you should return to your fellow guerillas.”

　　他知道这些话过于决绝，但是他更知道不应该给翠平留下太多的期望，即使他此去九死一生活着回来，他也给不了翠平幸福，而他自己则会更不幸福。
He knew his words would sting her, but he didn’t want to give Cuiping any hope. Even if he could come back, he wouldn’t give her any happiness, nor to himself.

　　三十多年之后，余则成为了庆祝自己终于被摘掉军统特务的帽子，炖了一锅牛肉，请一个名叫龙一的忘年之交一起吃饭，并给他讲述了这段往事。龙一问翠平后来怎么样了?余则成摇摇头说，五十年代初我就曾回来找过她几次，没有她的任何消息。龙一问那 份情报送出去了吗?余则成说情报起到了关键的作用，但翠平当天便失踪了，一起失踪的还有老马。龙一猛地一拍脑门，自作聪明地安慰他说，她会不会见你不要她，就另外嫁人过小日子去了?
Thirty years later, to celebrate his vindication of being a nationalist intelligence officer, he cooked a pot of stewed beef and invited a friend name Long Yi to hear his story. Long Yi asked him, “Whatever happened to Cuiping?” Yu shook his head and said, “I looked for her several times in the early fifties, but found no evidence of her.” Long Yi asked, “Was the message delivered?” Yu answered that the message had played a critical role in winning the war, but Cuiping disappeared on the same day that the message was delivered as did Old Ma. Long Yi tapped his head, teasingly said, “Maybe she thought you deserted her and married someone else.”

　　余则成却说：不会的，一定是她送完情报后被老马追踪了，抓捕时她拉响了手雷，那只手雷威力极大，足以让三五个人消失得无影无踪。
Yu said adamantly, ”No way. She must have been stalked by Old Ma, and while he was arresting her, she must have pulled the grenade out. That grenade was powerful enough to make several people disappear.”

潜伏 (中)

潜伏 (中)
The Mole

by 龙一


晚上回到家中，余则成说你累了一天，早些睡吧，便下楼去工作。他们住的房子在旧英租界的 爱丁堡道，是原比商仪品公司高级职员的公寓，楼上有一间大卧房和卫生间，楼下只有一间客厅兼书房的大房间，另外就是厨房兼餐厅了。这所住房并不大，但对于 他来讲已经很不错了，接收工作开始之后，接收大员们首先争夺的就是好房子。这个时候能在几天之内就弄出个像样的家来，大约也只有军统特务能够办得到。
That night after they returned, Yu said,” You must be tired. Go to bed early,” and then he went downstairs to work. Their apartment was located on the Edinburg Road in the former British Concession and was the quarters for the senior executives of a Belgian real estate company. There was a master bedroom with a bath upstairs and down below was a great room containing the living room and study area, plus a kitchen with a dining area. The apartment wasn’t huge, but more than adequate to him. During this transition period, the best housing went to the highest ranking officers. Only the intelligence agents from the Military Statistics Bureau could have pulled the strings to obtain such nice accommodations as this in such a short time.

　　余则成知道自己必须得睡到楼上卧室中去，军统局对属下考察得非常细致，万万马虎不得，往日里他若是有过一丝一毫的疏忽，必定活不到今天。钟敲过十二点，他这才上楼。洗漱完毕，他将卫生间的窗子拉开插销虚掩上，又打开了从走廊通向阳台那扇门的 门锁，也把门虚掩上。这样一来，他就有了两条退路。任何时候都要保证自己有两条退路，这是军统局干训班教官的耳提面命，他记得牢牢的，并用在了正义事业上。
Yu realized that was necessary for him to sleep in the upstairs bedroom. One couldn’t afford to make any mistakes, because the Military Statistics Bureau tended to keep everyone under close surveillance. Had he made any mistakes, he would not have survived to this day. When the clock chimed twelve, he went upstairs and cleaned up. After that, he cautiously left open the bathroom window ajar, and unlocked the door leading to the balcony from the hallway, thus providing him with two getaway exits. When he was put through the training at the Military Statistics Bureau, he was taught to always have two alternate escape exits. That fact had always been kept in the back of his mind, and he now was putting to use for the righteous cause.

　　翠平还没有睡，她将带来的行李铺在地板上，坐在上面打盹。他说你到床上去睡，我睡地下。 翠平说我睡地下，这是我的任务。他问什么任务。她说保护你的安全。说着话，她挪开包袱，露出怀里的手雷。余则成一见手雷不禁吃惊得想笑，那东西可不是八路 军或日军使用的手榴弹，也不是普通的美式步兵手雷，而是美国政府刚刚援助的攻坚手雷，粗粗的一个圆筒，炸开来楼上楼下不会留下一个活口。看来组织上想得很周到，余则成放心了，睡得也比平日里安稳许多。到凌晨醒来时，他发现翠平没在房中，便走到门口，这才看到翠平正蹲在二楼的阳台上，嘴里咬着一杆短烟袋，喷出来的浓烟好似火车头，脚边被用来当烟缸使的是他刚买回来的一方端砚，据说是文徵明的遗物。如果此刻被时常考察属下的军统局发现他太太蹲在阳台上抽烟，不论从哪方面讲都不是好事，但是，他还是悄悄地退了回来，他希望来监视他的人只会认为是他们夫妻不和而已。
Rather than being asleep on the bed, he found Cuiping dozing hunched over that parcel she carried, sitting on the luggage that was spread on the floor. When he offered “Go sleep on the bed, I’ll sleep on the floor.” She replied, ”I’ll sleep on the floor, because this is my assignment.” Then he asked, ”What assignment is that?” She explained that her assignment was to protect him. While they were talking, she shifted parcel, exposing a grenade, which shocked and amused Yu at the same time. The grenade was not made by the communists or the Japanese. It was not even an ordinary American infantry grenade, but one of those which were powerful enough to raze a whole building. He was relieved and gratified that the communists were watching over him, and thus slept better that night than before. At dawn when he woke up, he discovered that Cuiping was not in the room and went out to look for her. He found her squatting on the floor of the balcony, clutching a pipe and puffing like a locomotive. Beside her was his antique ink stone used by the famous calligrapher Wen Huiming from the Ming dynasty being used as an ash tray. It was not a scene to be seen by anyone from the Military Statistics Bureau. So, rather than making a scene, he withdrew without causing a commotion which might attract the others.

　　果然，早上站长召见他，并且当着他的面点燃了一根粗若擀面杖的雪茄烟，笑道：没想到我那干女儿居然是个抽烟袋的呀!然后又安慰他，说那孩子在沦陷区一定吃了许多苦，你就让让她吧。你是个男人，可不能婆婆妈妈的，要是家中没意思你可以出去玩儿 嘛，但不许遗弃我这干女儿，这样的孩子看着她就让人心疼，更别说欺负她。余则成对此只有诺诺而已，心想这位上司不知道动了哪股心肠，居然如此维护翠平。
Unsurprisingly, Yu found himself summoned by the branch chief that morning, and upon arriving, found him lighting up a humongous cigar almost the size of a Chinese rolling pin. He said with amusement,” I didn’t realize that my god daughter was so addicted to smoking.” Then in a consoling tone, he said,”This child must have suffered a lot during the Japanese occupation. You have to be tolerant and accepting. You are a man, so don’t nag like a fish wife. If you do get bored or unsatisfied, go out and enjoy yourself, but don’t ever desert my god daughter. She is already pathetic and needs to be pitied, not to also mention the fact that you are not allowed to hurt her.” Yu nodded in agreement over and over, all the while wondering, why he was so compassionate towards Cuiping.

　　余则成的日常工作是汇总、分析军统局天津站在华北各个组织送来的情报，多数是中共方面 的，也有许多是关于政府军和国民党军政大员的，五花八门，数量极大，他必须得把这些情报分类存档，并将经过站长核准的情报送往刚刚迁回南京的军统局总部。 除此之外，他还必须要将这些情报中对中共有用的部分抄录一份，通过联络点送出去。
Yu’s regular job was to compile all the intelligence reports sent by the different stations from all over northern China, most of which was communist related. Also, there was information included regarding the Nationalist Army and their officials. He had to sort out from this mountain of information the most useful and important aspects, which was then given to the branch chief for approval and then forwarded to the recently relocated bureau headquarters in Nanjing. Further, he had to copy the useful information for the communists and then leave it at the drop.

　　他的另一项主要工作是替站长处理私人财务。天津光复后，军统局是最先赶回来接收的机构之一，为了这件大事，局长也曾亲自飞来布置接收策略,并满载了整整一架飞机的财物飞回南京。站长在这期间的收获也极大，但他毕竟是个有知识有修养的人，不喜欢那种抢劫式的方法，便主要对银行业、保险业和盐、碱等大企业下手，但对企业进行改组、重新分配股权等工作极为复杂，很费精力和时间，他便把这些事都交给了余则成，而他自己则一心一意地去深挖潜藏在市内的共产党人，而且不分良莠，手段冷酷无情。余则成曾几次提请组织上，要求让他对站长执行清除任务，不想却受到了组织上的严厉批评，说他现在的价值远远超过杀死站长数百倍，不能因小失大。
Another of his jobs was to handle the personal finances of the branch chief. After Tianjin was liberated from the Japanese, the Military Statistics Bureau was among the first to be reinstated. As a matter of fact, the Bureau chief, himself flew in to reorganize the bureau and filled a plane load of treasures confiscated from the Japanese back to Nanjing with him. During the same period, the branch chief also acquired a fortune. His forte, because of his intelligence and education, was not in compiling art and treasures, but rather in the banking, insurance, and salt enterprises. The restructuring and redistribution of stock shares involved complicated methods and required a lot of energy and time, so he delegated these tasks to Yu, and focus his own time and energy in routing out communist spies in the city of Tianjin. He never differentiated between good or bad communists, but used ruthless methods in his pursuit. And because of this, Yu had proposed to the communists the assassination of the branch chief numerous times. However, they repeatedly came back with reprimands him that his usefulness in gaining information for them was a hundred times more valuable than to have the branch chief killed. They could not risk his great usefulness for what to them was an insignificant matter.

　　由于他的工作量极大，胃也不好，身体在不知不觉间便越来越差。翠平看着他一天比一天瘦， 便提出来由她去送情报，给他分担一点负担。他问，组织上怎么给你交代的?她说组织上知道你一个人忙不过来，就想重新建立单线联系，让你写，让我送。他又 问：你知道为什么会选中你吗?她说知道，组织上说，一来是因为女学生们都到延安去了，一时找不到合适的人：二来是因为我不识字。余则成点了点头，第二条理 由最重要，组织上考虑的比他要周全得多。但是，他仍然不同意由翠平代替他去送情报，因为这项工作太危险，如果被抓，他的军统身份可以暂时抵挡一阵，能够争 取到撤退的机会，但翠平却没有这机会，而是只有一条死路。
Because of his heavy workload and stomach ulcers, Yu’s health had been deteriorating during this time. Seeing him losing weight, Cuiping offered to lessen his burdens by taking the deliveries to the drop. He asked her what the party said about doing this. She said that the party had known that he was overburdened, and would need to establish a new line of communication. “You compile the information and I will deliver it.” Then Yu asked, “Do you know why the party picked you for this job?” She replied that the party officials said the first reason was that all the female students had gone to Yan’an and they couldn’t find a suitable candidate. The second reason was that I was not literate. Yu nodded, the second reason was more important and the party was more thoughtful than he realized. Still, he was not going to let Cuiping be the messenger. His thinking was that would be too dangerous for her should she be caught. Had he been caught, he at least had an official title which could afford him some time, possible to escape, whereas they would execute her on the spot.

　　翠平许是看出了他的心意，便有些生硬地说，我被抓住也不会连累你，我的衣领里缝着砒霜哪。他只好笑道：你是我太太，站长的干女儿，抓住你必定会连累我。翠平当即怒道：你这样婆婆妈妈的，是对革命同志的不信任，依我看，你根本就不像他们说的那么英雄。从此后，一连几天翠平不再与他讲话，每日无聊地楼上楼下转悠，但抽烟还是到阳台上去，用那块文徵明的端砚当烟缸。
Cuiping might have guessed what he was thinking, and said bluntly, “Even if I were caught, I would not rat on you. I have arsenic sealed in my collar, which I will immediately take.” Being amused at her simplistic thinking, he said: ”You’re my wife and the god daughter of the branch chief. How could it possibly not implicate me?” Cuiping instantly flared up and said: “ What a coward you are! You don’t trust your revolutionary comrade. In my eyes, you are not the hero they make you out to be.” For several days thereafter, Cuiping refused to speak to him, but wandered around the house going up and down doing nothing. When she went out on the balcony to smoke, she continued to use his precious ink stone as an ash tray.

　　余则成心想，这便是他第一次望着她时，在她眼神中发现的那股子执拗。她是个单纯、不会变通、甚至有些鲁莽的女人。但是，他相信她一定很勇敢，会毫不犹豫地吞下衣领上的毒药或拉响那只攻坚手雷，为此，他对她又有了几分敬意。
Yu thought this was exactly the stubbornness he had seen in her eyes the first time they met. She was simple-minded, inflexible and even a little rude. But he also believed that she must be very brave and would surely take the arsenic without hesitation or even use the grenade to blow herself up. For that, his respect for her grew.

　　然而，此后不久发生了一件事，让他发现，对于他的安全来讲，翠平的存在甚至比老马还要危险。
However, something happened before long to make him realize that for his own safety, Cuiping was even more dangerous to him than Old Ma.

　　一九四六年八月十日，马歇尔和司徒雷登宣布对国共双方的“调处”失败，内战即将全面爆 发。在这个时候，军统局天津站的工作一下子忙碌起来，余则成一连半个多月没有回家，到了九月二日，国民政府军事委员会的《国军在华北及东北地区作战计划 书》终于下达了，与此文件一同送来的还有晋升他为中校的委任状。余则成这几年的工作确实非常出色，不论是对于中共党组织，还是对于军统局，所以，得到晋升是意料之中的事。
On August 10, 1946, General Marshall and Leighton Stuart announced that peace talks between the Nationalists and the Communists failed and civil war broke out. At this time, the Tianjin branch of the Military Statistics Bureau became very busy. Yu hadn’t gone home for over two weeks. On September 2nd, the National Military Commission announced the Military Strategic Plan for the Northern and North Eastern Areas and along with it came the notice of promotion that Yu was now a lieutenant Colonel. Yu had done an excellent job in the past few years, both for the Communists and the Nationalists, making the promotion totally expected.

　　他将文件替党组织拍照了复本，将原件给站长送了过去。站长一见挺高兴，说工作终于告一段落，咱们总算可以松一口气了，晚上带你太太来我家，让那孩子认认义母，你也顺便给大家伙儿亮一亮你的新肩章。
He made copies of the document for the communists and sent the original to the branch chief. Upon seeing the document, the branch chief said happily, “Now that we have wrapped up everything, we can take a break. Bring your wife to my home tonight. She can meet her god mother and you can show off your new stripes.”

　　于是，他急忙给家里打电话，是老妈子接的。翠平虽然来此已经几个月了，但仍然不习惯电 话、抽水马桶和烧煤球的炉子。他让老妈子转告太太，说晚上有应酬，让她将新做的衣服准备好。他还想叮嘱一下让翠平弄弄头发，但最后还是决定回去接她时再 说。这些琐事都是他们日积月累的矛盾，不是一时半会儿可以解决得了的。
So, he hurriedly made a call to home. It was the old maid who answered the phone. Although Cuiping had arrived several months earlier, she was still not used to the phone, the flushing toilet and the charcoal stove. Yu asked the maid to pass his words to his wife that there would be a party that evening and tell her to wear her newly made dress. He also wanted to say something about her hair, but decided he better tell her in person. All the small matters that had been accumulating for sometime now, could not be fixed at once.

　　果然，等他回到家中，翠平还蹲在阳台上抽烟袋，他安排的事一样也没做。老妈子赔不是，说太太这些日子心情不好，先生您要好好说话。他不愿意被用人看到他们的争吵，不管他是受命于军统局还是中共党组织，这些事被传出去都只会有害无益。
Not surprisingly, when he got him, he found Cuiping squatting on the balcony smoking her pipe, and hadn’t done anything he had asked at all. The old maid said apologetically, “the Missus has not been in a good mood recently, please speak to her nicely, sir.” Yu wouldn’t want anyone to see them arguing, for it wouldn’t be good if such incidents were gossiped about and got to either the nationalist or the Communists.

　　他努力让自己平静下来，对翠平说，晚上站长请你去见他太太，穿得正式才好。
He calmed him down with difficulty and said to Cuiping,” Branch Chief invited you to meet his wife. It would be best for you to dress up.”

　　站长虽然在本地安了好几处家，但始终与元配太太住在旧英租界常德道一号那所大宅子里。他对世俗的礼节非常重视，经常对手下讲，纲常就是一切，乱了纲常，一切也就都乱了。
Although the branch chief had several homes, he and his first wife had been always living in the mansion located at No. 1 Changde Road in the old British Concession. He was very respectful of the Chinese traditional morals and etiquette rules. He had told his subordinates repeatedly that forms of the social and family hierarchy is everything. If that was changed, all society would be thrown into chaos.

　　翠平收拾起烟袋和“烟灰缸”，回到卧室，这才说，我不想去见那些人，他们明明是些杀人魔鬼，坐在一起却装得好像是一群小学校里斯文的先生，让我越想越恨，总忍不住要拉响手雷把他们都炸死。
Cuiping gathered up the pipe and the ash tray and went back into the bedroom, and said, “I don’t want to see these people. They are all murderous demons inside, but sit there acting like polite school teachers. This only makes me feel more resentful towards them, making me want to pull the grenade and blow them up.

　　余则成只好说，我跟你解释过许多次了，这是工作需要，是革命事业的需要。
Yu said with resignation, “I have explained this to you many times. This is required of us to further the cause of our revolution.”

　　他必须得说服翠平，这种应酬是无法推托的。军统局对属下的内部团结有着极其严格的要求， 所以，不论是站长一级，还是侦探、办事员之类的下级人员，各种联谊活动以及私人之间的往来非常稠密，然而，翠平每一次参加这类活动，总是会给别人带来不快。当然了，她倒也没有什么特别的举动或言语，只是一到地方她便把那对粗眉拧得紧紧的，脸上被太阳灼伤的皮肤因为神色阴郁而越发地晦暗，有人与她讲话，她 也只是牵一牵嘴角，既没有一丝和气的神色，也没有一句言语。这与军统局所谓的“大家庭”气氛格格不入，特别是让那些因为丈夫参与接收而一夜之间浑身珠光宝气的家眷们大为恼火，便忍不住回到家中大发牢骚，而这些牢骚的作用也已经对余则成的工作造成了极其不利的影响。
Yu had to persuade Cuiping to go, because this was a ‘social demand’ and not just an invitation that they could refuse. The Military Statistics Bureau had very strict requirements for its associates to socialize, so there were frequent social gatherings at each level from the branch chiefs down to the detectives and agents. Whenever Cuiping attended one of these gatherings, she would cast a pall on the party. It was not because she said or did anything inappropriate, rather it was because she was always frowning and her sunburned face made her look even gloomier. Even when people tried to engage her in conversation, her lips would barely move and showed no interest whatsoever. Her lack of friendliness and withdrawal kept her an outsider from the “big bureau family.” It caused resentment among the snobby wives of the higher ranked officers, who complained about her to their husbands at home, and the repercussions of that often fell on Yu at work.

　　于是，他亲自动手替翠平拿出新做的印度绸旗袍、美国玻璃丝袜和英国产的白色高跟拷花皮鞋，又从首饰匣中挑出一串长长的珍珠。余则成不怕危险，也不怕牺牲，然而，做这些事却让他感到极度的屈辱。他从来也没有在心底埋怨过组织上对他不理解，但他有些埋怨组织上没有把翠平教育好。他从事的是一项极其危险的工作，在这个环境中翠平显然没有给他帮上任何一点儿小忙。
Therefore, Yu, himself, took out the newly made Indian silk Qipao for Cuiping, and the American nylon stockings and the English white leather pumps, as well as a long string of pearls from her jewelry box. He never feared dangers or sacrificing his life for the cause, but he felt humiliated having to do these things. He never blamed the party for not knowing him well, but felt that they should have trained her better. He was working on a very dangerous mission, and under the circumstance, Cuiping certainly was not helping.

　　在他拿衣物时，翠平一直深深地低着头，坐在床边生闷气，这时她突然说道：你整天把我关在家中，根本就没有把我当作革命同志，更没有给我任何革命工作。
While he was laying out the cloth and jewelry, Cupiping was sulking with her head down sitting on the bed. Suddenly, she said, “You have kept me imprisoned at home all this time. You have never treated me like a revolutionary comrade or given me any real assignment.”

　　余则成只能好言相劝，你住进这所房子本身就是革命工作，另外，如果你想散心，可以出去玩儿嘛，抽屉里有钱，站里边有车，到哪去都行，干什么都行。
Yu reasoned with her, saying that her living there was her assignment for the revolution. Had she felt bored, she was free to go out. There was money in the drawer for her to spend, and a car from the bureau was at her disposal. She had the freedom to go wherever she wanted and do whatever she pleased.

　　你是想让我跟你们站里那些阔太太一样混日子吗?我可是堂堂正正的游击队员。翠平抬眼盯住他，黑眼珠在燃烧。
“Do you really want me to squander my time like those snobby women? I am a proud guerilla soldier.” She glared at him with fire in her eyes.

　　对于女人的反抗，余则成无计可施，说道：那么你看该怎么办才好呢？
Facing resistance from a woman, Yu could do nothing but ask, “What do you want me to do?”

　　给我工作，正式的革命工作。翠平表现出当仁不让的勇气。
“Give me a job, a real job for the revolution.” Cuiping said with conviction.

　　你又不识字，而且……余则成猛地咬断口里不中听的话语，转口道：现在正是党的事业最关键的时期，党要求你潜伏在这里，你应该很高兴地服从才是，潜伏也是革命工作之一呀!
“You are illiterate, and …” Yu bit off the rest of the sentence and changed his tone, “It’s a critical time for the cause of our party. The party has asked you to stay undercover; you should gladly accept this job. Being an undercover agent is also a job for the revolution.”

　　从他进入军统局干训班开始，曾经有两年多的时间与党组织没有任何联系。那是一段痛苦不堪 的回忆，要求他一边学习并实践对共产党人的搜捕、刑讯和暗杀，一边等待为党组织做工作的机会。因为经历过那么艰难的考验，所以他对翠平轻视潜伏工作的态度很不满意。他觉得，翠平之所以不能理解组织上的用意，主要是因为她不是知识分子。他这样想丝毫没有轻视农工阶级的用意，只是这种无知无识的状态，让翠平对党的革命理想和斗争策略无法进行深入的理解。然而，他又确实不擅长教导翠平这样的学生，无法将党的真实用意清楚地传达给她，因为他只会讲些干巴巴的道理， 而翠平脾气硬，性格执拗，最不擅长的便是听取道理。所以，虽然他们是革命同志，但却无法沟通他们的革命思想。为此，余则成心中非常痛苦，而且是那种老老实实、刻骨铭心的自责。
Since Yu started the training program with the Military Statistics Bureau, there had been a period of over two years where he did not communicate at all with the party. It had been an excruciating experience to learn and practice arresting, interrogating and assassinating communists, while waiting for a new assignment from the party. Due to his numerous trials, he was disgusted by Cuiping’s contempt for being an undercover agent. He thought it was because she was uneducated that she didn’t understand the party’s strategy. He was not demeaning the illiterate farm class per se, but that the lack of education prevented her from understanding the party’s strategy and goals. Unfortunately, he was not able to teach Cuiping or others like her, the real party line. He could only repeat the dry party slogans and clichés to them. And because of her undisciplined, impetuous personality, Cuiping was neither a good student nor a good listener. So even though they were comrades, they could not communicate with each other their own ideas of the party’s ideals and goals. Yu felt unreasonable pain because of the strong guilt of not being able to change her mindset.

　　无奈之下，他只好再一次对翠平妥协，表示今晚应酬过后，他一定提请组织上给她安排任务。
Having no choice, he had to compromise by saying after tonight’s event, he would ask the party to give her a specific assignment.

　　翠平却说，组织上早已安排过了，协助你工作就是我的任务。
But Cuiping replied, “The party has assigned me a job, and that is to assist you.”

　　那么好吧。余则成只得又退了一步。不过，这次让步总算是给他带来了一点儿工作成绩——翠平终于同意用香皂洗头了。
“That’s OK.” Yu backed off one more step. But his compromise eventually brought him a reward – Cuiping agreed to use some fragrant soap to shampoo with.

　　许是因为余则成答应了她的要求，翠平今晚还算合作，将清洁的长发在脑后挽了个光润的发髻，但看上去却有些显老，与时髦的衣饰也不般配。余则成止住了她往脸上扑粉的动作，只让她搽了一点润肤油和唇膏。她的皮肤黑得确实不宜扑粉。
Probably because Yu agreed to her request, Cuiping was relatively cooperative that night. She twisted her shampooed hair into a smooth bun, which made her look more mature. Unfortunately, the hair do did not complement her fashionable outfit. Yu kept her from putting on too much make-up because of her dark complexion, and only allowed her to use a little vanishing cream and lipstick.

　　站长见到装扮一新的翠平，笑得非常开心，说这才好嘛，打扮起来真是好看。又对余则成下命令说，你可不许苛待我的干女儿，要尽可能地给她买些好衣服。余则成咔地一声碰响鞋跟表示从命，却没有留意到站长的话只是玩笑。
Upon seeing Cuiping in her new outfit, the branch chief laughingly said, “This is what you should be doing. You look very pretty when you are all made up.” And he turned to Yu and teasingly ordered him, “you must be generous to her and let her dress fashionably.” Yu agreed readily.

　　站长夫人是位身材高大，性格粗豪的老太太，五十多岁，据说是北洋时期一位督军的女儿，那位督军是行伍出身，于是女儿便继承了家风，双手能打盒子炮。翠平向老太太行大礼认亲，老太太也为她准备了非常贵重的首饰和衣料作为见面礼。前来观礼的都是军统局的同事，老马紧跟在余则成身边，一个劲儿地恭维他有大运气，日后必定会升官发财，妻贤子孝，姬妾香艳，姻亲满朝。
The wife of the branch chief was an assertive mature woman who was quite statuesque in her fifties. It was alleged that she was a general’s daughter during the period of the warlords and inherited her father’s ability to shoot with both hands. Cuiping paid proper homage to her adoptive god mother and the god mother in acceptance gave her some valuable jewelry and silks in return. The audience were the colleagues from the bureau. Among them was Old Ma standing next to Yu, following him and plying him with flattery, that his future was assured, that he would be promoted, and have a nurturing wife and many beautiful concubines and dutiful children with in-laws scattered all over the country.

　　余则成不即不离地应酬着老马，希望没有得罪他。这个家伙既有可能是杀他的刽子手，也会是他在军统局里的竞争对头。天津站在不久的将来会出现一个副站长的空缺，老马巴结这个位置已经许久了，而余则成这次被及时地晋升，便很自然地让他成为了这个 位置的候选者之一。成为副站长之后，他便可以看到通过照相电报传来的蒋介石的亲笔手令等最高级的机密。这也是他必须要完成的任务，在军统局里职位越高，他对党组织作出的贡献就越大，因此，他与老马的关系便不得不势如水火。
Hoping not to offend Old Ma, his replies were neutral. Old Ma could be his executioner, and was definitely his rival at the bureau. Rumors were that a new vice branch chief position would be forthcoming at the Tianjin branch. Old Ma had been coveting that position for a long time. As Yu had been recently promoted, he was also in line for this promotion. If he got this promotion, he would have access to the highest military secrets even those written by Chiang Kai-shek himself. His mission was to rise in rank as fast as possible, because the higher his position, the more he could contribute to the party. Therefore, he and Old Ma were really arch rivals and enemies.

　　老马今天的话很多，巴结得站长和站长太太都很高兴。他对翠平的话也很多，甚至主动带领她 楼上楼下参观了站长豪华的住宅，而且是半弯着腰在前边引路，像个旅馆里的门童。这让余则成很是后悔没有事先提醒翠平，因为，老马的前任便是被老马这样给恭维死的。那人是组织上给余则成安排在军统局中的搭档，他死后，余则成便常常感到孤单。
Old Ma was very talkative and flattering to the branch chief and his wife and made them happy. He was very attentive to Cuiping, showing her all around the grand mansion with a humble attitude as though he was an inferior. Yu regretted that he had not warned Cuiping earlier of Old Ma, whose predecessor died due to his obsequiousness. He had been Yu’s partner and fellow spy assigned by the communists. After his death, Yu felt very alone.

　　这一晚，翠平在聚会的后半段突然高兴起来，与老太太有说有笑，她的宝坻口音与老太太的安徽口音相映成趣，却让余则成看着担心，他猜不透翠平这份高兴的缘由。
Towards the latter part of the party, Yu noticed that Cuiping had suddenly become more animated. She was laughing and chattering with the branch chief’s wife. Their two distinctive accents mingled with enthusiastic laughter worried Yu to wonder what made Cuiping so cheerful.

　　内战在即，所以聚会散得很早，众人纷纷告辞。翠平搀着老太太的手臂落在后边往外送客，余则成也跟在她身后唯恐她出错。突然，他发现翠平趁着众人不注意，朝他使了个得意的眼色，并提起旗袍的开衩处向他一抖，而他一见之下，立时被惊得险些坐到地上。他看到，在翠平的旗袍下，美国玻璃丝袜子里面，插着一份文件，字面朝外，正是那份《国军在华北及东北地区作战计划书》。他立刻抬头向门外望去，发现早已告辞的老马还留在院中，身后散落着他的七八个手下，不住地拿眼盯着走出来的客人。此时聚在门边等候与主人告辞的客人已经不多了。无奈之下，余则成从老太太身边抢过翠平说，你不是要上厕所吗?然后拉起她便跑上二楼。
Due to the fact that the civil war was about to begin, the party ended early and people started leaving. Cuiping was clutching the arm of the branch chief’s wife, as they said their farewells to the guests. Yu was behind them worried that Cuiping would do something to expose them. Unexpectedly, Cuiping, surreptitiously, winked at him with a self-satisfied expression. She flipped at the slit in her qipao, shocking Yu to the point of horror. He saw slipped under her stocking a document with the words facing outwards, which was none other than the same Military Strategic Plan for the Northern and North Eastern Areas. Yu glanced out of the front door, noticing that Old Ma who had left some time ago was still in the front yard with some of his men. They seemed to be scrutinizing all the departing guests. At that time, there were very few guests left. With no other option, Yu yanked Cuiping’s arm, while saying “Don’t you need to go to the bathroom before we leave?” and rushed her upstairs.

　　站长的书房也在二楼，翠平一定是中了老马的奸计了。虽然老马并不一定知道翠平的真实身份，但圈套他是一定要下的，“有枣没枣打三杆子”，这是军统局传统的工作方法。
The Branch chief’s study was on the second floor, where Old Ma had set a trap for Cuiping, hoping to catch her possibly in it. The tradition of the bureau was to test all members, better to catch one than let one escape.

　　翠平却一边跑一边问，走出去就安全了，你干啥要回来?余则成只好吓唬她说你偷文件的事已 经被发现了，他们正在门外等着抓你。跑进书房，他问你在哪拿的?翠平一指书桌上已被打开的公文包，那是站长的公文包。他迅速从翠平衣下拉出那份文件，又放 在书桌上用十根手指弹琴一般按了个遍，好用他的指纹盖住翠平的指纹。刚刚将文件塞进公文包，门外便响起了脚步声。翠平这时黑眼睛一闪，咬紧嘴唇，一下子扑到他的怀中，像一只小动物一般在他的胸前拱来拱去。但余则成知道这样解决不了问题，便猛地将翠平的旗袍撩到腰际，然后将她抱到书桌上，一只手搬起她的一条 腿，另一只手迅速将站长的公文包锁好。同时他也留意到，翠平的脸已经红到了脖子和耳朵上。
While running up the stairs, Cuiping asked, ”We were almost safe, why are you pulling me back?” Yu frightened her by saying she had already been caught in the trap and they were waiting outside to expose them. When they entered the study, Yu asked “Where did you get the document from?” She pointed the open briefcase on the desk, which belong to the branch chief. Yu quickly pulled out the document from her stocking, put on the desk and rubbed it with his fingers to take out any finger prints left on it. Just as he placed the document into the briefcase, he heard the footsteps outside the room. Cuiping shut her eyes, bit her lips and threw herself into Yu’s arms, cuddling him. Yu knew that was not sufficient, and lifted her qipao over her hips, set her on the desk, with one hand up her panty, while locking the briefcase with the other. He saw that Cuiping was flushed from her ears down her neck.

　　冲进来的是老马和他的一班手下，见情形立刻愣在门口，笑道，小余，想不到你这个老实人也会干这调调儿!
It was Old Ma and his men who entered the room. Seeing them in that position, Old Ma said while grinning:” I never expected an innocent like you to do such a thing.”