。”另一
个兵士一面说，一面弓着背重来一次将我的衣角裤裆过细的捏，总企望着有新的发现。
“你们要相信我的话，不要瞎忙吧(12)！我不比你们国民党当官的，个个都有钱，
我今天确实是一个铜板也没有，我们革命不是为着发财啦！”我再向他们解释。
等他们确知在我身上搜不出什么的时候，也就停手不搜了；又在我藏躲地方的周
围，低头注目搜寻了一番，也毫无所得，他们是多么地失望呵！那个持弹欲放地兵士，
也将拉着的引线，仍旧塞进榴弹的木柄里，转过来抢夺我的表和水笔。后彼此说定表
和笔卖出钱来平分，才算无话。他们用怀疑而又惊异的目光，对我自上而下地望了几
遍，就同声命令地说：“走吧！”
是不是还要问问我家里有没有一些财产？请等一下，让我想一想，啊，记起来了，
有的有的，但不算多。去年暑天我穿的几套旧的汗褂裤，与几双缝上底的线袜，已交
给我的妻放在深山坞里保藏着——怕国民党军进攻时，被人抢了去，准备今年暑天拿
出来再穿；那些就算是我唯一的财产了。但我说出那几件“传世宝”来，岂不要叫那
些富翁们齿冷三天？(13)！
清贫，洁白朴素的生活，正是人们革命者能够战胜许多困难的地方！
Honest Poverty
Fang Zhimin
I have been engaged in the revolutionary struggle for more than a decade. During
these long militant years, I have lived a plain life with no luxuries to speak of. Millions of
dollars passed through my hands, but I always saw to it that every singly cent of the money
raised for the revolution was spent for no other purposes. This may sound like a miracle or
an exaggeration to Kuomintang VIPs. Self-discipline and self-sacrifice, however, are the
virtue characteristic of a communist. Therefore, should anyone inquire of me about my
personal savings, let him read the following amusing episode:
On the day of my capture—a most inauspicious day it was—two Kuomintang soldiers
discovered me in a wood. Sizing me up, they thought they had come upon a windfall and
started making a frantic body search, hopefully to find on me hundred of silvers dollars or
some jewellery like gold bracelets or rings. They frisked me from top to toe and passed
their hands over everything on me from the collar of my jacket to the soles of my socks,
but, contrary to their expectation, they found nothing at all, not even a single copper,
except a watch and a fountain pen. They were exasperated, suspecting that I had my money
hidden somewhere and refused to give it up. One of the two men had in his left hand a
wooden-handled grenade. He pulled out the cord from inside the wooden handled and
moved his legs one step apart as if he was about to throw the grenade. Glowering at me
ferociously, he threatened loudly,
“Out with your money quick, or you die!”
“Hey!” I said drily with a faint smile. “Don’t you put on such nasty airs! True I
haven’t got a single copper with me. You’re barking up wrong tree to seek a fortune from
me.”
“Shit! Nobody can ever believe a big shot like you ain’t got no money!” the soldier
with the grenade remained wholly incredulous.
“No money?” the other soldier joined in. “Impossible! It must be hidden somewhere.
No fooling an old hand like me.” Meanwhile, he bent low to pass his hand again ┅┅網┅文┅檔┅下┅載┅與┅在┅線┅閱┅讀┅
meticulously over every nook and corner of my clothes and the crotch of my trousers, still
holding out high hopes of making a new discovery.
“You should believe me and stop messing around!” I explained again. “Unlike your
Kuomintang officials who’re rolling in money, I’m really penniless. We join the revolution
not for personal gain.”
Finally, when they knew for certain that there was no money on me, they gave up the
body search. Nevertheless, they lowered their heads to scan here and there the place where
I had hidden myself, but again in vain. How frustrated they must have felt! The soldier
holding grenade pushed the cord back into its wooden handle, and turned round to
scramble for my watch and fountain pen. The two men, however, settled their dispute by
agreeing to divide the money equally between them after selling the spoils. They eyed me
up and down with suspicion and amazement before barking out in chorus,” come along!”
Dear readers, maybe you wish to know if I have any private property at home. Just a
minute! Let me see… Ah, here it is, but nothing much though. I have left with my wife
for safekeeping a few changes of used underwear and a few pairs of socks with mended
soles, all of which I used to wear last summer. She has now put them away in a remote
mountain valley to prevent them from being stolen in case of Kuomintang attack, so that I