筆者的Facebook 回憶 （其二）

    筆者由中學一年級開始有Facebook户口，其實平素亦不多用，多數是回覆私信和管理群組時方隨便點點戳戳的，可是若干年積累下來，倒有不少文章可供諸同好，亦可以令各位認識我多點。

  第二篇就是我在2014年，為一位英文老師的離職而賦的文章（全文見文末）。老師的名字叫 Mr. Daswani, 是一位具有英國紳士風格的印度裔俊男，約莫四十來歲。他和其他老師不同，不同就在於他看得懂我寫的文章，哈哈。

  筆者在中學考高考（中六班那大半年），協助我們備試的就是這位老師，雖然只是教導筆者一個學年，可是筆者和Mr. Daswani可謂成了「莫逆之交」。他精通歷史，對政治經濟有廣泛認識，並且熟識拉丁文，所以對筆者在文章、小組討論中拋的書包會會心微笑。

  Mr. Daswani 可以說是咖啡愛好者，經常都會見到他手握 Starbucks 的咖啡杯，在校園內穿梭。有一次無意中知道，原來他經常頭痛，因此要以咖啡來提神。

  Mr. Daswani 的兒子, Adrian 在 Mr. Daswani協助我們操練小組討論那段期間出生，而Mr. Daswani依然堅持回校幫我們操練，真的令筆者感動。

  Mr. Daswani 在4年前因為人事問題離任（筆者在文中託辭說是因為私人理由），可是好像沒有人為他發聲，於是筆者便當作鍵盤戰士，在Facebook起文，喟然而嘆。

註1: 文中提到的Itzhak Perlman 是一位天才小提琴家，而Zigeunerweisen是一首傳頌千古的名曲。

有興趣的讀者可以到以下鏈結收聽。https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufIlOXXMqs0

註2: 當時的英文課程很喜歡用Learning English Through Culture, Through Music 等等的字眼。 

註3: Adios- Goodbye in Spanish

註4: Howdy- How do you do

註5: Master Yoda 星戰人物，Mr. Daswani 的渾名

註6: See you later, alligator; In a while, crocodile 一對押韻的英文常用句，亦是Mr. Daswani的常用語。

註7: 作者發現自己當時的英文有點賣弄，是故作注解若干

I wrote this for the pure purpose of sharing my own feelings. It has never been my intention to occasion any kinds of speculation, excess attention or immense discussion.

Dear all, I wrote this with a heavy heart and probably a lump in my throat, expressing my deep regret about our beloved Assistant Principal-cum-English Panel Chairman, Mr. Daswani Ashok. P’s leaving our alma mater, Wah Yan College, Kowloon, after “18 years of beautiful days and nights”, according to Mr. Daswani himself.

I had the honour of being one of his students for the better part of a year when I was in form. 6. We are both great fans of Itzhak Perlman and love to enjoy his rendition of Zigeunerweisen (the song of a vagabond, Gypsy Airs). I would like to put it in this way, Mr. Daswani is one of the most professional teaching staff I have ever met and will ever meet. On the one hand, he is a demanding person and will never accept even the slightest flaw in our academic assignments. On the other, grave as he seems to be, he is, in fact, an exceedingly friendly and humorous person who invariably makes “bad jokes” (according to himself) once he has a chance when we chit chat with him after school. Also, he likes playing pranks on students and that always surprises us for we normally do not expect him to be so naughty (and do not expect him to be such a “witty card”)!

One thing I remember particularly the most is that he is a patron of Starbucks. He always carries with him that tall plastic cup with an SB logo on it filled with coffee or water. No one knows how many “gazillion” (one of his favourite expressions) bucks he has poured into this singular hobby. As of now, I still think he is capable of taking over the whole Starbucks branch over there in YMT and have great success in operating it after he resigned as a teacher in WYK.

Having said that he is a professional teacher, please let me elaborate on that. He is also a highly efficient marker to boot. Heaven knows how he managed to mark all of our Longman Elect overnight and gave us all of our booklets back the next morning! Besides, he was (and is, definitely) able to make an exhaustive record of all of our common mistakes (something like hyphenated words are counted as one word or the plural form of “staff” is still “staff”) and then taught us how to make improvements. He is truly a teacher with tailor-made materials for students besides all the compulsory learning-English-through-blahblahblah thingy and all those exorbitantly insipid SBA kinda stuff. He would teach us how to use euphemism and certain phrases extracted from some SCMP-excerpt-handouts featuring Jake Van Der Kamp or Michael Chugani’s masterpieces to embellish our composition tasks. What’s more, he could even tell you which type of questions appears the most in which year’s A-Level UE right off the top of his head! This made us very excited about each and every of his lesson. No one can guess what he is going to teach next. Even now, I still miss his DIY proof-reading worksheets very much. I am sure you have the same feeling Manson Wong) . Furthermore, he even shared with us why he opted to teach in Wah Yan some 18 years ago during his last lesson with us.

Mr. Daswani is as well-mannered and well-tempered a man as ever breathed. If my memory serves me correctly I have no recollection of his losing his mind or giving a piece of his mind (P.S. as a DSE student, I am quite confident with my memory, plus I don’t receive any objections to this lol). He is a great role model for us to learn from as he is truly a gentleman with all necessary etiquette that can rarely be seen even on some professors I have met in my university life. He once taught me to beware of the medical issues with the receiver of your gift and you had better know if one is allergic to nuts if your gift is nougat. Additionally, you should receive gifts that you do not like much with sweet words out of being considerate. Something like “thank you, I have a sweet tooth” when the gift happens to be a chocolate bar that makes you sick will do.

Mr. Daswani is also a man for and with others (allow me to use this phrase although some of you may find it a bit overused). I still remember vividly how Mr. Daswani helped us with our mock oral exam preparation during holidays when little Daswani (his son) was about to say hello to this beautiful world. He had to take care of his wife and make all necessary arrangements for the arrival of his new-born ( Alfred Lo do you remember what you saw at the airport?) while allocating his spare time getting us ready for the harsh examination. I will never forget that moment when I got that individual response question wrong and mouthed all nonsense stuff and Mr. Daswani looking at me with his pair of piercing eyes. (Since that was so, there was no more for me to say but to laugh hard) To tell you the truth, he is even more obliging after becoming a father, helping us tear the bar code label needed in school exam.

I am among those students particularly obliged to him. He helped me type up a recommendation letter for my applying for scholarship and his letter played an important role in my being selected one of the scholars.

This will never be an exhaustive passage of Mr. Daswani’s kindness and benevolence. I am sure you have many more details to add to this passage which deficiency cannot be more serious.

I know most of us will speculate upon the reason why Mr. Daswani should leave now. Be it authentic or be it artificial, I hold the notion that his leaving is of pure personal reasons. His ability is unquestionable and I am sure he is capable of getting along well with anyone on the ground that he is a seasoned man as well as a real nice person. Bygones are bygones. I, as one of his past students, will only wish him every success in his new position and be happily ever after with his family. Mr. Daswani, “adios” on behalf of Wah Yan but “howdy” of your new co-workers.

I just want to repeat what I texted you long time ago here, you are always the energetic young lad in our hearts.
May the force be with you, always and as always. What you strive for is beyond excellence.
See you later, Master Yoda, and not alligator. (and don’t call me a crocodile)

筆者的Facebook 回憶 （其一）

  筆者由中學一年級開始有Facebook户口，其實平素亦不多用，多數是回覆私信和管理群組時方隨便點點戳戳的，可是若干年積累下來，倒有不少文章可供諸同好，亦可以令各位認識我多點。

  第一篇就是我為2016年寫的 New Year's Resolution （全文見文末），亦即是新年立志，我當時想，要是我許下些甚麼鴻願，又未能實現，就真的是丟人現眼。所以，索性期許自己要快樂一點，就立於不敗之地了，哈哈。

  筆者的確是一個經常不快樂的人，幸有自己的信仰支持，不然，筆者今天只會是個憤世嫉俗之徒。文章的背景是記載筆者與友人一同前往舊校探望神父，從而勾出筆者的情感，故成文。

  筆者覺得神父他是一個年紀很大的精靈，有深邃的智慧，而且他受的那套教育與現今香港教育制度大異其趣，因此筆者對神父很有好奇之心。可是，筆者很少有機會上神父的堂，故此很多有關神父的認識，只屬風聞。例如，神父執教英文，悉逢教育局官吏巡視，要求神父交出資格證明，神父只好在箱中搜呀搜的，翻出希伯來文、拉丁文、希臘文的證書，良久方才翻出教授英文的資格證明，該官吏已汗流浹背。

  神父的逸事還有很多，希望可以另起篇幅以記之。

  神父的名字叫 Father Harold Naylor，以下是他的網站。

  http://www.hnaylor.net/



  31/12/2015

"I have never made New Year's resolutions but if I have to make one for 2016, it will be -- be happier."

We met unexpectedly with Father Harold Naylor when strolling around Wah Yan. Contrary to my imagination, the respectable octogenarian did not show many signs of old age, despite his haggard face his mind was still sharp and words still impressive. His air of decorum which could only be sensed out of a reverent Father, once again took us back to the old days when he was still that towering teacher upstage with us being obedient students listening humbly to his wise words.

He seemed to be able to recognize all of us to a certain degree, except me-- whom he had taught a year's worth of Ethics (that means I did not have the honour to do English Builder in "Cal-room"). Being responsible to find topics, I asked if I could have a look at what he was reading. With his consent, I found myself holding an issue of "The Tablet", an international Catholic weekly newspaper. Before I could have a clear look at it, Father had started talking about the 2015 Paris Climate Change Conference and had even gone on explaining CO2 and global warming. Through his piercing words, the whole complex international issue was boiled down to money (economic development). To illustrate that the well-being of mankind could not be measured by money, he used his pair of spectacle as an example, saying that the vision enabled by it outweighed the monetary costs incurred in purchasing it.

To put this into the context of Hong Kong, the well-being of Hong Kong people has always been entangled with the vested interest of those in power. How this power relationship chokes the vitality of Hong Kong society and stifles the many possibilities which could have been seen is beyond the imagination of each and every one of us. The point he wished to make was, I think, how we could make the place we live better. This may sound as like a cliche as many an important idea may sound. Even though we cannot solve the problem for now, we can still alleviate it. If this "cliche" was what the man, who has experienced so much and who has seen the development of countless students, wanted to share with us even in his twilight years, we really have to treasure up the idea and ponder it in our own heart.

Before we parted, we shook hands once again with this educated, wise man. I was the last to shake hands with him and when we did, he said to me, "Be happy!" Yes, I have always been a rather gloomy person who do not enjoy peace of mind most of the time. I knew not if Father could really perceive my internal state of constant uneasiness during our short chat but what he said has struck a chord in my heart. We bade farewell and Father trotted to lunch with little bouncing strides just like a child.

While we were still talking about the anecdote of Father's daunting investigators from the Education Bureau with his certificate in Hebrew Language, I couldn't help but think about the parting words by Father. I have never made New Year's resolutions but if I have to make one for 2016, it will be -- be happier. God bless and keep the great man who has given so much to our society.

Also, I would like to wish all of you a happy and prosperous 2016!

With Bok Siu Lun Matthew Chan Father Harold Naylor and Hubert Leung (who has yet to have a facebook account).

一隅 Eng Lit -- Sherlock Holmes The Adventure of the Dancing Men

 一隅 Eng Lit  -- Sherlock Holmes The Adventure of the Dancing Men

  我很喜歡看書；小時候，當別的小孩看成人電影，我就去成人圖書館。Excuse my laan gag. 還記得我七歳時，家姐借了本倪匡寫的衞斯理之連鎖和老貓，但沒有看完。我為了讓她難看，便趁她不看時試圖把整本衞斯理看完。唉，小孩心理比霧中花，水中月更難捉摸。雖然我最後都沒有看完，但卻促使我和書本結下不解之緣。

  在中學時，迷上了福爾摩斯的小說；Sherlock Holmes 嚴格來說是偵探小說 ｰｰ 一部 feature 一個偵探的小說，而不是推理小說。怎麼？事關推理小說講求讀者和主人公有同等的証據和線索，讀者有機會憑自己的推理能力揪岀始作俑者；福爾摩斯則大異其趣，往往主人公小福會憑自己的觀察力、犯罪學知識、化學知識和直覺，在憨厚的同伴ｰｰ華生醫生Doctor Watson 還未弄到個所以然時，已經勘破當中的案件細節。然後，好整以暇地把犯人誘約岀來，風花雪月般扯淡一番，倏然面色一沉，大呼"Inspector Lestrade!" (小福亦友亦敵的警官拍檔)，在旁恭候多時的警察就會從暗處閃身岀現，一湧而上，這時，縱然犯人有通天徹地之能，也難免身繫囹圄，大啖皇家飯。

  這時，Inspector Lestrade 就會既滿意，又不屑地冷冷跟小福寒暄幾句，然後換到華生大惑不解。我們的大偵探這時才把犯案經過娓娓道來，說得直比犯人知道的更清楚詳細，然後換華生一臉敬佩。最後小福才pull a straight face, 用既posh且字正腔圓的British Accent 吐岀(observe) 一句關於人性的哲理，來畫龍點晴 ｰｰ 究竟這句東西岀自莎翁之手還是荷馬之口都不打緊，觀眾收貨便可。總而言之，一套標準的福劇就是這樣，that's about it.

沒有飆車場面，逮捕犯人從來沒有來得這樣順理成章

(來源: Google Photos)

最令讀者感到驚喜的，是小福除了文質彬彬地會搞推理之餘，本身亦是一位身手矯健之人，擅長使用Baritsu -- 英國版本的日本柔術，據說同時亦有Boxing 和 Cane Fencing 的原素。現實中有沒有此等技藝我就不得而知，可光是想像小福揮舞手杖，漫不經心地一輪挑刺連環，敵人就爭先恐後地四腳朝天，不醒人事 --- 有夠帥的。

(來源: Google Photos)

歷年來有多位著名演員把小福詮釋得出神入化。最左手面的一位自然就是Benedict Cumberbatch。這位據聞有皇室血統的演員成功把小福一角重新定義一番，讓人們看看現代的Sherlock Holmes 究竟如何破案。英國人可以將Conan Doyle 筆下的角色多番二次創作，令其歷久常新，真的令人敬佩。

左二那位是飾演Iron Man 的 Robert Downey Jr. ，算是半個英國人，他演的Sherlock Holmes 少了幾分冷酷，多了幾分喜感，亦是可以一看再看的熱門角色。

右一的是Basil Rathbone，是演莎劇岀身的藝人，他演的小福儒雅非常，很有味道，而且他主演的小福系列電影有不少改編作，令人耳目一新。

右二的那位，是筆者個人最為欣賞的Jeremy Brett. 此公演技甚好，演起小福入型入格，可以說他是銀幕上小福的definitive 形象。演舞台劇岀身的他試演007失敗，卻成功在84-94年間以扮演福爾摩斯撼動人心。儘管他在未有拍完全部福爾摩斯系列，就已然辭世，可是他演的Sherlock Holmes 平衡了激情(passion) 和冷漠(nonchalance)，紳士風度和江湖氣質，成為了深入民心的那一位Sherlock Holmes。 紐約時報為他刊登的訃聞如下

"Mr. Brett was regarded as the quintessential Holmes: breathtakingly analytical, given to outrageous disguises and the blackest moods and relentless in his enthusiasm for solving the most intricate crimes."

布雷特堪稱福爾摩斯的化身：分析透徹、性情陰沉、喬裝利害到不行；哪怕是對最棘手的案件，都懷有鍥而不捨的熱忱。

好了，說過水銀燈下的小福，是時候談談原稿紙上的那位不管是大奸大惡之徒，還是偷雞摸狗的宵小，都聞風喪膽的大偵探。

The Adventure of the Dancing Man

(原文鏈結：http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/AdveDanc.shtml)

談小福之前，先談談故事大綱。筆者初中上Eng Lit 課時要讀這故事的simplified version 。當時當然領略不了箇中精粹，後來慢慢細讀，才漸入佳境。小福的故事都是華生醫生用第一人稱的角度敍述的，而華生是一位退役的軍醫，人物的原形就是同為醫生的柯南道爾。

Holmes had been seated for some hours in silence with his long, thin back curved over a chemical vessel in which he was brewing a particularly malodorous product. His head was sunk upon his breast, and he looked from my point of view like a strange, lank bird, with dull gray plumage and a black top-knot.

首先，我要指岀，柯南道爾筆下的小福從來都不是善男信女，更加不是甚麼金髪俊男 (儘管他的(外)祖母是法國藝術家 (Horace) Vernet 的姐姐或妹妹)。抱歉要打破大家的幻想，要形容小福就從來只有一隻字--Eccentric (古怪)。故事甫始，小福就在做些奇怪的化學實驗；化學是小福的興趣，甚至華生在第一次見到小福時，小福也在做實驗。聰明的看官應該猜到，這樣的人設是為了方便讓小福用化學知識揪岀綫索和犯罪証據；不過，可憐的華生和他們的包租婆Mrs. Hudson 就難免鼻子受罪。

  "So, Watson," said he, suddenly, "you do not propose to invest in South African securities?"
I gave a start of astonishment. Accustomed as I was to Holmes's curious faculties, this sudden intrusion into my most intimate thoughts was utterly inexplicable.
"How on earth do you know that?" I asked.

有看新版小福的諸位都知，當小福靠觀察去推理之時，電視畫面上會憑空出現一些對話框(bubble)，告訴看官們小福從蛛絲馬跡中看到了甚麼。當然，在小說中我們看不到對話框，於是我們只有從文字中感受其推理能力。而華生這個跟小福朝夕相對的人，就無可避免成為小福推理的「受害者」。

He wheeled round upon his stool, with a steaming test-tube in his hand, and a gleam of amusement in his deep-set eyes.   
"Now, Watson, confess yourself utterly taken aback," said he.    
"I am."   
"I ought to make you sign a paper to that effect."    
"Why?"    
"Because in five minutes you will say that it is all so absurdly simple."    
"I am sure that I shall say nothing of the kind."

由此可見，小福是個無聊到極的人，每天最大的樂興許是捉弄華生，還要讓其簽字証明自己「被捉弄了」。

(略去一大堆開場白) Now, it was not really difficult, by an inspection of the groove between your left forefinger and thumb, to feel sure that you did NOT propose to invest your small capital in the gold fields."
      "I see no connection."

接下來就是小福的長篇大論:
"Very likely not; but I can quickly show you a close connection. Here are the missing links of the very simple chain:

1. You had chalk between your left finger and thumb when you returned from the club last night. 

2. You put chalk there when you play billiards, to steady the cue. 

3. You never play billiards except with Thurston. 

4. You told me, four weeks ago, that Thurston had an option on some South African property which would expire in a month, and which he desired you to share with him. 

5. Your check book is locked in my drawer, and you have not asked for the key. 6. You do not propose to invest your money in this manner."

由此可見，看官跟作者的信息不對稱，以致讀者不能和小福同步推理，只能口瞪目呆地看小福在扯淡，亦注定了小福永遠不會是一部推理小說，而是feature一個偵探的歷險故事。我特地引述小福的推理，是要帶出其推理是依賴觀察和思考(歸納法deduction)而得出結論的。

I looked with amazement at the absurd hieroglyphics upon the paper.    
"Why, Holmes, it is a child's drawing," I cried.    
"Oh, that's your idea!"    
"What else should it be?

故事一轉，就提到了本文的重點，一封由Norfolk的Riding Thorpe 莊主Mr. Hilton Cubitt寄來的奇怪信件，信上只有一些令人摸不着頭腦的圖案(dancing man)。

事情的來龍去脈是這樣的:Hilton去年跟Elsie Patrick結婚，可是Elsie卻不肯向Hilton吐露自己的過去，只肯保證自己是個道德無虞的人。
If you take me, Hilton, you will take a woman who has nothing that she need be personally ashamed of, but you will have to be content with my word for it, and to allow me to be silent as to all that passed up to the time when I became yours.

Hilton接受了Elsie的不情之請，與之成婚，本來一直相安無事，可是自六月開始，Elsie收到了來自美國的一封信，自此驚慌失措，惶惶不可終日。

本來，Hilton以為這只是小孩的惡作劇，怎料就是這些「鬼畫符」，令到Elsie怕得要命。可是，Hilton和Elsie有承諾在先，又不能細問Elsie的過去，以致落入了一個兩難的局面。因此，Hilton才會找上小福，誓要把事情查到底（這又算不算是違反了跟Elsie的承諾呢？）

從Elsie收到信之後，Hilton就開始在莊園不同的角落看到不同的dancing man圖案，起初Hilton只是把所有「塗鴉」去除，可是Elsie卻要求Hilton，要把dancing man圖案交給自己。Hilton於是把新發現的圖案交給Elsie，怎料......
I showed it to Elsie, and down she dropped in a dead faint. Since then she has looked like a woman in a dream, half dazed, and with terror always lurking in her eyes.
Elsie怕得昏倒了，自此只剩半條人命。

Hilton覺得報警是沒有用的，因為警察只會把他當笑話看，於是Hilton就來找小福幫忙。
Mr. Holmes. It was not a thing that I could take to the police, for they would have laughed at me, but you will tell me what to do. I am not a rich man, but if there is any danger threatening my little woman, I would spend my last copper to shield her."
為了Elsie，Hilton不惜傾家蕩產。

不出所料，Hilton接連收到難以解釋的dancing man圖案：

每一次Hilton收到圖案，都會寄給小福，當華生看得大惑不解時，小福卻道：

"Excellent!" said Holmes. "Excellent! Pray continue."

"Our material is rapidly accumulating," said he.

這時，聰明的讀者應該猜到，圖案只是密碼，而小福要求Hilton寄dancing man的圖案給他，只是為了多一些材料去破釋其中密碼。正當小福把密碼破釋得七七八八，準備起程前往莊園破案之際，突然收到另一封信。

Holmes bent over this grotesque frieze for some minutes, and then suddenly sprang to his feet with an exclamation of surprise and dismay. His face was haggard with anxiety. "We have let this affair go far enough," said he. "Is there a train to North Walsham to-night?"

小福神情慌張，竟然要立馬起程前往莊園！

This message makes it even more essential that we should not lose an hour in letting Hilton Cubitt know how matters stand, for it is a singular and a dangerous web in which our simple Norfolk squire is entangled."

究竟一所平凡的莊園，被捲入了何種風波？

小福和華生甫抵莊園，驚悉Hilton昨晚被槍殺，而Elsie亦中槍重傷，昏迷不醒。而種種證據表明，Hilton是先被Elsie所殺，然後Elsie再吞槍自盡。小福當務之急，是要和當地的Inspector Martin合作破解種種疑竇。以下是二人的對話：

  "Why, Mr. Holmes, the crime was only committed at three this morning. How could you hear of it in London and get to the spot as soon as I?"

     "I anticipated it. I came in the hope of preventing it."

     "Then you must have important evidence, of which we are ignorant, for they were said to be a most united couple."

     "I have only the evidence of the dancing men," said Holmes. "I will explain the matter to you later. Meanwhile, since it is too late to prevent this tragedy, I am very anxious that I should use the knowledge which I possess in order to insure that justice be done. Will you associate me in your investigation, or will you prefer that I should act independently?"

     "I should be proud to feel that we were acting together, Mr. Holmes," said the inspector, earnestly.

     "In that case I should be glad to hear the evidence and to examine the premises without an instant of unnecessary delay."

雖說是合作，但當然是小福的個人表演時間，一經推理，發現有第三者在兇案現場不止，還要藉機向華生解釋破釋密碼的經過，原來小福最後收到的圖案，意思是：
ElSIE PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD
由此推斷，有人要對Hilton家不利，可是一切已經太遲......

最後，小福以其人之道，用dancing man圖案把犯人Abe Slaney誘約出來，然後Abe就和盤托出，原來......就留給讀者自己看原文吧！各位如果因此喜歡了看小福系列，記緊告訴我。

小福貴為英國通俗文學上一位歷久不衰的人物，自然有其魅力，大家如想入手，可以從短篇開始看，而這篇就是很好的入手作。當然，如果大家想從頭開始看，就得從A Study in Scarlet開始，但該故事為長篇故事之一，有心理的準備的讀者大可一試。

（完）

讀 聽陳蕾士的琴箏 有感

          聽陳蕾士的琴箏一文係考試範文，原本跟考DSE的在下毫無干係，真是干卿底事 (或作關我底綫事)，一日與中學老師閒談，談得興起，雖則吾師沒有「囑予作文以記之」，只是狂生不吐不快而已矣! 我對中樂的認識，如能 量化，可以說是負數﹔亦無參考其他賞識，全憑在下憶測，不喜勿插。好文章應做到老嫗能解，我解不了可不是我的錯噢!

以下粗字為文章原文，幼字為筆者意見。
按一: 友人說此文用典太為明顯，令人敬而遠之。如有同感，抱歉萬分。筆者多用成語，只想表達自己腦海構圖，用典盡量使用令人一望就算不明，亦大概有個概念的典故。似懂非懂，方為美。筆者無意賣弄，亦無力賣弄，賣弄只令人生厭，作文時，為講求意象，唯有請諸位看官海涵。

聽陳蕾士的琴箏——黃國彬

他的寬袖一揮，萬籟
就醒了過來。自西湖的中央
一隻水禽飛入了濕曉，
然後向弦上的漣漪下降。

月下，銀暈在鮫人的淚中流轉，
白露在桂花上凝聚無聲，
香氣細細從睡蓮的嫩蕊
溢出，在發光的湖面變冷。

涼露輕輕地敲響了水月，
聲音隨南風穿過窗櫺
直入殿閣。一陣蕩漾
過後，湖面又恢復了平靜。

他左手抑揚，右手徘徊，
輕撥著天河兩岸的星輝。
然後抑按藏摧，雙手
游隼般俯衝滑翔翻飛。

角征紛紛奪弦而起，鏗然
躍入了霜天﹔後面的宮商
像一隻隻鼓翼追飛的鷂子
急擊著霜風衝入空曠。

十指在急縱疾躍，如脫兔
如驚鷗，如鴻雁在大漠陡降﹔
把西風從竹林捲起，把木葉
搖落云煙盡斂的大江。

十指在翻飛疾走，把驟雨
潑落窗格和浮萍，颯颯
如變幻的劍花在起落回舞，
彈出一瓣又一瓣的朝霞。

雪晴，山靜，冰川無聲。
在崑崙之巔，金色的太陽
擊落紫色的水晶。紅寶石裡
珍珠如星云在靜旋發光。

然後是五指倏地急頓……
水晶和融冰鏗然相撞間，
大雪山的銀光驀然在高空
凝定。而天河也靜止如劍。

廣漠之上，月光流過了
云漢，寂寂的宮闕和飛簷
在月下聽仙音遠去，越過
初寒的琉璃瓦馳入九天。

一九八二年九月二日

陳蕾士，當代音樂家，在中大任職期間，曾邀思果先生和我到崇基的音樂數據室聽他彈奏琴箏。崇基的音樂數據室幽靜雅緻，外牆披垂著常春藤，四周儘是花木和鳥聲。那天下午，我在琴音中成了個雅士，彷彿置身於古代的中國。現在陳先生已經退休，思果先生遙居美國，我也離開了中大，轉往港大教書，有空的時候只能聽聽陳先生贈送的唱片。當日美妙的琴音和箏聲，早已在吐露港的風中消逝了。

一九八三年八月十二日追記


以下為筆者二次創作

 聽陳蕾士的琴箏——黃國彬

他的寬袖一揮，萬籟 就醒了過來。

我可以告訴你，這文的第一句已然令我大感驚豔，事關黃氏利用了一種歌劇意象的手法去描寫事物。他ｰｰ自然是指陳蕾士。寬袖二字，業已帶岀琴師的中國風味，暗示其服裝應是屬中式長袍一類；一揮衣袖，省去了撥動琴弦的描寫，活像琴師身有奇蠱法術，似揮魔杖，萬籟隨之甦醒。萬籟乃大自然聲響統稱，琴師一彈指，竟誘得大自然興歌相和，其縱然未必得道成仙，但肯定已臻超凡脫俗之境。讀者如有看過芭蕾舞劇，可能有印象，在音樂響起之前，芭蕾舞者ｰｰ或演樹，或演花，必須靜止不動；音樂響起後，才傭賴伸展，繼而起舞。此句和芭蕾舞劇的意象大有相似之處！當然，黃氏寫了萬籟一詞，是為了後文寫花鳥蟲魚埋下伏筆，以便用自然景物借代琴音起伏。有人常說中文可以用一言半語表達諸般意思，靠的不是華麗詞藻，而是字詞的搭配所鉤勒出的景象。

自西湖的中央
一隻水禽飛入了濕曉，
然後向弦上的漣漪下降。

明顯地，此處是描寫琴師的手放在剛剛被撥至震動的琴弦上，隨即準備開展其後的樂章。黃氏極有可能從琴弦的震動聯想到湖水的震動。在物理學上，兩者的波型都是呈向四面八方作輻射狀。當然，在構圖來說，波紋從湖中央擴展是最為佳美；西湖在此處的作用只是為了充撐字數？寫了湖卻不知是哪湖，只好把歷代騷人墨客寫得透了的西湖放置其中。筆者對中國琴的指法可以說是一竅不通，因此不知琴師的彈琴掌型到底是作熊掌狀或是鷹爪狀，毫無概念。水禽可借代琴師之手從半空落下，或作琴音驀然 (from nowhere) 生成。作水禽而非飛禽，一以避免重複後文「飛」，二以配合前文西湖之境。濕曉一詞表達潮溼的清晨，如「芙蓉濕曉露」；一隻禽鳥隨著露水襯托住的黎明飛降到泛起漣漪的湖面，何其大雅 (甚有日本畫作的意象!)。再者，琴師首先用數顆音韻打破房中寂靜，再不徐不疾地慢慢用手一捺弦線，以示此樂章並非銀瓶乍破後的一輪金戈鐡馬，而是寫意鋪張的雲卷雲舒，精心落墨的細膩工筆。

月下，銀暈在鮫人的淚中流轉，
白露在桂花上凝聚無聲，
香氣細細從睡蓮的嫩蕊溢出，
在發光的湖面變冷。
剛寫完濕曉，筆鋒一轉寫明月，此為對仗。「鮫人的淚」暗指珍珠，所謂鮫人泣珠是也。此處「鮫人」也許用以對比水禽。銀色的光暈在珍珠的表面上流轉，意即圓潤的音色飄盪於房間之中。白露即白色露水﹔在桂花上凝聚無聲，意即陳蕾士的琴聲在不知不覺間交織出一片優美的氛圍，叫人似覺心神蕩漾，卻又無從追溯起究竟是那一顆音、那一段樂章如此扣人心弦。所謂潤物細無聲，無聲就是大自然的法則 --- 大音希聲，大象無形。陳蕾士的琴聲亦是這般滋潤作者的心。香氣慢慢從睡蓮的嫩蕊溢出，亦是一種表達樂章發展有條不紊的手法，不求立馬發展至高潮，但求慢慢蘊釀。香氣不急於從湖面併發開去，而是在湖面變冷，含蓄非常。此處指琴音營造一種精華內斂，似發不發的感覺，令人不勝期待。筆者雖然沒有多聽陳蕾士的琴聲，卻對西方音樂略有所聞 (罪過罪過)，作者此番描寫令筆者想起威爾第 (Antonio Vivaldi) 四季樂章中夏的其中一節 -- 暴風雨 (Storm)，亦是一直忍而不發，好吊人胃口。

涼露輕輕地敲響了水月，
聲音隨南風穿過窗櫺
直入殿閣。一陣蕩漾
過後，湖面又恢復了平靜。 
涼露輕輕敲響了水月，境界很空靈。涼露令我聯想到「夜涼如水」，卻敲響了水月，別無他法，只有在涼露凝結而墜落水面，弄皺水中明月倒影時，方可輕輕將之敲響。此處，筆者偶發奇想，水月倒影，是否借指模進句 (Sequence)？然則中樂是否有此一法？不管如何，涼露輕輕敲響了水月，可能是指琴師在數番輕攏挑抹後，一下揚手推撥，把一湖縱橫交錯的水波瞬息理順，在湖面泛起一陣清風，伴漣漪向同一方向推送出去(propagate)。此處，文中突然充滿了空間感﹕有一瓊樓出現在湖旁。琴音隨風穿過窗櫺，意即琴音在房中再次回盪，甚至溢出音樂數據室，飄出崇基、飄出中大、飄出沙田。聲音直入殿閣，為要表達琴聲之無遠弗屆，充斥整個空間。雖然是彈指之間，琴音已然沛塞蒼冥，包裹住聽琴之人。可是，此般充盈一閃即逝，琴師略作收撥，稍為住手，湖面又恢復了平靜，令聽琴者受用無窮，卻又點綴以一陣寂寥、一陣落差，令人不禁回味。

他左手抑揚，右手徘徊，
輕撥著天河兩岸的星輝。
然後抑按藏摧，
雙手游隼般俯衝滑翔翻飛。 
此處，作者選擇以直接描寫陳蕾士的動作，以帶出樂章的變奏。左手抑揚，似在按音﹔右手徘徊，似在撥弦。輕撥著天河兩岸的星輝，意即以兩手一番轉軸撥絃，琴音再度泛起，美不勝收，直追銀河星輝。突然，琴師手法倏轉﹔抑按即是藏摧，陳蕾士蓄意收起一番璀燦景緻，似有深意。驀地，陳蕾士旋肩轉膊，輕舒猿臂，雙手刺斜一伸，一輪狂風驟雨般急掃連彈，琴聲丁丁(音:爭爭)，音調錯綜複雜，在高鳴和低咽當中爭持不下，舉棋不定。樂章終於發展至一瀉千里之境。

角征紛紛奪弦而起，鏗然躍入了霜天﹔
後面的宮商像一隻隻鼓翼追飛的鷂子
急擊著霜風衝入空曠。 
此處，作者賦每顆音韻以生命，追求跳脫。在中樂裏，五聲音階為宮商角徵羽，分別指Do Re Mi So La。著名以五聲音階創作的歌曲，有滄海一聲笑。Mi So 奪弦而起，Do Re 在後緊緊跟隨，明顯的是Mi So 比較高音，因而躍入霜天(很高的天，天越高越冷)；Do Re 比較低音，因此聽上去比較低沉，追趕高音顯得吃力。奇怪的是，音樂不是講求和諧嗎？然而，樂章已臻高潮，反倒要求有「鐵騎突岀刀槍鳴」之感，猶其是琴箏一類的弦樂器，音色鏗鏘，不甘只作燕雀囀嗚，反倒追求杜鵑啼血、精衞填海之氣魄；如嘈如切，豪情直追高爾基筆下的海燕。衝入空曠，即琴音到了之前尚未涉足的維度。

十指在急縱疾躍，如脫兔
如驚鷗，如鴻雁在大漠陡降﹔
把西風從竹林捲起，把木葉
搖落云煙盡斂的大江。 
老實說，這段令我聯想起倪匡筆下的六指琴魔。Anyway, 琴師的雙手可靜若處子，令蓮香冷凝；可動如脫兔，急縱疾躍 ｰｰ 紀錄片中的兔子會沒命價狂奔，不外乎一事 ｰｰ 逃命， 由其是沙漠兔，要是稍稍走慢一步，早就給烏鳶「銜飛上掛枯樹枝」，或者是仙人掌枝。因此，脫兔為了躲避蒼鷹，會向最意想不到的地方逃竄，向每一個目所能及的沙洞縱深猛衝！陳蕾士的琴音也是如此岀人意表、蜿蜒曲折、左穿右插、波譎雲詭。驚鷗比較少見，多作驚鴻，但只為避免重複後文。在大漠陡降：大漠給人一種肅殺之感，有大禽陡降，無非為食，跟前文脫兔相應，也可借代琴音從高處陡降 (glissando?)。說完大漠，又說竹林、大江，也是一種常見的對仗手法。所謂舍弟江南歿，家兄塞北亡，為求對仗工整耳。把西風從竹林捲起，即從竹林捲起一陣西風，把木葉(聽眾的心神)帶送(carry away)至雲煙盡斂的大江 ｰｰ 盡斂即消散殆盡，如此大江必定是一望無際，浩浩湯湯，表達了一種氣勢。一股風把木葉若干吹至大江裏去，表達了木葉的輕靈，也襯托出大江的宏偉。木葉從竹林搖落大江，即大江兩岸有竹林，寓意樂章轉換有度，不會把木葉刮到九霄雲外，再狠狠摔到江心。

十指在翻飛疾走，把驟雨
潑落窗格和浮萍，颯颯
如變幻的劍花在起落回舞，
彈出一瓣又一瓣的朝霞。
此處，作者重覆了十指一詞，竟為何意？我想，大概是沒有更好的選擇。這裡，作者不經意把我們領回湖畔(未圓湖?)。你身在古代的庭園，推窗一望，打擾了荷花池的怡然自得。忽然天空烏雲密佈，竟下起大雨來。你在雨水弄濕房間前拒諸門外，卻令其打在窗格上。一絲絲雨水在油紙上無力地滑落，只遺下一點點殘露﹔你看住雨水把浮萍打得載浮載沉，伴隨水波或高或低。淅瀝淅瀝，是甘霖，也作琴音。雨聲颯颯，是劍客起舞之際。你看，她一套劍耍得滴水不漏，起伏不定，如白蛇吐信、蒼鷹撲兔、猱猿升木、鯉躍龍門 ...... 一團銀光包裹住她，仿佛眼前的不再是舞劍倩女，而是指繞白緞的歌姬，在回旋起落﹔水珠打在綢帶上，只有綻放出一朵朵冰花，飛散到半空中，映照得適時天色已霽、含羞答答的陽光，幻化成七色霞暈﹔如畫家調墨，加紅添綠、天地玄黃都盡收其中，驀地一聲，卯足勁頭，用力一潑，如磐古初開，山岳湧現、天蒼地茫、旭日烘烤霞霧，萬華充盈於世。

雪晴，山靜，冰川無聲。
在崑崙之巔，金色的太陽
擊落紫色的水晶。紅寶石裡
珍珠如星云在靜旋發光。
雪晴、山靜、冰川無聲，萬有屏息以待。等待的是黎明，還是末世？你看！在崑崙之巔，三界引頸仰望，金色的太陽擊落紫色的水晶……然後一切復歸平靜，平靜……夜闌人靜，月白風清，只有空谷幽蘭，在顧影自憐……

金色和紫色，都是十分搶眼的色彩，兩者又豈能水乳交融？陽光從九天俯衝而下，凌居絕頂的堅晶又豈能無視其洶洶來勢？只好全力反撲，拼個究竟。高亢的角徵與雄厚的宮商兩強相遇，只好來一場龍爭虎鬥，令人心旌神搖。相撞一刻，光芒四濺，縱然有聲響，也早已遠超凡耳所能及，只有一片寂靜能映襯岀其瑰麗雄奇。紅寶石是璀璨奪目，懾人心魄；珍珠是圓潤澤手、皓白生溫。難道金戈鐵馬後，竟有完卵？有！造化神詭，豈是你我能企及？鬼神失色的災劫，竟以是寳石珍珠相忘於天地的襯托。

然後是五指倏地急頓……
水晶和融冰鏗然相撞間，
大雪山的銀光驀然在高空
凝定。而天河也靜止如劍。
可是，就在我輩快將得窺星際間最為瑰麗奪目的景致時，陳蕾士之手嘎然而止！突然間，仿佛支撐天地的那根定海針被頑皮的獼猴偷走，導致天崩地裂、飛沙走石、風雲色變！琴音營造的世界快要消失，剛才的烏金烈日黯然失色，幻化為冷酷無情冰晶，要和九淵下的雪原同歸於盡……「崩」的一聲，金石相擊，盪氣回腸，究竟是宮商角徵，已不打緊……琴音似收未收，仍然蓄勢待發，如箭在弦！雖琴音隱而不揚，卻鋒芒畢露；你是那異國使者，朝拜君王，走在兩旁矗立著執戟郎的甬道，誠惶誠恐，稍有不檢，你便會伏屍人前。正是「曲終收撥當心畫，四弦一聲如裂帛」。你彈奏完了琴，可是我們應該以喜？還是以憂來回報你的曲目？

廣漠之上，月光流過了
云漢，寂寂的宮闕和飛簷
在月下聽仙音遠去，越過
初寒的琉璃瓦馳入九天。
一曲既終，縱然先前有甚麼光輝，多麼了不起，在琴音既罷，更無新曲之際，都變得可有可無。午夜夢迥，只看見月光流轉處，緑瓦和浮雕發岀幽幽青光。多年以來，不知你聽過多少琴瑟琵琶，又有幾多句小調是你心所好？可是我只回味我聽過的那一曲；現在，她又在我心泛起。瓊樓呀！請你化左一縷青煙，好載我乘風飄去，帶我到物我兩忘的九天，永遠置身在琴音記載的那個境地。

一九八二年九月二日 
不用上學？

陳蕾士，當代音樂家，在中大任職期間，曾邀思果先生和我到崇基的音樂數據室聽他彈奏琴箏。崇基的音樂數據室幽靜雅緻，外牆披垂著常春藤，四周儘是花木和鳥聲。那天下午，我在琴音中成了個雅士，彷彿置身於古代的中國。現在陳先生已經退休，思果先生遙居美國，我也離開了中大，轉往港大教書，有空的時候只能聽聽陳先生贈送的唱片。當日美妙的琴音和箏聲，早已在吐露港的風中消逝了。

一九八三年八月十二日追記

聽聞當年這篇東西苦煞考生。難怪，難怪。考核想像力從來都不是可行的念頭。音樂資料室是否在許讓成樓？有空定要參觀一番。

六月十日