Dalu, the elementary school teacher, watched two people walking up the mountain, one on horseback and the other on foot. The school was built on the hillside, and they had not yet climbed the steep slope in front of the door. The vast plateau was desolate, and they walked hard and slowly among the rocks in the snow. It can be seen that the horse is slipping from time to time. I can't hear its sound yet, but I can see the heat from its nostrils. At least one of the two people is familiar with this place. They were walking along the path, which had been covered by a layer of white and dirty snow for a few days. Dalu estimated that they would not be able to climb the mountain within half an hour. It was very cold, so he went back to school to find a thick sweater to wear.
He walked through the empty and cold classroom. On the blackboard, the four big rivers in France are drawn with chalks of different colors, which have been flowing towards their estuary for three days. The drought lasted for eight months without rain, but it snowed suddenly in mid-October. About 20 students scattered in villages on the plateau stopped coming to class. Had to wait for the weather to clear up. Dalyu only started a fire in the room where he lived next to the classroom, which also faced the plateau to the east. One window, like the window in the classroom, opened to the south. From here, a few kilometers away, the plateau begins to tilt to the south. When the weather is clear, you can see a purple mountain beam dominating in the sky, which is the gateway to the desert.
Dalu warmed up a bit, and turned back to the window where he saw the two people just now. They are gone. They are climbing that hillside. The snow stopped at night, and now the sky is not so gloomy. When the morning came, the light was dim, and the clouds were still not bright after rising. It seemed that the sky didn't start to brighten until two o'clock in the afternoon. But this is better than the weather in the past three days. In those three days, the sky had been dark and heavy, the heavy snow was falling continuously, and the volatile wind shook the double doors of the classroom. Dalu had to sit in the house for a long time, only to go out when he went to the next room to feed the chickens or fetch coal. Fortunately, there was a small truck in the nearby Tajid village to the north, which brought him supplies two days before the university. Forty-eight hours later, the pickup truck is still coming.
However, even if the mountain was blocked by heavy snow, he still had something to deal with. The hut was filled with bags of wheat that the government had deposited with him for distribution to students whose families had suffered from drought. In fact, the disaster fell on each of them because they were very poor. Dalu distributes rations to the children every day. He knew very well that they must be short of food in the bad weather these days. Maybe the father or brother of the student will come in the evening and he can distribute the food to them. Anyway, to catch up with the next harvest season. The wheat ship has sailed from France, and the most difficult stage has passed. But what is unforgettable is the disaster. These people wandering in the sun, ragged and skinny, the plateau that has dried like burnt lime for months, the land that is gradually curled up and cracked, and it is really roasted. , The crackling rocks that turned into powder as soon as they stepped on them. There are thousands of sheep die, and some people here and there are breathless, but no one cares.
In this disaster, he almost lived in this remote school like a monk, asking for nothing, settled in an indifferent and hard life. He has four walls with coarse dusting, narrow sofas, white wooden bookshelves, wells, and a weekly supply of food and water. He already feels like a big master. But the heavy snow started suddenly, without an announcement in advance, and without waiting for the rain to ease. This place is like this, life is harsh, even if there is no one, there is no help. However, Dalu was born in Si, and grew up in Si. When he goes to other places, he has a sense of exile.
He walked out of the room and came to the flat ground in front of the school. The two people have climbed halfway up the hillside. He recognized the rider as Balduksi, an old policeman he had known for a long time. Balduksi held an Arab with a rope, who followed him, tied his hands, and lowered his head. The police raised his hand to say hello, but Dalu ignored him and looked at the Arab intently. The man was dressed in a faded blue robe and full sandals, but he was wearing beige grey coarse wool socks with a narrow, short wrap around his head. They got closer and closer. Balduksi held the animal steady so as not to injure the Arabs, and the two moved forward slowly together.
When he reached the audible distance, Balduksi shouted: "It's only three kilometers from Ellamore, but it took an entire hour!" Dalu did not respond. He was short and fat in a thick sweater, and he was watching them go up the mountain. The Arab kept his head down. When they went to the flat ground, Dalyu greeted him: "Okay, come in and get warm." Balduksi got off his horse strenuously, still holding the rope in his hand. He smiled at the elementary school teacher, his mustache curled up. His small dark eyes are deeply embedded under his tanned forehead, and the edges of his mouth are full of wrinkles, giving a person a concentrated look. Dalu took the bridle, led the horse to the penthouse, and returned to the visitors, who were already waiting for him in the school. He let them into his room and said, "I'm going to light a fire in the classroom, we will be more comfortable there." When he returned to the room, Balduksi was already sitting on the sofa. He untied the rope tied to the Arab, who was squatting by the stove, looking towards the window. His hands have been tied, and his head has been pushed behind his head. Dalyu first saw his big lips, full and smooth, almost the same as those of black people; but his nose was high and straight, his eyes were gloomy, and his expression was full of anxiety. His stubborn forehead was exposed under the head, darkened by the sun, and it was a little white from the cold at this time. When he turned his face and looked straight at Dalü, his entire face was uneasy and stubborn. Surprised him. "Go over there," Dalu said, "I'll prepare mint tea." "Thank you," Balduksi said, "It's a chore! I really want to retire." He spoke Arabic again. Said to the prisoner: "Come on, you." The Arab stood up, tied his hands in front, and walked slowly into the classroom.
Dalu brought tea and a chair. But Balduksi was already sitting high on the first desk, and the Arab squatted with his back against the podium, facing the stove between the podium and the window. Dalyu handed the tea cup to the prisoner, saw his hands tied, hesitated: "Maybe it can be loosened for him." "Of course," Balduksi said, "It was tied for escort on the road. "He was about to get up when Dalu had already put the teacup on the ground, kneeling beside the Arab. The man said nothing, his eyes anxiously watched him untie himself. After letting go, he rubbed his swollen wrist back and forth with both hands, then picked up the teacup, and quickly sucked the hot tea in small mouths.
"Okay," Dalu said, "Where are you going?"
Balduksi poked his mustache out of his teacup: "That's it, boy."
"Such a student is really weird! Are you going to spend the night here?"
"No. I'm going back to Ellamore. And you, you send this guy to Tangit. There's someone waiting for you in the mixed zone."
Balduksi looked at Daru and smiled affectionately.
"What are you talking nonsense," Dalu said, "Are you mocking me?"
"No, boy. This is an order."
"Order? But I'm not..."
Daru hesitated, he didn't want to make the old Corsican sad. "It's not my business anyway."
"Hey! What does that mean? You have to do everything when you start a war."
"Well, I am waiting to declare war."
Balduksi nodded.
"Okay. But the order is here, and it's also about you. It seems that the situation is not stable right now. Everyone is saying that there is going to be a riot. In a sense, we are already mobilized."
Dalu was still stubborn.
"Listen, boy," Balduksi said, "you have to understand that I love you very much. A dozen of us are in Aylamore. We are going to patrol a place as big as a small province, and I have to go back. They asked me to entrust this monster to you, and I'll go back right away. You can't put him there. The people in his village are rioting and want to snatch him back. You have to send him to Target during the day tomorrow. You are so strong that the twenty kilometers of road can't scare you. Then you will be fine. You will see your students again and live a quiet life."
Outside the wall came the snorting of horses and the tapping of horses' hooves. Dalu looked out the window. The sky did clear, and the sun was shining on the snow-covered plateau. Once the snow melts away, the sun will tremble again and continue to grill this stone ground. For many days, the always blue sky will pour dry sunlight onto this desolate land without a trace.
"Speak up," he said, turning to Balduksi, "what did he do?"
Before the police could speak, he asked again:
"Does he speak French?"
"No, not a word. We looked for him for a month, and they hid him. He killed his cousin."
"Is he against us?"
"I don't think. But who can know?"
"Why did he kill?"
"I think it's a family dispute. It seems that a person owes a grain. I can't figure it out. Anyway, he killed his cousin with a machete. You know, like a sheep slaughter, oh!..."
Balduksi made a motion of wiping his neck with a knife, which caught the attention of the Arabs and looked at him nervously. Dalu suddenly felt angry. He loathed this man, loathed everyone, loathed their vile malice, loathed their endless hatred during lunch breaks, loathed their bloodthirsty madness.
The teapot sizzled on the stove. He poured Balduksi another cup of tea, hesitated, and poured another cup for the Arab. He was still drinking so greedily, his arms were raised, and his robe was lifted. The elementary school teacher saw that his chest was thin but muscular.
"Thank you, boy," Balduksi said, "Now, I'm leaving."
He stood up and walked towards the Arab, pulling a rope from his pocket.
"What are you doing?" Dalu asked coldly.
Balduksi was startled and showed him the rope.
"no need."
The old policeman hesitated.
"Whatever you want. Of course you have weapons?"
"I have a shotgun."
"Where?"
"In the box."
"You should put it by the bed."
"Why? I have nothing to fear."
"You are crazy, boy. If they rebel, no one can escape. We are all in the same boat."
"I will defend myself. Even when I see them coming, I have time to prepare."
Balduksi smiled, and then suddenly his moustache covered his still white teeth.
"Do you have time? Okay. I said the same. You are always a little bit reckless. It's because of this that I love you, and my son used to be the same."
At the same time, he took out a pistol and put it on the table.
"Stay, there won't be two guns from here to Ellamore."
The pistol gleamed on the black painted tabletop. The police turned towards him, and the elementary school teacher smelled the smell of leather and horses on him.
"Listen, Balduksi," Daru said suddenly, "all this makes me sick, first of all, your fellow. But I won't hand him over. Fight, if necessary. But this won't work. ."
The old policeman stood in front of him, looking at him seriously.
"You are doing a stupid thing," he said slowly, "I don't like to do this kind of thing. Even after so many years, I am not used to tying people with a rope, and I am even ashamed. However, I can't let them do whatever they want. what."
"I won't hand him over," Dalu said again.
"This is an order, boy. I'll repeat it again."
"I know. Tell them what I said to you: I won't hand him over."
It can be seen that Balduksi is thinking hard. He looked at the Arabs and Daru. He finally made up his mind.
"No, I won't tell them anything. If you want to abandon us, then do what you want. I will not expose you. I received the order to escort the prisoner, and I executed it. You sign now."
"It's useless. I won't deny that you sent him to me."
"Don't treat me so badly. I know you can tell the truth. You are a local, you are a man. But you have to sign, it's the rule."
Dalu opened the drawer and took out a small square bottle of purple ink, a pen with a red wooden pole, and a sergeant's nib, which he used to write demonstration characters. He signed it. The police carefully folded the document, put it in the purse, and then walked towards the door.
"I'll give it to you," Dalu said.
"No," Balduksi said. "Politeness is no use. You keep me out of stage."
He looked at the Arab who was standing still, sniffed his nose frowning, turned and walked towards the door, and said, "Goodbye, child." The door closed behind him. Balduksi showed his head at the window, then disappeared. The sound of his footsteps was drowned in the snow. The horse was commotion outside the wall, and the chickens were frightened. After a while, Balduksi led the horse and walked past the window again. He didn't look back, he walked straight towards the slope, and disappeared, and the horse disappeared immediately. A huge boulder rolled slowly, making a noise. Dalu walked towards the prisoner, but the prisoner did not move and looked at him intently. Dalu said in Arabic: "Wait," and walked towards the room. As he crossed the threshold, he changed his mind again, turned around, took the pistol from the table and put it in his pocket. Then, without turning around, he entered the room.
He lay on the sofa for a long time, looking at the twilight sky, listening to the silent surroundings. It was this silence that made him feel uncomfortable when he came here early after the war. At first, he asked for a place in the small town at the foot of the mountain ridge. The mountain beam is horizontally between the desert and the plateau, with a series of stone walls. The north side is green and black, and the south side is rose and lavender, marking the boundary of eternal summer. Later, he was appointed to a place further north, just above this plateau. At the beginning, in this barren land with only stones, loneliness and silence made him feel painful. Sometimes, when he saw some ridges on the ground, he thought that someone was planting crops, but in fact they dug them to find the stones to build the house. Here, ploughing is only to harvest stones. Sometimes, the villagers also scraped away some soil, piled it in the pit, and then used it in the barren vegetable garden. This place is like this, three-quarters of the land is full of stones. Towns are born here, prosper, and then disappear; people come here, love each other or fight each other, and then die. In this desolate place, neither him nor his guests matter. However, Dalu knew that he and he would not be able to live a real life after leaving this place.
He stood up, there was no sound in the classroom. A wave of sincere joy came to his mind, and he was surprised, because he thought that the Arabs might have escaped, and that he would live alone again without making any determination. However, the prisoner was still there, just lying straight between the stove and the desk. He opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling. This posture made his thick lips more conspicuous, a look of anger. "Come with me," Dalu said. The Arab stood up and followed him into the room. The elementary school teacher pointed to a chair next to the table below the window. The Arab sat down, keeping his eyes on him.
"Are you hungry?"
"Well," the prisoner said. Dalyu put on two sets of cutlery. He brought flour and oil, made a cake on the plate, and lit the small gas stove. The cake was baked on the stove, and he brought cheese, eggs, dates, and condensed milk from the penthouse. After the cake was baked, he left it on the windowsill to dry, then heated the condensed milk with water, and finally spread a few eggs. While doing these tasks, he touched the pistol in his right pocket. He put down the bowl, walked into the classroom, put the pistol in the drawer of the desk. When he returned to the room, it was already dark. He lit the lamp and brought food to the Arabs. "Eat," he said. The Arab picked up a piece of bread, quickly put it to his mouth, but stopped again.
"How about you?" he asked.
"You eat first, and I will eat later."
The Arab opened his thick lips slightly, hesitated for a moment, and then slurred decisively.
The Arab finished eating and looked at the elementary school teacher.
"Are you a judge?"
"No, I will guard you until tomorrow."
"Why are you eating with me?"
"Because I'm hungry."
The Arabs stopped talking. Dalu got up and went out, took a camp bed from the penthouse, and placed it between the table and the stove, perpendicular to his own bed. He also pulled out two quilts from a large box used as a bookcase standing in the corner of the wall and spread them on the camp bed. He stopped, felt that there was nothing to do, and sat down on the bed. There is really nothing to do, and nothing to prepare. You should take a good look at this person. So he looked at him, trying to imagine a face burning with anger. No, he only saw a gloomy and bright gaze and a beastly mouth.
"Why did you kill him?" he asked, surprise himself by the hostility in his voice.
The Arab looked away.
"He ran away. I chased after him."
He raised his eyes to Darius, his eyes full of painful inquiry.
"Now, what are they going to do to me?"
"Are you scared?"
The Arab tensed his face and looked away.
"You regret it?"
The Arab looked at him with his mouth open. Obviously, he didn't understand. Dalyu was provoked. At the same time his chubby body was sandwiched between the two beds, and he felt that he was clumsy and artificial.
"You sleep there," he said impatiently, "that's your bed."
The Arab did not move, he called Dalu to stop:
"Hey! Say it!"
The elementary school teacher looked at him.
"Will the police come tomorrow?"
"have no idea."
"Are you with us?"
"do not know why?"
The prisoner stood up and lay on the quilt with his feet facing the window. The electric light shone straight into his eyes, and he closed it immediately.
"Why?" Dalu asked again, standing in front of the bed.
The Arab opened his eyes in the dazzling light and tried to stare at him without blinking.
"Come with us," he said.
At midnight, Dalyu was still asleep. He had already taken off his clothes and went to bed, and he always slept naked. But now he is lying in the room without clothes, but hesitates. He felt vulnerable, and he really thought of putting on his clothes. Afterwards, he shrugged his shoulders. He had seen a lot, and if needed, he would beat his opponent in two. He can watch that person while lying in bed. The man lay on his back, still motionless, with his eyes closed under the strong light. Dalyu turned off the lights, and the night seemed to freeze instantly. Gradually, the night became active again, and outside the window, the sky without stars was shaking gently. He quickly recognized the body lying in front of him. The Arab has not moved, but his eyes seem to be open at this time. There was a breeze blowing around the elementary school. It may disperse the dark clouds, and then the sun will show up again.
At night, the wind was tight. The hen commotion slightly, then calmed down. The Arab turned his back to Dalu, who seemed to hear him sigh. He observes his breathing, it is more forceful and even. He listened to the gasps close at hand, couldn't sleep, and fell into reverie. For the past year, he has slept alone in this room, and now there is one more person, he feels awkward. And because of this person, he must give birth to a kind of friendship, and this is what he cannot have in the current situation. He is very clear: the person sleeping in a room, whether it is a soldier or a prisoner, There is a peculiar connection between each other. Every night, they take off their armor and clothes, the differences between each other are cleared, and they enter the ancient land of dreams and fatigue together. However, Dalu turned over. He didn't like this kind of cranky thinking, and it was time for him to sleep.
After a while, the Arab moved imperceptibly. Dalu was not asleep yet. The Arab moved again, and Dalyu became alert. The Arab, almost like a sleepwalker, slowly raised his arm. He sat up on the bed, did not move, waited, and didn't turn his head towards Dalu, as if listening attentively to something. Dalyu didn't move, he just thought of putting the pistol in the drawer of the desk. It is best to act immediately. However, he is still observing. The Arab quietly put his feet on the ground as before, waited, and then slowly straightened up. Dalu was about to stop him, he was already walking, this time his movements were natural, but his steps were very light. He walked towards the door leading to the penthouse, carefully opened the latch, and went out, only bringing the door, but did not close it. Dalu didn't move, just thinking: "He escaped. It's easy now!" He pricked his ears. The chicken didn't move, so he had gone out. There was a faint sound of water. The Arab came back, closed the door carefully, and went to bed quietly. This is what Dalu suddenly realized. So he turned his back and fell asleep. After a while, he seemed to hear soft footsteps around the school in his deep sleep. "I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming!" he thought. He fell asleep again.
When he woke up, it was already bright, and a stream of clear and pure air came in through the open windows. The Arab was curled up in the bed, with his mouth open, sleeping soundly. Dalu pushed him, he was startled, and he got up to his feet, staring at Dalu, as if he could not recognize him. His panic made Dalu step back. "Don't be afraid, it's me, it's time to eat." The Arab nodded and said, "Okay." His face returned to calm, but his expression was still blank and cold.
The coffee is ready. They both sat on the camp bed, drinking coffee and eating scones. Then Dalu led the Arab into the penthouse, pointed to the tap, and asked him to wash his face. He went back to the room by himself, folded the quilt and camp bed, made his own bed, and cleaned the room. He crossed the campus and came to the flat ground. The sun has risen into the blue sky, and the desolate plateau is flooded with gentle and bright sunlight. On the steep slope, the snow has melted in some places. The stone will be exposed again. He squatted on the edge of the plateau, staring at this desolate piece of land. He thought of Balduksi. He broke his heart and drove him away, as if he didn't want to be a man in a boat. The farewell of the police was still echoing in his ears. For some reason, he felt strangely empty and vulnerable at this time. At this time, the prisoner's cough came from the other end of the school. Dalu listened almost involuntarily. He was angry and threw a stone angrily. The stone whistled in the air and went into the snow. This man's ignorant crime angered him, but surrendering him would damage his honor. Even thinking about it, he felt it was a shame. He cursed his compatriots, they handed the Arab to him, and he cursed the man too. He dared to kill but didn't know how to escape. Dalu stood up, turned around on the flat ground, stood still and waited for a while, then walked into the school.
In the penthouse, the Arab is bending over to face the concrete floor, brushing his teeth with two fingers. Dalu glanced at him and said, "Come with me." He took the Arab into the house. He put on a hunting suit over his sweater and put on military shoes. He stood there, waiting for the Arabs to put on their heads and sandals. They walked into the campus. Dalu pointed to the door and said to his companion: "Let's go." The Arab did not move. Daru said again, "I'll be here in a while." The Arab went out. Dalu returned to the room, took some rusks, dates and sugar, and wrapped them into a pack. In the classroom, he hesitated in front of the desk before leaving, then stepped over the threshold, walked out the door, and closed it tightly. "Go from there," he said. He walked east, and the prisoner followed. He turned back and looked around the house. There was no one. The Arab looked at him as if puzzled. "Let's go," Dalu said.
They walked for an hour and stopped by a limestone pinnacle to rest. The snow melted faster and faster, and the sun immediately sucked up the small puddles, sweeping the ground quickly, and the plateau gradually dried up and trembled like air. When they started back on the road, the ground was already creaking under their feet. In the distance ahead, a bird cleaved the sky and let out a cry of laughter. Dalu took a deep breath, drinking the cool sunshine. The blue sky was like a covered sky, with golden hues everywhere. Facing this cordial and vast land, Dalu's heart was filled with excitement. They walked south along the slope for another hour, and came to a flat plateau with crisp rocks. From here, the plateau slopes and stretches to the east to a low-lying plain. Several thin trees are vividly visible, and to the south to a large pile of rocks, the scenery appears uneven.
Dalu looked in both directions. In the distance, I saw the heaven and the earth connected, without a single figure. He turned to the Arab, who was staring at him blankly. Dalu handed him the parcel and said, "Take it. It contains dates, bread and sugar. You can hold it for two days. There is still one thousand francs." The Arab took the parcel and the money and held it with both hands on his chest. Before, it seemed that I didn't know what to do with these things. "Look now," Dalu said to him, pointing to the east, "That's the way to Tangit. You will be there in two hours. There are government and police stations in Tangit. They are waiting for you." The Arab looked at the east, still holding the parcel and money to his chest. Dalu grabbed his arm and violently pulled him toward the south. At the foot of the high ground where they are located, a road can be seen vividly. "That's the way across the plateau. From here, you can find the pasture for a day and start to see the nomads. According to their rules, they will receive you and protect you." The Arab turned to Dalu, his face There was a certain expression of fear. "Listen to me," he said. Dalu shook his head: "No, don't say anything. Now, let's do it with you." He turned and took two big steps towards the school, and looked at the still standing Arab with a hesitant look. ,gone. For several minutes, he only heard the sound of his footsteps on the icy ground, very loud, and he did not look back. After a while, he still looked back. The Arab is still standing on the edge of the high ground, with his arms lowered, and he is looking at the elementary school teacher. Dalyu felt his throat tighten. He cursed anxiously, waved his hand vigorously, and left again. After he walked far away, he stopped and looked at it again. There is no one on the hill.
The sun is already quite high, making his forehead hot. He hesitated for a moment, then turned and walked back. He hesitated at first, then became firm. He approached the hill, sweating. He was struggling to climb to the top of the mountain, already out of breath. To the south, a piece of rock under the blue sky is impressive, but a piece of hot water vapor has risen on the plain to the east. In the mist, he found the Arabs walking slowly on the road leading to the prison, his heart tightened.
After a while, the elementary school teacher stood in front of the window of the classroom, staring blankly at the bright sunshine rushing from the sky to the entire plateau. On the blackboard behind him, he just saw a line of awkwardly written chalk between the twists and turns of French rivers: "You handed over our brother. You have to pay this debt." Dalu stared at the sky. , The plateau and the invisible piece of land that stretches out to the sea. He is alone in this vast land he loves so much.
Translated by Guo Hongan
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