Complete Collection of Lu Xun's Novels

Author: Lu Xun / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Four mornings, I sat quietly for a while. Chen Laowu brought in food—a bowl of vegetables and a bowl of steamed fish; the fish's eyes were white and hard, its mouth open, just like that group of people who wanted to eat people. After a few bites, it was slippery and indistinguishable whether it was fish or a person, so I vomited it out, belly and all. I said, "Laowu, tell my older brother that I'm feeling stifled and want to go for a walk in the garden." Laowu didn't agree, left, and then, after a while, opened the door. I didn't move, observing how they would arrange things for me; I knew they wouldn't let me go. And indeed! My older brother brought in an old man, walking slowly; his eyes were full of hostility, afraid I would notice, so he kept looking down at the ground, glancing at me secretly from the side of his glasses. My older brother said, "You seem quite well today." I said, "Yes." My older brother said, "We've invited Professor He to examine you." I said, "Okay!" But in truth, how could I not know this old man was a hangman in disguise! He was merely using the pretense of feeling my pulse to gauge how fat I was, and for this service, he would get a piece of meat. I wasn't afraid: though I didn't eat people, my courage was even stronger than theirs. I clenched my fists and watched to see how he would proceed. The old man sat down, closed his eyes, felt for a long time, and then opened his eyes and said, "Don't overthink it. Rest quietly for a few days, and you'll be fine." Don't overthink it, rest quietly! If I get fatter, they can naturally eat more, but what benefit do I get? How could it be "better"? This group of people, wanting to eat people, are also sneaky, trying to cover it up, too afraid to act directly—it would make me laugh to death. I couldn't hold it in and burst into laughter, feeling very happy. I knew this laughter contained courage and righteousness. The old man and my older brother both lost their composure, subdued by my courage and righteousness. But the more courageous I was, the more they wanted to eat me, hoping to benefit from my courage. The old man stepped outside and, after walking not far, whispered to my older brother, "Eat quickly!" My older brother nodded. So, there you have it! This great discovery, though unexpected, was also inevitable: the people who wanted to eat me were my brother! My brother was the one who wanted to eat people! I was the brother of the people who wanted to eat people! Even though I was eaten, I was still the brother of the people who wanted to eat people!
Five days ago, I began to think differently: even if that old man wasn't a hangman in disguise but a real doctor, he would still be part of the group that wanted to eat people. In Li Shizhen's "Compendium of Materia Medica," it was clearly written that human flesh could be cooked and eaten. Could he claim not to eat people? As for my older brother, he was no less guilty. When he taught me books, he himself said it was acceptable to "eat people easily." Another time, when we casually discussed a bad person, he said not only should they be killed but also "eat their flesh and wear their skin." I was young then and felt my heart race for a long time. The other day, the tenant farmer from the Wolf Village mentioned eating hearts and livers, and he didn't seem surprised at all, nodding constantly. It was clear his mind was just as cruel as before. If it was acceptable to "eat people easily," then anything and anyone could be eaten. Before, I used to listen to his teachings and be confused, but now I realize that when he spoke of reason, not only did his lips still carry the grease of human flesh, but his heart was full of thoughts of eating people.
Six days ago, it was pitch black, indistinguishable whether it was day or night. The dog from the Zhao family barked again. Like a lion, fierce in heart; like a rabbit, timid in nature; like a fox, cunning in mind.
I knew their methods—directly killing me was out of the question, and they didn't dare either, fearing retribution. So, they all conspired, spreading a net to force me to commit suicide. Look at the behavior of men and women on the streets these past few days and what my older brother has been doing—it’s clear enough.
If I were to tie my belt around the beam and strangle myself tightly, they wouldn't have a murder charge and would fulfill their desires, all laughing with a sobs of joy. Otherwise, if I were terrified and distressed to death, even though I'd grown slightly thinner, they might still nod in approval. They only know how to eat dead meat! I remember reading somewhere that there's a creature called a "hyena," with a terrible appearance and eyes. It often eats dead meat, even chewing on large bones and swallowing them whole. Thinking about it makes me shudder. The hyena is a relative of the wolf, and the wolf is a relative of the dog. The other day, the dog from the Zhao family looked at me a few times—clearly in on the plot, having already made arrangements. The old man, always staring at the ground, couldn't have fooled me.
The poor thing is my older brother. He's a human too, why isn't he afraid? Is it because he's always been like this, not seeing anything wrong? Or has he lost his conscience, knowingly doing it anyway? I curse the people who eat people, starting with him. And if I want to persuade the people who eat people, I must start with him.
P4-P7