原載於《聯合文學》網站，九月「手寫週記」專欄
第四週｜秋葉與浮世繪｜Autumn leaves and ukiyo-e
The falling leaves drift by the window落葉飄過窗邊
The autumn leaves of red and gold
I see your lips, the summer kisses
The sun-burned hands I used to hold
Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I'll hear old winter's song
But I miss you most of all, my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall
紅與金的秋葉
我看見你的唇，夏日的吻
我曾握過的曬黑的手
你離開後白日變得漫長
很快我將聽到那冬日老歌
但我最想念你，親愛的
當秋葉開始飄落
While walking along the canal embankment, Nat King Cole's voice drifted on the wind, carrying across the water; the brass and piano broke up into fragments. I wondered which house it was on the other side of the canal, which tasteful Dutch person was playing this understated music so loudly. It reminded me of the black-and-white films I had once seen. Nat King Cole, a little on the thin side, always sang with a smile, the laughter in his eyes even greater than on his lips. A voice that soothed the heart, warm as autumn sunlight even in moments of melancholy.
沿著運河堤道散步時，Nat King Cole 的歌聲隨風傳來，越過運河水面，銅管和鋼琴變得零落。不知是運河對面哪一家，哪個有品味的荷蘭人，將這低調音樂開得如此大聲，讓我想起曾看過的黑白影片。略嫌消瘦的 Nat King Cole，總是面帶微笑唱歌，總是眼角笑意更甚嘴角。安撫人心的聲音，憂鬱時刻也暖如秋陽。
In the afternoon Karel came over, and we continued our two-person reading group. Yet we managed only two pages of Shiosai before straying off topic.
下午 Karel 來了，我們繼續二人讀書會，但只讀了兩頁《潮騒》就岔題了。
''You mentioned last time a song connected with the novel,'' he said. ''I grew curious afterwards and listened to that song, and then some others too. I feel that Japanese songs, though they might sound like ordinary pop tunes, somehow differ from Western ones. I don’t mean the melody, but… I can't quite put it into words.''
「你上次講到與小說有關的歌。」他說，「後來我很好奇的聽了那首歌，還有其他的歌。我感覺日本的歌曲，雖然只是普通的流行歌曲，好像和西方的流行歌曲有什麼不一樣。我指的不是旋律，而是⋯⋯我也不知道是什麼。」
It’s about layering and contrast, I suppose, I replied. Melancholy set against sunshine. Sad songs rendered with warm words. Have you heard ''Otomi-san''? Kasuga Hachirō, 1954. It originates from a kabuki play: Yosaburō and Otomi reunite at Genjiten while hellish rain falls outside. Yet it's set to a cheerful tune, for the composer hoped that it could be sung often at banquets. And indeed, it went on to sell 1.25 million copies. As if an ukiyo-e print had turned into an animation.
是層次和對比吧，我回答。以陽光襯托憂鬱。以溫暖的話演繹悲哀的歌。你聽過〈お富さん〉嗎？1954 年 春日八郎的歌。脫胎自歌舞伎劇目，与三郎與お富重逢在玄治店，外面下著地獄般的雨，卻被譜成歡快之歌，因為作曲家希望大家能在宴席上多多的唱，最後果然賣了 125 萬張。好像浮世繪變成動畫。
''Can you sing it?''
「你會唱嗎？」
Shall I be the scarred Yosaburō, and you Otomi-san? Why not just listen to Kasuga Hachirō himself? Come, I'll show you how to clap along.
我演傷痕与三郎，你就是お富さん？何不就聽春日八郎呢？來吧，我教你怎麼拍手。
逢えばなつかし 語るも夢さ
命短く 渡る浮世は
雨もつらいぜ お富さん
エッサオー 地獄雨
相逢時令人懷念
談起來如夢一場
在這浮世當中生命短暫
連雨也教人悲傷 お富さん
哎呀 這地獄般的雨
