The Blue Suitcase
那只蓝色的皮箱安静地坐在旧货店的角落里。
That (M) blue (POSS) leather-box quietly (ADV) sit at old-goods-shop (POSS) corner inside.
The blue leather suitcase sat quietly in a corner of the antique shop.
皮已经发暗，几道划痕从一边横到另一边，提手也快要掉了。
Leather already turn-dim, several (M) scratch from one-side cross to other-side, handle also soon want fall (PERF).
The leather had darkened with age, scratches running side to side, and the handle was about to come loose.
店主是一位戴眼镜的老头，他说这只皮箱是别人前两年留下的。
Shop-owner is one (M) wear glasses (POSS) old-man, he say this (M) leather-box is other-person before two year leave-down (POSS).
The shopkeeper was an old man in glasses. He said someone had left the suitcase two years ago.
“没人要。”他说，“我留着它，是因为它看上去走过很多地方。”
"No-one want." He say, "I keep (CONT) it, is because it look up-go walk (EXP) very-many place."
“Nobody wanted it,” he said. “I kept it because it looks like it has been many places.”
我叫林书。
I call Lin-Shu.
My name is Lin Shu.
我做记者很多年了，最近刚从一份长期的工作中离开，不知道下一步该往哪里走。
I do journalist very-many year (PERF), recently just from one (M) long-term (POSS) work middle leave, not know next-one step should toward where walk.
I had been a journalist for many years, and had just left a long-running job, with no idea where to step next.
那个下午我本不该进这家店，可是雨忽然下大了，我躲了进去。
That (M) afternoon I originally not should enter this (M) shop, but rain suddenly fall big (PERF), I hide (PERF) enter-go.
That afternoon I shouldn't have gone into the shop at all, but the rain suddenly came down hard, and I ducked inside.
我看到那只皮箱，心里说不出地想要它。
I see arrive that (M) leather-box, heart inside say-not-out (ADV) want it.
I saw the suitcase, and felt an unaccountable wish to have it.
我花了一百二十块买下来，又花了二十块请师傅把提手修好。
I spend (PERF) one-hundred-twenty (M) buy down-come, again spend (PERF) twenty (M) request master (BA) handle repair good.
I bought it for a hundred and twenty, and spent another twenty asking a craftsman to fix the handle.
回到家，我把它放在客厅中间。
Return to home, I (BA) it place at living-room middle.
Back home, I set it in the middle of the living room.
打开的时候，里面的味道是旧纸张和远方阳光混在一起的味道。
Open (POSS) time, inside (POSS) smell is old paper and far-place sunlight mix at together (POSS) smell.
When I opened it, the smell inside was old paper and distant sunlight mixed together.
皮箱里有几样东西：
Leather-box inside have several kind thing:
Inside there were a few things:
一张一九五八年的长途汽车票；
One (M) one-nine-five-eight year (POSS) long-distance bus-ticket;
a long-distance bus ticket from 1958;
一张已经发黄的结婚合照；
One (M) already turn-yellow (POSS) marry combined-photo;
a yellowed wedding portrait;
一张小孩用蜡笔画的房子；
One (M) child use wax-pen draw (POSS) house;
a house drawn by a child in crayon;
一张写着菜谱的纸卡；
One (M) write (CONT) recipe (POSS) paper-card;
a paper card written with a recipe;
一张折好的告别信。
One (M) fold good (POSS) farewell letter.
a folded goodbye letter.
五件东西，分别属于不同的人。
Five (M) thing, separately belong-to different (POSS) person.
Five things — each belonging to someone different.
我本可以把它们扔掉，可我没有。
I originally can (BA) them throw-away, but I not-have.
I could have thrown them out, but I didn't.
我决定去找出每一件东西的主人。
I decide go find-out every (M) thing (POSS) owner.
I decided to find each owner.
作为记者，我习惯追问，可这一次我没打算写报道——这是给我自己的工作。
As-be journalist, I habit pursue-ask, but this one-time I not-have plan write report — this is give my self (POSS) work.
As a journalist, I was used to pressing for answers; this time I had no plan to publish — it was work for myself.
车票上写着一九五八年九月十二日，从西北一座小城开到南方的港口。
Ticket top write (CONT) one-nine-five-eight year nine month twelve day, from northwest one (M) small-city open to south (POSS) port.
The ticket was dated September 12, 1958, from a small city in the northwest to a port in the south.
我去图书馆查了那时候的报纸，又问了几位上了年纪的老人。
I go library check (PERF) that time-period (POSS) newspaper, again ask (PERF) several (M) up (PERF) age (POSS) old-person.
I went to the library, looked at the newspapers from that time, and spoke to a few elderly people.
最后我找到了一份从前的难民登记表。
Finally I find arrive (PERF) one (M) former (POSS) refugee register-form.
Finally I found an old refugee registration form.
车票的主人是一位叫顾望春的女人，那年她带着唯一一只皮箱从家乡逃出来。
Ticket (POSS) owner is one (M) call Gu-Wangchun (POSS) woman, that year she bring (CONT) only-one (M) leather-box from hometown flee out-come.
The ticket had belonged to a woman named Gu Wangchun, who had fled her hometown that year with only this one suitcase.
她已经去世二十年了，可是她的女儿还住在原来的城里。
She already pass-away twenty year (PERF), but her (POSS) daughter still live at original (POSS) city inside.
She had been dead for twenty years, but her daughter still lived in the same city.
女儿告诉我：母亲一辈子都说，那只蓝皮箱救了她。
Daughter tell me: mother one-lifetime all say, that (M) blue leather-box save (PERF) her.
The daughter told me her mother had always said that blue suitcase had saved her.
“里面装着她全部的家——衣服、照片、一点钱。”
"Inside hold (CONT) her all (POSS) home — clothes, photo, a-little money."
“It held her whole household — clothes, photographs, a little money.”
“她到了港口以后，把皮箱卖了换饭钱。”
"She arrive (PERF) port after, (BA) leather-box sell (PERF) exchange meal-money."
“After she reached the port, she sold it for meal money.”
“她说，她希望下一个用它的人，也会好好对它。”
"She say, she hope next-one (M) use it (POSS) person, also will well-well treat it."
“She said she hoped the next person to use it would treat it well too.”
结婚合照上写着一九七二年，照片上的两人穿得很简单，脸上是不安和兴奋混在一起的笑。
Marriage combined-photo top write (CONT) one-nine-seven-two year, photo on (POSS) two-person wear (COMP) very simple, face top is uneasy and excited mix at together (POSS) smile.
The wedding portrait was dated 1972. The two were simply dressed, their smiles a mix of unease and excitement.
照片背面写着一行字：“私自办的婚礼，没有告诉家人。”
Photo back-side write (CONT) one line word: "private-self hold (POSS) wedding, not-have tell family-person."
On the back was a single line: “A wedding held in private, kept from our families.”
我托朋友一层一层地问，找到了照片上的那位先生。
I entrust friend one layer one layer (ADV) ask, find arrive (PERF) photo on (POSS) that (M) gentleman.
I asked one friend after another and finally found the man in the photo.
他已经七十多岁，太太前年才走。
He already seventy-something year-old, wife year-before-last only-then go.
He was in his seventies. His wife had passed only the year before.
他听我讲这只皮箱的故事，眼圈一下红了。
He hear me tell this (M) leather-box (POSS) story, eye-rim in-one-go red (PERF).
He listened to the story of the suitcase, and the rims of his eyes went red at once.
“那一年我们的家人都不同意。”他说，“我们偷偷坐火车去了另一座城市。”
"That one year our (POSS) family all not agree." He say, "we secretly sit train go (PERF) other (M) city."
“Neither family approved that year,” he said. “We took a train in secret to another city.”
“皮箱是我太太家从一位外地朋友手里换来的，里面装着我们全部的东西。”
"Leather-box is my wife family from one (M) out-of-town friend hand inside exchange-come (POSS), inside hold (CONT) our all (POSS) thing."
“The suitcase came from a friend of my wife's family from out of town. It held everything we owned.”
“我们到了那里，办了一个非常小的婚礼，没人参加。”
"We arrive (PERF) there, hold (PERF) one (M) very small (POSS) wedding, no-one attend."
“We got there and held a very small wedding. No one came.”
“后来日子好了，我们把皮箱送给了一位需要的人。”
"Afterward day-period good (PERF), we (BA) leather-box send-give (PERF) one (M) need (POSS) person."
“Later, when life got easier, we gave the suitcase to someone who needed it.”
“她说她要去南方，要照顾她生病的母亲。”
"She say she will go south, will take-care-of her sick (POSS) mother."
“She said she was going south to care for her sick mother.”
那位生病的母亲——就是那张小孩画里的奶奶。
That (M) sick (POSS) mother — precisely is that (M) child drawing inside (POSS) grandmother.
That sick mother was the grandmother in the child's drawing.
小孩画上写着“给奶奶的房子”，落款是“小芳，七岁”。
Child drawing top write (CONT) "give grandmother (POSS) house", signature is "Xiao-Fang, seven year-old".
The child's drawing was labeled “a house for Grandma,” signed “Xiaofang, age seven.”
画里有一座简单的房子，门口站着两个小人，画得歪歪的，可是很认真。
Drawing inside have one (M) simple (POSS) house, door-mouth stand (CONT) two (M) small-person, draw (COMP) crooked-crooked (POSS), but very serious.
There was a simple house in the picture, with two small figures at the door, crooked but carefully drawn.
我又问了几个月，才找到那个小孩——她现在五十多岁，自己也当了奶奶。
I again ask (PERF) several (M) month, only-then find that (M) child — she now fifty-something year-old, self also become (PERF) grandmother.
It took me more months of asking to find that child — now in her fifties, a grandmother herself.
她记得很清楚。
She remember (COMP) very clear.
She remembered very clearly.
“那时候妈妈生病，我们搬到南方和外婆一起住。”
"That time-period mother sick, we move to south and grandma-(maternal) together live."
“My mother was sick then, and we moved south to live with my grandmother.”
“皮箱里装的是我和妈妈所有的衣服，还有那张画。”
"Leather-box inside hold (POSS) is I and mother all (POSS) clothes, also have that (M) drawing."
“The suitcase held all my mother's clothes and mine, and that drawing.”
“外婆很喜欢那张画，她病好了以后还放在床头。”
"Grandma very like that (M) drawing, she sick good (PERF) after still place at bed-head."
“My grandmother loved the drawing, and even after she got better she kept it by her bed.”
“外婆去世以后，皮箱传给了我妈妈，妈妈又用它装她的信。”
"Grandma pass-away after, leather-box pass-give (PERF) my mother, mother again use it hold her (POSS) letter."
“After Grandma died, the suitcase passed to my mother, who used it to hold her letters.”
小芳后来把皮箱给了一位远方的朋友。
Xiao-Fang afterward (BA) leather-box give (PERF) one (M) far-place (POSS) friend.
Xiaofang later gave the suitcase to a distant friend.
那位朋友收到时，里面已经空了。
That (M) friend receive-arrive time, inside already empty (PERF).
By the time that friend received it, the suitcase was empty.
她在皮箱里放了自己一生写过的菜谱，又放了一封告别信。
She at leather-box inside place (PERF) self one-life write (EXP) (POSS) recipe, again place (PERF) one (M) farewell letter.
She placed inside the recipes she had written across a lifetime, along with a farewell letter.
那位朋友——就是这位现在已经去世的祖母。
That (M) friend — precisely is this (M) now already pass-away (POSS) grandmother.
That friend was the grandmother now gone.
她一生没有结婚，住在北方的一个小院里，靠教书过日子。
She one-life not-have marry, live at north (POSS) one (M) small courtyard inside, rely-on teach-book pass day-period.
She had never married, living in a small courtyard in the north, getting by on teaching.
她的学生告诉我：老师把自己最爱的菜谱写下来，留给一位姓孙的年轻人。
Her (POSS) student tell me: teacher (BA) self most love (POSS) recipe write-down-come, leave-give one (M) surname-Sun (POSS) young person.
Her students told me she had written down her dearest recipes and left them to a young man surnamed Sun.
“她说，‘我把这只皮箱留给你，因为它已经替很多人走过很多路。’”
"She say, 'I (BA) this (M) leather-box leave-give you, because it already on-behalf-of very-many person walk (EXP) very-many road.'"
“She said, ‘I'm leaving this suitcase to you, because it has already walked many roads on behalf of many people.’”
姓孙的年轻人——就是把皮箱卖到旧货店的人。
Surname-Sun (POSS) young person — precisely is (BA) leather-box sell to old-goods-shop (POSS) person.
The young man surnamed Sun was the one who had sold the suitcase to the antique shop.
他几年前出国了，临走前来不及带，把它交给了店主。
He several year ago go-abroad (PERF), about-to-leave before come-not-in-time bring, (BA) it hand-give (PERF) shop-owner.
He had gone abroad a few years earlier, and not having time to take it along, had handed it to the shopkeeper.
告别信里写着一行字：
Farewell letter inside write (CONT) one line word:
The farewell letter had a single line:
“这只皮箱不是我的，它只是路过我。”
"This (M) leather-box not-is mine, it only is pass-through me."
“This suitcase is not mine — it is only passing through me.”
我读到这句话时，雨又开始下了。
I read to this (M) sentence time, rain again begin fall (PERF).
When I read that line, the rain started again.
我坐在客厅的地板上，看着这只皮箱，心里的某些东西忽然安静下来。
I sit at living-room (POSS) floor top, look (CONT) this (M) leather-box, heart inside (POSS) certain thing suddenly quiet down-come.
I sat on the living-room floor and looked at the suitcase, and something inside me suddenly went still.
我想起这些年我自己也走过许多路，做了许多决定，离开了许多地方。
I think-up these year I self also walk (EXP) many road, make (PERF) many decision, leave (PERF) many place.
I thought of all the roads I myself had walked over the years, all the decisions, all the places left behind.
我决定不卖它，也不收藏它。
I decide not sell it, also not collect it.
I decided not to sell it, and not to keep it.
我会在它里面留下一样东西，然后送给下一个人。
I will at it inside leave-down one kind thing, then give-to next-one (M) person.
I would leave one thing inside it and then pass it on.
我想了三个晚上，最后写了一张小卡片，放在皮箱底。
I think (PERF) three (M) evening, finally write (PERF) one (M) small card, place at leather-box bottom.
I thought for three nights, and finally wrote a small card and placed it at the bottom of the suitcase.
卡片上是一行问候：
Card top is one line greeting:
On the card was a single greeting:
“你过得好吗？这只皮箱来到你这里了。”
"You pass (COMP) good (Q)? This (M) leather-box come to your here (PERF)."
“Are you well? This suitcase has come to you.”
我没有写日期，也没有签名。
I not-have write date, also not-have sign-name.
I wrote no date, and no name.