The Final Interview
她答应只接受一次采访，并且只接受一位记者。
She agree only accept one time interview, moreover only accept one (M) journalist.
She agreed to give only one interview, and to only one journalist.
全国所有的文学期刊都希望那个记者是自己的。
Whole-country all (POSS) literature periodical all hope that (M) journalist is self (POSS).
Every literary magazine in the country hoped that journalist would be theirs.
最后她选择了一个不太有名的年轻人，叫陈安。
Finally she choose (PERF) one (M) not too famous (POSS) young person, call Chen-An.
In the end she chose a young woman who wasn't very well known — Chen An.
陈安在一家小杂志社工作。
Chen-An at one (M) small magazine-society work.
Chen An worked at a small magazine.
她从大学起就喜欢这位作家的小说，可是从没想过会有机会和她见面。
She from university start then like this (M) writer (POSS) novel, but from-not think (EXP) will have opportunity and her meet-face.
She had loved this writer's novels since college, but had never imagined she would have the chance to meet her.
作家叫顾文清，今年七十六岁，从二十岁开始写小说，写了一辈子。
Writer call Gu-Wenqing, this-year seventy-six year-old, from twenty year-old begin write novel, write (PERF) one-lifetime.
The writer's name was Gu Wenqing. She was seventy-six. She had been writing novels since she was twenty, and had written all her life.
她最有名的几本书几乎被译成了所有的语言。
Her most famous (POSS) several (M) book almost (PASS) translate-become (PERF) all (POSS) language.
Her best-known books had been translated into nearly every language.
评论家说她代表了一个时代的中国文学。
Critic say she represent (PERF) one (M) era (POSS) China literature.
Critics said she stood for an entire era of Chinese literature.
五年前，她突然宣布退休，不再写作，也不再接受任何采访。
Five year ago, she suddenly announce retire, not again write-work, also not again accept any interview.
Five years ago she had abruptly announced her retirement — no more writing, no more interviews.
她搬到南方一座海边的小村，住进一栋安静的旧房子。
She move to south one (M) seaside (POSS) small-village, move-into one (M) quiet (POSS) old house.
She moved to a small village by the southern sea, into a quiet old house.
没人知道她为什么停笔，也没人敢问。
No-one know she why stop-pen, also no-one dare ask.
No one knew why she had stopped writing, and no one dared to ask.
现在，她说要做最后一次采访。
Now, she say want do final one time interview.
Now she said she wanted to give one final interview.
她在信里写道：
She at letter inside write-say:
In her letter she wrote:
“我希望和我谈话的人，不太了解我。”
"I hope with me talk (POSS) person, not too understand me."
“I want the person who talks with me to not know me too well.”
“我希望谈一件我从未写过的事。”
"I hope discuss one (M) I never write (EXP) (POSS) matter."
“I want to talk about something I have never written about.”
陈安收到通知的时候，正在编辑别人的稿子。
Chen-An receive notice (POSS) time, in-the-middle-of edit other-person (POSS) draft.
When Chen An received the notice, she was editing someone else's manuscript.
她读完那封信，手抖了很久。
She read-finish that (M) letter, hand tremble (PERF) very-long.
She finished reading the letter, and her hands shook for a long time.
她准备了一个月。
She prepare (PERF) one (M) month.
She prepared for a month.
她重新读了顾文清所有的小说，做了厚厚的笔记。
She anew read (PERF) Gu-Wenqing all (POSS) novel, make (PERF) thick-thick (POSS) note.
She reread every one of Gu Wenqing's novels and took thick notebooks of notes.
她想问关于写作的方法、关于文学的意义、关于退休的原因。
She want ask regarding write-work (POSS) method, regarding literature (POSS) meaning, regarding retire (POSS) reason.
She wanted to ask about her craft, about what literature meant to her, about why she had retired.
她以为这会是一次关于一生作品的对话。
She think this will is one time regarding one-life work (POSS) dialogue.
She thought it would be a conversation about a lifetime of work.
她带着这些问题，坐了一夜的火车，又坐了几小时的汽车。
She bring (CONT) these question, sit (PERF) one night (POSS) train, again sit (PERF) several hour (POSS) bus.
She carried these questions through a night on the train and several hours on a bus.
村子很小，海风咸咸的，吹得整条街上没有几个人。
Village very small, sea-wind salty-salty (POSS), blow (COMP) whole (M) street top not-have several (M) person.
The village was tiny, the sea wind salt-thick, and only a handful of people were out on the entire street.
顾文清的房子在海的旁边，门是开着的。
Gu-Wenqing (POSS) house at sea (POSS) side, door is open (CONT) (POSS).
Gu Wenqing's house sat beside the sea. The door was open.
她坐在屋子里的木桌前，背后是一面没有任何画的白墙。
She sit at room inside (POSS) wood-table front, back-behind is one (M) not-have any picture (POSS) white wall.
She sat at a wooden table inside, against a white wall bare of any picture.
她看上去比照片上瘦得多，可是眼睛非常清亮。
She look up-go compared-to photo on thin (COMP) much, but eye extremely clear-bright.
She looked much thinner than in her photographs, but her eyes were extraordinarily clear.
“坐吧。”她说。
"Sit (SUGG)." She say.
“Sit,” she said.
陈安拿出笔记本，刚想开口问第一个问题，被她轻轻打断。
Chen-An take-out notebook, just want open-mouth ask first (M) question, (PASS) her gently interrupt.
Chen An took out her notebook and was about to ask her first question when she was gently cut off.
“我知道你想问什么。”她说，“可是那些问题别人都问过了。”
"I know you want ask what." She say, "but those question other-person all ask (EXP) (PERF)."
“I know what you want to ask,” she said. “But others have asked all of that.”
“我请你来，不是为了再说一遍那些。”
"I invite you come, not is for again say one-time those."
“I didn't ask you here to say them again.”
陈安愣住了。
Chen-An stunned-stay (PERF).
Chen An froze.
“我想说一件五十年前的事。”
"I want say one (M) fifty year ago (POSS) matter."
“I want to tell you about something fifty years ago.”
“那件事我从来没有写过，也从来没有讲给任何人。”
"That (M) matter I from-never not-have write (EXP), also from-never not-have tell-give any person."
“I have never written it, and I have never told it to anyone.”
“我希望让你写出来。”
"I hope let you write out-come."
“I would like you to write it.”
“可是怎么写、写多少、要不要发表——你听完以后再决定。”
"But how write, write how-much, want or not publish — you listen-finish after then decide."
“But how to write it, how much, whether to publish it at all — decide after you've heard it.”
陈安合上笔记本，安静地看着她。
Chen-An close-up notebook, quietly (ADV) look (CONT) her.
Chen An shut her notebook and looked at her quietly.
那年她二十六岁。
That year she twenty-six year-old.
That year she had been twenty-six.
她已经写出了第一本小说，得到了一些注意，可是日子并不轻松。
She already write-out (PERF) first (M) novel, obtain (PERF) some attention, but day-period not-at-all easy.
Her first novel was already out, and had drawn a little attention, but life was not easy.
她爱上了一个有家室的人。
She love-up (PERF) one (M) have family-room (POSS) person.
She had fallen in love with a married man.
他是一位老师，比她大十五岁，是她在大学里认识的。
He is one (M) teacher, compared-to her big fifteen year-old, is she at university inside meet (POSS).
He was a teacher, fifteen years older, whom she had met at the university.
他答应离开家庭，和她在一起。
He agree leave family, with her at together.
He had agreed to leave his family and be with her.
那一年夏天，他们计划好了一切——他将在七月十日的早晨告诉妻子，下午搬出来。
That one year summer, they plan good (PERF) everything — he will at seven month ten day (POSS) morning tell wife, afternoon move-out come.
That summer they had planned everything — on the morning of July 10 he would tell his wife, and that afternoon he would move out.
七月十日是星期三。
Seven month ten day is Wednesday.
July 10 was a Wednesday.
那天清晨，顾文清在自己的小公寓里等他的电话。
That day early-morning, Gu-Wenqing at self (POSS) small apartment inside wait his (POSS) phone.
Early that morning, Gu Wenqing was waiting for his call in her small apartment.
她在窗边煮了茶，写了几行新小说的开头。
She at window-edge boil (PERF) tea, write (PERF) several line new novel (POSS) opening.
She made tea by the window and wrote a few lines of the opening of a new novel.
她相信，那一天结束以后，她的一生将完全不一样。
She believe, that one day end after, her (POSS) one-life will completely not same.
She believed that, when that day was over, her whole life would be different.
电话响了。
Phone ring (PERF).
The phone rang.
不是他打来的，是他的妻子。
Not is he call-come (POSS), is his (POSS) wife.
It was not him on the line. It was his wife.
妻子的声音非常平静。
Wife (POSS) voice extremely calm.
The wife's voice was very calm.
她说：“我知道你和他的事。”
She say: "I know you and him (POSS) matter."
She said, “I know about you and him.”
她又说：“他还没有告诉我，可是我看得出来。”
She again say: "He still not-have tell me, but I see (COMP) out-come."
She said, “He hasn't told me yet, but I can see it.”
“我不想威胁你，也不想骂你。”
"I not want threaten you, also not want scold you."
“I don't want to threaten you, or to scold you.”
“我只想告诉你一件事。”
"I only want tell you one (M) matter."
“I only want to tell you one thing.”
“我有一个儿子，今年五岁。”
"I have one (M) son, this-year five year-old."
“I have a son. He is five.”
“他生病三年了。”
"He sick three year (PERF)."
“He has been ill for three years.”
顾文清坐在椅子上，没有出声。
Gu-Wenqing sit at chair top, not-have make-sound.
Gu Wenqing sat in her chair, saying nothing.
“医生说他的病可以治好，但是需要他父亲在身边。”
"Doctor say his (POSS) illness can cure good, but need his father at body-side."
“The doctors say he can recover, but he needs his father by his side.”
“我不会留住他，如果他要走，我让他走。”
"I not will keep-stay him, if he want go, I let him go."
“I won't hold him here. If he wants to leave, I'll let him leave.”
“我只是要你知道这件事。”
"I only is need you know this (M) matter."
“I only want you to know.”
然后她挂了电话。
Then she hang (PERF) phone.
Then she hung up.
顾文清在那把椅子上坐了一整天。
Gu-Wenqing at that (M) chair top sit (PERF) one whole day.
Gu Wenqing sat in that chair for the rest of the day.
那天下午，她没有等到他来，因为她没有给他打电话。
That day afternoon, she not-have wait-arrive him come, because she not-have give him call phone.
That afternoon she did not wait for him to come, because she did not call him.
她在第二天早晨，亲自找到他。
She at second day morning, personally find arrive him.
The next morning she went to him herself.
她对他说：“我们结束。”
She toward him say: "We end."
She said to him, “We're finished.”
他没有理解。
He not-have understand.
He did not understand.
她也没有解释。
She also not-have explain.
She did not explain.
她离开了那座城市，搬到南方，安静地写作。
She leave (PERF) that (M) city, move to south, quietly (ADV) write-work.
She left that city, moved south, and wrote in quiet.
她的第二本小说，就是从那年的夏天写起的。
Her (POSS) second (M) novel, precisely is from that year (POSS) summer write up (POSS).
Her second novel was begun in the summer of that year.
“那本书里的所有人，都没有名字。”她说。
"That (M) book inside (POSS) all person, all not-have name." She say.
“Not a single character in that book has a name,” she said.
“评论家说，那是一种写作的实验。”
"Critic say, that is one kind write-work (POSS) experiment."
“The critics called it a kind of literary experiment.”
“实际上，是因为我不能写他的名字。”
"Actually, is because I cannot write his (POSS) name."
“In truth, it was because I could not write his name.”
“那个孩子后来好了。”她说。
"That (M) child afterward good (PERF)." She say.
“The child got better, in the end,” she said.
“他父亲的家庭完整了。”
"His father (POSS) family complete (PERF)."
“His father's family stayed whole.”
“我从来没有见过那个孩子，也没有见过他的妻子。”
"I from-never not-have see (EXP) that (M) child, also not-have see (EXP) his (POSS) wife."
“I never saw that child, and I never saw his wife.”
“我只听过她一次声音。”
"I only hear (EXP) her one time voice."
“I only ever heard her voice once.”
顾文清沉默了很久，看着窗外的海。
Gu-Wenqing silent (PERF) very-long, look (CONT) window-outside (POSS) sea.
Gu Wenqing was silent for a long time, looking out at the sea.
“我写了一辈子的小说，关心的是别人的选择。”
"I write (PERF) one-lifetime (POSS) novel, care-about (POSS) is other-person (POSS) choice."
“I wrote novels all my life, and what I cared about was other people's choices.”
“可是我自己最重要的一次选择，从来没有写出来。”
"But my self most important (POSS) one time choice, from-never not-have write out-come."
“But the most important choice of my own, I never wrote.”
“我今天告诉你，因为我觉得，是时候让一个不认识我的人听一听。”
"I today tell you, because I feel, is time let one (M) not know me (POSS) person listen one-listen."
“I'm telling you today because I think it's time someone who does not know me listened.”
陈安的眼里有泪，她没有让它落下来。
Chen-An (POSS) eye inside have tear, she not-have let it fall-down-come.
Chen An had tears in her eyes; she did not let them fall.
“我可以发表吗？”
"I can publish (Q)?"
“May I publish it?”
“可以。”顾文清说。
"Can." Gu-Wenqing say.
“You may,” Gu Wenqing said.
“可是请你写得短，写得轻，不要点出我，也不要点出他。”
"But please you write (COMP) short, write (COMP) light, not want point-out me, also not want point-out him."
“But write it short, write it light. Don't name me, and don't name him.”
“读我书的人，会自己懂。”
"Read my book (POSS) person, will self understand."
“The people who have read my books will understand on their own.”
回到城里以后，陈安想了很多个晚上。
Return to city inside after, Chen-An think (PERF) very-many (M) evening.
After she returned to the city, Chen An spent many nights thinking.
最后她写出来的稿子，只有八百字。
Finally she write-out (POSS) draft, only have eight-hundred word.
The piece she finally wrote was only eight hundred characters.
里面没有顾文清的名字，没有具体的时间，也没有那个孩子的事的细节。
Inside not-have Gu-Wenqing (POSS) name, not-have specific (POSS) time, also not-have that (M) child (POSS) matter (POSS) detail.
It carried no name, no specific date, no details of the child.
她只写：一位作家在一个夏天的早晨，做出了一个决定。
She only write: one (M) writer at one (M) summer (POSS) morning, make-out (PERF) one (M) decision.
She only wrote: one summer morning, a writer made a decision.
这个决定没有写进她任何一本书，可是改变了她以后所有的书。
This (M) decision not-have write-into her any one (M) book, but change (PERF) her after all (POSS) book.
That decision never entered any of her books, and yet it changed every book she wrote afterward.
文章在杂志上登出来以后，许多读者重新读顾文清的小说。
Article at magazine top publish-out-come after, many reader anew read Gu-Wenqing (POSS) novel.
After the piece appeared in the magazine, many readers went back to Gu Wenqing's novels.
他们突然在那些没有名字的人物身上，看出了从未注意到的细节。
They suddenly at those not-have name (POSS) character body top, see-out (PERF) never notice arrive (POSS) detail.
All at once, in those nameless characters, they saw details they had never noticed.
顾文清没有再说一句话。
Gu-Wenqing not-have again say one (M) sentence.
Gu Wenqing did not speak again.
那是她最后一次公开出现。
That is her final one time publicly appear.
It was her last public appearance.