中英对译：下棋－梁实秋(4)

　　下棋只是为了消遣，其所以能使这样多人嗜此不疲者，是因为它颇合于人类好斗的本能，这是一种“斗智不斗力”的游戏。所以瓜棚豆架之下，与世无争的村夫野老不免一枰相对，消此永昼；闹市茶寮之中，常有有闲阶级的人士下棋消遣，“不为无益之事，何以遣此有涯之生？”宦海里翻过身最后退隐东山的大人先生们，髀肉复生，而英雄无用武之地，也只好闲来对奕，了此残生，下棋全是“剩馀精力”的发泄。人总是要斗的，总是要钩心斗角的和人争逐的。与其和人争权夺利，还不如在棋盘上多占几个官，与其招摇撞骗，还不如在棋盘上抽上一车。宋人笔记曾载有一段故事：“李讷仆射，性卞急，酷好奕棋，每下子安详，极于宽缓，往往躁怒作，家人辈则密以奕具陈于前，讷赌，便忻然改容，以取其子布弄，都忘其恚矣。”《南部新书》下棋，有没有这样陶冶性情之功，我不敢说，不过有人下起棋来确实是把性命都可置诸度外。我有两个朋友下棋，警报作，不动声色，俄而弹落，棋子被震得在盘上跳荡，屋瓦乱飞，其中一位棋瘾较小者变色而起，被对方一把拉住，“你走！那就算是你输了”。此公深得棋中之趣。

　　Most players of chess play just for diversion. Chess has so many enthusiasts only because it suits man's bellicosity. It is a contest "of wits, not of strength". So you may find country folks, who stand aloof from worldly success, seated at the chessboard in the melon shed or under the legume trellis, you may also find members of the leisured class locked in chess, passing the time in teahouses or pubs on busy streets―"If not to do something senseless, how to beguile the long life?" Also, VIPs in retirement from setbacks in their official careers now living in clover, having no other scope to exercise their abilities, cannot but while away their remaining years with chess. Thus we say it is to give vent to one's "spare energy" to play chess. Men are born bellicose. They have never ceased intriguing against each other. It is far better to occupy more position on the chessboard than to jockey for more power and profit in real life. It is also far better to take a chariot of your opponent's than to swindle and cheat others. A man of the Song Dynasty had the following story recorded in one of his books: "Prime Minister Li Ne, a keen lover of chess, was a man of no patience and impetuosity, whose anger would give way to smiles once engaged in a game of chess. Every time he got angry, his wife or some other member of his family would have the game of chess brought out and placed before him quietly. Seeing the game, Li would calm down. Forgetting all the unpleasantness, he would take up a piece and turn his mind to chess （see: Nan Bu Xin Shu, i.e., New Book of the South）". Whether it is true that playing chess can exert such a favorable influence on one's temperament, I am not sure. Yet it is quite true that there are people who will give no thought to their lives when engaged in games of chess. Two friends of mine were locked up in a game one day, and neither of them turned a hair when an air raid siren suddenly sounded. A bomb exploded on the ground not far away a moment later, setting the pieces on the chessboard dancing and the tiles on the roof shaking. The one not quite so absorbed was somewhat alarmed and rose from the table but was stopped by his opponent. "You leave? Then it is you that lose the game" You see, what pleasure he has found in chess!

　　“抽车”―a frequently used term in Chinese chess, refers to a situation when a chariot（车） of one side is under attack by the other at the same time as the king （or帅） is threatened to be checkmate. As it is more urgent to make a move to save the king, the chariot is left to be taken away（抽） by the opponent.

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