第十三章 (Chapter Thirteen)

Ma Bole arrived at Fanwangdu Station. He was truly overjoyed, and he said to himself:

"I've finally escaped from Shanghai."

As for what would become of Shanghai from now on, who cared?

First, he was carrying a large suitcase. Second, his little jars were filled to the brim with things like toothpaste and pencils. He wouldn't have to go out and buy toothpaste for at least three months.

Did he really not leave the house for three months? Not exactly; after all, he could always buy more if he ran out of toothpaste.

In any case, escaping from Shanghai was the first step, and it was undeniably a success.

Ma Bole was immensely pleased with himself. He recalled how, back in the French Concession, the rent had been over ten dollars a month and he had cooked for himself. Now that this was a wartime flight, he ought to save money, starting first with food.

How to economize? It was quite simple.

"Two steamed buns and a piece of pickled vegetable will do."

This meant that each day, two steamed buns and a piece of pickled vegetable were for him alone. Mrs. Ma and the children would eat other things.

"During wartime flight, saving money is the top priority."

Ma Bole saw that economizing was absolutely unavoidable, for Changchun was not likely to be peaceful again anytime soon.

And so Ma Bole decided right then: if Mrs. Ma were to come, he would send her to Nanjing, and the children to Nanjing as well. He had friends in Nanjing, didn't he? Friends who were in the newspaper business, friends who relied on the newspaper for their livelihood-of course such friends would have to put them up.

"What are friends for? Friends are there to help each other."

Ma Bole decided; it was settled.

"During wartime flight," could friends possibly refuse to take them in? Especially when Mrs. Ma was coming-could friends not entertain Mrs. Ma?

Ma Bole felt this was no problem at all. Friends ought to entertain them. Friends should entertain them.

If Mrs. Ma brought money, she would also be sent to Nanjing, and the children too. Just like that. In two or three months' time, he would wrap up all his connections and all his affairs in Shanghai.

And so it was. That evening, when Ma Bole returned from Fanwangdu, it must have been already around nine o'clock. He went to bed without undressing. No sooner had he fallen asleep than he heard knocking. Ma Bole thought:

"This must be Madam Zhang's brother again."

Ma Bole hastily got up:

"Coming, coming."

He opened the door to find it was not Madam Zhang's brother, but the usual landlady, Mrs. Ma.

Ma Bole looked her over and closed the door.

Ma Bole said:

"I'm moving out first thing tomorrow. I won't be staying."

Ma Bole wrote neither to Mrs. Ma nor to Madam Zhang's brother.

Early the next morning, Ma Bole took his own suitcase, hired a rickshaw, and went straight to Fanwangdu Station.

The flatbed carts at Fanwangdu Station were truly numerous. Ma Bole thought of hiring one to pull his suitcase, and then he himself could ride along. When Mrs. Ma and the children arrived, they would have a cart to ride in too, saving them the trouble of walking.

Arriving at Fanwangdu Station, the first thing Ma Bole saw was that cart. It was large, open-topped, and flat, probably capable of carrying thirty people. Ma Bole was delighted at the sight.

He thought:

"During wartime flight, the worst is having too much to carry or too many people. More people mean fewer carts available. This cart can carry thirty people-nothing could be better."

Ma Bole gleefully rented the cart, settled on a price he found quite cheap.

"During wartime flight, saving money is the top priority."

The good thing about this flatbed cart was that it was open. If it rained, they could simply cover it with a piece of oilcloth.

Ma Bole had the carter pull him and his suitcase, and he sat on the flatbed.

Not far along, he saw Madam Zhang's brother again. Madam Zhang's brother hadn't even hired a cart; he just walked to and fro on the street, a leather briefcase tucked under his arm.

As soon as Ma Bole saw Madam Zhang's brother, he felt a great affinity for him and quickly called out:

"Where are you off to?"

Madam Zhang's brother turned his head and, seeing it was Ma Bole, also felt a great affinity.

"Where are you off to?"

The two of them uttered the words almost simultaneously.

Ma Bole said:

"I'm heading to the station."

Madam Zhang's brother said:

"I'm heading to the station too."

And so the two of them walked to the station together.

On the platform, Madam Zhang's brother said:

"I've been meaning to find you these past couple of days, but I just haven't had the time."

Ma Bole also said:

"I've been meaning to find you too, and I haven't had the time either."

Madam Zhang's brother said:

"Has your Mrs. Ma and the children arrived?"

Ma Bole said:

"No, they're still in Shanghai. I'm thinking of sending them to Nanjing."

Madam Zhang's brother said:

"That's excellent. I was planning to send my own family to Nanjing as well."

Hearing this, Ma Bole thought to himself: So it's really wartime flight; even Madam Zhang's brother is sending his family to Nanjing.

Madam Zhang's brother added:

"My household is too big; it's really inconvenient to flee."

Ma Bole said:

"Exactly. During wartime flight, the worst is having too many people."

Madam Zhang's brother asked again:

"Where are you planning to go?"

Ma Bole said:

"We're planning to go to Hankou."

Madam Zhang's brother said:

"Hankou is too far. Nanjing would be better."

Ma Bole said:

"Nanjing is just the same; it's all wartime flight."

The two conversed very congenially.

Madam Zhang's brother said:

"I think so too. During wartime flight, the first thing is to save money, the second is to avoid trouble. That's why I want to send my family to Nanjing."

Ma Bole said:

"Right, that's exactly what I think."

The two talked more and more happily, growing closer and closer, and only parted when the train began to move.

Sitting on the flatbed cart, watching Madam Zhang's brother gradually recede into the distance, Ma Bole thought:

"During wartime flight, it's truly not easy to encounter such a friend."

Ma Bole thought further:

"Madam Zhang's brother, by the looks of it, doesn't have much money either, yet he too must undertake a wartime flight. This shows that wartime flight is not the privilege of the wealthy."

Thinking this, Ma Bole felt even happier.

"Wartime flight, wartime flight, everyone's on a wartime flight."

Ma Bole seemed to be singing a little tune in his heart.

Ma Bole thought again:

"During wartime flight, first save money, second avoid trouble, third be quick."

Ma Bole felt he had accomplished all three.

The flatbed cart he rented was cheap-that was saving money. He was alone, with hardly any luggage-that was avoiding trouble. He was leaving Shanghai today-that was being quick.

Ma Bole grew happier and more pleased with himself the more he thought about it.

Yet, when he thought of Mrs. Ma and the children, he felt a twinge of unease.

He thought:

"When will Mrs. Ma and the children arrive? If they come and can't find me, what should I do?"

Ma Bole thought again:

"But it doesn't matter. Once I get to Nanjing, I'll write to them and tell them where I am."

Thinking this, Ma Bole felt settled once more.

"During wartime flight, the most important thing is to get yourself out first."

Ma Bole felt he had taken the right step.

"As for Mrs. Ma and the children, they'll come along later."

Ma Bole comforted himself in this manner.

Sitting on the flatbed cart, watching the scenery along the roadside, Ma Bole felt exceedingly content.

He felt he had escaped from Shanghai. He was safe now.

"Farewell, Shanghai!"

Ma Bole said this in his heart.

Yet, when Ma Bole thought of his friends in Shanghai, he felt a touch of sadness again.

He thought:

"How are those friends now? Have they escaped too?"

Ma Bole thought again:

"But it doesn't matter. During wartime flight, everyone fends for themselves. Who can look out for anyone else?"

Thinking this, Ma Bole felt at ease again.

"Wartime flight, wartime flight, everyone's on a wartime flight."

Ma Bole again seemed to be singing a little tune in his heart.

Ma Bole thought again:

"During wartime flight, the most important thing is to get yourself out first."

Ma Bole felt he had taken the right step.

"As for others, they'll just have to trust to fate."

Thinking this, Ma Bole felt even more relaxed.

Ma Bole sat on the flatbed cart and, before he knew it, fell asleep.

When he awoke, it was already afternoon.

The flatbed cart had left the city limits of Shanghai and was now on a country road.

Ma Bole looked at the fields alongside the road and felt very happy.

He thought:

"Now this is the road of wartime flight!"

He felt he had escaped from Shanghai. He was safe now.

"Farewell, Shanghai!"

Ma Bole said this in his heart.

Yet, when Ma Bole thought of his friends in Shanghai, he felt a touch of sadness again.

He thought:

"How are those friends now? Have they escaped too?"

Ma Bole thought again:

"But it doesn't matter. During wartime flight, everyone fends for themselves. Who can look out for anyone else?"

Thinking this, Ma Bole felt at ease again.

"Wartime flight, wartime flight, everyone's on a wartime flight."

Ma Bole again seemed to be singing a little tune in his heart.

Ma Bole thought again:

"During wartime flight, the most important thing is to get yourself out first."

Ma Bole felt he had taken the right step.

"As for others, they'll just have to trust to fate."

Thinking this, Ma Bole felt even more relaxed.

Ma Bole sat on the flatbed cart and, before he knew it, fell asleep once more.

When he awoke, it was already evening.

The flatbed cart had stopped in a small town.

Ma Bole got off the cart, found a small inn, and settled in.

He thought:

"One more day of travel, and I'll reach Nanjing."

Ma Bole felt his wartime flight was proceeding very smoothly.

"Wartime flight, wartime flight, so wartime flight is this easy after all."

Ma Bole thought this in his heart.

Yet, when Ma Bole thought of Mrs. Ma and the children, he felt uneasy again.

He thought:

"When will Mrs. Ma and the children arrive? If they come and can't find me, what should I do?"

Ma Bole thought again:

"But it doesn't matter. Once I get to Nanjing, I'll write to them and tell them where I am."

Thinking this, Ma Bole felt settled again.

"During wartime flight, the most important thing is to get yourself out first."

Ma Bole felt he had taken the right step.

"As for Mrs. Ma and the children, they'll come along later."

Ma Bole comforted himself in this manner.

Ma Bole stayed at the small inn for one night. Early the next morning, he again boarded the flatbed cart and set off for Nanjing.

He thought:

"Once I reach Nanjing, I can set my mind at ease."

Ma Bole felt his wartime flight was proceeding very smoothly.

"Wartime flight, wartime flight, so wartime flight is this easy after all."

Ma Bole thought this in his heart.