经济学人212:用绘画保命的柬埔寨人

 　　Vann Nath

　　凡纳

　　Vann Nath, a Cambodian who painted to stay alive, died on September 5th, aged¹ 65

　　凡纳，用绘画保命的柬埔寨人，9月5日去世，享年65岁

　　Sep 17th 2011 | from the print edition

　　WHEN he was 52, with a hand that still trembled, Vann Nath produced a painting of a young man lying under a blossoming tree. He was playing a pipe while, in the background, cattle grazed by green palms in some bucolic² corner of Cambodia. It was meant to be a self-portrait, he said, a beautiful memory from his childhood. He wanted only to paint idyllic³ landscapes now, in the style of temple murals or the French Impressionists who had first inspired him to take up art.

　　52岁的时候，用还在颤抖的手，凡纳（Vann Nath）画了一幅画：一位少年躺在开满花的树下吹着牧笛，牛儿在吃草，背后是柬埔寨某些村落里可见的绿棕榈。他说这原本是幅自画像，是童年的美好回忆。现在的他只想画田园风光，像寺院壁画或法国印象派那样，是他们把自己领上了艺术之路。

　　That was because, in 1978-79, he had been made to paint quite different pictures. In those months he was interned⁴ in S-21 prison, a former French lycée in Phnom Penh which had been converted into a torture-compound for alleged⁵ enemies of the Khmer Rouge⁶ regime. Perhaps 14,000 people were sent to S-21 for a daily routine of electrocution, water-boarding and flagellation before being carted off for execution—a shovel⁷ or spade to the head—at the nearby “killing fields”. Mr Vann Nath was one of only six or seven prisoners to make it out alive.

　　这是因为，1978-79年间他被迫作的画与此大相径庭，他被囚禁在S-21监狱数月，S-21前身是金边市内一所法国高中，后被红色高棉政权改造成为关押其宣称敌人的刑讯地。据计大概有14，000人被送进S-21监狱，接受日常惯例的电击，水刑和鞭刑，直到在附近的“杀人场”被断头处决——用铁锹或铁锨击打头部。凡纳是仅存的六七名生还者之一。

　　He never expected to. Like almost all the others, he had no idea why he had been sent there. He was not an intellectual; his family was poor and provincial⁸, and he just a painter in a small business making signs and billboards⁹. In 1975, obedient to the Khmers Rouges¹⁰, he had joined a peasant commune and worked hard there. When he first saw the wasted prisoners in S-21, he thought it was all over for him. But after withering¹¹ away for a month, fed so sparely on rice gruel¹² that he felt an urge to consume the flesh of the dead, he was asked to paint portraits of the regime’s leader, Pol Pot.

　　他从未想到这些。和众多人一样，他不知道自己为什么被送到这里。他不是知识分子，远在乡下，家境贫寒，他只是一家小牌匾公司的画师。1975年，他服从红色高棉下达的命令，加入一个农民公社，在那里卖力劳动。第一次看到S-21里羸弱不堪囚犯的时候，他想一切都结束了。一个月过去他逐渐消瘦萎靡，吃的不过是稀粥，他只想速死。但这时有人要他去画领袖像：红色高棉的领袖波尔布特（Pol Pot）。

　　At first he thought he could not do it. The shocks and beatings meant that he could barely stand. Besides, he had no idea what Pol Pot looked like, and only a black-and-white photograph to copy. All the time he painted, day and night, the screams of the tortured echoed from other rooms. He hoped, with every brush-stroke, that his jailers would like his work and let him live. He focused by thinking how much he would like to kill the man he drew.

　　起初他觉得自己做不来。但他受不了电击和殴打。此外，除了一张黑白照片可供描摹，他不知道波尔布特是什么模样。他一直在画，夜以继日，其他的房间里回荡着受刑者的惨叫。每画一笔，他都希望看管他的狱卒会喜欢这幅画，让他活命。他多想杀掉画中人，他靠着这种想法来集中精力。

　　Nonetheless, he carried out the task to the satisfaction of Duch, the prison commandant, the one—and still only—former cadre now being held to account for his role in the revolution. For his flattering portraits, giving Pol Pot a fresh-faced girl’s rosy¹³ cheeks, Mr Vann Nath’s name in the prison ledger¹⁴ was tagged “Keep for use”. But for that “keeping”, he often said, he would be dead.

　　尽管如此，因为自己那幅曲意逢迎，赋予波尔布特少女般玫瑰面庞的画作，他完成的这次任务让监狱长杜赫——目前唯一为自己在那场革命中的角色负责并受到控制的前柬共干部满意。凡纳的名字在监狱名单上被归类为“留着用”。他经常说，如果不是那个“留”字，他可能就死了。

　　When a Vietnamese invasion swept the Khmers Rouges from power, in January 1979, his portrait-painting ended. But in 1980-81 an even more harrowing spell of art began. The fleeing warders of S-21 left behind troves of documents outlining the prison’s work, but it was Mr Vann Nath, painting his memories in sombre oils, who showed most vividly¹⁵ what had happened there. Blindfolded¹⁶ men, women and children trucked into the compound in the middle of the night. Men carried, trussed like pigs, on bamboo poles. Babies torn from their mothers’ arms—to be smashed against walls, he learned later. Prisoners prodded¹⁷, whipped and steered¹⁸ by stone-faced cadres into holding cells to be crammed¹⁹ side by side, like decaying logs. For many years after the Khmers Rouges fell from power, the upper echelons²⁰ of the regime denied S-21’s existence. Mr Vann Nath caught its reality in furtive²¹ glances, as he moved from cell to workshop.

　　1979年1月，一支越南军队扫清红色高棉政权，凡纳也停止了画人像。但1980-81年间是一段更让人锥心蚀骨的艺术开始。仓皇逃窜的S-21狱卒留下的文件书写了监狱运作的大体轮廓，然而正是凡纳用昏暗，严肃的颜料描绘出的个人记忆，才活生生的展示了那里曾经发生的过往。午夜时分，蒙住眼的男子，妇女和儿童被卡车运进集中营。男人被扎在竹竿上，像猪一样；婴儿从母亲的怀里被扯出来——不久凡纳才明白，婴儿会被摔死在树上；囚犯被面如铁石的狱卒刺戳，鞭打，扭送进囚禁室，再一个挨一个的挤在一起，像正在腐烂的木头。红色高棉丧失权力很多年后，此政权高层仍然否认S-21的存在。而凡纳在囚禁室到作画室的路上，一次次用秘密的一瞥记录下了S-21的现实。

　　He painted by stilling his mind, in a process both painful and therapeutic²². But painting still made no sense of what he had seen. It seemed to him that Cambodia could not cleanse²³ itself of such an evil, and that his works were not good enough to do such horror justice. He only hoped the souls of those who had died would get some ease from them.

　　他静下心来作画，这是痛苦和治愈的过程。但绘画不足以澄明他看到的一切。在他看来，柬埔寨似乎永远无法洗清这场罪恶，他的作品也做不了如此令人恐惧的审判，他只希望逝者能从画中得到一些慰藉。

　　When S-21 was turned into a museum of the national self-genocide he had witnessed, some of his pictures hung on the walls. One day, for the first time since 1979, he saw one of his former jailers there, a “tiger” he had dreaded²⁴. Having puffed²⁵ a few cigarettes to steel himself—for he was always a man of poise²⁶, despite his tormented²⁷ past—he approached him affably and guided him by the shoulder to his paintings hanging there. “Is this accurate?” he asked. It was, the jailer conceded.

　　当S-21集中营变成纪念柬埔寨国家自我屠杀博物馆后，他看到墙上挂着自己的一些作品。一天，他自1979年后第一次在那儿看到了关押过自己的一名狱卒——他曾惧怕过的一只“恶虎”。凡纳吸了几口烟让自己坚强起来——尽管他受过折磨，可他一直是个泰然自若的人——他像走近朋友那样走近那位狱卒，扶着他的肩膀带他看自己的画。“画的准吗？”他问。是那样，那名狱卒承认道。

　　The international media, whose questions about S-21 he patiently answered time after time, called him Cambodia’s Goya. He brushed it off. His principal fear was that young Cambodians would not learn about—or, worse still, would not believe—what he had witnessed. He painted, he said, so that Cambodia would never turn on itself so monstrously²⁸ again.

　　国际媒体不断询问关于S-21的事，他都耐心作答。媒体称他是柬埔寨的戈雅，他对此不置臧否。他最深的恐惧是年轻一代柬埔寨人可能不会了解这些——或者更糟，不会相信他所见证的一切。他作画，他说，这样柬埔寨就不会再次变得如此怪异，如此邪恶。

　　Silent witness

　　沉默的证人

　　Two years ago Mr Vann Nath took the stand as a witness against Duch, his former master, who is now appealing a 35-year jail sentence handed down by a UN-backed war-crimes court in Cambodia. A second trial, of four senior leaders of the regime, is not expected to start until next year. The defendants²⁹ say they are too ill to stand trial. They are attended, however, by a world-class team of doctors; Mr Vann Nath, who suffered years of kidney disease, struggled to afford even basic care. His testimony³⁰ will be missing from subsequent proceedings³¹. His paintings, however, speak for him.

　　两年前凡纳作为证人出庭，指证他从前的主人——杜赫，杜赫被联合国支持的柬埔寨战争罪法庭判处有期徒刑35年，现在正在为此上诉。由四名柬埔寨资深法官主持的二审要到明年才开始。那些被告说自己已经年老体衰，经不住审判，他们被囚禁，却受到一队世界级医生的照顾；而凡纳饱受多年的肾病折磨，却要努力维持甚至基本的护理。接下来的庭讯人们再不会听到他的证词，然而他的画会代他说出心声。

1 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

2 bucolic   

adj.乡村的；牧羊的

参考例句：

• It is a bucolic refuge in the midst of a great bustling city.它是处在繁华的大城市之中的世外桃源。
• She turns into a sweet country girl surrounded by family,chickens and a bucolic landscape.她变成了被家人、鸡与乡村景象所围绕的甜美乡村姑娘。

3 idyllic   

adj.质朴宜人的，田园风光的

参考例句：

• These scenes had an idyllic air.这种情景多少有点田园气氛。
• Many people living in big cities yearn for an idyllic country life.现在的很多都市人向往那种田园化的生活。

4 interned   

v.拘留，关押( intern的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was interned but,as he was in no way implicated in war crimes,was released. 他曾被拘留过，但因未曾涉嫌战争罪行而被释放了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These soldiers were interned in a neutral country until the war was over. 这些士兵被拘留在一个中立国，直到战争结束。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

6 rouge   

n.胭脂，口红唇膏；v.(在…上)擦口红

参考例句：

• Women put rouge on their cheeks to make their faces pretty.女人往面颊上涂胭脂，使脸更漂亮。
• She didn't need any powder or lip rouge to make her pretty.她天生漂亮，不需要任何脂粉唇膏打扮自己。

7 shovel   

n.铁锨，铲子，一铲之量；v.铲，铲出

参考例句：

• He was working with a pick and shovel.他在用镐和铲干活。
• He seized a shovel and set to.他拿起一把铲就干上了。

8 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

9 billboards   

n.广告牌( billboard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Large billboards have disfigured the scenery. 大型告示板已破坏了景色。 来自辞典例句
• Then, put the logo in magazines and on billboards without telling anyone what it means. 接着我们把这个商标刊在杂志和广告看板上，却不跟任何人透漏它的涵意。 来自常春藤生活英语杂志-2006年4月号

10 rouges   

胭脂，口红( rouge的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A young lady who thinks is like a young man who rouges. 妙龄女郎之作思考，有如青年男子之涂脂抹粉。
• Her sister rouges her face at home. 阿姊闻妹来当户理红妆。

11 withering   

使人畏缩的，使人害羞的，使人难堪的

参考例句：

• She gave him a withering look. 她极其蔑视地看了他一眼。
• The grass is gradually dried-up and withering and pallen leaves. 草渐渐干枯、枯萎并落叶。

12 gruel   

n.稀饭，粥

参考例句：

• We had gruel for the breakfast.我们早餐吃的是粥。
• He sat down before the fireplace to eat his gruel.他坐到壁炉前吃稀饭。

13 rosy   

adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的

参考例句：

• She got a new job and her life looks rosy.她找到一份新工作，生活看上去很美好。
• She always takes a rosy view of life.她总是对生活持乐观态度。

14 ledger   

n.总帐，分类帐；帐簿

参考例句：

• The young man bowed his head and bent over his ledger again.那个年轻人点头应诺，然后又埋头写起分类帐。
• She is a real accountant who even keeps a detailed household ledger.她不愧是搞财务的，家庭分类账记得清楚详细。

15 vividly   

adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地

参考例句：

• The speaker pictured the suffering of the poor vividly.演讲者很生动地描述了穷人的生活。
• The characters in the book are vividly presented.这本书里的人物写得栩栩如生。

16 blindfolded   

v.（尤指用布）挡住（某人）的视线( blindfold的过去式 )；蒙住（某人）的眼睛；使不理解；蒙骗

参考例句：

• The hostages were tied up and blindfolded. 人质被捆绑起来并蒙上了眼睛。
• They were each blindfolded with big red handkerchiefs. 他们每个人的眼睛都被一块红色大手巾蒙住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 prodded   

v.刺，戳( prod的过去式和过去分词 )；刺激；促使；（用手指或尖物）戳

参考例句：

• She prodded him in the ribs to wake him up. 她用手指杵他的肋部把他叫醒。
• He prodded at the plate of fish with his fork. 他拿叉子戳弄着那盘鱼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 steered   

v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导

参考例句：

• He steered the boat into the harbour. 他把船开进港。
• The freighter steered out of Santiago Bay that evening. 那天晚上货轮驶出了圣地亚哥湾。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 crammed   

adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式)

参考例句：

• He crammed eight people into his car. 他往他的车里硬塞进八个人。
• All the shelves were crammed with books. 所有的架子上都堆满了书。

20 echelons   

n.（机构中的）等级，阶层( echelon的名词复数 )；（军舰、士兵、飞机等的）梯形编队

参考例句：

• Officers were drawn largely from the top echelons of society. 这些官员大都来自社会上层。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Except in the higher echelons, extensive classification has no place in the classification of vegetation. 除高阶类级之外，外延分类在植物分类中还是没有地位的。 来自辞典例句

21 furtive   

adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的

参考例句：

• The teacher was suspicious of the student's furtive behaviour during the exam.老师怀疑这个学生在考试时有偷偷摸摸的行为。
• His furtive behaviour aroused our suspicion.他鬼鬼祟祟的行为引起了我们的怀疑。

22 therapeutic   

adj.治疗的，起治疗作用的；对身心健康有益的

参考例句：

• Therapeutic measures were selected to fit the patient.选择治疗措施以适应病人的需要。
• When I was sad,music had a therapeutic effect.我悲伤的时候，音乐有治疗效力。

23 cleanse   

vt.使清洁，使纯洁，清洗

参考例句：

• Health experts are trying to cleanse the air in cities. 卫生专家们正设法净化城市里的空气。
• Fresh fruit juices can also cleanse your body and reduce dark circles.新鲜果汁同样可以清洁你的身体,并对黑眼圈同样有抑制作用。

24 dreaded   

adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The dreaded moment had finally arrived. 可怕的时刻终于来到了。
• He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital. 他害怕非得在医院过圣诞节不可。 来自《用法词典》

25 puffed   

adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧

参考例句：

• He lit a cigarette and puffed at it furiously. 他点燃了一支香烟，狂吸了几口。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He felt grown-up, puffed up with self-importance. 他觉得长大了，便自以为了不起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

26 poise   

vt./vi. 平衡，保持平衡；n.泰然自若，自信

参考例句：

• She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise.她犹豫片刻，但很快恢复了镇静。
• Ballet classes are important for poise and grace.芭蕾课对培养优雅的姿仪非常重要。

27 tormented   

饱受折磨的

参考例句：

• The knowledge of his guilt tormented him. 知道了自己的罪责使他非常痛苦。
• He had lain awake all night, tormented by jealousy. 他彻夜未眠，深受嫉妒的折磨。

28 monstrously   

参考例句：

• There is a class of men in Bristol monstrously prejudiced against Blandly. 布里斯托尔有那么一帮人为此恨透了布兰德利。
• You are monstrously audacious, how dare you misappropriate public funds? 你真是狗胆包天，公家的钱也敢挪用？

29 defendants   

被告( defendant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The courts heard that the six defendants had been coerced into making a confession. 法官审判时发现6位被告人曾被迫承认罪行。
• As in courts, the defendants are represented by legal counsel. 与法院相同，被告有辩护律师作为代表。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

30 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

31 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼