在馬賽老港眺望

文、圖張瑞田 Zhang Ruitian譯曹宇光Cao Yuguang

在馬賽老港眺望

Gaze at Old Port of Marseille

文、圖張瑞田 Zhang Ruitian譯曹宇光Cao Yuguang

馬賽一景Some Scene in Marseille

很像一個(gè)童話，2000多年前，希臘人發(fā)現(xiàn)、開(kāi)拓了位于地中海沿岸的拉希東海港。依托這個(gè)海港，一座城市漸次展開(kāi)，后來(lái)成為法國(guó)第二大城市馬賽。

我到馬賽時(shí)，當(dāng)年的拉希東港——成為歐洲的第二大海港——馬賽港，已經(jīng)退出法國(guó)的遠(yuǎn)洋運(yùn)輸，成為停泊游艇的舊港。畢竟有迷人的故事，我到法國(guó)，竟然別無(wú)他顧，只在馬賽的大街小巷中行走，來(lái)得多便是馬賽的舊港。

我入住的酒店古樸、幽靜，沒(méi)有熙來(lái)攘往的游人，悄然出入，難得的閑適。酒店附近有公交車(chē)通往馬賽老港，近似道具模樣的公交車(chē)在軌道上行駛，車(chē)上端兩條連接線與并行的電線相交，顯然，這是電力軌道公交車(chē)，是環(huán)保的交通工具。在馬賽生活一周以后，熟悉了這趟公交車(chē)，有時(shí)，一個(gè)人上車(chē)，經(jīng)行5站，就到馬賽老港了。

我愿意在黃昏時(shí)分到馬賽老港。太陽(yáng)忙碌了一天，疲倦襲來(lái)，自然收斂了鋒芒，因此，我們看到的太陽(yáng)光輝不再熾烈，色澤也變得溫和，與港口附近的建筑、游艇、海鷗，交織成優(yōu)美的畫(huà)面。我從公交車(chē)站走向老港。兩側(cè)是四層高的老房子，音樂(lè)家旁若無(wú)人地演奏，匆匆的行人，從老港走來(lái)，又向老港走去。我走出這條路，視線開(kāi)闊了，的確是聲名遠(yuǎn)播的碼頭，寬敞且筆直的石板路，圍著碼頭，形成一個(gè)U字。我站在U字的下端，可以看到無(wú)盡的海洋，我知道，這是馬賽老港的出口，無(wú)數(shù)艘的輪船，無(wú)數(shù)次的遠(yuǎn)航，是從這里出發(fā)，前往世界各地。無(wú)數(shù)艘的輪船，無(wú)數(shù)次的遠(yuǎn)航，讓馬賽有了生命活力，讓法國(guó)神清氣爽。向左邊看去，能看到一座山，山上是教堂，高聳入云的穹頂，也是馬賽的最高點(diǎn)。在那里，馬賽一覽無(wú)余。我曾去教堂參觀，站在教堂旁，馬賽港的結(jié)構(gòu)清楚無(wú)比，艘艘游艇，片片風(fēng)帆，盡收眼底。其實(shí)，馬賽老港并不老，只是相比較新近建成的新港，它有了滄桑的身世。第二次世界大戰(zhàn)以后，老港在廢墟上重建。馬賽制造業(yè)興旺，商業(yè)繁榮，經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展強(qiáng)勁，需要一個(gè)與世界相連的港口。它將向世界輸出普羅旺斯的商品，它也將把世界各地的商品運(yùn)回馬賽，一來(lái)一往，就是一個(gè)國(guó)家，一座城市的動(dòng)力與活力。

馬賽的氣質(zhì)讓我沉迷。馬賽一點(diǎn)也不奢華，它沉默不語(yǔ)，很像一位有教養(yǎng)的貴族，常常以冷靜、溫和的眼光面對(duì)。只是冷靜、溫和的背后，藏著堅(jiān)硬的自信。港口，往往是一座城市的經(jīng)濟(jì)中心，會(huì)有很多重要的機(jī)構(gòu)在這里駐足，因此，也會(huì)有許多精彩的建筑拔地而起。與山上的教堂相對(duì)，是一幢灰色的四方形建筑，據(jù)說(shuō)，是市政廳，有兩百多年的歷史。我隨便看了一眼，有許多話想說(shuō)，可又不愿意說(shuō)。四方形建筑的后面，是一棟略高的建筑，門(mén)口有一片平地，汽車(chē)停泊，井然有序。有人從大樓里出入，衣著考究，表情平和，有的鉆進(jìn)汽車(chē)，有的到碼頭散步，有的登上游艇，駛向大海。朋友告訴我，這是馬賽最好的酒店，一個(gè)標(biāo)間售價(jià)200歐元。我說(shuō)不貴，朋友說(shuō)，最貴的酒店在中國(guó)。的確，馬賽老港有許多家飯店，常在這里吃飯，有法國(guó)波爾多考究的紅酒，有地中海的海鮮，四個(gè)人，一餐下來(lái)，一百二十歐元。最貴的酒店在中國(guó)，最貴的餐飲何嘗不在中國(guó)。我們笑起來(lái)，都知道為什么笑起來(lái)。

在馬賽住了半個(gè)月，閑了就到馬賽老港。每每有一艘游艇駛向大海，我會(huì)盯著那艘游艇，直到游艇在海面上消失。這時(shí)我會(huì)想，游艇是不是去古堡了，與馬賽老港有一箭之遙的古堡，建在一座孤島上。據(jù)說(shuō)，這是過(guò)去的監(jiān)牢。大仲馬把古堡中發(fā)生的故事寫(xiě)進(jìn)了長(zhǎng)篇小說(shuō)《基督山伯爵》，至今，到馬賽旅行的人，依然認(rèn)可這個(gè)傳說(shuō)。每天，有很多人乘船登島，在古堡中感受《基督山伯爵》的曲折故事和人物形象戲劇化的命運(yùn)。我沒(méi)有脫俗，到馬賽的第四天，登上了孤島，也在孤島上的古堡里，迎合著一段縹緲的傳說(shuō)。古堡如迷宮，從一條狹窄的通道，攀上古堡的頂端。向下俯瞰，有一個(gè)20平方米凹地，四周是橫著鐵欄的小窗。小窗幽暗，看不清窗內(nèi)的究竟，朋友多次來(lái)過(guò)，他抬手指向小窗，說(shuō)，那里是監(jiān)牢。對(duì)監(jiān)牢很恐懼，我站在那里，看著許多游人去向小窗內(nèi)探視。我沒(méi)有興趣，一處讓自由窒息的地方，讓生命萎縮的環(huán)境，還是離遠(yuǎn)一點(diǎn)為好。我說(shuō)，去看海吧。

地中海，真的令人心曠神怡。我是在馬賽老港捧起地中海的海水的。水如翡翠，從手指縫流下，似乎目光也有了綠色。日光下的地中海，是真正的蔚藍(lán)色，通透、豁達(dá)。乘游艇去古堡，猶如在藍(lán)色地毯鋪就的道路上前行，前方是狹長(zhǎng)的孤島，孤島上是起伏的古堡，緩慢的速度，悠長(zhǎng)的行進(jìn)，是真正的普羅旺斯的浪漫。船在孤島簡(jiǎn)易的碼頭旁停泊，從碼頭上看海，可以看到幽深的盡處，就連無(wú)拘無(wú)束的魚(yú)，也看得一清二楚。這是怎樣的海，這是怎樣的清澈，于孤島上遐想，如夢(mèng)如幻。

在馬賽老港徜徉，總要問(wèn)自己身在其中的感覺(jué)，便想起兩個(gè)詞：自然、古典。前一個(gè)詞在眼前，后一個(gè)詞在心中。馬賽是自然美與古典美的結(jié)合。馬賽背山面海，洶涌的海流與野蠻的潮汐不在這里橫行。因此，這里的風(fēng)景具有高貴的美感。也是地中海一個(gè)特殊的段落。從馬賽港的源頭，我們知道什么是厚重。當(dāng)馬賽新港開(kāi)始承擔(dān)一座城市的經(jīng)濟(jì)重任，這個(gè)老港有了回憶的資本，它像退伍還家的軍人，在記憶里懷想往日的輝煌。在出?？诟浇氖ゼs翰城堡，還有圣尼古拉城堡，是記憶的資格。建于路易十四執(zhí)政期間的古堡，如守候港口的將軍，日日佇立，天天遙望，它要把老港的故事代代相傳。

2000 years ago, the ancient Greek discovered and explored the Lacydon seaport along the Mediterranean, which was quite like a fairy tale. On the basis of this seaport, a city gradually grew up and finally became the second biggest city in France—Marseille.

When I came to Marseille, the Lacydon port, also known as Marseille port and the second biggest seaport in Europe, was no longer for ocean transportation and became an old port for yacht anchoring. Fascinated with old stories, I came to France only for Marseille. Walking randomly in various streets and lanes in this city, my resort was just this old port.

As my hotel was located in a secluded place with ancient simplicity, there were no crowds of tourists and thus I could enjoy the rare leisure in getting in and out casually. There was a routine bus heading for the old port. The vehicle looked quite like props running on track and it had two connections with a parallel pair of electric wires above. Obviously, it was a tram, an environment-friendly means of transportation. After living for a week in Marseille, I got totally familiar with this tram line. Sometimes, I would get on this tram alone, and after five stops, arrived at the old port.

馬賽一景Some Scene in Marseille

I prefer to visit the old port at dusk when the sun, after a day’s labor, gets tired and then weakens its brilliance. Consequently, we could see that its radiance is no longer passionate and its luster becomes mild, which constitutes a pretty scene together with the nearby architecture, yachts and seagulls. On my way from the bus stop to the old port, four-storeyed old buildings stood on both sides, some musicians played their musical instruments in their favorite way and passengers hurried from and towards the old port. When I reached the end of this way, I found my vision much broader. It was indeed a reputable port as the spacious and straight stone path form a letter of “U” around the port. Standing at the bottom of this “U”, I could see the boundless ocean. I know that it was the exit of this old port, from where numerous vessels on countless far voyages set off here to head for varied places all over the world. It was all those vessels taking on countless far voyages that endowed Marseille with vitality and refreshed the whole France. On its left, I could find a hill, and on its top there stood a chapel whose acme high above cloud was the highest point of Marseille. There one could have an overview of the entire city. I once visited the chapel and standing by the chapel I observed every detail of the structure of Marseille port, including every sail on every yacht. As a matter of fact, the old port of Marseille is not old enough, in contrast with the new one that was lately completed. In the wake of the World War II, a reconstruction took place on the original site. Blessed with flourishing manufacture industry, prosperous trade and powerful economic development, Marseille demanded a port to connect the world. While transporting the merchandise from Provence to the world, it carried goods from all over the world back to Marseille. Such a commute finally becomes the motivation and vitality of a city and even a country.

The temperament in Marseille fascinated me completely. Without luxury and often in silence, it looks like a well-educated noble person who faces everything in cool and mild eyesight. However, a firm self-confidence is hidden behind such a cool and mild manner. As the port is always the economic center of a city, many key institutes are established in the neighborhood and thus much excellent architecture is erected as well. Opposite to the chapel on the mountain stands an oblong architecture in grey color. Rumor has it that it is a city hall with a history of more than two centuries. With a glimpse of it, I had a lot to say, but I preferred to keep silent. A higher building was behind it and at its gate there was a flat ground for orderly parking. Some people of fine costume and peaceful expressions entered and exited this building, some got into their cars, some walked around the port and some cruised to sea in yacht. My friend told me that it was the best hotel in Marseille with a fixed price of 200 euros per night for a standard room. I uttered “not expensive at all” and my friend replied immediately that the most expensive hotel was in China. It was quite true. I often had meals in many restaurants nearby the old port of Marseille where I could enjoy the exquisite wine from Bordeaux and seafood from the Mediterranean. A meal for four persons only cost 120 euros. The most expensive hotel is in China, and then the most expensive restaurant must be there as well. My friend and I laughed and we both had a tacit agreement as to why.

Within my half month in Marseille, I would visit the old port as soon as I had my spare time. I would gaze at every yacht heading for the ocean until it totally disappeared. Then I would ask myself whether it had gone to the ancient castle. Within an arrow’s distance, this ancient castle was built on an isolated island. It was said that it used to be a prison where Alexandre Dumas (Father) compiled the stories into his long novel The Count of Monte Cristo. So far, all the tourists to Marseille still take this legend for granted. Every day, many people would take a boat to get on the island to feel about the complicated plot and dramatic destiny in this novel. Of course I was no exception either, and on my fourth day in Marseille, I got on the isolated island to cater for this remote legend in the ancient castle. The castle resembled a labyrinth and through a narrow passage, I climbed onto the top and saw a hollow of 20 square meters below that wassurrounded by small windows of iron bars. In the dim light from the windows, nobody could see what was inside. My friend, who had been there many times, told me that was prison, and many tourists tried to take a look through the small window. In my opinion, prison is a place to suffocate freedom and make life wither, so I held a fear rather than interest and preferred to get away from it. Then I advise to enjoy the sea.

馬賽一景Some Scene in Marseille

馬賽一景Some Scene in Marseille

The Mediterranean really made me feel pleasant and comfortable, and it was at the old port of Marseille that I scooped up water of Mediterranean with my hands. Like emerald, the stream flowed from the slim crack between my fingers and my eyesight seemed to be green as well. The Mediterranean in the sunlight looked indeed azure, penetrating and clear. When taking a yacht to the ancient castle, I felt as if traveling on a blue carpet. With the undulating castle on the narrow isolated island ahead, the slow speed and long marching made me feel a genuine romance in Provence. My yacht stopped at simple anchor of the isolated island and I could see clearly those carefree in the front at the deep end of water from the port. What a clear and fascinating view! On this isolated island, I indulged myself in a dreamlike imagination.

Strolling nearby the old port of Marseille, I couldn’t help asking about my feelings, and two words occurred to my mind: natural and classical. The former was in vision and the latter was at heart. Marseille is a combination of natural beauty and classic beauty. With mountains behind and sea in the front, Marseille never finds turbulent waves or savage torrents. Therefore, the scenery here is of noble aesthetics and becomes a special part of the Mediterranean. From the source of Marseille port, we came to understand the historical deposit and as soon as the new port took up the economic burden of this city, the old port had its own memory to boast of. Like a retired soldier back home, it often recalls its glory in the past memory. The St. John Castle and the St. Nicolas Castle stand as the witnesses to the memory. Those ancient castles built in the reign of Louis XIV, like generals safeguarding the port, stand in a distance day by day, in order to tell the story of the old port from generation to generation.

2月24日至4月2日，中國(guó)美術(shù)館“典藏活化”系列展：永恒的溫度——中國(guó)美術(shù)館藏路德維希夫婦捐贈(zèng)國(guó)際藝術(shù)作品選展在京舉辦。圖為伊萬(wàn)·魯本尼科夫的油畫(huà)《女歌唱家》From February 24 till April 2, National Art Museum of China “Classical and Vivid Collection” Series Exhibition: Art Class of Ludwig—Exhibition of Selected Works Donated by Mr. & Mrs. Ludwig and Collected in National Art Museum of China was Held in Beijing. Above is an oil painting titled “A Female Singer” by Ivan Lubennikow