濟(jì)南的冬天

老舍

對于一個在北平住慣的人，像我，冬天要是不刮大風(fēng)，便是奇跡；濟(jì)南的冬天是沒有風(fēng)聲的。對于一個剛由倫敦回來的人，像我，冬天要能看得見日光，便是怪事；濟(jì)南的冬天是響晴的。自然，在熱帶的地方，日光是永遠(yuǎn)那么毒，響晴的天氣反有點叫人害怕?？墒牵诒敝袊亩?，而能有溫晴的天氣，濟(jì)南真得算個寶地。

設(shè)若單單是有陽光，那也算不了出奇。請閉上眼睛想：一個老城，有山有水，全在藍(lán)天下很暖和安適地睡著；只等春風(fēng)來把它們喚醒，這是不是個理想的境界？

小山整把濟(jì)南圍了個圈兒，只有北邊缺著點口兒。這一圈小山在冬天特別可愛，好像是把濟(jì)南放在一個小搖籃里，它們?nèi)察o不動的低聲地說：你們放心吧，這兒準(zhǔn)保暖和。真的，濟(jì)南的人們在冬天是面上含笑的。他們一看那些小山，心中便覺得有了著落，有了依靠。他們由天上看到山上，便不覺地想起：明天也許就是春天了吧？這樣的溫暖，今天夜里山草也許就綠起來了吧？就是這點幻想不能一時實現(xiàn)，他們也并不著急，因為有這樣慈善的冬天，干啥希望別的呢！

最妙的是下點小雪呀?？窗?，山上的矮松越發(fā)的青黑，樹尖上頂著一髻兒白花，像些小日本看護(hù)婦。山尖全白了，給藍(lán)天鑲上一道銀邊。山坡上，有的地方雪厚點，有的地方草色還露著；這樣，一道兒白，一道兒暗黃，給山們穿上一件帶水紋的花衣；看著看著，這件花衣好像被風(fēng)兒吹動，叫你希望看見十點更美的山的肌膚。等到快日落的時候，微黃的陽光斜射在山腰上，那點薄雪好像忽然害了羞，微微露出點粉色。就是下小雪吧，濟(jì)南是受不住大雪的，那些小山太秀氣！

天即古老的濟(jì)南，城內(nèi)那么狹窄，城外又那么寬敞，山坡上臥著些小村莊，小村莊的房頂上臥著點雪，對，這是張小水墨畫，或者是唐代的名手畫的吧。

那水呢，不但不結(jié)冰，反倒在綠藻上冒著點熱氣。水藻真綠，把終年儲蓄的綠色全拿出來了。天兒越晴，水藻越綠，就憑這些綠的精神，水也不忍得凍上，況且那長枝的垂柳還要在水里照個影兒呢！看吧，由澄清的河水慢慢往上看吧，空中，半空中，天上，自上而下全是那么清亮，那么藍(lán)汪汪的，整個的是塊空靈的藍(lán)水晶。這塊水晶里，包著紅屋頂，黃草山，像地毯上的小團(tuán)花的小灰色樹影；這就是冬天的濟(jì)南。

For someone like me who is used to living in Beiping， a winter without any wind is a bit of a miracle. Well， one never hears any whistling winter winds in Jinan. For someone like me who has just returned from London， sunshine in the winter seems quite unusual. Well， Jinan has bright sunny winter weather. I know that in tropical regions， the blazing sun and the perpetual harsh glare can be intimidating， but here in north China， a mild sunny winter season is a boon that makes Jinan a very special place indeed.

But there is more than just sunshine. Close your eyes and picture to yourself： an ancient town， with mountains and lakes， dozing in the sunlight， warm and comfortable， waiting for the spring breezes to blow it awake. Doesnt that sound idyllic. Low hills practically encircle Jinan， leaving just one small dip on the north side. In the winter， they are especially endearing， as if cradling the town and murmuring to it. “Dont worry， its warm and safe here.” And its a fact that the people of Jinan seem to smile throughout the cold season. All they have to do is to see those hills to feel secure and protected. Looking up and around， they say to themselves. “Maybe spring will come tomorrow. Its so mild， maybe tonight the grass on the hills will sprout.” And even if this is just daydreaming， they dont really mind， because with this kindly winter why wish for more？

Jinan is an ancient town with cramped and narrow streets， but surrounded by wide open spaces. Villages dot the slopes， their cottage roofs dusted with snow. Oh yes， this is a traditional ink and wash painting and probably one by a Tang Dynasty master too.

As for the lakes and ponds， they dont freeze over， but even give off wisps of warm vapour. The water weeds remain bright green as if showing off colour stored up over the year， and the clearer the weather the greener they glow. Anyway， how can the water freeze over when all those weeping willows want to see their reflections？ As you raise your eyes slowly from the transparent depths and look up gradually to the sky， everything is so clear and bright and blue， like a giant hollow block of crystal， in which are encased red roofs， tan hills and little copses， like the design on a carpet. This is Jinan in the winter.