Early morning of May 25, 1902.

London.

In the thick morning mist, the huge hull of the cruise ship gradually appeared in the field of vision of the dock workers.

"The ship has arrived!"

The foreman shouted: "All move!" ”

In an instant, the port was buzzing with people, and the port became lively.

With the sound of "bang, bang, bang", the cruise ship docked,

At the same time, the gangway was lowered.

Immediately, British customs officers approached and ordered the passengers to line up and disembark from the ship, and not to run or jump.

On the other side, there is a separate gangway for land time to walk.

He came down with his luggage, and the stench of industrialization that belonged to London penetrated his nostrils and filled his lungs.

At this time, someone came up to meet him,

"Sir! Sir Lu! ”

When I looked sideways, I saw that it was Montague James, a professor at Cambridge.

Lu Shi couldn't help but be surprised,

"Professor James, why are you here?"

James stepped forward,

"Mr. Xiao told me that you would go back to London today. Originally, I was supposed to wait for you in London Politics and Economics, but I couldn't wait. ”

Yesterday, Lu Shi sent a telegram to George Bernard Shaw,

The cruise ship is due for routine maintenance in Calais and will only return to London this morning.

Lu Shi was curious,

"Something important?"

James hesitated slightly, and replied, "It probably doesn't matter to you. But for the whole of Europe and even the world literary circles, it is very important. ”

A high hat was buckled directly on Lu Shi's head.

He whispered, "Sir, the Nobel Prize needs you!" ”

Land Hours: ???

How does it feel like I heard this phrase a year ago?

can't be said to be exactly the same,

It can only be said that there is no difference.

Lu Shi said: "This is not the place to talk, let's go first and go to Blaya...... Go to Palace Street. ”

The two got into the carriage.

As soon as James sat down to catch his breath, he went straight to the point:

"Sir, the last Nobel Prize in Literature caused some unpleasantness, and I still remember it vividly. Therefore, this year, before the review, the Swedish Academy consulted with various universities to see which works are suitable for inclusion in the long list. ”

The long list is the primary list.

Lu Shi nodded,

"Well, that's a kind of progress."

James added: "But this is 'rule of man' after all." Their current thinking is whether they can come up with a universal mechanism to solve this problem once and for all. ”

As he spoke, he looked at Lu Shi with hopeful eyes,

Eyes twinkle,

Blingbling~

It seems like they're all about to burst into little stars.

Lu Shi quietly moved to the side and said, "They want me to be a judge?" ”

James chuckled,

"Nope. The people at the Swedish Academy haven't gone crazy yet. ”

Lu Shi laughed.

To put it mildly, the judges of the Nobel Prize can dispose of a huge fortune every year;

In general, they can control the direction of literature and control the right to speak in the circle.

And Lu Shi almost messed up the literary award last year,

Let him be a judge, isn't that self-inflicted?

Lu Shi said: "What does that mean? ”

James lowered his voice,

"Carl David Ave Wilson, the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, sent a telegram mentioning the first draft you drafted, and in other words, I hope you can help come up with a similar charter to standardize the evaluation criteria and put them on paper."

Lu Shi chuckled,

The Swedes have also learned wisely.

They want to use their fame to endorse the Nobel Prize in Literature.

After all, it was he who picked the lead last year and forced them to press their heads to present the award to Toon.

Of course, the result is good,

Toon can convince the crowd.

Lu Shi groaned,

"If they had asked me to be a judge, I might have agreed."

James was stunned for a moment, and then he was amused to laugh,

Don't look at Sir Lu's youth, but looking at the entire European literary scene, there are really few influencers who can compare with him.

Because its influence does not only depend on the work,

He was also a scholar.

More importantly, he is also the most powerful media mogul in the world.

Lu Shi said in a low voice: "Professor James, it's not that I don't want to help the Swedish Academy. You're also a writer, and you know that literature and art are very subjective, at least when compared to scientific awards. Not to mention ......"

At this, he paused.

James was curious: "What's more?" ”

Lu Shi touched his nose in embarrassment,

"What's more, the judges for the Nobel Prize in Literature are not that authoritative."

"Poof!"

James laughed.

Lu Shi's implication is that the academicians of the Swedish Academy of Letters are not of sufficient level?

If this word spreads, someone will definitely vomit three liters of blood.

He waved his hand,

"Don't, let's not discuss people's level."

Lu Shi nodded,

"I think so too. If you don't ask, I won't tell. ”

James complained: "You're going to dump the pot." ”

He asked curiously, "How do you think you can judge the artistic value of a literary work?" ”

This is a very difficult question to answer.

Lu Shi groaned,

As a traverser, he can say something that picks up people's teeth,

"I think time is the best judge of literature. There are too many writers who were thriving when they were alive, and they wanted to sell well and have a good reputation, but after their deaths, they were gradually forgotten, and their works were swept into the garbage of history...... Forehead ......"

Lu Shi paused,

Because, James took out his notebook at some point and was "rustling" to record.

He looked up,

"You don't have to worry about me, keep talking."

Lu Shi has encountered this kind of thing a lot, and he has long been used to it.

He continued: "There are many writers, on the other hand, who were not well-known during their lifetime and who were gradually promoted to the altar after they left. ”

The representative of the former is the pearl race.

Her "The Earth" was very popular in the Western world, winning the Nobel Prize in Literature, and was adapted into a stage play and film.

But with the development of the times, the number of admirers is decreasing.

And there are many representatives of the latter, Kafka is the best example.

Lu Shi said: "There is a saying in China, 'there is no first in literature, and there is no second in martial arts'." Literary evaluation is very subjective, except for a few recognized great writers such as Toon, many times, the selection is inevitably controversial, and it is very normal for upsets. ”

James said "um",

"You're right. The selection of the Literary Prize can only represent the highest achievement considered by the judges in a given year, and does not represent the following decades. ”

He seemed to be a little depressed, and pulled the curtains of the car,

The wheels press against the road and make a "gurgling" sound, which is transmitted into the cabin, which is quite interesting in the silence of the early morning.

After a while, the carriage passed by the Lu Museum,

Lu Shi said: "This is coming. Professor James, would you like to come in and sit down? ”

James hesitated for a moment before saying, "That's a nuisance." ”

It didn't work out, and he didn't want to bother,

But it's rare to communicate with people like Lu Shi on the basis of the Nobel Prize, and it's good to talk more.

Waiting for the carriage to stop, the two got out of the car.

The strange thing is that the door of the Lu Mansion is ajar,

There were two guards standing at the door.

Lu Shi was a little confused, and after greeting them, he pushed the door in.

Unexpectedly, Margarita was in the hall, staring at a painting on the wall in a daze.

It was a portrait of her,

In the painting, she is feminine and moving, and her long hair is softly draped over her shoulders.

The face is exquisite, the facial features are clear and distinct, as if carved out,

In particular, those eyes, deep and bright, shimmered with incomparably charming light, as if to show the world unparalleled confidence and charm.

Lu Shi couldn't help but snicker,

Unexpectedly, there was a PS at the beginning of the 20th century.

It's not that Margarita isn't beautiful, it's that she's too perfect in the painting.

Lu Shi was just about to call Margarita,

As a result, Her Royal Highness the princess first muttered to herself, and said, "The effect of hanging here is average...... Well...... I should still take it to the study, the teacher uses the study a lot, and when he sees me all the time, his mood will be extremely bright. ”

James:???

The whole person was confused.

That was what Her Royal Highness the Princess could say just now?

Lu Shi hurriedly cleared his throat,

"Ahem......"

Margarita didn't look back, but she clearly heard it.

From behind, her ears twitched in a very small increment, and then turned red at a speed visible to the naked eye until they were shiny red.

She turned her head slowly,

"Teacher. You're back from Japan? ”

Lu Shi said "um", and then said: "This is Professor James from Cambridge, we have something to discuss." ”

Margarita nodded,

"Okay. Let's go to the study. ”

After saying that, he naturally led the way in front and walked towards the second floor.

James was even more confused,

How can Her Royal Highness behave like the mistress of the mansion?

The world is crazy.

He clenched his fists and clasped his palms with his fingernails, and found that it hurt a lot, and he was sure that he was not dreaming.

Lu Shi made a look at James,

Then, the two went upstairs together and entered the study.

The room is elegantly furnished and gives a peaceful and comfortable atmosphere.

On the wall hangs a beautiful oil painting depicting an autumn forest, with a girlhood of Margarita weaving through the forest in rich and soft colors.

This painting is the finishing touch to the study.

Margarita poured tea for the two of them, then poured out the door.

James holds the teacup,

Thought

Should the princess drink the tea or not?

This is more difficult to answer than the proposition of existence and destruction in Hamlet.

The room fell silent,

“……”

“……”

“……”

The atmosphere is eerie.

After a few seconds,

"That ......" ×2

The two spoke in unison.

afterwards

"You speak first." ×2

Again, in unison.

Lu Shi and James stared wide-eyed.

There was no way, Lu Shi could only continue the topic just now, and said, "We talked about it just now...... Forehead...... Time. Professor James, you may not know that over time, there are many examples of literary values being rediscovered or forgotten in China. ”

James understands China,

But the impact caused by Her Royal Highness the princess to him just now was too great, and his brain was still confused, so he continued to talk about the topic when he landed.

"Sir, please."

Lu Shi: "......"

I didn't expect the other party to really let me talk about it.

He had a brain teaser and said, "There is a writer named Tao Yuanming in China. In his time, he was only known as a hermit, and it was not until the Tang Dynasty that he was recognized as a great poet by the literary world. ”

James pinched his fingers and calculated,

The Tang Dynasty must have been more than a thousand years ago, so wasn't Tao Yuanming even earlier?

"Tsk......"

He couldn't help but be speechless,

"Chinese culture has a long history."

As he spoke, he looked at Lu Shi and asked, "Sir, as you said, the artistic appreciation of literature is subjective, and it is impossible to rely on the statute to set specific standards. So, could you write a motto for the Nobel Prize in Literature? ”

Lu Shi groaned,

It's just a sentence to write, but there's nothing wrong with that.

James prompts: "As you just mentioned, time is the test of literary artistry. ”

Lu Shi said: "No problem. ”

He opened the desk drawer,

As a result, it was empty.

He couldn't help muttering: "Rita is really, she hasn't even prepared pen and ink." ”

James next to him listened, the corners of his mouth twitched,

It's okay to call the princess "Rita", but there are still a few people who don't do housework.

Sir Lu is really good.

He looked away, pretending not to hear.

Lu Shi opened the suitcase, took out the things related to writing, and then asked: "If I remember correctly, from this year, will the Nobel Medal be redesigned?" ”

James recalled,

"Well, Mr. Wilson seems to have mentioned it. Preparing to change to pure gold, the front is still the relief of Mr. Nobel, and the back is to make some distinctions. The literary medal depicts a young man sitting under a laurel tree, listening to and recording the song of the muse. It's just that, apart from the pattern, what proverbs or inscriptions should be carved have not yet been decided. ”

Laurels, muses......

These are more European designs.

The same is true for the Physics Medal and the Chemistry Medal, which are depicted with images of the goddess Isis.

On the contrary, the Physiology and Medicine Medal is international, with a doctor collecting water from a rock to quench the thirst of a sick girl, with an open book on her lap.

This pattern is suitable for any cultural background.

Lu Shi thought for a moment and wrote on the paper:

"May your work stand the test of time."

This sentence is in English.

James nodded,

"Matches what you just said. Very good. ”

Lu Shi nodded, the corners of his mouth hooked up with a smile, and he wrote another line of Chinese characters:

"Don't waste the rivers and rivers for eternity."

This is a quatrain by Du Fu,

“

Wang Yang Lu Luo was in the body,

Light and thin for the text is endless.

Ercao's body and name are gone,

Do not waste the eternal flow of rivers.

”

Wang, Yang, Lu, Luo, and the articles of the four masters of the early Tang Dynasty were criticized by the contemporaries.

However, those "critics" who died and had no name could not prevent the articles of the four masters of the early Tang Dynasty from flowing like a river.

The gold medal is in English on the front and Chinese on the back, just right.

But Lu Shi was worried about whether his behavior would be a little embarrassing.

Then, he shook his head and scolded himself:

"It's unfounded."

Radiating Chinese culture to the outside world, there has never been an embarrassing statement.

Just like the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Mr. Zhang Pengchun advocated the inclusion of the Confucian idea of "benevolence" to avoid over-Westernizing the origin of the law.

He even suggested that the staff take some time to learn about Confucianism,

As a result, "benevolence" is translated as "conscience", and together with "reason" as a basic human characteristic, it is embodied in Article 1 of the Declaration, which is read, understood, and remembered by the world.

The Nobel Prize in Literature is not only awarded to Europeans.

Why not add an ancient poem to the medal?

(Although Nobel may have never had non-Caucasian in mind when he instituted the prize.) ）

Lu Shi said to James: "Professor James, look at these two sentences...... Professor James? ”

I saw James looking at the manuscript on the table,

He was so engrossed that his eyes were even a little distracted.

Lu Shi leaned over,

"That's my new book, Lord of the Flies."

"Ah......h

James came back to his senses and asked, "Can I take a closer look?" ”

Lu Shi replied: "Yes." Don't read the French version, it's still hard to read. There's an English version at the back, and you can find it by flipping through it. ”

James chicks nodded like rice,

"Good!"

After speaking, he picked up the manuscript,

After that, he read carefully, and made no sound except for the sound of breathing, turning pages, and occasionally spitting.

After all, it's a long story, and even a rough read would take two or three hours.

Lu Shi didn't bother anymore and left the study.

Unexpectedly, James, Liang Qichao and others couldn't stop reading "Lord of the Flies" when they first saw it, and they didn't even eat lunch.

And so it lasted until the evening.

When Lu Shi entered the study again, he found that James was lying in the chair without sitting down.

His eyes were blank, as if his soul had been drained of him.

Lu Shi couldn't help laughing,

Good books have such an effect.

He stepped forward,

"Professor James, how's it going?"

James' fingers lifted, as if he had just regained consciousness from his coma.

When he looked at Lu,

"Sir, I'm glad I didn't ask you to help with the judging criteria."

Lu Shi said "ah......,

"By the way, I was about to tell you about it."

He pointed to the paper on the table,

"Proverbs, I've already thought about it."

James shook his head,

"Let's leave that one alone!"

He pointed to "Lord of the Flies" and said, "Sir, after "Hunting" and "Lolita", you wrote "Lord of the Flies". This can be used as a trilogy of innocence! ”

Lu Shi was speechless,

The Japanese call this a childlike trilogy;

The British call this the Innocence Trilogy.

I don't know who is more absurd.

"It really counts as a trilogy in a sense," he asked. But so what? ”

James said, "You can participate in the judging!" The Nobel Prize needs you! ”

It's a familiar phrase again.

No wonder James just said, fortunately, Lu Shi did not draft the review charter,

Otherwise, you will be an athlete and a referee.

Lu Shi did not take a tone.

Seeing that he was silent, James said, "Sir, I know what you're worried about. Frankly, Mr. Xiao and I have discussed it before. One is that you are from China and have cultural attributes; The second is that you are too young and too young. But ......"

James glanced at the English version of Lord of the Flies again,

"Which one is more senior and writes better than you? What English writer is so versatile as you? ”

Lu Shi groaned.

According to those works that are "borrowed", they are indeed eligible to win the Nobel Prize.

However, he didn't want to be in such a hurry,

His plan is to accumulate a few more years and then win the Nobel Prize.

After all, the literary circle is also about seniority.

Although his current prestige can suppress everyone, it is difficult to keep the petty literati unconvinced.

It's normal to stumble in secret.

James thought about it when he saw Lu, and couldn't help but be a little anxious,

He said: "Sir, you must participate in the selection of the Nobel Prize. The Nobel Prize cannot lose you, just as the West cannot lose Jerusalem! ”

(End of chapter)