He operated his daily life by means of a set of invariant sub-routines, like a primitive microprocessor, while he supposed himself to be a great follower of tradition and discipline. For if he was nothing, he was at least a creature of habit. Had, for some inexplicable reason, the KGB wanted to assassinate him, all they would have had to do was put him under surveillance for seven days and they would have known his every movement throughout the working year. He not only liked his life-style, but was distressed if for any reason his routine met with the slightest interference.

讀著這段文字﹐我當然想起自己。我以為﹐JEFFREY ARCHER在寫我。也許﹐我沒有故事裡面那位主角那麼嚴重。(至少﹐我不會每天上班都穿同一款式。) 不過﹐我也不敢說﹐多過兩三年後﹐我不會變成他一樣。好一個A CREATURE OF HABIT﹗

故事叫BROKEN HABIT。收錄在JEFFREY ARCHER短篇小說集A QUIVER FULL OF ARROWS裡面。

MR ARCHER是我喜歡的作家。他的英文很簡潔﹐從沒有多餘的字句。按照陶傑的說法﹐這位前英國保守黨副主席的文字是“啖啖肉” ﹐沒有飽和脂肪﹐沒有害人的膽固醇。拜讀他的小說﹐你會讀得很輕鬆自在﹐很舒服自然。因為沒有矯扭造作﹐沒有故意賣弄。再加上那些英式幽默﹐刻薄又抵死﹐難怪華盛頓郵報稱他為“PAGE-TURNER” 。一頁一頁﹐實在不捨得放手。讀者只會嫌故事太短﹐完結得太快。況且﹐他的故事的確很引人入勝。MASTER ENTERTAINER這個稱號實在當之無愧。

最喜歡他的成名作KANE & ABEL。兩個同年同月同日出生的人﹐註定是天生的宿敵。JEFFREY把他們的爭鬥些得很精彩。是這本書讓我重拾讀小說的興趣。那時候﹐因為老是忘記前一天讀到的情節﹐於是放棄追看長篇小說。我還說過﹐“小說是年青人的玩意兒” 這些讓人見笑的無聊理論。

FIRST AMONG EQUALS也很好看。講的是英國政治。裡面的明爭暗鬥﹐一樣很精彩。只是﹐我讀的那本是舊版。工黨裡面少了一個角色。以後有時間﹐一定要重新翻閱一次。

昨天﹐經過SWINDON﹐信手翻了翻他的新作FALSE IMPRESSION。只讀了第一個CHAPTER。有點失望。似乎﹐經過了兩年多的鐵窗生活﹐JEFFREY ARCHER還未找回以前的講故事技巧。更嚴重的是﹐我看到THE DA VINCI CODE的影子。我立即把書放回書架上。我怕我會讀到一本THE VAN GOGH CODE。

回到家﹐我上網看到AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION這樣介紹這本大家等了七年的新書﹕

For those who found the appeal of The Da Vinci Code to be in its mix of art and conspiracy, this one certainly follows the formula. Expect some demand, but buy with care.

我希望這不會是JEFFREY ARCHER寫作生涯的終結﹐雖然上次那本SONS OF FORTUNE已經讓人很失望。監獄的生活一定會讓他對生活有更多的感想。我相信﹐THE BEST IS YET TO COME。