Sunday, February 26, 2006

最近﹐李登天天在蘋果日報寫TRUMAN CAPOTE。我想﹐是因為一部講述這位美國天才作家的電影快要上演。

我孤陋寡聞﹐之前從未聽過CAPOTE這個名字。連續讀了幾篇李登的文章﹐才對這位被NEW YORK TIMES譽為MASTER WRITER的美國人多了一點認識。他十四歲開始寫小說。十五歲離校後﹐開始向SOME PRINCIPAL LITERARY QUARTERLIES 跟NATIONAL MAGAZINES, WHICH IN THOSE DAYS PUBLISHED THE BEST SO-CALLED “QUALITY” FICTION﹐如STORY, THE NEW YORKER, HARPER'S BAZAAR, MADEMOISELLE和ATLANTIC MONTHLY提供作品。原來﹐AUDREY HEPURN名作珠光寶氣便是根據其同名小說改編而成。最多人談論的作品﹐莫過於在1965年出版的IN COLD BLOOD。這是世界文學史裡NONFICTION NOVEL的開端。

給李登的介紹吸引了。於是﹐整個週末都在書局找CAPOTE的小說。只在PAGE ONE找到BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S跟一本短篇小說全集。今天﹐看完電影PRIDE AND PREJUDICE後﹐因為約好了七時才在新世界吃晚飯﹐便到樂道那間SWINDON逛一個圈。

依然未見IN COLD BLOOD的影蹤。卻多找到MUSIC FOR CHAMELEONS和ANSWERED PRAYERS。也有一本書信全集。想多了解這個天才﹐便翻閱一下那些書信。才翻到第一頁﹐我就呆了。

上面寫道﹕
WHY HAVE YOU NOT ANSWERED MY LETTERS? I ONLY WRITE LETTERS SO THAT I WILL GET THEM; PLEASE PUT THIS ON A PAYING BASIS.

昨天晚上﹐再跟朋友講起你。

他們說﹐假如真的能夠放開手﹐便不好再抓緊了。我清楚﹐這是一個CONDITIONAL STATEMENT 。只是﹐都過了三個月﹐既然你依舊拒絕告訴我真相﹐我還好意思不教自己鬆開手﹖

或許﹐你已改變了主意。或許﹐你已想跟我講清楚。我不知道。是我沒有給予你機會罷﹖想想﹐原來是上天沒有給予你和我一個機會去講清楚。最近﹐我們的手提電話都有點問題﹐接收得不太清楚。

兩個月前﹐想過多寫一封信給你。不過﹐那天晚上﹐在那間德國餐廳裡﹐看到你那樣忙於回覆一個又一個的TEXT MESSAGES﹐我知道多跟你寫封信實在是多餘。你哪有空細讀我那些毫無文采的胡言亂語﹖你哪再有閑嘗試了解我心底的牢騷﹖

牢騷﹖都只是一堆又一堆的廢話罷。我知道﹐你很同意這個講法。我還記得你跟我講過什麼話。

我讀著CAPOTE的書信﹐陷入了無限的沈思當中。

我還想你嗎﹖很努力的壓抑﹐今天終於有點成果。只是很遺憾﹐你沒有機會收到天才作家幫我起稿的一封信。

你知道嗎﹖

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Des, I watched the movie ("Capote") during my long flight from LA to HK. I feel this is a movie you would like.

The Man Who Loves Everton said...

Jazzie, I watched the trailer. I believe I must agree with you.

I also flipped through the book of The Music for Chameleons. I must say that Truman Capote is really a good writer. Or you may have had read his works? Why didn't you introduce to me?

Good luck and enjoy your flight and the Mexican sunshine. The ladies, too.