Water rescue industry

据古书记载，京都自古以来自杀者即相当多。无论是哪一个时代，京城人的生存竞争总是比乡村人激烈。一旦遭逢无法再生活下去的不幸时，选择一死了之的人很多。例如，城内城外均遭到严重的饥馑，父母兄弟个个撒手尘寰，或丧失了至爱的妻子儿女时，人们会因厌世而自杀。

其他因官职落榜一时想不开的，被情义所逼的，因失恋而看破一切的……令人想自杀的原因真是数不胜数。更何况德川时代时还有所谓情死的，一次死两个人。

当人们想自杀时，最简便的方法似乎是投河。这个不需去查看统计学者的自杀调查表，只要对自杀这档事，稍为认真思索过的人即能察觉才对。遗憾的是，京都没有适当的投河场所。鸭川当然死不了，因为最深的地方也不及一公尺。因此，阿俊与传兵卫（译注：木偶净琉璃剧的一出情死戏，主角井筒传兵卫杀死情敌武士后，与娼妓阿俊双双在鸟边山寻死的故事）才会情死在鸟边山（译注：平安时代的火葬场）。其他大多选择上吊自杀。那个时代，当然没有不幸遭车祸死亡的。

另外，非选择投身自杀不可的人，可从清水舞台（译注：清水寺，建立于西元七九八年，平安时代以后被瞻仰为观世音菩萨的灵地，上演传统剧的舞台被建立在陡峭的断崖上）跳下去。俗说：“抱着从清水舞台投身的心情”（译注：意谓“下了豁出性命的决心”），这其实是有根据的比喻。

不过，若真目睹过舞台下那山涧岩石上的碎烂尸体，或曾听人描述过惨状的人，即使再喜爱跟潮流，也会犹豫不前。因此，一些非选择投河自杀不可的人，只能学阿半与长右卫门（译注：木偶净琉璃剧的一出情死戏，年轻女孩阿半与半老男人长右卫门的悲恋剧情），迢迢走至桂川，不然就得越过逢阪山至琵琶湖，或到嵯峨的广泽池去如愿。

对一些想在死前尽情享乐一阵子的情死者来说，这段路程或许不算什么，但那些一刻也不想再待在这世上的人，实在没有闲情走这段十多公里远的路。所以，这些人大多选择上吊自杀。也因此，一些常在圣护院之森或纠森（译注：下鸭神社内的树林）捡拾米槠籽的孩童，常会冷不防撞见一具吊在半空中的尸体而魂不附体。

话虽如此，自古以来京都人还是有很多人选择了自杀。即使是所有自由都被剥夺了的人，也至少残存有自杀的自由。被捕入狱的人，也能选择最后一条路。就连双手双足都被绑住无法动弹的人，只要持有极度的克己心，也能强迫自己不呼吸而自尽身亡。

总而言之，京都没有适当的投河场所，这是事实。不过，从古至今，想自杀的人们还是绞尽脑汁如愿了。虽然没有适当的投河场所，但自杀者的比例，并不逊于江户（译注：东京）或大阪。

时代跨入明治以后，京都府桢村首长大兴水渠土木工程，自琵琶湖引水进京。此工程，不但带给京都市民水运方便，也让京都市民享有自来水的恩泽，同时更提供了适当的投河场所给京都市民。

水渠大约有二十公尺宽，是个相当不错的投河自杀场所。若在深海海底浮游着，任各种鱼类叼啄着自己的尸体，恐怕无论是任何人，光想像也会感到呕心。所以大凡一般投河自杀的人，都希望即使死了，也最好在适当的时机被人发现尸体，再打捞上来吊丧。针对这点来讲的话，水渠实在是个最佳场所。

水渠从蹴上经过二条，再顺着鸭川河边流至伏见。不论是何处，水深大约都有三公尺左右，清澈见底。而且两岸种植有杨柳，夜晚时瓦斯灯青光朦胧。鸭川对面还能传来先斗町（译注：京都鸭川西岸的闹区）一带的琴声弦歌。背后是静默横躺着的东山（译注：京都东方以大文字山为主峰的山峦，山脚下有多数的神社与寺庙）。雨后的夜晚，两岸边的霓虹灯光，更会红红绿绿地映照在水面上。

如此美丽的水渠夜景，往往会使自杀者萌生一种罗曼蒂克的气氛，让自杀者消却对死亡的恐惧，而恍恍惚惚地纵身投入水中。

只是，无论自杀者寻死之意再如何坚毅，当其带着全身重量落到水面那一瞬间，也均会发出悲鸣。这是人贪生怕死的本能呻吟。不过，既然人都跳下去了，又有何办法？跳下去后，一般大多会溅起一阵飞沫沉入水中，再浮出水面，此时，投河者心中只有想得救的本能存在。因此他会胡乱伸手抓掴河水、拍打水面、拼命挣扎、痛苦呻吟、拳打脚踢。然后四肢渐渐失去力量，再坠入神智不清的状况而丧生，不过，若此时有人丢绳子入水，投河者大多会不假思索地伸手抓住绳子。当投河者抓住绳子时，他心中不会浮出投河前的觉悟与被抢救后的后悔。只有想得救的强烈本能存在着。因此，我们绝对不能嗤笑自杀者临死前求救，或抓住绳子的这种矛盾心理。

总之，自从京都出现适当的投河场所后，想自杀的人大多会投身于水渠。

从水渠被捞出的横死者尸体年数量，有时甚至会高达百多人。水渠流域中，寻死的最佳场所是武德殿（译注：一八九九年落成的武艺馆）附近一座凄寂的木桥。水渠中沿着倾斜面缆车旁一路往下奔流的水势，即使流至冈崎公园仍会馀势犹存地绕着公园转。木桥正座落于水流与公园分道扬镳之处。右手方可见瓦斯灯寂寥地映照出雾霭灿然的平安神宫院内的树林，左手方是几户门窗紧闭的空寂人家。所以平日悄无人声。因此越过这座桥栏杆投河自杀的人很多。看来，从桥上投河比从岸边入河，较能满足自杀者心中潜在的演戏愿望吧。

只是，木桥下流八、九公尺左右的水渠岸边，有一间茅屋。每逢有人从桥上投河自杀时，自茅屋内即会冲出一个身材极为矮小的老媪。投河自杀的时间若在夜晚十二点之前，老媪的抢救方法大致都一成不变。亦即手中一定握着一支长竹竿，再将竹竿伸往河中发出呻吟声之处。通常会有反应。若没反应，只要追赶着水声与呻吟声，连连探出竹竿即行。当然偶尔也会有毫无反应任水势漂流下去的例子，但十之八九竹竿彼端通常都会有反应。

待老媪将投河者救至岸边时，看热闹的人群中，也一定夹杂着某个好心跑到三百公尺远的派出所去通报事件的男人。若季节正逢冬天，那就必须生火取暖，但若是夏天，则只要让投河者吐出河水，再帮他擦擦身子，投河者多半即能恢复精神自己跟随警员行至派出所。而通常也都是警员向投河者教诲两三句话，投河者则支支吾吾地陪罪道歉后即了事。

像这种抢救人命的例子，一个月后，政府会颁发一张表扬状与一圆五十分钱左右的奖金给抢救者。老媪每次领取了奖金后，总会先供奉在神龛前，再击两三次掌，然后拿到邮局存款。

第四回内国博览会（译注：明治政府为振兴国内产业所开办的产物博览会，始于一八七七年东京上野公园，终于一九零三年第五回大阪博览会）在冈崎公园被举办时，老媪在茅屋原处开了家小茶馆。虽只是卖些糖果点心或水果之类的小茶馆，但收入相当不错，因此博览会的建筑物渐渐被拆毁后，老媪仍持续着她的茶馆生意。这也可说是第四回博览会闭幕后存留下来的唯一纪念物。老媪的丈夫已死，她一直跟女儿相依为命。零钱逐渐积多后，先前的小茅屋也变成目前这栋整洁清爽的住屋了。

老媪最初发现有人自桥上投河时，惊慌得手足无措。想大声呼人，附近又没有人影。即使运气好凑巧有人经过，那时投河者也早已被卷入激烈的水势中而行踪不明了。此时，老媪只能凝视着黑暗的水面，口中喃喃念佛。但是，老媪如此耳闻目睹的自杀者，不仅是一两人。通常是两个月一次，有时甚至是一个月两次，老媪会听到自杀者的悲鸣。那声音听起来像是地狱里未能超度的亡魂之呻吟，令懦怯的老媪难以忍受。于是，老媪才下定决心抢救这些投河者。

老媪第一次鼓足勇气并绞尽脑汁用竹竿抢救成功的，是一个二十三岁的男人。那是个因盗用了主人家的五十圆公款，想以死来陪罪的懦弱男人。警员谴责他轻举妄动后，那男人即表示愿意悔改并继续努力工作。一个月后，老媪收到京都府政府寄来的传唤通知，领回了奖金。当时的一圆五十分钱对老媪来说，是一笔巨款。她再三考虑过后，才决定把钱存进当时才刚稍稍盛行起来的邮政储蓄。

那以后，老媪就拼命救人。而且抢救技术也逐渐高明起来。只要一听到水声与悲鸣，老媪即会翻身而起冲出后门。然后抓起搁立在后门边的竹竿，像个渔夫拿着尖矛准备扎鲤鱼般地摆出架式，凝视着水面，再巧妙地探出竹竿至自杀者面前。几乎所有的投河者都会伸手揪住被探至眼前的竹竿。然后老媪再使尽气力打捞上来。

若有凑巧路过的男人想帮老媪时，老媪会很不高兴。因为她觉得那人好像侵害到自己的特权似的。如此，老媪自四十三岁那年到五十八岁的今日，总共抢救了五十多条性命。因此授奖的手续也非常简化，只需一周即能领取奖金。府政府的公务员总是笑道：“阿婆您又来了。”再把奖金颁给老媪。老媪也失去当初欣喜若狂的感激情怀，就像自茶馆客人手中接过豆沙糕钱一样，只回一句：“谢谢。”即了事。

当世间一般景气旺盛，接连两三个月都没有投河者时，老媪总会觉得有点心痒难挠。女儿向她要钱想买布料时，老媪也会回女儿说，等下回领奖金时再买。那时是六月末，照往例来说，应该是投河者最多的旺季，却不知为何竟没人投河。老媪每晚和女儿铺棉被排枕头时，总会倾耳细听河面的动静。到了十二点仍无动静时，才喃喃道了一句：“今晚又不行了。”这才死心地闭上眼。

老媪认为拯救投河者是一件非常有意义的事。她在跟茶馆客人聊家常时，时常这么说：“像我这样的人，也救了不少条性命，死后一定可以上天堂了。”当然没有人跟她唱反调。

不过老媪心中仅有一点不满。那就是被抢救的人，罕得有人向老媪道谢。他们在警员面前虽会行礼道谢，却没人会向老媪说谢词。更没人于事后专程再度来致谢的。老媪心中暗忖：“真是枉费我救了他们一条命，这些人也实在太无情了。”

某夜，老媪救了一个十八岁的女孩。那女孩恢复神智发现自己被救过来后，不顾一切地哭天抢地起来。警员好不容易才说服她一道走往派出所时，途经那座木桥，不料那女孩又趁警员不注意时，再度跃身跳进河里。只是，那女孩竟出奇地又被老媪探出的竹竿救上来了。

老媪望着二度被警员带走的女孩的背影，喃喃叹道：“不管跳几次，人毕竟总是想求生的。”

老媪年近六十时，依旧只要耳闻水声与悲鸣声，即马上往河中探出竹竿。也依旧没有任何一个自杀者会拒绝揪住眼前的竹竿。老媪一直认为那些人是衷心想得救，所以才会揪住被探出的竹竿。老媪一直也认为，既然抢救的都是一些衷心想得救的人，那么她做的也一定是无以伦比的好事。

今年春天，老媪十数多年来的平静生活，首遭危机。问题出在她那个二十一岁的女儿身上。女儿长相虽有点粗俗，但皮肤白晳，表情妩媚动人。

老媪本来计划等某个远房亲戚的次男服完兵役后，将招他入赘，再拿出三百多圆的存款做为本钱，合力把茶馆扩大。这是老媪的愿望与期盼。

可是，女儿却彻底破坏了老媪的期盼。她跟一个自今年二月起，在熊野通二条下那间熊野座小剧场上演戏剧，名叫岚扇太郎的巡回演出艺人，陷入老生常谈的男女关系。扇太郎花言巧语地教唆女儿偷出母亲的存摺，自邮局提取所有的存款后，双双远走高飞了。

老媪除了惊愕与绝望以外，一无所有。只剩下茶馆里不满五圆的商品，以及一些衣物。不过老媪若依旧把茶馆开下去，理应不会流落街头的。只是老媪已万念俱灰。

她等了两个月，盼望女儿会捎来讯息，却以徒劳告终。她失去继续活下去的精力。于是，想到死。她考虑了好几个晚上，终于下定投河自杀的决心。如此，不但可以解脱难以忍受的绝望，也可儆戒女儿。她选择了已住习惯的住家附近那座木桥，做为投河场所。老媪认为，自那桥上投河自杀的话，一定没人会干扰她的。

某天夜晚，老媪终于伫立在那座桥上。她脑中不断浮出迄今为止自己抢救过来的自杀者的脸孔，但那些脸孔，却彷佛都挂着一副奇异的、嘲讽的笑容。不过，也多亏她看过无数的自杀者，所以已将自杀这种行为视为家常便饭，心里不怎么恐惧。于是，老媪神志恍惚地自栏杆滑落般地跳入河中。

当老媪不期然地回过神来时，只见四周围着警员与一大堆看热闹的人。这些人都是她平日率领的集团，只是她的位置稍稍调换了一下而已。看热闹的人群中，甚至有人想不通警员的身边怎么不见往常一定在的老媪。

老媪以一种无以名状的似羞耻，又似气愤的不愉快感情，环视着四周。她意外地发现警员身边那个往常自己应站立的位置，竟然站立个肤色黝黑的四十左右的男人。当她察觉正是那个男人抢救了自己时，愤恨得真想上前去揪打那个男人。老媪宛如刚舒舒服服地睡着了，竟又被狠狠地叫醒来般，怒火中烧。

那男人似乎丝毫未察觉老媪的心情，一昧地向警员说道：“若再晚了一步，恐怕就来不及了。”这是老媪往常经年累月向警员说的句子。口气中，明显地流露出救助了人命的自豪。

老媪发现自己衰老的肉体暴露在众目睽睽之中，赶紧拉拢胸口与下摆，心中却熊熊燃烧着一把羞耻与愤恨的怒火。熟识的警员说道：“应该救人的你怎么变成让别人来救你？不行啊。”老媪充耳不闻地匆匆逃回自己的家。警员随后进来，教诲了老媪几句，这也是老媪早就听过无数遍，听都听腻了的句子。此时，老媪又发现敞开着的门外，以那个四十男人为首，聚集了一群看热闹的人。老媪疯狂地冲过去，猛烈地关上门。

那以后，老媪灰心沮丧地过着孤寂的日子。她甚至失去了自杀的意念。女儿好似也没有归家的征兆。沉重如灰泥般的日子，就这样一天一天过去。

那根长竹竿，依旧搁立在老媪家的后门。不过，自此以后，就没人再听闻到从桥上投河自杀的人被抢救过来的消息了。

According to ancient books, there have been many suicides in Kyoto since ancient times. In any era, the competition for survival in KYǑNGSǑNG was always fiercer than in the countryside. Once the unfortunate encounter can no longer live, choose to die a lot of people. For example, people kill themselves when they are starving inside and outside the city, when their parents and brothers die, or when they lose their beloved wife and children. There are so many other reasons why people want to kill themselves, such as the temporary loss of an official position, the forced love, the broken love, and so on. Not to mention, in Tokugawa's time, there were so called love deaths, in which two people died at once. When people want to kill themselves, the easiest way seems to be to throw themselves into a river. This is a suicide questionnaire that doesn't need to be checked by a statistician, but that only needs to be picked up by someone who has given it some serious thought. It is a pity that there is no proper place to throw oneself into the river in Kyoto. Of course Kamogawa didn't die, because the deepest part was less than a meter. Therefore, jun and Chuanbingwei (the story of two lovers who kill their rival samurai in Ibari, and Jun, a prostitute, in Niobian Mountain) are the only two people who die in Niobian Mountain. Most others hang themselves. In those days, of course, no one died in a car accident. In addition, people who have to commit suicide, you can jump from the clear water stage (Kiyomizu-dera was founded in 798 AD, and was later revered as a Guan Yin shrine after the Heian period, and the stage for traditional plays was set on a steep cliff) . The old saying, "in the spirit of throwing yourself on the water stage," is a valid metaphor. However, anyone who has ever seen a mangled corpse on a rock in a ravine below the stage, or heard a description of it, will hesitate, even if he loves to follow the trend. Therefore, some people who choose to commit suicide by throwing themselves into the river can only learn the tragic love story between Ah Ban and Changyouweimen, it's a long way to Katsura River, or you'll have to cross the mountains to Lake Biwa, or to the saga of Hirosaki. It may not seem like much to a loved one who wants to have a good time before they die, but for someone who doesn't want to be in the world any more, it's not worth the 10-mile walk. Therefore, most of these people choose to hang themselves. As a result, some children who often pick up Castanopsis carlesii seeds in the woods of the lower duck shrine in Shōgo-in are often shocked to see a body hanging in mid-air. Even so, many people in Kyoto have committed suicide since ancient times. Even those who have been deprived of all their liberty have at least the freedom to commit suicide. People who get arrested, they get to choose their last option. Even people with hands and feet bound and unable to move can force themselves to death without breathing, if only with extreme self-denial. All in all, it is true that Kyoto has no proper place to throw itself into the river. However, since ancient times, people who want to commit suicide have been racking their brains to get what they want. Although there are no suitable places to throw themselves into the river, the rate of suicides is no less than in Edo or Osaka. After the Meiji era, the chief of the village of Fuzhen in Kyoto, Daxing Canal, was built to bring water from Lake Biwa to the capital. This project not only brings the convenience of water transportation to the citizens of Kyoto, but also makes the citizens of Kyoto enjoy the benefits of tap water. At the same time, it also provides an appropriate place for the citizens of Kyoto to throw into the river. The canal was about 20 meters wide and was a pretty good place to throw yourself into the river. If the bottom of the sea floating in the depths, let a variety of fish pick up their own corpse, I am afraid that no matter who, just imagine will feel sick. Therefore, most people who commit suicide by throwing themselves into the river hope that even if they die, it would be better if their bodies were found at an appropriate time and then fished up for mourning. At this point, the aqueduct is the perfect place. The aqueduct passed through two channels from Cushang and then flowed along the Kamogawa River to the town of Phuket. Wherever it is, the water is about three meters deep and crystal clear. Besides, willows are planted on both sides of the river, and at night the gas lamps are dimly lit. Across from Kamogawa, a string song can also be heard from the area around the city of Shinto Kamogawa. Behind them lay the Silent Higashiyama, a mountain with the great script mountains in the east of Kyoto and most of the shrines and temples at its base. After the rain at night, the two sides of the neon lights, red and green land will be reflected in the water. Such a beautiful view of the canal at night often creates a romantic atmosphere for the suicide victim to escape his fear of death and plunge into the water in a daze. However, no matter how determined the suicide may be, the moment the person falls to the surface with all his weight, he will wail. It's an instinctive groan of fear of death. But what can you do now that everyone has jumped? Jump Down, most will splash up a burst of foam into the water, and then surface, at this time, the river in the heart only want to save the existence of instinct. So he would scratch and slap the water, struggle, Groan in pain, kick and punch. Then the limbs gradually lose strength, and then fall into a state of unconsciousness and die, but if then someone threw a rope into the water, the river jumper will most likely reach out and grab the rope without thinking. When the jumper catches hold of the rope, his mind will not float to the river before the realization and rescue after regret. Only a strong instinct to be saved exists. So we should never laugh at the ambivalence of the suicidal person in asking for help, or holding on to a rope. All in all, since there are suitable river-throwing places in Kyoto, people who want to commit suicide tend to throw themselves into ditches. The annual number of bodies pulled from ditches can be as high as a hundred. In the drainage basin, the best place to die is a desolate wooden bridge near the temple of martial arts. The flow of water in the canal down the slope of the cable car still flows around Okazaki Park. The wooden bridge is located where the current diverges from the park. On the right hand side, a solitary gas lamp lit up the misty woods of Heian Shrine's courtyard, and on the left hand side, a few empty houses with closed doors and windows. That's why it's so quiet. So many people jumped over the railing of the bridge and threw themselves into the river. It seems that the bridge from the river than from the bank into the river, more satisfied with the suicide potential of the desire to play it. Only, there was a hut on the bank of the channel, about eight or nine metres below the wooden bridge. Every time someone from the bridge threw himself into the river to commit suicide, from the hut will be rushed out of a very short old woman. If the time of suicide into the river at night before twelve o'clock, old woman's rescue methods are generally unchanged. That is, the hand must hold a long bamboo pole, and then the bamboo pole into the river issued a groan. There's usually a reaction. If there is no response, as long as the pursuit of the sound of water and groaning, repeatedly out of the bamboo line. Of course, there are occasional instances where nothing happens, but nine times out of ten, the other end of the stick will respond. When old woman rescued those who threw themselves into the river to the bank, there must have been some kind-hearted man running to the police station 300 meters away to report the incident. If the season is in winter, then it is necessary to build a fire to keep warm, but in summer, as long as the river to spit out water, and then help him wipe his body, the river to the police station will most likely be able to recover their spirits to follow their own. And usually it is the police to the river to teach two or three words, the river people are stammered to apologize after the apology. In the case of a life-saving case like this, after a month, the government will award a Certificate of Commendation and a reward of about one dollar and fifty cents to the rescuer. Old Woman Every time after receiving a bonus, always first in front of the shrine, and then two or three high-five, and then get the post office deposit. When the Fourth National Exposition was held in Okazaki Park, the Meiji administration's product exposition for the revitalization of domestic industry began in Ueno Imperial Grant Park, Tokyo, in 1877 and ended in Osaka, Japan, in 1903, old Woman opened a small teahouse where the cottage stood. Although only sells some candy or fruit and so on small teahouse, but the income is quite good, therefore the exposition building is gradually demolished, old woman still continues her teahouse business. It is also arguably the only monument left after the closing of the Fourth Expo. Old Woman's husband is dead, she has been living with her daughter. After the small amount of change gradually accumulated, the former cottage has also become the current clean and refreshing house. When old woman first found that someone had thrown herself into the river from the bridge, she was in a panic. You want to shout, there's no one around. Even if someone happens to pass by, by then the river jumper will have been swept into the raging waters and will be nowhere to be seen. At this time, old woman can only stare at the dark water, murmuring in the mouth Buddha. However, old woman such ears and witnesses suicide, not only one or two people. Usually twice a month, sometimes even twice a month, old woman will hear the mournful cry of the suicide. It sounded like the Groan of the souls of the dead who had not crossed over from hell, and the Old Woman of cowardice could not bear it. Then old woman made up her mind to rescue the river-jumpers. It was a man of twenty-three who had the courage and ingenuity to use a bamboo pole to save her for the first time. It was a cowardly man who wanted to die for embezzling 50 yuan from his master's family. After the policeman accused him of acting rashly, the man showed his willingness to repent and to continue his hard work. A month later, old woman received a summons from the Kyōto Prefecture government, received the bonus. A dollar and fifty cents at that time was a great deal of money to old woman. On second thought, she decided to put the money into the Postal Savings Bank of China, which was then only slightly more popular. Ever since then, old woman has been trying to save people. And the technique is getting better. As long as hear the sound of water and sorrow, old woman will roll over and rush out the back door. He then grabs the bamboo pole that stands by the back door, poses like a fisherman with a spear ready for a carp, stares into the water, and then deftly pokes it out in front of the suicide. Almost all river jumpers reach out to grab the bamboo pole that has been reached. Then old woman tried her best to bring it up again. If a man happened to pass by and wanted to help old woman, old woman would be very unhappy. Because she felt as if the man were encroaching on her privileges. Thus, from the age of forty-three to the age of fifty-eight, old woman altogether saved more than fifty lives. So the process of awarding the prize is also very simple, just one week to receive the prize money. The civil servant of the government always smiles a way: "the old woman you came again." Again award the bonus to Old Woman. Old Woman also lost the original ecstatic feeling of gratitude, as from the hands of tea house guests took the bean cake money, only a sentence: "Thank you." That is all. When the world was generally prosperous and there were no river-jumpers for two or three months, old woman always felt a little ticklish. Daughter to her money to buy cloth, old woman will also return to her daughter said, wait until the next collect bonus to buy. It was late June, traditionally the peak season for river-jumpers, and somehow no one had done it. Old Woman every night and daughter spread cotton quilt row pillow, always listen carefully to the river. At twelve o'clock, when there was still no movement, he murmured, "I can't do it again tonight." Then he closed his eyes. Old Woman thought it was a very meaningful thing to save those who threw themselves into the river. When chatting with tea house guests, she often said, "people like me have saved so many lives that they can go to Heaven after they die." Of course, no one disagreed with her. But Old Woman was only a little dissatisfied. That's the one who was saved. It's rare to have someone say thank you to an old woman. Although they will salute in front of the police officers, but no one will say thanks to old woman. And no one came back to say thank you. Old woman thought to herself, "it was in vain that I saved their life. These people are too heartless." One night old woman saved an eighteen-year-old girl. When the girl recovered her senses and found herself rescued, she began to cry desperately. When the officer finally persuaded her to go with him to the police station, she passed by the wooden bridge, only to find that the girl jumped into the river again when the officer was not looking. Only, that girl unexpectedly and unexpectedly by old woman poke out bamboo pole to save up. Old Woman, looking at the back of the girl who had been taken away by the police twice, murmured, "no matter how many times you dance, you always want to live." That is immediately out of the river bamboo sticks. And there's still not a single suicidal person who wouldn't grab the bamboo pole in front of them. Old Woman always think those people are sincerely want to be saved, so will seize the bamboo pole was out. Old Woman has also thought, since the rescue is some sincerely want to save people, then she must do is incomparable good. Last Spring, for the first time, the quiet life of old woman suffered a crisis. The problem is her twenty-one year old daughter. Although her daughter looks a bit vulgar, but the skin bright, charming expression. Old Woman originally planned to recruit a distant relative's second son after his military service, and then to take out more than 300 yuan of savings as capital, join forces to expand the teahouse. It was old woman's wish and expectation. However, the daughter completely destroyed the old woman's expectations. She has been involved in the same old relationship with a touring entertainer named Tatsuro Arashi, who has been performing in the small theatre in Kumano, under Uji, since February this year. Fa Yin Haau Yu instigated his daughter to steal her mother's bankbook and withdraw all her savings from the post office. Old Woman had nothing but dismay and despair. There are only less than five Yuan of goods in the teahouse, as well as some clothes. But if old woman still opens teahouse to go down, should not be able to fall into the street. It's just that old lady's a basket case. She waited two months in vain for a message from her daughter. She's lost the will to live. And so, I thought of death. She thought about it for several nights and finally made up her mind to throw herself into the river. In this way, not only can you release yourself from unbearable despair, but you can also warn your daughter. She chose the wooden bridge near her accustomed home as the place to throw herself into the river. Old Woman thought that if she threw herself into the river on that bridge, no one would disturb her. Then one night old woman stood on the bridge. She kept seeing the faces of the suicide victims she had saved so far, but they all seemed to have a strange, mocking smile on their faces. But thanks to the number of suicides she has seen, she has made suicide a regular occurrence, with little fear. Then, Old Woman in a daze from the railings slipped like jumped into the river. When old woman unexpectedly returned to her senses, she saw policemen and a large crowd of onlookers. These were her usual cliques, but her position had been changed a little. Watching the crowd, and even some people do not understand how the police officers around the old woman must be in the usual. Old Woman looked about her in an indescribable unpleasantness, like shame or anger. She was surprised to see the policeman standing next to her in his usual place, a dark-skinned man of forty or so. When she realized that it was the man who had saved her, she was so angry that she really wanted to go and strike him. Old Woman just like comfortable to fall asleep, unexpectedly be ruthlessly wake up like, in anger. The man did not seem to be aware of old woman's mood, but he said to the officer, "if we are too late, I am afraid it will be too late.". There was a palpable pride in his voice that he had saved lives. Old Woman found her aging body exposed to the eyes of the public, hurriedly pulled up the chest and hem, but the heart is burning with a sense of shame and anger. Familiar with the police said: "You should save people how to become someone else to save you? No Way." Old Woman to rush back to his home. The policeman then came in and taught old woman a few words, which she had heard many times before, and which she was tired of hearing. At this time, old woman also found the Open Door, to that forty men led, gathered a group of lookers. Old Woman rushed madly and slammed the door. After that, old woman lived a lonely life in despair. She even lost the will to kill herself. The daughter doesn't seem to be coming home either. The days, heavy as stucco, passed like this. The long bamboo pole still stood at the back door of the old woman's house. Since then, however, no one has heard of the rescue of anyone who threw himself into a river from a bridge.

标题: 投水救助业
作者: 菊池宽
字数: 5184
简介: 据古书记载，京都自古以来自杀者即相当多。无论是哪一个时代，京城人的生存竞争总是比乡村人激烈。一旦遭逢无法再生活下去的不幸时，选择一死了之的人