我第一次到比利時的時候，被安排住在一個豪華大公寓。那個供我一個人住的公寓約有四十坪，還附一個寬廣的陽台。客廳有豪華地毯、皮沙發，還有四十吋大電視。房間裡有雙人床，古典梳妝檯，櫃子裡有換不完的乾淨床單和被套。廚房裡有各式廚具和各式調味料香料。連窗簾都是蕾絲做的。房東是個大多數時間都住在剛果的老奶奶，跟我說起的事都是大約四十年前發生的。老太太人很好，知道我孤家寡人在比利時，心疼得要命，直跟我說要帶朋友回來住個幾晚都沒有關係。
這個公寓什麼都好，就是裝飾品太特殊。客廳的四面櫃子上，擺滿了陶瓷娃娃。就算是全白的天使瓷娃娃看久了，看起來也會怪怪的，更不要說這屋裡的娃娃還都不是一副安祥的表情。牆上還有很多老太太收藏的畫。老太太收藏的畫都很特別，而且古怪。我的床尾對的那面牆上就掛了一幅斜倚的裸女畫，身材姣好的裸女卻有一副詭異的表情。我平常很避免看這幅畫，連在房裡更衣，都覺得好像是我褻瀆了裸女的地盤。每晚要睡的時候，一躺下來就會跟這裸女對眼，感覺就好像是一整個晚上都有人會用奇怪的眼神看著我睡。我跟朋友們說了這件事，大家一陣絕倒，建議我如果怕，可以把那幅畫先拿下來。可是，我怕的就是那個裸女有靈，會不高興我把她拿下來啊！
有一個夜裡，我在睡夢中被一陣幽微的音樂驚醒。一開始我還以為我幻聽，但等了一會兒，那音樂就是久久都不散去。我看了一下我手邊的鬧鐘，不偏不倚正好是三點半。
我走到客廳，那聲音果然是從客廳發出來的，而且好像是從某一尊陶瓷娃娃身上出來的。我怕得要死，但還要一邊跟自己說：「我是科學家！我有浩然正氣！我不怕！」身為一個科學家，凡事都要找個說法。我安慰自己說，也許那個娃娃其實是個音樂盒，才會發出這種幽微的音樂。但又不知道為什麼這音樂盒會自己在半夜三點半唱起歌來。我發抖著走到那尊娃娃前，想說一般音樂盒的開關都在後面吧！我把手摸到那娃娃的背後，一邊眼睛閉得緊緊的，想說，我可不想看見什麼我並不想看見的東西。
我的手沒摸到什麼開關，倒是往下摸到了一個鬧鐘，我才想起我晚上煮飯的時候，拿了這個房東太太放在客廳的鬧鐘看時間，大概是那時候按到了，還不偏不倚讓它在半夜三點半響。這房東太太的品味也真是始終如一，連鬧鐘的音樂都像是古老音樂盒的樂音。
但無論如何，我還是非常感謝上天讓這個驚魂夜最終只是個大烏龍。
拼錯的星期三說：
這篇文章刊登於 12/12/2008 的自由時報花編副刊。我本來下的標題是：「豪華公寓驚魂夜」，本來還很得意自己難得想出這麼戲劇化的標題，沒想到被改得這麼有氣質。我妹說我自己下的標題是蘋果風，不是花編風(哭哭)。
巧合的是，刊出的當天，我收到 Johannes 的信，說我今年夏天在比利時跟他合作的論文被某期刊接受了。我就順便跟他說了這個故事。寫的時候很趕，因為要把電腦還我妹的，所以十五分鐘就寫完，完全就是我手寫我口。但我自己覺得英文版的，好像因此比較有我想要的緊張壓迫感。中文版的，因為酙酌過一會，而且為了符合字數，文字密度有點太高，跟我自己本來想要的樣子有點不一樣。
我的英文版跟中文版的敘述有一點差異。我的英文版是我跟我那些只能用英文溝通的朋友說的話，我的中文版是我會跟臺灣的鄉親父老說的故事。兩個版本其實是在說一模一樣的故事，但是我自己覺得臺西的人會對不同的東西感興趣。西方人覺得有趣的東西，東方人也許覺得很無聊；反之亦然。我還發現，我用英文可以像在演像情境喜劇一樣隨口說出的笑話，用中文就怎麼樣也說不出口。還好這完全是我自己的東西，不是幫人翻譯的，需要對別人交代的東西，空間就很大。
During my first visit in Mons, I was arranged to stay in a big, luxurious apartment. The flat was fantastic; however, I was frightened by the peculiar art work collected by the landlady. For example, there was a portrait of a naked lady in the bedroom and this mysterious lady stared at me when I was sleeping. The flat was fantastic. However, I was frightened by the peculiar art work collected by the landlady. For example, there was a portrait of a naked lady in the bedroom and this mysterious lady stared at me when I slept. You suggested me to take it down if I didn't feel comfortable. But the thing was, I was afraid that she really had spirits and I don't think she would be happy if I take her down.
One night when I was sleeping, I was waken up by a sound of music. The music was very light but I could not ignore it at all. I looked at the clock, it was 3.30 am sharp. It was really scary. I tried to ignore it; however, the music just did not stop.
I realised the music came from the living room so I went to the living room.
I eventually found out that the music was from a sculpture of a little boy.... I was completely terrified, I had to tell myself: 'I am a scientist! I am a scientist! There is no ghost no ghost!' I went to the sculpture and tried to convince myself that this sculpture was just a music box. I closed my eyes when I put my hand down the back of the sculpture (I guessed the switch was in the back of it) in case the little boy winked at me (I really didn't want to see it!)!
There was no switch, the sculpture was not a music box. However, my hand touched something....
It was an alarm clock. It just occurred to me that I took this alarm clock when I was cooking the previous night. I must have accidentally touched the botton and someone who used this alarm clock last time happened to set it to ring at 3.30 (nice choice!). The sound of the alarm clock happened to be like the music of an old old music box. All of these things made up a horrifying and unforgettable night for me.
Comment by my local supervisor in Mons:： Since that time, Belgium is known as the haunted country... Houuuuuuu houuuuuuu... : -))
Comment by Johannes:： What a story! That's really a Carol one :))
這個公寓什麼都好，就是裝飾品太特殊。客廳的四面櫃子上，擺滿了陶瓷娃娃。就算是全白的天使瓷娃娃看久了，看起來也會怪怪的，更不要說這屋裡的娃娃還都不是一副安祥的表情。牆上還有很多老太太收藏的畫。老太太收藏的畫都很特別，而且古怪。我的床尾對的那面牆上就掛了一幅斜倚的裸女畫，身材姣好的裸女卻有一副詭異的表情。我平常很避免看這幅畫，連在房裡更衣，都覺得好像是我褻瀆了裸女的地盤。每晚要睡的時候，一躺下來就會跟這裸女對眼，感覺就好像是一整個晚上都有人會用奇怪的眼神看著我睡。我跟朋友們說了這件事，大家一陣絕倒，建議我如果怕，可以把那幅畫先拿下來。可是，我怕的就是那個裸女有靈，會不高興我把她拿下來啊！
有一個夜裡，我在睡夢中被一陣幽微的音樂驚醒。一開始我還以為我幻聽，但等了一會兒，那音樂就是久久都不散去。我看了一下我手邊的鬧鐘，不偏不倚正好是三點半。
我走到客廳，那聲音果然是從客廳發出來的，而且好像是從某一尊陶瓷娃娃身上出來的。我怕得要死，但還要一邊跟自己說：「我是科學家！我有浩然正氣！我不怕！」身為一個科學家，凡事都要找個說法。我安慰自己說，也許那個娃娃其實是個音樂盒，才會發出這種幽微的音樂。但又不知道為什麼這音樂盒會自己在半夜三點半唱起歌來。我發抖著走到那尊娃娃前，想說一般音樂盒的開關都在後面吧！我把手摸到那娃娃的背後，一邊眼睛閉得緊緊的，想說，我可不想看見什麼我並不想看見的東西。
我的手沒摸到什麼開關，倒是往下摸到了一個鬧鐘，我才想起我晚上煮飯的時候，拿了這個房東太太放在客廳的鬧鐘看時間，大概是那時候按到了，還不偏不倚讓它在半夜三點半響。這房東太太的品味也真是始終如一，連鬧鐘的音樂都像是古老音樂盒的樂音。
但無論如何，我還是非常感謝上天讓這個驚魂夜最終只是個大烏龍。
拼錯的星期三說：
這篇文章刊登於 12/12/2008 的自由時報花編副刊。我本來下的標題是：「豪華公寓驚魂夜」，本來還很得意自己難得想出這麼戲劇化的標題，沒想到被改得這麼有氣質。我妹說我自己下的標題是蘋果風，不是花編風(哭哭)。
巧合的是，刊出的當天，我收到 Johannes 的信，說我今年夏天在比利時跟他合作的論文被某期刊接受了。我就順便跟他說了這個故事。寫的時候很趕，因為要把電腦還我妹的，所以十五分鐘就寫完，完全就是我手寫我口。但我自己覺得英文版的，好像因此比較有我想要的緊張壓迫感。中文版的，因為酙酌過一會，而且為了符合字數，文字密度有點太高，跟我自己本來想要的樣子有點不一樣。
我的英文版跟中文版的敘述有一點差異。我的英文版是我跟我那些只能用英文溝通的朋友說的話，我的中文版是我會跟臺灣的鄉親父老說的故事。兩個版本其實是在說一模一樣的故事，但是我自己覺得臺西的人會對不同的東西感興趣。西方人覺得有趣的東西，東方人也許覺得很無聊；反之亦然。我還發現，我用英文可以像在演像情境喜劇一樣隨口說出的笑話，用中文就怎麼樣也說不出口。還好這完全是我自己的東西，不是幫人翻譯的，需要對別人交代的東西，空間就很大。
During my first visit in Mons, I was arranged to stay in a big, luxurious apartment. The flat was fantastic; however, I was frightened by the peculiar art work collected by the landlady. For example, there was a portrait of a naked lady in the bedroom and this mysterious lady stared at me when I was sleeping. The flat was fantastic. However, I was frightened by the peculiar art work collected by the landlady. For example, there was a portrait of a naked lady in the bedroom and this mysterious lady stared at me when I slept. You suggested me to take it down if I didn't feel comfortable. But the thing was, I was afraid that she really had spirits and I don't think she would be happy if I take her down.
One night when I was sleeping, I was waken up by a sound of music. The music was very light but I could not ignore it at all. I looked at the clock, it was 3.30 am sharp. It was really scary. I tried to ignore it; however, the music just did not stop.
I realised the music came from the living room so I went to the living room.
I eventually found out that the music was from a sculpture of a little boy.... I was completely terrified, I had to tell myself: 'I am a scientist! I am a scientist! There is no ghost no ghost!' I went to the sculpture and tried to convince myself that this sculpture was just a music box. I closed my eyes when I put my hand down the back of the sculpture (I guessed the switch was in the back of it) in case the little boy winked at me (I really didn't want to see it!)!
There was no switch, the sculpture was not a music box. However, my hand touched something....
It was an alarm clock. It just occurred to me that I took this alarm clock when I was cooking the previous night. I must have accidentally touched the botton and someone who used this alarm clock last time happened to set it to ring at 3.30 (nice choice!). The sound of the alarm clock happened to be like the music of an old old music box. All of these things made up a horrifying and unforgettable night for me.
Comment by my local supervisor in Mons:： Since that time, Belgium is known as the haunted country... Houuuuuuu houuuuuuu... : -))
Comment by Johannes:： What a story! That's really a Carol one :))
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