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          初任檢察官！    紀毓鼎（1915-2005）

Becoming a District Attorney

譯者/Translator: Crystal Tai (the author's granddaughter)

抗戰之前，蔣公介石為羅致人才，特令教育部從全國各大學民國二十三，二十四，二十五年的畢業生中挑選成績最佳的一千名，由行政院分兩期集訓。餘獲編在第二期。結訓後，被分發江蘇江都地方法院。

Before the Anti-Japanese War, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek intended to recruit talents by having the Education Ministry select a thousand highly accomplished college graduates of classes 1934, 1935, and 1936 nationwide for two training sessions held by the Executive Yuan (a “yuan” is a division of the Chinese central government that consists of certain ministries). I was assigned to the second training session. After finishing the six-month training course, I was assigned to the District Court of Jiangdu in Jiangsu Province.

該院長郭衛乃法學名家，多有著作，命余協助虞際唐推事清理積壓案件。虞公年老，精力稍遜，對餘在短短一個月內將其無法推動之所由巨案全部辦結，深為欣慰。

The president of the court, Guo Wei, was a law scholar with many publications. He assigned me to help Judge Yu Jitang handle backlog cases. Mr. Yu was an elderly man with less energy. He seemed utterly happy and relieved to see me clear all his backlog cases within a month.

江都即揚州，風景優美，人文荟萃，素负盛名，亦祖母之娘家所在。余曾去左衛街向各位長辈請安。二表伯鍾信夫也來過法院探望。

The city named Jiangdu at the time used to be called Yangzhou (and is called Yangzhou today, too). It has always been famous for its picturesque scenery and refined culture. It was also where my grandmother lived before marriage. I went to Zuowei Street in Yangzhou to visit her family members. Her nephew Zhong Xinfu, whom I called second uncle, visited me at the court, too.

當時法院上班時間由早上七時到下午一時。長晝漫漫，下班後常去瘦西湖泛舟。年少無知，未謀進取。

A typical work day of the court was from 7 am to 1 pm. I had long daytime hours after work, so I often went boating on the Slender West Lake. I was too young and ignorant to plan for my career advancement.

在揚州不足兩月，忽奉命調如皋地方法院。原來該院人手不足，而老友吉佑民兄任職於斯，力請曹葆真院長向高等法院指名調余過去。

I only worked in Yangzhou for less than two months. All of a sudden, I was reassigned to the District Court of Rugao. Later I learned that it was because they were understaffed in Rugao and my old friend Ji Youmin worked there. He persuaded the president of the court, Cao Baozhen, to request my transfer.

如皋南為南通，北為東台，東濒大海，西接泰州，是個小縣份。余先住法院内。後來淞滬失陷，日軍向北挺進，占據南通。我們不敢久留城內，乃在北門外租貸民房居住，便利逃警報，及隨時撤退。

Rugao is a small county with Nantung to its south, Dongtai to its north, Taizhou to its West and the sea to its East. At first, I lived in a room within the compound of the court. Later, as Shanghai fell into the control of the Japanese and the enemy advanced north to occupy Nantung, we did not dare to stay in the City of Rugao. We moved out of the North Gate and rented rooms from some civilians' houses, which made it easy for us to run upon hearing alarms, and to get ready for withdrawal any time.

由於層峰命令對在押輕罪犯人盡量交保釋放，雖敵機不斷飛臨偵察，我們照樣在法庭上點名放人。記得敵軍開始進攻前一日，清晨有兩架飛機飛臨，眼見四枚炸彈自機身下墜，映著朝陽閃閃發光，以為必有慘禍，豈料久無聲息。衆出查尋彈落處，距我們住所僅一河之隔，因是稻田，泥土鬆軟，炸彈未能爆炸。

Since the generalissimo ordered us to allow bail-outs for all the prisoners who had been charged with petty crimes, although Japanese warplanes kept coming to inspect the area, we worked as usual to release those prisoners. I remember the day before the enemy's attack. Two warplanes flew over that morning. We saw them drop four bombs, which were glistening in the morning sun. We thought a miserable disaster was going to happen, but then we didn't hear anything. We went out to look for the location where the bomb landed. They didn't explode because they fell into the soft soil of rice paddies across the creek from our residence.

曹院長下令解散如皋法院。時有檢察官席國昌夫婦，山西人，面對漫天烽火，家鄉遙遠，不敢冒然踏上歸途。因邀其到我家小住數月，然後覓道平安歸去。父親待席君如上賓，從未怪我孟浪。

Mr. Cao disbanded the District Court of Rugao. One of the district attorneys, Xi Guochang, was from Shanxi Province. He and his wife found the wartime situation too dangerous for them to return to their faraway hometown. So, I invited them to stay at my house for a few months. Before they found a way to return home safely, my father treated them like VIPs. He never blamed me for not asking him before bringing the couple home.

遇險而成夷，應是祖母之慈蔭。否則在那樣拂逆的境遇中奇跡出現，無從找出其他的解釋。

The crisis was resolved so easily. I believe it was my grandmother protecting us from above. I cannot think of any other explanation for this miracle happening in such adversities.

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【法奶日報www.lulijen.com2015.5.18.出刊，第9-1394號】