搜索
ShootinganElephantbyGeorgeOrwellsource:–theonlytimeinmylifethatIhavebeenimportantenoughforthistohappentome.Iwassub-divisionalpoliceofficerofthetown,andinanaimless,pettykindofwayanti-Europeanfeelingwasverybitter.Noonehadthegutstoraiseariot,butifaEuropeanwomanwentthroughthebazaarsalonesomebodywouldprobablyspitbeteljuiceoverherdress.AsapoliceofficerIwasanobvioustargetandwasbaitedwheneveritseemedsafetodoso.WhenanimbleBurmantrippedmeuponthefootballfieldandthereferee(anotherBurman)lookedtheotherway,thecrowdyelledwithhideouslaughter.Thishappenedmorethanonce.Intheendthesneeringyellowfacesofyoungmenthatmetmeeverywhere,theinsultshootedaftermewhenIwasatasafedistance,gotbadlyonmynerves.TheyoungBuddhistpriestsweretheworstofall.TherewereseveralthousandsoftheminthetownandnoneofthemseemedtohaveanythingtodoexceptstandonstreetcornersandjeeratEuropeans.Allthiswasperplexingandupsetting.ForatthattimeIhadalreadymadeupmymindthatimperialismwasanevilthingandthesoonerIchuckedupmyjobandgotoutofitthebetter.Theoretically–andsecretly,ofcourse–IwasallfortheBurmeseandallagainsttheiroppressors,theBritish.AsforthejobIwasdoing,IhateditmorebitterlythanIcanperhapsmakeclear.InajoblikethatyouseethedirtyworkofEmpireatclosequarters.Thewretchedprisonershuddlinginthestinkingcagesofthelock-ups,thegrey,cowedfacesofthelong-termconvicts,thescarredbuttocksofthemenwhohadbeenBoggedwithbamboos–alltheseoppressedmewithanintolerablesenseofguilt.ButIcouldgetnothingintoperspective.Iwasyoungandill-educatedandIhadhadtothinkoutmyproblemsintheuttersilencethatisimposedoneveryEnglishmanintheEast.IdidnotevenknowthattheBritishEmpireisdying,stilllessdidIknowthatitisagreatdealbetterthantheyoungerempiresthataregoingtosupplantit.AllIknewwasthatIwasstuckbetweenmyhatredoftheempireIservedandmyrageagainsttheevil-spiritedlittlebeastswhotriedtomakemyjobimpossible.WithonepartofmymindIthoughtoftheBritishRajasanunbreakabletyranny,assomethingclampeddown,insaeculasaeculorum,uponthewillofprostratepeoples;withanotherpartIthoughtthatthegreatestjoyintheworldwouldbetodriveabayonetintoaBuddhistpriest'sguts.Feelingslikethesearethenormalby-productsofimperialism;askanyAnglo-Indianofficial,ifyoucancatchhimoffduty.Onedaysomethinghappenedwhichinaroundaboutwaywasenlightening.Itwasatinyincidentinitself,butitgavemeabetterglimpsethanIhadhadbeforeoftherealnatureofimperialism–therealmotivesforwhichdespoticgovernmentsact.Earlyonemorningthesub-inspectoratapolicestationtheotherendofthetownrangmeuponthephoneandsaidthatanelephantwasravagingthebazaar.WouldIpleasecomeanddosomethingaboutit?IdidnotknowwhatIcoulddo,butIwantedtoseewhatwashappeningandIgotontoaponyandstartedout.Itookmyrifle,anold44Winchesterandmuchtoosmalltokillanelephant,butIthoughtthenoisemightbeusefulinterrorem.VariousBurmansstoppedmeonthewayandtoldmeabouttheelephant'sdoings.Itwasnot,ofcourse,awildelephant,butatameonewhichhadgonemust.Ithadbeenchainedup,astameelephantsalwaysarewhentheirattackofmustisdue,butonthepreviousnightithadbrokenitschainandescaped.Itsmahout,theonlypersonwhocouldmanageitwhenitwasinthatstate,hadsetoutinpursuit,buthadtakenthewrongdirectionandwasnowtwelvehours'journeyaway,andinthemorningtheelephanthadsuddenlyreappearedinthetown.TheBurmesepopulationhadnoweaponsandwerequitehelplessagainstit.Ithadalreadydestroyedsomebody'sbamboohut,killedacowandraidedsomefruit-stallsanddevouredthestock;alsoithadmetthemunicipalrubbishvanand,whenthedriverjumpedoutandtooktohisheels,hadturnedthevanoverandinflictedviolencesuponit.TheBurmesesub-inspectorandsomeIndianconstableswerewaitingformeinthequarterwheretheelephanthadbeenseen.Itwasaverypoorquarter,alabyrinthofsqualidbamboohuts,thatchedwithpalmleaf,windingalloverasteephillside.Irememberthatitwasacloudy,stuffymorningatthebeginningoftherains.Webeganquestioningthepeopleastowheretheelephanthadgoneand,asusual,failedtogetanydefiniteinformation.ThatisinvariablythecaseintheEast;astoryalwayssoundsclearenoughatadistance,buttheneareryougettothesceneofeventsthevagueritbecomes.Someofthepeoplesaidthattheelephanthadgoneinonedirection,somesaidthathehadgoneinanother,someprofessednoteventohaveheardofanyelephant.Ihadalmostmadeupmymindthatthewholestorywasapackoflies,whenweheardyellsalittledistanceaway.Therewasaloud,scandalizedcryofGoaway,child!Goawaythisinstant!andanoldwomanwithaswitchinherhandcameroundthecornerofahut,violentlyshooingawayacrowdofnakedchildren.Somemorewomenfollowed,clickingtheirtonguesandexclaiming;evidentlytherewassomethingthatthechildrenoughtnottohaveseen.Iroundedthehutandsawaman'sdeadbodysprawlinginthemud.HewasanIndian,ablackDravidiancoolie,almostnaked,andhecouldnothavebeendeadmanyminutes.Thepeoplesaidthattheelephanthadcomesuddenlyuponhimroundthecornerofthehut,caughthimwithitstrunk,putitsfootonhisbackandgroundhimintotheearth.Thiswastherainyseasonandthegroundwassoft,andhisfacehadscoredatrenchafootdeepandacoupleofyardslong.Hewaslyingonhisbellywitharmscrucifiedandheadsharplytwistedtooneside.Hisfacewascoate