孔(kong)(kong)(kong)乙(yi)己(ji)的(de)(de)周(zhou)围(wei)充(chong)满了(le)(le)冷漠与(yu)残(can)(can)忍,可(ke)(ke)作(zuo)者笔下(xia)一(yi)再出现笑(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)声(sheng)(sheng)。孔(kong)(kong)(kong)乙(yi)己(ji)在(zai)笑(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)声(sheng)(sheng)中(zhong)出场,在(zai)笑(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)声(sheng)(sheng)中(zhong)消(xiao)失,在(zai)笑(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)声(sheng)(sheng)中(zhong)演(yan)完他(ta)一(yi)生的(de)(de)悲剧。孔(kong)(kong)(kong)乙(yi)己(ji)是一(yi)切人的(de)(de)笑(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)料,谁都可(ke)(ke)以(yi)(yi)笑(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)他(ta),长衫(shan)顾客和(he)短(duan)衣(yi)帮(bang),掌柜(ju)和(he)小(xiao)伙计(ji),乃至看(kan)热闹的(de)(de)孩子们(men)。是的(de)(de),孔(kong)(kong)(kong)乙(yi)己(ji)身上确(que)有(you)不(bu)(bu)(bu)少可(ke)(ke)笑(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)的(de)(de)地方,然而人们(men)不(bu)(bu)(bu)只(zhi)是笑(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)他(ta)满口之乎者也(ye)的(de)(de)迂(yu)腐气(qi),不(bu)(bu)(bu)只(zhi)笑(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)他(ta)读书人窃书不(bu)(bu)(bu)算偷的(de)(de)歪理(li),也(ye)笑(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)他(ta)脸上的(de)(de)伤疤,也(ye)笑(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)他(ta)被人毒打(da)致残(can)(can)的(de)(de)断腿(tui)。这令(ling)人战栗(li)的(de)(de)笑(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)声(sheng)(sheng)是残(can)(can)忍的(de)(de),然而人们(men)从中(zhong)却得到了(le)(le)“快活”。那些长衫(shan)主顾、掌柜(ju)以(yi)(yi)捉弄、戏耍孔(kong)(kong)(kong)乙(yi)己(ji)为(wei)(wei)乐,这是不(bu)(bu)(bu)足为(wei)(wei)奇的(de)(de)。不(bu)(bu)(bu)幸(xing)(xing)的(de)(de)是短(duan)衣(yi)帮(bang)也(ye)以(yi)(yi)讥笑(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)孔(kong)(kong)(kong)乙(yi)己(ji)的(de)(de)伤疤和(he)断腿(tui)为(wei)(wei)快,这就不(bu)(bu)(bu)能不(bu)(bu)(bu)使人们(men)感到压抑。小(xiao)说中(zhong)多次(ci)重(zhong)复(fu)的(de)(de)笑(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)声(sheng)(sheng)一(yi)方面(mian)是对孔(kong)(kong)(kong)乙(yi)己(ji)好(hao)逸恶劳、自(zi)甘(gan)堕落、自(zi)视清高种种劣根性的(de)(de)批判(pan)和(he)否定,另(ling)一(yi)方面(mian)也(ye)是对短(duan)衣(yi)帮(bang)缺乏(fa)同情、麻木不(bu)(bu)(bu)仁的(de)(de)精神状态(tai)的(de)(de)批判(pan)和(he)否定。可(ke)(ke)见“哀其不(bu)(bu)(bu)幸(xing)(xing),怒(nu)其不(bu)(bu)(bu)争(zheng)”中(zhong)的(de)(de)“其”,不(bu)(bu)(bu)只(zhi)是孔(kong)(kong)(kong)乙(yi)己(ji),也(ye)包括(kuo)了(le)(le)短(duan)衣(yi)帮(bang)。
在(zai)(zai)咸亨酒店(dian)(dian)的(de)顾客中,孔(kong)(kong)(kong)乙(yi)己(ji)(ji)的(de)品行“比(bi)别人都好,就是(shi)(shi)(shi)从不(bu)拖欠(qian)(qian)(qian);虽然(ran)(ran)间或没有(you)现钱,暂时(shi)记在(zai)(zai)粉板上(shang),但不(bu)出一(yi)月,定然(ran)(ran)还(hai)(hai)清”。而且孔(kong)(kong)(kong)乙(yi)己(ji)(ji)总(zong)是(shi)(shi)(shi)给酒店(dian)(dian)带来(lai)笑声,使(shi)“店(dian)(dian)内外充(chong)满了(le)快活(huo)的(de)空气”。这些当然(ran)(ran)不(bu)会使(shi)掌(zhang)(zhang)(zhang)柜反感,惟一(yi)使(shi)他(ta)遗憾的(de)是(shi)(shi)(shi)到死(si)也(ye)没能(neng)还(hai)(hai)给他(ta)的(de)十九(jiu)(jiu)个(ge)钱。孔(kong)(kong)(kong)乙(yi)己(ji)(ji)长久不(bu)到店(dian)(dian)里(li)来(lai),掌(zhang)(zhang)(zhang)柜想起来(lai)的(de)是(shi)(shi)(shi)孔(kong)(kong)(kong)乙(yi)己(ji)(ji)“还(hai)(hai)欠(qian)(qian)(qian)十九(jiu)(jiu)个(ge)钱呢”。孔(kong)(kong)(kong)乙(yi)己(ji)(ji)被(bei)丁举人打折了(le)腿,用手爬到酒店(dian)(dian)来(lai),掌(zhang)(zhang)(zhang)柜见(jian)面第一(yi)句话仍(reng)是(shi)(shi)(shi)“你还(hai)(hai)欠(qian)(qian)(qian)十九(jiu)(jiu)个(ge)钱呢”,到了(le)年关,掌(zhang)(zhang)(zhang)柜取下(xia)粉板时(shi)说的(de)也(ye)是(shi)(shi)(shi)这句话。到第二年端午,掌(zhang)(zhang)(zhang)柜说的(de)还(hai)(hai)是(shi)(shi)(shi)这句话。作者(zhe)用同一(yi)种语(yu)言间隔(ge)复出的(de)方式(shi)充(chong)分(fen)揭露了(le)掌(zhang)(zhang)(zhang)柜的(de)冷(leng)酷和贪(tan)婪。小(xiao)(xiao)伙(huo)(huo)计对孔(kong)(kong)(kong)乙(yi)己(ji)(ji)又是(shi)(shi)(shi)怎样(yang)呢?在(zai)(zai)咸亨酒店(dian)(dian),小(xiao)(xiao)伙(huo)(huo)计是(shi)(shi)(shi)活(huo)泼不(bu)得(de)的(de),“只有(you)孔(kong)(kong)(kong)乙(yi)己(ji)(ji)到店(dian)(dian),才(cai)可以笑几声”。“只有(you)”“才(cai)”表(biao)示唯一(yi)条件。也(ye)就是(shi)(shi)(shi)说,在(zai)(zai)别的(de)条件下(xia),小(xiao)(xiao)伙(huo)(huo)计是(shi)(shi)(shi)不(bu)敢笑的(de)。按说小(xiao)(xiao)伙(huo)(huo)计该是(shi)(shi)(shi)惦记孔(kong)(kong)(kong)乙(yi)己(ji)(ji)的(de),可事实并(bing)不(bu)如此。只是(shi)(shi)(shi)在(zai)(zai)掌(zhang)(zhang)(zhang)柜结账时(shi)